Chp. 8

Disclaimer.

Belle kept her eyes closed as she came out of her blissful state of dreaming. She still kept her eyes closed when she heard her phone ringing on her nightstand. After awhile the ringing became unbearable forcing her to fully wake from her blissful state in order to answer her phone.

"Hello." She grumbled surprised by the roughness of her voice.

"Hey belle. Are you alright? How come you're not in?"

Belle half listened to her as she looked around the room wondering why it was so bright so early in the morning. Her eyes landed on the clock across from her. The clock read 2pm.

'Oh shit.' She thought.

"Belle? Belle! Hey are you still there?"

Belle snapped out of her trance and went to jump out of the bed but her bruises kept her from moving too fast.

"Hey are you okay? Why aren't you here? Gaston says you're sick."

Belle groaned and slid to the floor leaning against the bed.

"Are you sick?" Babette continued to spit off questions giving belle a slight headache.

"Babette please." She groaned closing her eyes.

Immediately Babette stopped talking giving Belle some time to think of her answer.

"Yes im okay. Yes im sick i'm sorry i couldn't come in today." Belle spewed while rubbing the side of her eyes.

"Oh really? Wait Belle."

"Yes?" Belle slowly got up from her spot on the floor trying stretching but so far before going to the bathroom.

"Are you really sick? Or is this just a cover up?" Babette questioned.

Belle sighed as she came into the bathroom turning on the light. Closing her eyes against the sudden light Belle carefully stepped into the bathroom and faced herself in the mirror. Her eye was still slightly bruised but otherwise fine, her neck was still with purple thumb marks.

"I-im sick." Belle confirmed but Babette didn't buy it.

"Belle are you REALLY? O-"

"Yes Babette i'm sick." Belle snapped straining her voice.

Babette was silent swallowing hard. Sighing belle rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"Babette please I'm sorry. I didnt mean to snap."

"It's okay." Babette breathed.

"But belle-"

"Does Adam know I'm out."

Babette as surprised but then she remembered why she had called.

"Yes Belle he knows. He thinks you're sick too." Babette gave a short laugh.

"Because i am." Belle mumbled leaning against the sink

"How about you tell him that."

"Wait Babette." But the line already went through.

Belle sighed and took the phone away from her ear.

'Hang up. Hang up. Hang up.' She chanted but as her finger went to end the call Adam's voice rung out freezing her.

"Hello? Belle. Belle is that you?"

Belle stared at the phone debating on what to do but when Adam said her name for the third time belle decided it would be best to make a short conversation so adam wouldn't get suspicious.

"Hello?" Belle squeaked out but quickly cleared her throat before trying to speak again.

"Belle are you alright?" His voice sounded genuinely concerned making Belle want to cry.

"I-I'm fine. I'm just sick."

Adam stayed silent wondering if he should call her out on her stuttering.

"You sure?"

"Yes. I j-just didn't want to get anyone else sick. Or freak them out." Belle whispered the last part mostly to herself but adam caught her.

"Freak them out?"

"Yeah with the booger and sniffling and stuff." She quickly covered.

"Belle-"

"I promise I'll be in tomorrow." She interrupted feeling tired by the second.

Adam sighed but took the hint. Saying his goodbyes Adam hung up the phone and sat back in his chair. He sat silent trying to figure out what to do. He looked at the time 2:55pm. He huffed noticing that his work day wasn't close to finish.

'Can't go now. Must finish this.' He looked at the pile of papers that sat off to the side of his desk.

'Finish this and then see Belle.' He reasoned before emerging himself fully into the papers.

/

Belles eyes snapped open as the doorbell rang alerting her of an unsuspecting guest. Burying her head further into the pillow Belle tried to block out the pain and the noise but both just wouldn't go away. Taking a deep breath Belle thought that she could at least make one of the nuisances go away by finding out what they wanted.

Grumbling Belle got up from her comfortable position on the couch.

"What?" She huffed throwing open the door.

Belle stood shocked as she came face to face with her boss.

"Nice Pjs." He commented on her sweatpants and loose very big shirt gratefully for belle not looking any further up.

"What are you doing here?" She asked closing the door a bit to the house.

"Is that my shirt?" He laughed pointing at the Metallica shirt she wore.

"Adam." She finally snapped his attention to focus.

"What? I just wanted to see how you were doing and-" his words stopped in his throat as he looked up to her face.

Belle shifted behind the door more trying to hide her features.

"Okay well you saw me. Im fine so you can-"

"What the hell happened to your face?" Adam interrupted getting out of his shock.

"Can go..." the words died on her tongue as he pushed himself onto the door letting himself in and making Belle stumble back.

"I-i..."

Adam began to get closer to her making her freeze.

"Belle. What-"

"Do you want some tea?" She said suddenly, going around him to the kitchen.

"Belle-" Adam followed her to the kitchen.

As she came up to the counter Adam grabbed her hand making the sleeve of the shirt go down revealing more bruises on her arm. Adam lightly traced them in shock unsure of what to say.

"You still like earl gray?" Belle tried to get her hand away from him but he kept a firm grip.

"How?" He repeated sliding the sleeve up more then his hand went up to her face lightly touching the bruise on her cheek.

"I.-"

The door handle jingled alerting Belle of Gaston's return.

"I f-fell." She moved away from him letting the sleeve fall back down her arm recovering the bruises.

"Belle!"

Adam watched as she seemed to move faster than before as she went to the fridge grabbing what seemed to be a beer.

"Belle!" Gaston shouted again coming into the kitchen.

"You'll never believe what-" his words died as he came into the kitchen seeing his boss there.

He stood in shock for a moment a little angry that he was there without his knowledge and with his wife who just came up and gave him a beer.

"Belle. Why is he here?" He whispered lowly.

"He uh. He-"

"I just came to see if belle had the new schedule for the meeting tomorrow and to see if she was okay." Adam quickly interrupted.

"Good help is hard to come by these days."

Gaston took a swig of beer and nodded in Adam direction. Belle stood between the two awkward not knowing what to do.

"Belle. I think i'll have that tea now." Adam informed smiling in her direction.

"Oh please. Belle get this man a cold one."

"No im-"

"I insist." Gaston pressed.

Belle said nothing as she went to the fridge again.

"So. I know you're here more then to see her." Gaston laughed patting Adams back steering him to the dining room.

"Well you're right but that part is classified." Adam slipped from his hand and turning around knocking into Belle almost making her drop the beer she had in her hand.

"I'm sorry." The said in unison.

Adam looked into Belle's eyes tracing the bruise with his gaze.

"I have to go." Adam said.

Belle nodded her head and extended the beer towards him.

"Thanks but I'd rather not. Gotta drive."

Belle smiled and dropped her hand.

"So this classified-"

Belle and Adam jumped at Gaston's sudden voice from the dining room breaking the trance.

"Sorry. We'll talk later belle." He promised hastily going out of the house.

"Did he leave?" Gaston asked coming up behind Belle.

Belle nodded mutely as she turned to put away the object in her hand but as she turned she was met with a hard chest in her way. She looked up to gaston who had an unreadable look in his eyes.

"Gaston?"

Without a word Gaston picked Belle up by the waist and spun her around.

"Brillant!" He shouted before letting her back down to the floor.

"What?" She smiled a little breathless holding onto gaston.

"You called him didn't you? You called him so you knew that i had that promotion in the bag. Oh belle you're great." He planted a kiss on her lips catching hey off guard.

"What would i do without you?" He asked lovingly brushing the side of her cheek.

He looked at the bruise that was there and disdain became evident on his face.

"You really should cover that up." He commented before letting her go and going up to the room.

Belle sighed as she watched him go feeling conflicted of what just went on.

"I don't know what I'm doing anymore." She sighed opening and drinking the beer in her hand.

/

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