Chapter One: Cheetah Girls 2

Artemis was standing at the doorway.

“Why the Cheetah Girls 2?” he groaned. “Mother always has the stupidest bands come here…”

But as Aqua and Dorinda walked in the door, his expression changed. Aqua was beautiful. Dorinda was blonde. When Galleria and Chanel tried to greet him, he barely heard them.

Girls don’t usually interest me, he thought. Why do Aqua and Dorinda? Is it their looks? I’ve never met girls that are this cute before.

He heard them practicing their songs in the bedroom above his. He only had ears for Aqua and Dorinda’s voices. As they began singing ‘Cinderella’, he heard Dorinda say “I’d lie in bed and think about the person that I wanted to be,” then Aqua sing “Then one day I realized, the fairy tale life isn’t for me!”

He heard nothing but the two girl’s voices. But a nagging thought shook his head all night long.

They’re too old for you. You’re fourteen. They’re probably in their twenties.

But I still love them. They’re so cute.

Has your common sense deserted you completely, boy?

Maybe.

Listen to me, Artemis. You’re too young. They’re too old. It’s not a good match-up.

But at midnight, a remarkable thing happened.

A flash of bright light from upstairs. Artemis shoved off his covers. What had happened?

He tramped up the stairs as quickly as he could. Galleria, Chanel, Dorinda, and Aqua were his age!

They were even cuter than before. Dorinda’s hair was so curly it made her look like Sharpay from the High School Musical videos. Aqua’s hair was even curlier than Dorinda’s, and was put up in a bun. They were in white and cheetah-pattern dresses.

They looked very surprised.

“Are you girls okay?” Artemis asked. “There was a loud noise and a flash of light.”

All four nodded: They looked very shaken, though. Artemis was hugely relieved. He didn’t care about Galleria and Chanel as long as Dorinda and Aqua were okay.

“You’re cute,” Aqua said suddenly.

Artemis was resisting going red.

“Aqua, what are you saying?” Dorinda asked. “He’s too young for you.”

“We’re fourteen, Dorinda,” Aqua said, looking down at herself.

“I have a confession,” Artemis said abruptly. “If you have the guts to admit it I do too. I think both of you are cute, Aqua, Dorinda.”

“I don’t really like your looks,” Dorinda said, “but you’re nice.”

“I like both!” Aqua said, rushing forward and grabbing Artemis.

“I guess they’re dating now,” Chanel said, rolling her eyes. “Aqua, if you marry him, it’s not our fault if you’re not happy.”

Aqua and Artemis looked at each other, stars in both of their eyes.

“Oh, trust me,” Aqua whispered silently. “We’re meant for each other.”

Some other stories by HollyShort:

• What if Minerva never Existed?
• Path of Life Chapter One: Words of Death
• Never-changing Fear and Responsibility
• Far Away - A Holly + Artemis Song Fiction
• Artemis Fowl meets Naruto characters