Chapter 83

First Date

Holly's POV:

"Arty, you look fine," I assured my genius boyfriend who was currently attempting to tug at his clothes once again.

"Mmmm," he mumbled unhappily. I laughed to myself. Arty looked…hot to say the least. He was wearing a tight blue t-shirt that was exactly the color of his eyes. His jeans lovingly encased his legs and butt all the way down to his blue converse. Yum!

"Actually, you look more than fine. Amazing, cute, hot…"

"Not nearly as 'amazing, cute, or hot' as you are dear," he smiled in spite of himself as his eyes raked up and down my body.

I blushed at the short, black miniskirt and white and black striped tube top that I had forced myself into. My long boots were the only things that gave me any type of coverage, and kept my outfit from being indecent. "Thank you."

"You're more than welcome."

I stared into those eyes. Every since we started… being a couple I hadn't been able to take my eyes off of him. Looking at him now, I don't see how I hid the truth from myself for so long, but I'm glad that I know now. "Are you ready?" I asked, struggling to hide my blush.

"If you are."

I took the hand that he had extended. "I'm always ready for you."

He chuckled as he led me to the silver car that I loved so much. I allowed him to help me into the passenger seat as I tried not to show any extra portions of myself. Needless to say, I was failing miserably. On the positive side, it was only Artemis. On the negative side, it was Artemis.

The ride was quiet to say the least. We sat in a comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company and thinking about what was going to happen tonight.

It didn't seem like we had just confessed our love for each other two days ago. It couldn't be. But it had happened. As of then, we are officially together. Artemis Fowl is now officially my boyfriend. Just the thought of that sent a tingle of excitement through my spine. After all that I had been through, he was finally mine.

Now I could actually say that he was mine. I glanced over at his slightly relaxed posture, his alert eyes and long fingers tapping the wheel. There was no denying that he was a handsome specimen.

Before long, he was pulling into the parking lot. "I love it when you stare," he smirked as he helped me out of the car.

My cheeks reddened. Ugh, a genius who happened to see everything. Lucky me. "I don't know what you're talking about."

His chuckled, and his arm circled around my waist as he ushered me to the door of the club. A tall, man of African descent with chocolate skin and hazel eyes grinned at me. Had I been any other girl, I may have been drooling from the sheer masculinity of his gaze, but I'm proud to say that I'm not any other girl.

"Adonis," I grinned, throwing my arms around the bouncer. "How are you?"

"Hollinda," he grinned down. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"I know. I've been out of town."

"So I heard," his deep voice rumbled. "Are you here to stay?"

"I wish."

"Mmmm, I'm guessing you want to get inside?"

I rolled my eyes at the big man. You have to love him. Having to love people. It seemed to be a common denominator in my life at the moment. "No, I just want to stay out here forever."

"Fine smart mouth, go on inside." He waved us forward, completely ignoring Artemis until he pulled out his wallet. "No charge kid. Just make sure you take care of Hollinda here. She's something special."

"That she is," Artemis answered, his eyes roving my body again. Honestly, at the moment, I felt like a juicy piece of meat that he was just waiting to take a bite out of. "At least take this as an offer of my best wishes."

Adonis reluctantly took the bill without comment, obviously not wanting to hurt Artemis' pride. "Welcome to Phenomena. I sincerely hope that you have your own bit of amazement here tonight." It was the second time that I had heard the phrase, but this time, I secretly hoped the same, and I was almost sure that I would. After all, with Artemis, how could anything be less than amazing?

The club hadn't changed at all. The foyer, the dance floor, the night sky, the flashing lights. It all took me back to that night. Now we just needed Juliet,Shry, and complete denial and things would be complete. Ah, all the time that I had wasted…

Artemis pulled me out of my musings by pulling me in closer to his body. "Would you do me the honor of dancing with me?"

"It would be my pleasure," I smiled, enjoying the attention as he led me out to the dance floor.

This time, I was able to fully enjoy my experience. I could take pleasure in his strong, warm arms as they circled my waist. I could truly appreciate the almost fluid way that his long body moved with mine. "You're amazing," I muttered just loud enough for him to hear.

He grinned widely. "So I've been told."

"Only by me."

"And you're the only one who ever needs to say so."

The next song was slow. He held my body close to his, slowly rocking back and forth to the music. As I surveyed my feelings, I realized something. Something very important. I am happy.

In life, I've been mostly content, but here, with Arty as my boyfriend, I am happy. Completely and totally satisfied, content, happy. Just moving back and forth like this is enough to hold me over forever.

"Can I continue to hold you like this?"

"Forever," I whispered. We continued swaying even after the song had changed to something more lively.

His hand gently stroked my cheek. "Would you like a drink?"

"Yes, I would." He led me to the bar, his arm never left my waist, and I can't say that I did not appreciate the gentle weight that he placed there. It felt right, like he should be there holding me and caring for me.

The bartender turned to face the two of us. It didn't take a genius to see how her eyes lit up when she saw Artemis. "What can I get for you?" she asked, her alto voice dipping in tones that were supposed to be seductive.

"Two cranberry spritzers please," he said, paying her no attention. Of course, Artemis never noticed that he was getting more than the usual amount of attention. Well, only when it came from me.

"Right away handsome," she winked.

I took this time to truly look at this girl. She was pretty, there was no denying that. Her tan skin sparkled, drawing attention to her unusually bright gray eyes and her plump red lips. Her blond tightly curled hair spilled onto her shoulders. Her white tank top hugged her curves and displayed her ample bosom as her shirt and shorts were just long enough to cover her private parts. Delightful.

She took her slow time moving her hips just a bit more than what was strictly necessary for making drinks. Finally, she set the them down in front of him, letting her hands linger on his just a little too long.

A bud of heat developed in my chest. Was I not here? Do I not exist? "Thank you very much," I hissed, dragging her attention to me as Arty paid the bill.

I'm not proud, but I practically dragged him away to a table. Though in my defense, I was irritable. And of course Artemis just chuckled. "That was quite a show."

"Mmmm," I mumbled, avoiding his eyes. I am not usually the jealous type, but Arty has a way of throwing me off of my axis. He has a way of making me behave as I never thought that I would, but this jealousy… it wasn't healthy. I didn't want it to destroy me or him. Or us.

"Isn't it ironic how sometimes the right song plays at exactly the right moment?" he asked.

"What?" Where had that even come from?

"Shh. Listen to the words."

You're insecure. Don't know what for.

You're turning heads when you walk through do-o-or

Don't need make up to cover up.

Being the way that you are eno-o-ough.

Everyone else in the room can see it.

Everyone else but you.

Baby you light up my world like nobody else.

The way you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed.

But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell

You don't know oh oh.

You don't know you're beautiful.

That's what makes you beautiful.

He scooted closer, throwing his arm around me. He used his other hand to force me to look at him. "Holly, there's never any reason for you to be jealous of anyone."

"I wasn't jealous," I lied.

"You were, and if I may add it was one of the most exhilarating things that I have ever seen."

"Exhilarating?"

"Yes. Perhaps it is strange, but I enjoy seeing evidence that you, do in fact, care for me."

Was that a surprise. Didn't I show him that I cared everyday? "Of course I care," I admitted. "I care a lot."

"Know that I feel the same," he gently kissed my hand. "Perhaps even more so." Somehow, I doubt that.

Now seemed like the perfect time to ask a question that had long plagued me. "Why?"

"Holly, you don't realize what you do to people, what you do to me. You're beautiful, smart, funny, and a threat to anyone who attempts to hurt the people that you love. How could I not appreciate that?"

I wasn't used to someone speaking so lovingly and truthfully to me. "But there are prettier girls. The bartender for example. She was obviously flirting."

He shrugged. "I noticed, but I don't want her. She does not pique my interest like you do. She is nothing like you. Trust me that you, Holly Short, are the only woman that I desire."

I know that he's telling me the truth. I know that he means it. I'm not Lili Frond, I accept that as well, but according to my boyfriend, being Holly Short is enough. Everyone else but me can see it. Maybe it's time for me to open my eyes.

"That's what makes your beautiful." His wry grin spread. "That and your nearly flawless personality."

Did I hear that correctly? "Nearly flawless? Why just nearly?"

"Your temper, of course." Ugh, there's nothing worse than his smug face. Especially when he's right.

I couldn't help it. It wasn't my fault. Blame my temper, that's why I punched him. "Jerk."

"Your jerk."

My eyes softened at the boy that was not just my friend, not just my confidant, but also my love. "I love you."

"As I love you."

I smiled as I leaned in and covered his lips with mine. They were warm and inviting and tasted of cranberry juice and a tangy flavor that was all his own. One that I could never manage to get enough of.

"Get a room," giggled a voice from behind us.

Artemis pulled away reluctantly to see who had had the gall to interrupt us.

"Shry!" I squealed at my friend. "How are you?"

"Good, I suppose I don't have to ask about either of you."

"Haha," Artemis shook his head. Obviously, he cared a great deal about his genius friend. And this time I was not even jealous in the slightest. Though this is probably at least partially due to the fact that I knew Shry had absolutely no interest in Artemis. If anything, he was like her younger brother. "Very funny. If I may ask, why are you here?"

"For the record, I did not give you permission, but since you had to ask, I came to enjoy a nice date with my boyfriend."

Boyfriend? Here? "Adonis."

Her face darkened slightly and she could not make eye contact with either of us. "Yeees."

"Congratulations," I squealed. She was a great girl, and he was a great guy. They deserved each other.

"The same to you." She was exuding a calm pride that any woman who is happily dating would . She was excited and it showed. I just prayed that the two would stay together. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to find my man." She set off on her purpose with a jaunty wave and a cocky smile.

"What?" I asked Artemis who was staring at me.

"At times like this , I enjoy your ease of conversations with people, your truly friendly air. It's incredible."

That's the thing about Artemis. He always finds something to say, somethng incredibly kind and well thought out. "Not nearly as incredible as your brain. Or even your body."

"Why Holly I'm shocked. You've noticed my body?" His fake tone of astonishment did not surprise me.

"I can't help but admire beauty in all that surrounds me," I teased.

His mouth quirked yet again. "Any one who said that must be extremely wise." Of course he thinks so, he's the one that said it.

"The wisest of them all."

"Sarcasm is not as fetching as you think it is," he teased. His sharp eyes roved the room, seeing that the club was just beginning to get crowded. Ugh crowds. I hate the feel of people pushing against me, all dancing together in a massive heap of moving bodies. I shuddered, no I couldn't deal with that. Not tonight.

"Artemis?"

"Yes, Holly?"

"Is it okay if we leave?"

His brow raised just as I expected it to. Honestly, he was already so predictable. "Are you not enjoying yourself?"

Yes, his first thought would be in worry for me. "I'm having a wonderful time, but I would really like to spend some time alone with you." And get out of here.

Alone. That one word was more than enough to motivate the teen. I had never been led out of a place quite so fast as I was on this particular occasion. Even the car ride seemed faster. In fact, it took all of my will power not to look at the odometer.

All too soon, he was helping me out of the car and leading me up the stairs to his bedroom. Always, the perfect gentleman, he held the door open for me to enter before him. "Thank you," I muttered.

"You're welcome," he replied, following me to the bed. I laid next to him, curled into his side with my head on his chest. Finally, I was able to slip the ring off of my finger and become myself again. "That's better."

"Indeed it is. I'd imagine that you tire of masquerading as a human."

"In a way. It's more like I prefer being myself."

"And you're not yourself while you're wearing the ring?"

"No. Then I'm Hollinda Briefs." And she was different. In a lot of ways, she was a more confident, more robust blond version of myself. In a lot of ways, she was the Lili Frond edition of me.

He pushed my hair back from my face. "No matter what, you'll always be Holly Short to me."

That was nice. It was good to know that he accepted me. Out of all of the people who claim that they know me, he knows me the best. He knows what angers me and what makes me smile, what makes me laugh and what makes me cry, but most importantly he knows what makes me me.

"And you'll always be Artemis."

We laid there quietly while Arty rubbed gentle circles on my back as I laid there, taking pleasure in every second of his attention. This was comfortable. This was safe. This was how life should be. This was how I wish life could always be. "Best first date ever."

That smirk. The one that consumed a large part of my time. Sometimes, I want to see it and at others it makes me want to strangle him. "I whole heartedly agree," he paused. "And if possible, I'd like to go out with you again."

As if I would want to do anything else. "What did you have in mind?"

All of a sudden, he seemed somewhat nervous. "This may seem trite, but for humans it's something of a big deal. Would you consider doing me the honor of accompanying me to my senior prom?"

Prom. I hadn't been to one since my own disastrous one. To be honest, I'm a bit surprised that Artemis is even considering going at all. But when in Rome… "I'd be delighted."

"Good," he nodded. "Now, I'm actually looking forward to it."

"Me too."

"Of course you'll have to meet my mother before hand." His mother? Meep. Just the thought of it had my stomach turning. How did he expect me to do that? Be myself? What if she didn't like me?

"W…what?"

"Yes, she's been dying to meet you for a very long time."

When he said it like that it almost made me feel guilty. It wasn't that I didn't want to meet his mother. Rather, I was concerned about meeting her. She was a strong rock in her son's life. A fortress of comfort and love. What if she doesn't approve of me? What if she thinks I'm too different?

When I asked Arty, he chuckled. "Holly, she'll love you just a I love you. Even more perhaps, because she'll be happy that I'm happy."

"Even though I'm not human?"

He laughed as he continued to stroke my hair. "Even though you're not human."

I met his mismatched eyes. They shone with such a fierce affection that I had to look away. How had I gotten so lucky? "Fine," I submitted, "but I am not wearing a dress."

His grin widened. "Not even for me?"

I chuckled, thinking about all of the times that he had seen my legs recently. "Maybe if you ask me really nicely?" I hedged coyly.

His soft lips grazed my chin and my jaw, as he nibbled my neck. "Please." his warm breath ghosted across my skin, leaving a trail of goosebumps behind. "Please Holly."

"Mmm," I moaned softly as his hand tugged gently at the tip of my ears.

"Please?"

"Yes!" I exhaled as his nimble fingers found just the right place.

And of course he chose to pull back away from me. "You don't play fair," I complained. Arty… he always took advantage of my weaknesses when the chance presented itself. Ugh, why did I have to show him that one?

"You should know that by now."

And I should. We had only known each other for how long? Years? "Apparently, I don't learn my lessons as I should."

"Perhaps you need me to teach you so that you can achieve perfect marks."

I grinned in expectation of the lessons that his lips would teach me. And as any student, I was ready and willing to learn. "Yes, master Fowl."

His lips surrounded mine moving slowly and passionately as I allowed him entrance into my mouth. We battled for dominance with him just barely winning. The mind-blowing luxurious feel of him sent me into spasm of ecstasy. When he finally pulled away with both of us gasping for breath, I grinned. "Thank you master Fowl for your lessons."

He pulled me close to his chest. "It was truly my pleasure."

I smiled even wider. Best date ever.

A/n:

Yay! Another Chapter Down! It's almost over. Can you believe it? I'm so completely excited, and a little sad at the same time. Can you believe this story only has about seven chapters left? Woooow!

So anyway, that June 19th deadline got blown out of the water by my summer writing camp (obviously). I really want to set another deadline, but this summer I actually sort of have vacation plans. But rest assured that I will update as much and as quickly as I possibly can. Hopefully, this will be done before the book comes out on July tenth.

Keep reading and I'll keep writing. Oh and review. Flames are welcome. They're what keep me warm and toasty at night. ;)

Remember: Reviews = happy camper. Happy camper = quicker updates. Quicker updates = you reading more. It's a cycle. Keep it going!

Yours truly, madly, and deeply,

Einstinette