Night and Day

Finding Self Confidence

"You ok, Artemis?" Apollo asks me. I guess after reading the note my facial expression changed.

"Yea, I'm fine," I say.

"Artemis what's in your hand?" Zoë asks me.

"Nothing," I say and go to hide it, but Zoë snatches it from my hands.

"It's a note and it says, 'Artemis,
We warned you, to not be around Apollo or Jake, so now your life is going to be miserable from here on out.
-Leah and Grace' Artemis why didn't you tell us they told you this?" Zoë asks after she reads it, out loud.

"I didn't want y'all to worry, besides it'll be ok, I went through this all of junior high, I can go through it again," I say.

"Artemis you came home crying everyday in Junior High, you are not going through that again, and how do they expect you to stay away from me, we live in the same house," Apollo says.

"Yea and you and Zoë helped me get through it, Apollo," I say.

"Artemis it hurt me seeing you like that everyday," Apollo says.

"Zoë give me back that note," I demand.

"No we are going to talk to Mrs.Allison about this, something you didn't do the past three years," Zoë tells me. Mrs.Allison is our principal, who is very strict.

"No, I am not doing that, it's not going to make a difference, and I'm fifteen, it's time I start sticking up for myself," I say.

"Artemis, Zoë and Apollo are right," Jake says, I roll my eyes.

"Not you too, Jake," I say.

"Artemis, you may be fifteen but that doesn't mean you need do this on your own," Zoë says.

"Guys please," I beg.

"No we are going now, come on," Apollo demands, and him, Jake and Zoë stand up, and I just sit there.

"Staying right here," I say.

"Artemis, come on," Apollo says grabbing my arm, and trying to pull me.

"No!!" I yell.

Then I hear laughing from behind me, and then I see Leah and Grace walking towards us.

"Oh great, what do y'all want?" I ask, standing up. Jake and Apollo step protectively in front of me.

"Don't even think about it," Apollo says.

"Think about what?" Grace asks, staring at Jake.

"My eyes are up here, Grace," Jake says. Zoë grabs my arm and starts pulling me away.

"Zoë, let me go, I'm done being scared of these stuck up, idiotic, little brats," I say, pulling my arm free of Zoë's grip and I start walking up to Leah and Grace.

"Oh what are you going to do, Artie?" Leah asks, smirking.

"Don't call me that," I say.

"We warned you, Artemis," Grace says.

"Yea, warned me to stay away from my BROTHER and his BEST friend how is that exactly going to work," I say, glaring at the two of them.

"Oh ya know don't live with Apollo, and don't come to school here," Grace says.

"She isn't moving because y'all want her too," Apollo says, behind me, and I turn and smile at him, and he smiles back.

"Apollo, you know friends are more important than family, and y'all's parents should have gotten rid of Artemis when she was born," Leah says.

"Are you serious with me right now, Artemis is the best person in my life, she is my SISTER, and like I said yesterday, you pick on her, you deal with me," Apollo says.

"And me," Jake says.

"And me," Zoë says. I turn and look at the most important people in my life, and smile, and they step forward and stand beside me.

"You choose deal with me, or leave my sister alone," Apollo says, and Leah and Grace glare at me.

"This isn't over, Artemis," Leah says and her and Grace walk off.

"Thanks for the help," I say.

"GROUP HUG!!!!" Zoë exclaims and they all dog pile me and we start laughing our heads off. I love these three people.