"And no matter what I do. Trent always makes me look like a fool in front of Janelle." Leo said pacing back and forth. I spun around in the chair listening to him.
"Well, he does get a little help from you in that area." Chase teased, he stopped typing on the computer. Leo laughed sarcastically and I lightly slapped Chase on his arm. Chase went back to programming.
"How awesome would it be if I could beat him in that basketball tournament? That would impress her."
"You could always start practicing." I suggested. Leo groaned and faced Chase.
We both looked at him, he stopped typing again, based on his expression he had an idea.
"Wait a second."
"Uh-oh, you just turned on that Chase I'm-smarter-than-you-and-I-have-a-big-idea-light-bulb face!" Leo recognized. I've been around Chase long enough to know that face. "It's not your best look, by the way."
"I don't think it's the best time to point out looks. He's helping you." I defended Chase. I thought he looked intelligent but it also gave him an arrogant look.
"You're just staying that cause you like how he looks." Leo retorted.
Leo isn't wrong. I think Chase was attractive. Actually, I think all of them are good looking, I never did understand why someone makes a big deal out of thinking that, it doesn't mean I have feelings for them.
Chase blushed, "Anyways, Davenport has been working on an anti-gravity high-top sneaker for astronaut training." Chase said, getting up from his chair and walking to a pair of shoes on a bench. Leo and I trialed behind him.
Chase, Adam and Bree all told me they preferred to call their father 'Mr. Davenport' than dad. They only mentioned it when Adam slipped up and called his Mr. Davenport. I kinda understood how they could be more comfortable calling their dad by his name. Adam also slipped up by mentioning they sleep in the lab. They had to explain that to me as well.
The thing that bothered me was how they kept lying about it straight to my face. I can't exactly complain though, they don't know everything about me, but I don't really keep my family business a secret. It just never comes up.
"So, what do you think Lauren?" I blinked a couple of times before my eyes landed on Leo and the shoes.
"Uh, they look great." I said, watching Leo jump with them on.
"Say hello to air Leo!" Leo exclaimed, a broad smile on his face.
"Now for the real test." Chase announced, he ran upstairs and soon came back with a basketball. I watched Chase dribble the ball and Leo stole it from him. Leo dribbled the ball, bounced of the wall, and dunked the basketball.
"Yes!"
With those shoes, my parkour skills would immensely improve. I wonder how much convincing will it take for Mr. Davenport to make me a pair.
"Did you see that?" Leo laughed, "I don't need these shoes. Thats was all me. Watch." Leo claimed, taking off the glowing blue and gray sneakers. Chase tossed the ball at him. Leo tried to dunk the ball like he had with the shoes on and face planted on the floor.
It caught me off guard and I laughed without meaning to. Chase looked at me and laughed with me.
"Okay, it was the shoes." Leo admitted. Chase and I looked back at each other still laughing. Chase helped Leo up and I retrieved the ball.
"Leo, these shoes are amazing but—" I started and Leo interrupted me by groaning. I glared at him, "but I don't think Janelle will appreciate you cheating."
"It's not cheating." Chase said, "it's a boost to help Leo win."
Chase and Leo nodded. I shook my head knowing it was going to backfires somehow. I tossed the ball to Chase, him and Leo started a friendly match testing the shoes out more.
‿‿‿‿ ‿‿‿‿ ‿‿‿‿
Cheer tryouts were happening today and Bree told me how Adam was trying to steal her 'thing.' I found it a bit unfair how she wasn't letting Adam tryout for the team. I still supported both and hopefully they work something out.
Besides Bree, Leo texted me and informed me that he was going to sign up for the tourney today. I, of course, didn't want to miss this and made sure to ge to school earlier than usual to watch. I stood by the little stand Janelle had and we made small talk.
"You said you use to play sports, right? Why don't you sign up?" Janelle asked me hopeful.
"I used to, yes, but I was more of a hockey type of gal, sorry." I explained.
"Attention, everyone!" Janelle and I heard Trent and we rolled our eyes. That's one thing we had in common, we absolutely despised him.
"Trent is now is session! All bow to the honorable Trent!" Trent announced, walking over to Janelle.
"Is there anyone brave enough to challenge me in the tourney yet?" Trent asked, grabbing the board out of Janelles hands.
"Oh, I've got an itch to crush a dream or two. Who's gonna be my ointment?"
Janelle mocked Trent by mouthing what he said. I wonder how many times she has hear Trent say this.
"Ladies and gentlemen..." Chase announced, walking into the building with a megaphone, "If I may have your attention I present to you the soon-to-be champion of the one-on-one basketball tourney— Dunkin' Leo Dooley!" Chase emphasized, he kicked his leg after every word while introducing Leo.
Leo jogged into the building and turned around displaying his yellow robe, and on the back the words 'Dunkin Dooley' were shown.
I took a quick glance at Janelle and she did not look impressed.
"Will assist, flick your wrist, win the game, and pump a fist!" Leo rhymed, he rushed to Trent confidently, "You think it'll go down smoothly? Well, you've never played a champ like Dooley!"
I wonder how long it took him to come up with that rhyme.
"Yes, that just happened!" Leo exclaimed, causing everyone- including me— to cheer and clap for him.
"Oh, yeah? Well, I'm the dude who's gonna..." Trent mumbled at the end. "Somebody give me some words that rhyme!"
"Feud, rhymes with dude, also screwed." I added. Trent smiled in appreciation, Leo glared at me and Chase came over to me, covering my mouth.
"Leo, what are you doing?" Janelle sighed, she leaned against the table watching Leo approach her.
"He is signing up for the hoop-a palooza." Chase said, behind me, handing Leo a pencil. He was still covering my mouth. I licked his hand and he yelped. He looked at me with disgust and I shrugged. Serves him right for covering my mouth.
Chase ignored me and hyped Leo up, "Don't miss the event of the school year. Where Trent will be destroyed by a scrawny underdog 1/16th his size!"
"Laying it on a little thick, aren't ya?"
Leo signed his name on the sheet and Janelle erased it. This went on for a back and forth while Chase commented with the megaphone.
"Miracles do hap—"
"Stop."
"Janelle, give Leo a chance. I've seen him practice and he's better than before." I said. I wanted Leo to participate because of his intention. All he wanted was to impress Janelle. I thought it was a sweet gesture and not many guys in this school do stuff to impress a girl they like.
Janelle scowled at me.
Leo wrote his name and Janelle erased it, Leo scribbled his name again and Janelle erased it again.
"Stop it!" Leo exclaimed.
"Yeah, stop it!" Trent exclaimed coming over to us. "I wanna play!"
"Okay, fine. Trent, I guess you finally have an opponent— Leo." Janelle sighed, writing his name.
Trent inched forward to Leo. He leaned into his head—like how you would to a microphone stand, "I'll see you on the court. And try not to be so short." Trent mocked, crouching to Leo's height.
Hey, would you look at that? Trent rhymed.
Trent also noticed and high-fived a student while he made his way up the stairs.
Janelle softly tapped Leo's shoulder, "Leo, you don't have to do this."
"I don't have to do a lot of things, Janelle." Leo smugly said. I glanced at Chase and shrugged. Guess he didn't know what Leo meant either by that.
"I don't know what that means."
"Neither do I."
Glad, to know he can admit it.
I felt my phone vibrate, I reached to my right pocket and fished it out. It was a text from Bree. She wanted me to come watch her and Adam.
"I'll see you guys." I said, waving at them. Leo and Janelle waved back at me.
"Where are you going?" Chase asked.
"Bree wants me to see her and Adam's tryout." I explained.
"Adam's trying out for a cheerleading? I thought only Bree was?" Chase questioned. He crossed his arms and slight smirk played at his lips.
"I don't know. But I hope Adam gets in, he'll bring such good ambiance to the cheer squad" I joked.
"Yeah, cause Adam is fit to cheer." Chase said, crossing his arms.
"He's built for it. He could throw and easily catch the cheerleaders. Something I bet you can't do." I teased and scurried away noticing Chase dropped his arms ready to go after me.
I turned back around and saw he was stopped by Leo. He glanced over Leo's shoulder at me. I stuck my middle finger up. It is childish? Yes, but to see Chase get bothered by it and not do anything is so satisfying.
————————————
The tourney was in a few minutes and Chase came running in. Leo and I were trying to spin the ball on our fingers.
"We have a major problem. Trent stole your sneakers." Chase pointed out at Trent who was showing off Leo's shoes.
Leo went into a spirals of 'No.'
"Calm down. Calm down. Calm down. Let's look at the bright side." Chase tried to be positive.
"What's the bright side?" Leo asked in a panic.
"He is gonna kick your butt much faster now."
"Way to be positive, Chase."
I ran a hand through my hair trying to come up with different ways of getting the shoes back. I knew this would backfire on them.
"All right, 30 seconds until game time. Trent's got first ball." Janelle informed.
"Trent is wearing my sneakers! What am I supposed to do?!" Leo exclaimed, Chase grabbed him, "Run, run far, far away. Cry like a baby and hope for sympathy. Fake a cramp!"
"Is that all you've got?" Leo asked, backing away from Chase's grip. "Where's the unattractive light-bulb face when I need it?"
Just as Leo mentioned it, Chase got his light-bulb face.
"Oh, there it is." Leo smiled.
"I'll be right back. Stall. Lauren, come with me." Chase said, we ran out of the gym. As we ran we almost bumped into the cheer squad. We maneuvered our way around them and ran out the door.
"Where are we going?" I asked, a bit ahead of Chase.
"Mr. Davenport has electron-beam generators that can mess up the shoes. It'll give Leo a chance to win." Chase looked at me and picked up his speed a little. I smirked and I increased my speed a bit more noticing we were close to the mansion. I heard Chase pick up his speed but he was still behind me.
"How are you so fast?!" Chase exclaimed picking up his speed. I looked over my shoulder and went even faster just to bother him.
We reached the mansion and didn't stop running till we reached the elevator. When the doors opened Chase stepped out first.
"Help me find two green glowing beams." Chase instructed, his voice was calmer but still trying to catch his breath.
"Sir, yes, sir." I mocked, saluting him. He rolled his eyes and nudged me over to a cabinet.
"Can I ask you a question?" Chase asked out of the blue. I looked over at him, he had his head down looking at different gadgets.
"Technically you already did but sure."
Chase rolled his eyes before opening his mouth, "When we were in a holding cell, the cop called you 'Arty' and you looked uncomfortable..." Chase paused looking at me before continuing, "why?"
I opened the last cabinet in my section and found the beams Chase described.
"It's stupid." I sighed, Chase completely stopped and stared at me. "Arty is short for my middle name, Artemis. The name brings back some memories I'd like to forget." I explained, Chase said nothing wanting me to continue. "I'm a kid of divorced parents. All my siblings, including me, have a middle name tied to Greek mythology— geeky I know, but it just reminds me of... simpler times. Happy times that I won't be getting back." I solemnly said. I took a glance at Chase, who looked at me with pity. I clear my throat, fidgeting with the beams. "Not to mention the teasing. Little kids are ruthless, it's like they never heard of a Greek name." I chuckled. This is one of the reasons I stay quiet about myself, it gets so awkward after sharing with someone.
"Lauren Artemis Walsh?" Chase smirked.
I rolled my eyes yet glad the mood turned into a playful one.
"You're lucky you don't have a middle name." I said, rolling my eyes. Chase crossed his arms and leaned against the counter he was near.
"How do you know I don't have one?" Chase asked.
"Well, do you?"
"...No."
"Exactly, oh, uh, I found the beams by the way." I said, holding up the glowing beams. Chase's eyes widened and grabbed the beams out of my hands.
"Why didn't you say something earlier?"
"Cause you asked me about my middle name."
"Right, let's go before Leo runs out of injuries to fake."
_______________________________
A/n(11-15-22): the part of Lauren telling the story behind her middle name has been changed.
Season 1 ep 16: Air Leo
Word count: 2349