The tutoring went well for both Chip and Belle. It was weird Belle thought, that she had never really seen him, but when she looked in her yearbook she saw his sweet smiling face. Belle also went to find Adam's picture and when she did, she realized his eyes looked colder than piercing like they had in the hallway. Belle knew that owing Adam would make her life a living hell, but there was for sure nothing she could do about it now. Belle hoped Gaston finally got the message and left her alone, but she knew that dream would never come true. While Belle was driving home she looked at the clock and realized she could still check the new bookstore in the mall.
Belle hated malls, too many crowds and not enough space, not to mention the chance of bumping into Gaston and his little buddy was elevated. Belle decided to see if the bookstore had a direct entrance since the food court was just too much of a risk. After circling twice she found it, which she thought was lucky since the store didn't really have customers yet.
When she was inside she couldn't believe the how many books were there, this store had just started and there was no chain of these bookstores to chip in. Amazed Belle went to work finding books she hadn't read and could afford which wasn't much. Belle did have some odd jobs to help out, but she used those paychecks for food.
Belle could feel the burning sensation of eyes on her as she walked around, though she knew better she looked over shoulder. Oh, good, she thought. The red shirt with yellow collar was all she needed to see before she bee-lined to the exit. Too late for that though.
"Belle," Gaston said grabbing her shoulder, "where are you going in such a hurry?"
"I have to get home now." She said not turning around.
"Oh, why don't we head out together?" He said, wrapping an arm around her waist.
"Gaston, I couldn't inconvenience you like that." Belle tried.
"Not a problem for me, Babe." He said.
Suddenly a gasp came from behind Gaston, it was one of the blonde triplets, or as the town called them, the Bimbettes. Her name was Claudette and she was wearing an off shoulder red shirt, her blonde hair was in a low pony tail that was held together by a red bow.
"Gaston, you said you'd take me home." She said, thumping her foot impatiently.
"Well, I see no reason why I can't take you both home." Gaston said, still holding onto Belle.
"Gaston, your truck can only hold two people." She reasoned.
"Fine then, you can find your own ride home, I am taking Belle home." Gaston said dismissing her.
"Gaston!" She said utterly shocked.
"Gaston, if she doesn't have a ride without you then you shouldn't take me." Belle said, finally turning to face Gaston.
"Ugh, all you women are the same, you can't even be grateful to me." Gaston said.
"Gaston you should just leave." Belle said.
"Fine, I'll see you two tomorrow. But don't think I've forgotten anything from today." Gaston threated and he turned to leave.
"Claudette, I'll take you home." Belle said, turning back to her.
"Belle, you don't have to." She said.
"Please, it's my fault you lost your ride." Belle said.
"Well, I mean sure, just… um…. Why don't you like Gaston?" She clumsily asked.
"I find him too aggressive, you know?" Belle explained.
"Oh, I don't know what you mean, but I guess that's just not your fancy." Claudette said; she seemed very concentrated.
"Yeah, I guess. Let me know when you want to leave." Belle said.
"Ok, I'm just gonna look around for a minute or two." Her blonde hair swayed as she entered the fiction section.
"So, Belle, the sweet and innocent saves the day." Adam said from behind Belle.
Adam was leaning casually on the side of the book shelf, grinning mischievously. Belle crossed her arms and huffed before turning to go down a different aisle.
"Oh, so you're going to play that game." Adam said, following her.
"It's no game." She said and continued through the store.
"Sure it is, you don't want to owe me anything, yet there isn't a thing you can do to avoid it either." Adam said arrogantly.
"No, I can totally forget this ever happened and move on in my life." Belle lied.
"But you're not that kind of person." Adam knew he had her at a crossroads.
"I can change." Belle lied again.
"Uh huh, you'll feel bad and seek me out in no time." Adam said which caused Belle to abruptly turn and confront him.
"What do you know about me? We haven't talked until today, what are you some kind of stalker?" Belle said, getting in Adam's face.
"If you only knew." Adam said maliciously.
"What's THAT supposed to mean?" Belle demanded.
"You have to calm down, you're in a bookstore and you know what'll happen if you cause a scene." Adam taunted.
"You want to continue this outside?" Belle said, her anger boiling.
"I won't fight a little girl." Adam said, leaning closer to her.
"Why you-" Belle began, when Adam put his finger to her mouth and shushed her.
Over in the next aisle they could hear Gaston and Le Fou planning something. Belle's anger was replaced with fear once she could piece together what their plan was.
"It's not that hard, just stand by her car and when she gets there give her this." Gaston said.
"Gaston, I know it's not hard, but why do you want her so bad?" Le Fou asked.
"Beauty belongs with beauty, besides that other kid is getting closer to her than I would like." Gaston said.
Belle and Adam never broke eye contact, Belle started to pray Adam would since she felt her color drain and her eyes widen. Her heart was beating a mile a minute when she felt a small tap on her shoulder. She turned and saw Claudette, Thank God she thought.
"I'm ready if you are." Claudette said.
"Yeah, let's go." Belle said turning back to Adam.
"I won't let two gorgeous girls walk out there alone." Adam said, offering his arms to them.
"My! what a gentleman." Claudette said, taking his left arm.
"Yeah… thanks" Belle said, taking his right and keeping her eyes on the ground.
As they neared Belle's car she looked around wildly for Le Fou, but he was nowhere. Belle relaxed entirely as she unlocked the car. Claudette got in the passenger side door and closed it with a wave to Adam. Adam then walked Belle to the driver's side and just before she opened the door Adam turned her face towards him.
"Here's my phone number," he said slipping her a small note card. "If either of them give you problems, you call me, got it?"
"Yeah, ok." Belle said, playing with the card.
"Belle… Don't go numb to this, it won't go away." Adam said, gripping her shoulders tightly.
"I won't." Belle said looking up.
"I guess you'll always be indebted to me." Adam chucked.
"Yeah, I guess." Belle mumbled, not really paying attention.
"It'd be better for you to date me." He said, Belle snapped out of her trance.
"What was that?" She kept her voice low, but there was a lot of anger behind it.
"Your part of the deal, we'll work it out tomorrow. Bye," Adam said walking away.
Belle slipped into her car and plastered on her best fake smile and cheerfully conversed with Claudette for most of the ride.
"So, you and that Adam guy, huh?" Claudette raised her eyebrow at Belle.
"W-w-what?" Belle sputtered out.
"You don't honestly expect people to believe nothing is going on between you two, do you?" Claudette said.
"Well, nothing is going on between us." Belle said simply.
"You have to be kidding. I saw him slip you his phone number, and the thing back in the store, all he had to do was move his finger and you two would have kissed. The attraction between you two is seen and felt by everyone, you can't hide it." Claudette said.
"He gave me his phone just in case I have issues with Le Fou again and the thing in the store was us arguing. We've never even talked before today." Belle explained.
"I say by winter break, you will have already fallen in love with him." Claudette said smugly.
"No way would I ever fall for a beast like him." Belle said, indignantly.
"Then let's make a bet, if what I say is true, then you have to take him to the Christmas party I will be holding." Claudette said.
"And if you're wrong?" Belle questioned.
"Then I'll make him mine." Claudette said, reapplying her lip gloss.
"Fine, then let's shake on it." Belle said, pulling into Claudette's driveway.
"Fine." Claudette said putting her hand out, which Belle took.
"I'll see you around," Belle said.
"And I'll see you at my party." Claudette said getting out of the car, before she got in the house she waved at Belle, who waved back.
Belle knew there was no way she'd even remotely like Adam, let alone love him. But as she went over what Claudette said about making Adam 'hers', Belle's skin crawled. It made her feel extremely jealous. As she pulled into her own driveway she shook off the strange feeling, she wasn't attracted to Adam, there was no way in Hell she was. She continued to question herself as she began to make dinner while Belle waited for her dad. Maurice worked long hours after his wife had died when Belle was two years old. It had taken them a while before they got into the normal routine again but it was never the same.
"Afternoon Belle!" Belle's father, Maurice said cheerfully, "Say are you cooking again, or is that something else?"
"I'm cooking some lasagna for the week, is it burning?" Belle asked her dear father.
"No but it does smell delicious!" Maurice said smacking his lips.
"It's almost finished papa, just five minutes." Belle said with a slight chuckle.
"But the timer says three." Her father whined.
"If you want to burn yourself, be my guest." Belle said with a smile.
"Oh, alright," Maurice said disappointed. "Just don't keep me waiting too long."
"Okay papa, don't worry." Belle said smiling as he went to back of the house.
"Okay, how do you pronounce this one?" Adam was asking his private tutor but really wanting him to be Belle because he never really helped; all he did was say-
"Sound it out." His tutor Clogsworth said finishing Adam's thought.
"I tried and that's why I'm asking you." Adam said fiercely.
Well Adam definitely wanted Belle there, even if he would be embarrassed to ask. Adam never had amazing weekends like most kids did, with the parties and alcohol, that's how Adam always wanted his weekends to be, the best time of his high school life and he had to waste it on an awful book. Yet when he thought that Belle would soon help him, it was too hard to resist smiling to himself. This felt odd since he never really smiled before, but was snapped by the sound of snapping gum into reality, because Clogsworth was chewing gum.
The dinner table was set in no time and Belle's father seemed so excited that he would burst.
"Papa, its only lasagna." Belle said, setting his plate down before getting her own.
"I know, it's just that… I have great news!" Maurice said.
"Well? Are you going to tell me?" Belle asked.
"I get to go to a convention! Belle, if I get enough sponsors at the convention, we won't have to live here anymore." Maurice said.
"Oh, papa, where we live isn't bad! But I'll help you pack," Belle said, "When are you to leave?"
"Oh, tomorrow, I just need to get a map." Maurice said.
"Dear, that could be an issue; I'll look it up for you to get directions." Belle thought aloud.
"Oh, no need Belle, I can find it on my own." Her father said.
"Okay," Belle said, forgetting her father's tendency to get lost, "Well, I'll give you the rest of the lasagna."
"Great, now I just need my prototype and socks." He said more to himself.