16 Beauty and the Beast

Xavier~

"...just fucking show them that boiling blood is not just a phrase".

I heard a feminine voice out of Raven's mobile phone. Both of them were sitting there watching some viral video from our school. I had thought to spend the weekend peacefully but how is it possible when I have them.

I was sitting away from them checking emails on my laptop. I was managing some office work because dad's manager is out of town with him so I am looking after everything here. But the voice was distracting me. Whoever she was held a boldness in her voice which fascinated me.

"Dude you need to see this. I told you this girl is something else." Raven plopped down next to me and pushed his phone in front of my eyes. We had a heavy argument about Alex's situation but he didn't take anything seriously and now he was sitting with me as usual forcing me to see pointless shit with him.

I saw the video because I knew he would not leave me alone otherwise. She was the same girl, Alex's friend roasting Samantha aka the bitch of Crestview high. I learned from Raven that she is not his girlfriend and I don't know why but all of my anger dissolved upon hearing those words.

"Well, I agree man, just look at her. She is like a hurricane." Dylan added.

I can't deny that. The video was made from a front angle which showed her face and figure clearly. Her face was calm and fearless with her posture radiating power and grace just like a Queen. For some reason I felt like I saw a reflection of myself in her.

"Whatever," I said the total opposite of my thoughts and pushed Raven's hand away. "I am going for a walk." I told them leaving the living room. I need to clear my mind. She is messing up with my mind.

More like with my heart!

"Be back soon babe. I will wait for you at dinner." Raven called behind me, imitating a high pitched girly voice. A chuckle escaped my lips. He can't change but do I want him to? No. 

I drove towards the park. It's been a long time since I went there. I used to go there every week sitting on my isolated spot listening to music and trying to escape my life.

I parked the car outside and started walking towards the bench. I noticed a small figure was sitting on the grass near my bench. Noone ever dared come near my sitting spot before.

Coming closer, I saw it was a little girl sitting on the grass with her foot in her lap trying to pull out something that pricked her foot. My heart beat picked up pace as she reminded me of a beautiful memory. Hope bloomed in my chest.

{FLASHBACK}

I ran out of the little house my father rented for us to live in for the time we were staying there. He used to take mom and me with him wherever he went after something tragic happened with his friend.

It was a beautiful place surrounded with natural beauty. I just wanted to stay there forever but without my parents.

Mom told me that dad was sending some men to pick me up so I had to get ready. She didn't tell me where I was going but I was afraid of dad.

He used to take me to fights with him and make me see him fighting so that I could learn his tactics. But the sight of sweating bodies and blood made me sick. So I decided to run away.

After mom dressed me in a formal suit and went to another room, I took this as my chance and ran away from the house. I passed by many farms and trees. I didn't know where I was going but I kept running until I reached a lake.

I saw a little girl lying down on the ground holding her small foot in her hands. Her friends were sitting around her with worried expressions on their faces. They looked about my age. I was almost eight at that time.

I walked towards her and saw a small thorn was stuck in her small foot. I sat beside her and she looked at me. Her eyes were a piercing green, filled with tears. Without saying anything I immediately pulled out the thorn from her foot. She started crying more and I was afraid that I might have hurt her.

I was about to run again when she stopped me by holding my arm and smiled at me.

Later, all of them introduced themselves to me as princesses and princes. She told me that her name was Princess Belle and her Prince the beast was missing that day so I played as her prince. We also got married because according to them the story ends with the prince and princess getting married so that they can live happily ever after.

I spent a lot of time with them playing in the mud but my dad's men found me there and took me with them. Before they dragged me away she gave me a small rock as our wedding gift which I hid in my pocket.

{FLASHBACK ENDS}

I don't remember their faces but I remember her eye colour and parts of our conversation.

I offered her my help so that I could see her face but this time a pair of dark brown eyes looked back at me instead of those piercing green ones. My face fell instantly, all the hope leaving my body.

Maybe I will never find her again.

It took me a little while to realize that she was the same girl from the school because it was getting dark outside and most of her face was covered with her dark locks.

And here I came to escape her unwanted thoughts!

She declined my offer of help but I sat down beside her ignoring what she said because her face showed that she needed help. She turned her head and looked at me while I searched her eyes hoping that I got her eye colour wrong before but she looked away and tried to move away from me.

I don't know what came over me when I pulled her back gripping her arm. She almost collided with my chest, her hairs flying with the air and touching my face. I felt her breath on my face and a sweet scent of her hairs filled my nostrils. I wanted so badly to sniff her hair. They smelled so good.

She struggled in my grip and I told her to stop, leaving her arm and surrounding mine around her body holding her in place because I was afraid if I had gripped her arm any harder it would have broken. She felt so small and fragile against my rough hands and huge figure.

I pulled out the thorn out of her foot and put my thumb on her bleeding wound. She gasped and I tilted my head to look at her face. Her eyes were shut together tightly.

Soon the realization of my actions dawned upon me. When I saw Alex forcefully holding her hand back at school I was angry at him but now I was doing the same thing to her. Immediately I stood up cleaning my thumb on my shirt and turned to leave when she called my name. My name sounded weird from her mouth. She had a hint of another accent in her weak American accent.

I turned towards her and she thanked me but I was thinking about something else. It was getting dark and her foot was wounded. I asked her if she had any ride and her answer gave me the cue that she hadn't so I offered her lift.

Maybe a little chivalry won't bite!

I saw she was hesitant about taking my hand which I offered her to get up but took it nevertheless. Her hand felt so soft and small against mine. But she pulled it back immediately after getting up.

I didn't want to let go yet!

My hand fell to my side and clenched into a fist. I was not liking the things she was doing to me, to my heart.

She is making me vulnerable without even doing anything!

I will just drop her home and will never talk to her again. I assured myself.

I walked away fast but realized that she was not behind me. Looking back I saw she was far away walking slowly. I could tell she was walking with difficulty so I went back and picked her up, gaining a sense of deja vu.

I felt she was tense in my arms but didn't say anything. She spoke after a while when we were sitting in the car driving back.

"Don't you dare touch me without my permission again." She said trying to sound threatening but to me it was just like a small child threatening a beast. However I was impressed by her courage. At Least she was not swooning over me like other girls.

"I was just trying to help," I told her sincerely.

"Why" she asked and I was confused. What did she mean? I tilted my head to look at her and she also had a confused expression on her face. She was looking adorable with her big eyes widened at me waiting for my answer.

"Take this as my apology." I replied to her 'why' without thinking. I myself was confused with why I did that. Maybe it was really just an apology for earlier.

But I highly doubted that!

She left without saying anything else and I drove off with more tangled thoughts then before...