…Heart beating so intensely he waited for it to jump from his chest from fright.

Artemis scowled and waited for the girl to get off. “Would you – Would you get off?” he said, crankily.
Alice pretended like she didn’t hear that, she closed her eyes and listened.
“That means Today.”
She hopped off. Muttering a ‘Sorry.’
“What’re you doing here?” he glanced at the clock. “And at three o’clock in the morning?” Alice opened her mouth to speak, but Artemis didn’t let her – he pressed on. “Stealing my stuff,” – Alice knew this much already, that It must’ve been rare for Artemis to use the word stuff. – Tracking me down, and – let me guess – planning to stay here?”
Alice nodded. “Is this the part where you say you won’t have it?”
“Yes!” Barked Artemis, “By all means, get out – but first…” he looked at the window and door. “Give it to me.” By the secrecy in is voice, Alice he was talking about the C Cube.
Alice placed her hands on her hips and looked somewhat disgusted. “And Why should I?” she barked back.
Artemis wasn’t expecting that.
It was Ali’s turn to press on. “I’m being hunted down by some Power-mad Mafia owner, and you won’t even let me lie low!”
Artemis was intrigued. “What kind of Power-mad Mafia Owner?” he asked.
Alice looked him up and down. “What’s it to you?”
Artemis gulped. This wasn’t going to be easy. If he got Butler to take it from her, who knows what she’d do to stop him from having it, probably breaking it in the process, and even though that was highly unlikely, Artemis wasn’t in a position where he could take that chance. If he stole it from her, he had to remember that sooner or later, the people hunting her were going catch her, and she’d give them his life story, so then he’d have them to deal with.
Artemis sighed. It was a lose-lose situation, and Artemis had only one option. He lifted his arms up, only to let them flop to his sides, body language saying, ‘OK, I give’ he looked at her. “Alright, I’ll let you stay.” If he managed to earn her trust, in the end, he could get his Cube.
Alice lost her serious demeanor and gave a childish grin. “Thanks, Arty!”
“And don’t call me Arty.”
Alice nestled onto the couch across the room. She thought about his name.
“You know, my father –“
“Sleep.”

***

Butler got out of his shower, and was rubbing a towel on his bald head. When we saw Artemis straightening a tie and the same girl from yesterday tossing and turning and saying something about tennis balls and ponies.
“Sir…” he began, questionably “What is…?”
“Don’t… say anything.” Artemis cut him off, and reluctantly walked to the girl.

Alice skipped through a field of flowers; and saw a pony running beside her. “Pony!” she exclaimed. It turned to her, a face just like Artemis. “Heya Pon… – ARTEMIS!??!!?”
It glared at her, a tennis ball emerging from its mouth. It spat it in her face. “Get your hands off my Pizza!” It yelled.

Artemis tried to shake the girl awake. She started to murmur. “Pony…. Tennis… hair… Artemis… Pizza~!!!!” Artemis looked at her.
“ALICE!” He yelled.
She shot up, and looked at Artemis like he was the scariest thing in the world. “I – “
“- Had a dream – not that hard to figure out.” He looked at the bathroom. “Now go take a shower.”
Alice looked at him, sleepily, one eye only a quarter open. “M’Kay…” she rubbed her eyes, and walked to the bathroom.
“Aww…” Said Butler, half sarcastically, half actually meaning it. “She’s cute.”
Artemis shot him a death Glare.
And after a few moments of silence:
Every time I think of you, I feel shot right thru with a bolt of blue…
Artemis looked up. “What is that?”
It became louder: There’s no use in telling me
‘The wisdom of a fool won’t set you free’
That’s the way that it goes
It’s what nobody knows
And Everyday my Confusion grows

“Is…” Artemis began to question the melodious tune… “Is that…?”
”Little Miss Alice.” Butler finished.
Artemis knocked on the bathroom door, halting the –he had to admit – wonderful tune. I know that you cannot see, But underneath my skin is a –
“Alice!” Came Artemis. “Stop that hideous screeching and hurry it up!”
The water halted.
“Hideous screeching?!” she echoed, questionably, tone of voice saying, ‘how dare you?’ “Your no siren yourself!”
Artemis blinked. ‘Oh.’ He thought. ‘Siren.’
A hand shot out from behind the curtain, pulling a pink robe down. And the next they knew.
Fwoof –
The curtain blew back, revealing Alice, hands on her hips, short robe, and a scowl to match Artemis’ own not five minutes earlier.
How could he not, he blinked. He stared at her face – at the scowl. He almost blushed, but in his head he screamed ‘Almost’.
“Well…” he finally made out.
Alice finally realized why he looked so weird. She rolled her eyes and walked by him. “Oh you little – “
And Artemis refused to hear the Word that escaped her moist lips. He heard Butler laugh at it. Rather Loudly.
***
Alice burst thru the Manors doors. “Oh, Wow!” she gasped.
Artemis sighed.
High-heeled shoes clacked against the marble floor. “Oh, Arty, I – “ Artemis’s mother stopped in her tracks. “Who’s your Friend, Artemis?”
Artemis panicked for a split second. He pulled the now wide-eyed Alice in front of himself, smiling. “Mother, this is Alice.” He said, sincerely. “She’s an orphan. She’s got a lot of debts, so I thought we could help Ali by letting her stay until she gets back on her feet!” even though hearing Artemis say her name in shortened, Ali, made her feel… odd, she had to admit he was a very good actor.
Angeline, Artemis’s Mother, was shocked. “Until she gets back on her feet?” she sounded appalled.
Alice resembled a cute puppy.
“She’s an orphan! She can stay as she long as she wants. Butler.” Angeline called. He appeared at her side in an instant. “Take Ali to her room. And pick a room for her.”
Alice smiled. “Thank you, Mrs. Fowl!”
Angeline smiled. “No problem, hon.”
Artemis started acting again. He took Alice’s arm. “Come along, Alice.” He walked up the stairs. Angeline watched them, holding her head in one hand, and then she scurried off somewhere.

Alice had to admit, it was odd having Artemis touch her. Unbeknownist to the Girl, Artemis had completely forgotten he was touching her at all. She started to turn pink, and – without knowing – tightened her grip on his arm.
Artemis’s semi-opened eyes widened. He jerked his arm away from her. The two stopped in the middle of the hallway, and Artemis looked at her, heart beating so intensely he waited for it to jump from his chest from fright. Alice held her hands up to under her chin, big puppy-dog eyes staring at him. They both wanted to say, “Don’t… do that again…” but they didn’t – they were far too speechless.
Artemis backed up some more, this time do a door.
“Uh- uh – Anyway…” He stuttered, still in total shock. “This is your room.” With those thrown out words, he hastily left.
Alice blinked.

She plopped down on the bed. The room was pure white, free to paint. But she decided to keep it that way.
She had a balcony and screen doors to see outside when not actually on the balcony. She threw open the windows, hearing birds chirp and letting herself soak up the sun.
The hallway incident had been completely forgotten. At least for Ali, anyway. She sighed. She had been doing that a lot lately.
There was a peck at the door.
“Come in.” beckoned Alice. A girl with big blue eyes and curly blonde hair dressed in a maids outfit did in fact come in. she smiled. “You must be our new guest.” She said casually. “I’m Juliet, Butler’s sister.”
Unbeknownist to Alice, Butler was in his forties, and Juliet was 18.
“I’m Alice. Call me Ali.”
“Can do, Ali.”
Ali smiled. She was going to like it here.
“Have you met Artemis?” asked Juliet.
“Um, Yeah” The Hallway incident came back. She felt herself flush. “He brought me here.”
Juliet’s jaw dropped. “He brought you here?” she was so surprised, she reminded herself to actually ask Artemis later.
Alice realized there was a lot of explaining to do.

Artemis looked at himself in his mirror.
Then he sneezed again.
——————————————-
And now, a preview! ^-^

“Answer me this, Ali: what were you doing?”
“I had no Idea you were so challenged, Arty. I was jumping, what do you thing I was doing?”
“Don’t call me Arty!” ((Haley’s comment – SUSPENSE!))

Some other stories by Haleo:

• Smooth Criminals - Theft One : Ripped off to the highest Degree -