Chapter 4: Warming Up… A Lot

I woke up early to see Gaston again. This time, he came to my door; he knocked on my door and he said with a smile, "Hi Belle." I smiled and hugged him. I said, "Hi." He carried me in my house and he asked, "How was your first day of work?" I widened my eyes and said, "It was great! I really like it. I hate my hours though." I was lying to him; I loved my hours… Gaston asked, "What is your job actually?" I stammered nervously, "Um, a-a… s-steelworker! A person who makes steel and metal." I gave him a smile and he asked almost laughing, "Why aren't you working at the bookstore? I thought you loved books." I said, "Oh, uh… I was offered the job. I needed money because I am poor." Gaston said, "You know, if you needed money, you could've just asked me." I laughed nervously and he looked closely at me. He asked, "Are you okay?" I said, "Oh yes! I'm perfect! Why wouldn't I be fine?" He said, "I don't know. You are laughing and smiling nervously. Almost like you are lying to me about something." I said, "I would never lie to my love. Plus, if I'm marrying you in…" He interrupted me, "I changed our wedding day to this Sunday. I invited everyone in town!" I asked in concern, "What?! I'm not ready, Gaston! Today's Wednesday!" He said, "Well, ready or not, we're getting married, baby!" I forced a smile and hugged him. I said as he hugged me back, "I'm so excited!" I was COMPLETELY lying to him. I did not want to get married in 4 days! I was so not ready! I don't know if I can help the Beast break the spell! Oh, what am I going to do?! We stopped hugging, and I looked at the clock, which said 9:15. Oh no! I'm going to be late! I told Gaston, "Sorry, but I really have to get to work! I'm going to be late!" I ran to the door and he followed me asking, "Can I walk you?" I immediately said, "I'm sorry, but I'm fine. It takes a long time to get there. Goodbye." I ran out of my house and Gaston watched me with a confused look on his face. As I was getting closer to the castle, I was panicking because I was afraid that he would be mad if I was late. When I arrived at the castle, it was 9:57. I sighed with relief and I was panting from running. I closed the door, and the Beast came up to me with a smile. I smiled at him and he said, "Hey Belle. I'm glad you're here." I walked closer to him and I said, "I'm glad I'm here." He chuckled nervously and then we stared into each other's eyes. I giggled nervously and he said, "Whoa…" I replied, "Yeah… whoa…" We then reached for each other's hands, and we held each other's hands. I said, "Wow… I've never held a paw before. I've held a hand, but not a furry one." He laughed and said, "I've never held a hand." I then blurted out, "I'm getting married in 4 days!" His smile faded and he asked, "What? I thought you said you were getting married in like two months." I said sadly, "My fiancé changed it to this weekend!" I almost started crying and he said, "So… you probably don't want to try to help me break the spell now." I said convincingly, "No! I want to help you break because I'm starting to like you! I can't just quit!" That's when he started smiling again and he asked, "You like me?" I smiled and said, "Yes. I don't fully love you because I love my fiancé, but I'm starting to like you… a lot." Beast's smile widened and then he eventually confessed, "Belle… I'm in love with you. It was love at first sight for me. I really loved yesterday. I couldn't get you off my mind. You are the first and only girl I've fallen for. I really hope that you fall for me sometime before the last petal falls." I laughed happily, but quietly. I said with a smile, "Oh goodness. I'm kind of surprised that someone has really fallen for me." Beast said, "Well, who wouldn't fall for you?" I smiled really big… and that's when I gave him a kiss on the cheek. He smiled and then we walked around the castle together. Oh my goodness… I think I have fallen in love with the Beast! I mean, I really think I love him! I cannot believe that I fell in love with a Beast on the second day I met him! Oh no… what about Gaston?! What am I going to do when I love him and a Beast?! Should I marry him or no?! At lunch time, the Beast and I sat at the long table with our lunch. We decided to sit next to each other, and we were HOLDING HANDS the whole time. As we ate, I sang, "I never knew… that someone like you… would love me so hard…" He was looking right in my eyes, and he was smiling. I smiled and sang, "Someone like me is weird… yet unloved. I thought I had the perfect man… until now I'm trapped… in two hearts… I don't know what to do…" He sang while smiling, "I never knew that a girl like you… would come upon my reach… who would like me… not run away from me… treat me like a person should be treated… hoping you love me back…" I nodded after he said those words, and he asked happily, "Really?!" I nodded again, and we sang as a duet, "Now that I know you love me…" We were smiling and we stood up from the table. As we sang, we held hands and walked outside to the snowy ground. We sang looking in each other's eyes, "I'm not afraid of you… anymore… you are the one I love… no one can replace you… so just be with me… forevermore…" Then we held both of each other's hands and smiled in each other's eyes. Beast told me, "Please don't ever leave me." I told him, "I'll never leave you. I want to be here forev-." That's when I stopped smiling and I looked down. He stopped smiling and he asked in concern, "What? What's wrong, Belle?" I looked up at him and I said, "I can't stay here forever. It will make my fiancé suspicious and he'll hate me and my father will freak out." He said, "Don't worry. You don't have to worry about me. Just go marry your fiancé." I said, "Uh, I don't know if I want to. I mean, part of me does, but most of me doesn't." Beast smiled at me and said, "Oh please. Go marry him. I don't care if you love him more than you like me. Please. Marry him. It's the man you want to marry. You don't want to marry me." I wanted to say something, but then he put his hand on my cheek and I rested my head on his hand. I grabbed his wrist and he said, "Don't worry about me when you are a wife. Marry the man you love." This was really romantic… yet sad. I felt tears coming up my eyes; I truly loved him now. I like 80% love him, and 20% love Gaston. I need to figure out my feelings. Later that night, it was really hard to say goodbye to Beast. I really wanted to stay, but I don't want to make Gaston suspicious. Oh, I really want to marry Beast because I love him more than Gaston, but how am I going to tell Gaston?