Chapter three: Eleni DeSantos

“And you had better not make a total idiot of yourself in front of my date, you hear?” Collette shook a manicured finger at her sister like a mother scolding a naughty child. “Remember, I only brought you along because mom and dad didn’t want me doing anything that shouldn’t be done till I’m way in my twenties and I have no problem giving you a black eye.”

Eleni was a bit surprised by her twin sister’s harshness. Usually her Collette only teased and jeered instead of threatening to hurt her. “Alright, Collette. I’ll try.”

“You’d better.” She immediately brightened up when she saw Artemis enter the restaurant. She smiled the fake smile you see on the faces of models on advertisements. He walked over to the table.

“Good evening, Collette. And who is this lovely young lady?” Artemis said, sitting down across from Collette.

Collette looked at the curly haired girl sitting next to her. “Oh, Eleni? She’s just my twin sister.” Artemis could tell without a doubt that Collette was the beauty of the family. Collette looked like a supermodel with her long, blonde hair and dazzling blue eyes next to the small, curly haired, freckled brunette with the glasses. Eleni smiled, showing a mouth of braces.

“Nice to meet you,” she said. Unfortunately for Eleni, she was ignored the rest of the evening.

…………………………

Collette walked up and down the hallways of Saint Bartleby’s on the day of the try outs. She eventually ran into a small, red-haired, spectacled boy.

“Excuse me,” she said. “Can you tell me where I can find Coach Johnson?”

“Um…I think he would be in the gym. To get to the gym you have to go down this hallway and turn left. It’ll be the third door on your right.”

Collette ran down the hall in that direction. “No running in the halls!” the boy called after her.

Collette rolled her eyes. “Dork,” she mumbled to herself.

The gym doors were open and Collette heard Coach Johnson coaching the kids on pushups. “C’mon, kids. Up, down, up, down. Lower, Jones, you gotta bend those elbows. Hardy! You call that a pushup? I’m temped to fail you if you don’t start trying harder.”

Collette approached the coach. “Are you the new coach?”

The coach turned to her. “Yes. And who are you? This was a boys’ school last time I checked.”

“Yes, well, my brother attends. I was passing by this morning and I saw a group of boys playing a game of rugby. There was one boy who was exceptionally good. My brother tells me his name is Artemis Fowl II and he’s the best rugby player at Saint Bartleby’s. I ask you if you would consider putting him on the team.”

“Sure. If he tries out just like all the other boys.”

“He’s not going to make the try outs today because…something unexpected turned up. But I promise you, he’s your one way ticket to the school championships.”

“Sorry. If you don’t try out, you can’t be on the team.”

“But I…”

“Nope.”

Collette hung her head dramatically and turned to leave. “Alright. I’ll…tell him…”

……………………….

“So I don’t have to try out?” Artemis said hopefully.

“Of course you do, silly,” Collette laughed.

“But you know I will never get on the team. Why do I have to try out?”

Collette frowned. “Do you care about me?”

“Yes.”

“Do you love me?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want me as your own?”

“Yes.”

“Then try out!” she ordered, her voice and pitch rising dangerously. “Because there is no way on earth I will have a weak, nerdy, unpopular, geek for a boyfriend!” Collette was suddenly calm again. “Just go to the try outs,” she said, smiling a mischievous smile. “I’ll take care of everything.”

Some other stories by artyfowl3:

• Updates
• Doorway to Cittàgazze
• Early Train
• Like Father, Like Daughter
• Lost Colony Poem

Skip to chapter: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,