Ok, this chapter I am going to do Belle. :)
So, here you go...!
Chapter 14
It had been a good week for Belle. Firstly, the weather remained consistently cool and cloudy, the way Belle prefered it, as it was almost the perfect 'reading weather', where Belle could curl up snuggly by an open window and enjoy a light breeze play on her hair and both a warm yellow lamp to make up for the lack of sunlight.
Secondly, there was an evident change in Gaston. After he had his nose broken in the library, Gaston quickly lost a fair portion of his confidence and barely talked to Belle. It was a pleasant change, to say the least, and the product of this new Gaston was a very happy Belle. However, Belle didn't expect for this to last very long, as she had spent a long afternoon speculating over this curious change and came to the right conclusion that all Gaston needed was a pat on the back from his loyal admirer Le Fou, and a small song to go with it before he was tromping around again the same like before. Belle gave out a small defeated sigh, wondering what was needed to put down the beastly piggy Gaston for good. Well, hopefully the saying once bitten twice shy would shine through at the end of the day.
Thirdly, and probably not just by coincidence, Belle had't noticed Adam at all the entire week. Ever since she met him, she made it a point to figure out who he was, and even though a week of unsuccessful Adam-sighting just ended, Belle didn't mind to have Adam out of her life for now. The tall, dark, brooding student with contagious anger was one, a complete puzzle to Belle, and two, a complete bully to Belle, despite the fact he defended her against Gaston, but that was most likely out of his raw hatred for Gaston. But still, a small voice at the back of Belle's head persistently told her 'But still'.
Belle huffed and buried her head under her crossed arms, wondering why every man (except her beloved father) seemed so file and repulsive. Belle's head popped back up and she frowned, saying out loud her thoughts, "I just want so much more than this life."
Belle went silent afterwards, her lips pursed, as she stared blankly into the wall opposite her, as her true desires were unveiled to her. Belle sprang from her bed passionately, and leapt onto her chair and looked out the window, her face pressed against the window pane, as she looked yearningly out the window, at the foreboding woods that inched closer to her house every year, as the ancient twisted roots and trunks swallowed the light sweet grass in a proving effort to overcome the meadow that lay like no-man's-land between Belle's house and the woods.
"What is out there?" Belle wondered aloud, pressing further up to the window, her eyes widening as she watched a thick fog lick the corners of the dark forest. Belle shook her head, and leapt lightly off her chair, landing on the carpeted floor with a soft thud, as she returned to her bed, throwing herself onto the covers, and clutching her pillow as she pondered for a while, still.
The reason why Belle adored reading, was not because she was just a crazy book worm, but more because, in writing, anything was possible. A book was like a window to Belle, a window to another entire universe, where excitement never died, and where there was adventure for everyone who seeked it. It was a window, but not a door, Belle thought sadly. She wished very badly some nights for herself to be transported into the books she read, for herself to be one of those main characters, who were forever living in thrill and not boredom, leading unforgettable lives and never doing ordinary things...
But things like those only appear in fairytales.
Belle squeezed her eyes shut, feeling like she was being shut away in a cage, unable to escape the consuming boredom and exasperation she experienced, the horrible daily routines of going to school, reading, going back home, eating dinner and sleeping. Belle finally disappeared under the covers for good, until the following morning.
~B~B~B~B~
Belle opened up her quaint wardrobe and dove for her favourite blue dress, a modest sky blue dress that she usually wore a simple white long-sleeved blouse underneath. She performed a small twirl before slipping a pair of dark flats on and looked herself in the mirror.
"Belle? Are you ready for school?"
Belle heard her father's merry voice sound from under the staircase.
"Yes!" Belle replied, as she smoothed out her dress, before slinging a satchel over her shoulder and joining her father at the front door. Their house was small and humble, very plain, without an overdose of furniture or decoration. Their house: was nothing special.
"Goodbye Father!" Belle bid her father good-bye and gave him a small peck on his bald forehead, before she swept out the door, her satchel flying behind her. She turned around once more and waved back at her father, who returned a broad smile, before he shut the door.
It was a matter of minutes until Belle had reached the school, for their house was very conveniently close to Belle's High School. As Belle reached the gleaming steps leading up to the front door, she clutched her palms together and made a silent prayer that Gaston or Adam would not show up or disturb her that day. I hope I haven't jinxed it, Belle thought worriedly afterwards.
~B~B~B~B~
Belle was on her way to the school library, which she had visited during break time, and was already finished with the book she had borrowed then. Belle held her book in hand, gazing down at it fondly. The Canticle of Lebowitz.
"Ahh, Belle! Just the girl I have been looking for."
Belle froze at once at the sound of Gaston. She turned around stiffly, with a determined feeling bubbling up inside her, as she faced Gaston straight to the eyes.
"Well, I have been avoiding you, surprise, surprise." Belle retorted, clutching her book closer to her chest as she began to turn a heel on Gaston and hurry on her way, but before that was made possible, her book was snatched out of her clutch, and before Belle knew it, Gaston was flipping through the many pages with a bland expression on his face.
"I'd like that back Gaston." Belle snapped, reaching out for her book, but Gaston held it higher, still looking at the book with a puzzled expression.
"How do you read this? There are no pictures." Gaston commented, frowning at the cover. Belle crossed her arms and smirked, amused by his five-year-old mind.
"People use their imagination." Belle sighed, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, it's about time your head out to more important things, like me!" Gaston laughed mockingly, tossing her book aside. The book landed with a wet splat in the center of a puddle of water.
"You are positively primeval." Belle smiled, scooping her book from the puddle, before she was grabbed around the shoulders by Gaston, who had mistaken Belle for flirting with him, "Why, thank you! What do you say we take a stroll together!"
Belle squirmed out of his arm's embrace and sprang back from him, "I really need to go home, my father needs me."
Belle didn't wait for an answer and instead turned around and rushed away, not giving Gaston a second glance, as she grimaced, can't believing he didn't understand the word 'primeval'.
"What a boar!" Belle grumbled under her breath, as she headed faithfully home-wards, knowing the school bounds were officially unsafe for the day, since Gaston was now on the prowl for her.
~M~M~M~M~
Meg down in a heavily-padded chair in the auditorium, her leg draped gracefully over the other as she played with her translucent purple shawl that covered her bare shoulders from the air conditioner the school faithfully blasted everyday. As seniors in the school, it was made compulsory for themselves to be the main organizers of just the school's annual festival, which was basically turned into an untamable party every year. Meg covered her mouth, suppressing a smirk as she recalled the shocked and devastated expressions on every teacher's face as they watched their favourite students guzzle down fruit juice, just to vomit it out onto the pavement seconds later. All their perfect impressions of their students shattered harshly before them.
Meg now placed her hand on her neck, bringing warmth to herself by rubbing it slowly, a scowl now passing her lips. As much 'fun' as the festival created, the last thing she was, was thrilled at the prospect of having to work with some of the most irritating people on the world, in order to scrape together a festival that could get past the principal's office.
She looked around her, brushing her wavy auburn hair aside so she could watch and wait for the largest clique yet to come parading through the auditorium door. Already, had arrived Jane Porter, Kida, John Rolfe (who she highly, especially despised), and that boy Tarzan who sat closely next to Jane, his eyes constantly meeting her. Meg stopped herself from rolling her eyes, knowing she didn't really want to build her reputation as 'Mean Queen' much longer. In fact, that batch of people were ok, Meg had concluded, yet, if Meg was Meg anyone would know that she would not bother to make the effort to try and make friends.
She was a complete introvert, and with her strong 'RBF', she made it hard for others to swallow the fact that she wasn't actually as snarky as they thought. Now, Meg allowed herself a roll of the eyes, remembering seeing Pocahontas and Esmeralda in the mall the previous week or so. The pair probably thought they were being really ninja, staring at her openly and all of that, but little did they know, Meg had pretty much noticed them first, and wasn't all that surprised when they left, throwing glances over their backs in her direction.
It was sad that they thought her ability to feel stares was the size of a peanut, after all those years.
Oh great God, who now.
The auditorium door was creaking open, and Meg was half dreading someone life Phoebus to come strutting through when she saw a fairly large shadow behind the door, but instead in came someone Meg wasn't entirely sure about: Hercules.
By far, one of the tallest people in school, and one of the largest. Not large by plump, but large by... really (and she means really) built for some odd reason. Students pretty much speculated that he was pretty much born that way, naturally strong and naturally well-built. Meg sighed, looking away as he weaved through the auditorium seats and conveniently chose place one seat away from the left of Meg. Meg pulled her shawl closer to herself and looked away, unhappy with the unwelcome company. She could feel the waves of awkwardness washing off him every growing second, and it was growing this developing feeling where Meg just really wanted to start running away. To make conversation? Or no.
After what felt positively like a century, the door to the auditorium creaked open, and the very people Meg was expecting any time now, came bursting through. First John Smith, then a shy Quasimodo, then Nakoma, Pocahontas, Phoebus and Esmeralda who came at the rear, with a tambourine in hand, joyfully slapping its surface, creating a racket. Meg cringed and crossed her arms, watching all six of them practically skip past her (except Quasimodo), and sit right next to her, with Meg's favourite person: Esmeralda, plopping her colourfully clad self right smack next to Meg. Now, being the decent person she self-proclaimed to be, Meg put on a small smile and looked straight at the auditorium stage, acting like a tame leopard, as she pulled her bristling ponytail forward onto her chest, and combed it fondly with her long slender fingers.
Esmeralda had finally shut the damn tambourine up, and was now engaging in small talk with Pocahontas, who sat cross legged next to her. Meg stole a glance in Hercules' direction, watching him quietly toy with a rubber band, oblivious to the world around him. Hercules' bright orange hair curled around the back of his neck, glowing faintly in the dim lighting of the auditorium, and his shockingly pale blue eyes stared intently down at his hands as he carefully put together a rubberband star on his left hand. Meg could see that he was trying very hard not to snap the rubber-band. Meg managed a small amused smile, watching his jaw tense when he almost tugged the rubber-band to breaking point.
Looking away, she realized that the much-loathed Mathematics teacher, Miss Sinclair was now positioned on stage, arms akimbo, her whip-like blonde braid resting tamely on her front, and her eyebrows high on her forehead as she waited impatiently for the seniors to settle down. Almost everyone knew why she was chosen to facilitate the organizing of the festival, because she seemed to be the only teacher that could control any student in Walt High School.
"Shut up everyone." She finally snapped when Phoebus could not stop talking to John Smith and Nakoma. Bliss silence encased everyone before Ms Sinclair prowled the stage, her heeled boots slapping the floor, as she began to talk.
"Now, you are all probably really excited for this year's festival." she began, drawing up closer to the anxious students, surveying each of their faces before the next. Meg stared boredly back into her unforgiving steel stare as her eyes passed over Meg faster than others. Sometimes, Meg felt the urge to swing a punch at that woman who made it possible for a human who showed absolutely no emotions, exist.
"Get on with it, woman." Meg growled under her breath, only loud enough for the neighbouring Esmeralda to catch. Meg felt her emerald eyes glance at Meg warily, but as per usual Meg ignored this, and continued to stare at Ms Sinclair, indifferent, as if she had never said a thing.
"And, last years festival was a disaster." Ms Sinclair added in a thick drawl, now making her way dramatically across to the other side of the stage. Meg noticed a few students open their mouths in unspoken protest. As always, Phoebus spoke up, with a smart smirk evident on his face, even in the gloom of the auditorium.
"Well to you it is, because that was the year the school donated three hundred dollars to get you dunked in the dunking machine."
Laughter rang throughout the auditorium, and only Quasimodo, Hercules and Meg remained silent, and so did Phoebus, who now had his signature charming smile on his face as he met Ms Sinclair's dagger eyes without hesitation.
"Detention after school, Deschamps." Ms Sinclair said dryly, her face dead as ever, yet there was this unquenched fire in her eyes that only seemed to grow large the longer she glared at Phoebus' face.
"Worth it." Meg heard Phoebus whisper to his companions. Meg rolled her eyes, wondering when Phoebus would ever grow up.
"So, onto more important matters," Ms Sinclair continued, not wanting to waste a moment, "We have collected the forms for people in this school who would like to perform for the upcoming festival, and we have quite a few, so if we would like, it hold some auditions for the participants."
Meg heard the small jingle of Esmeralda's tambourine and almost immediately guessed that she had submitted a form. Great, can't wait to go deaf and blind at the same time.
~M~M~M~M~
The auditions had ended in about an hour, all ending with the blinding performance by Esmeralda to be the cherry on top. Meg was left rubbing her eyes and ears after watching flashy bright purples greens and blues flap around on stage, along with a forever ringing tambourine to accompany it all. Without the time to digest it all, Ms Sinclair was back on stage, looking rather flustered and unimpressed.
There had been Milo Thatch, who had taken the opportunity of the auditions to promote his brand new theory on the location of Atlantis, which had earned a standing ovation from Kida, Jane and John Rolfe, who all seemed to have helped Milo on his little smart theory (the rest clapped in their chairs). The last theory, Meg recalled, was something about Dinosaurs.
Next, was the shrilly freshman Snow White, who surprised everyone with her angelic voice, singing a soppy song about princes and crap. Meg found it very hard to hold back laughter (but succeeded), as she watched everyone lean forward in their chairs as Snow White crooned away, her arms outstretched, with her pasty pale skin under the glaring spotlight leading all of them feeling like they were watching an angel welcome them to the gates of heaven.
After all that were a few, forgettable, grotesquely optimistic auditioners trying their luck. Once all the auditioners scuttled off, with Milo Thatch taking slightly longer with all his globes, markers and maps, Miss Sinclair spoke.
"Frankly, those were all crap." she said bluntly. Meg observed Kida, Jane and John Rolfe as they looked slightly hurt and crestfallen at Ms Sinclair's harsh impression of Milo's big theory, "But, I have agreed on allowing Esmeralda to perform, since it's actually close to what you would see in a party."
Esmeralda let out an over-excited 'whoop' and her friends around her applauded her, giving her congratulatory pats on the back. No matter how rude it seemed, this time Meg had to pinch her ears shut when Esmeralda started up yet another annoying jingle on her tambourine, now christened the 'Ear Splitter' by Meg.
"That's quite enough." Miss Sinclair snapped, sharing the same pain as Meg, "So, next, onto catering."
Miss Sinclair paused, waiting for the long expected hand of Tiana to shoot out to the ceiling.
"There we go." Miss Sinclair sighed, pulled her notebook out of her pocket and jotting down Tiana's name, "Anyone else?"
No one raised their hands. If you wanted to cater food next to Iron Chef Tiana, that was like wishing for all your dignity to wash away.
~M~M~M~M~
Finally, at last, eventually, ultimately, the little meeting had came to a long anticipated end, and all were dismissed, it had reached the end of school, and Meg was on her way out of school, briskly walking, ignoring the stares she collected on the way out. People thought their were invited to stare at her like she was some prized sculpture, just because she was 'infamous' for no reason, and the fact that her hips naturally swung, her waist was naturally small. These features she had no control over probably lead people to thinking she was a seductress by night or something stupid and assumptious along that line. Meg wore a bitter expression on her face, as she roughly squeezed between two tall figures, only hesitating slightly afterwards, once she realized who they were. Hans Isles and Gaston, whose surname she was unsure of.
"Meg, sweet nutmeg." Gaston drawled, crossing his arms. Meg only stopped to spit, "Piss off, find yourself another girl." before walking on, her chin high. She stiffened slightly, realizing quickly that Gaston was following her. Meg's hands curled into tight fists and she gritted her teeth, watching as Gaston's unmistakable shadow drew up next to her.
"Asking for your nose to be broken again?" Meg asked, not looking in his direction.
"You would never do that." Gaston cackled, though Meg could detect the unsureness in his voice.
"Want me to enlighten you?" She scowled in return, quickening her pace, and keeping her fists at the ready. She was being very serious.
"Why not." Gaston dared, and like lightning, Meg's fist flew towards his nose. To her shock and surprise, Gaston swiftly caught her fist in his meaty hand before she could even reach her face, taunting her, "Daring. I like that."
"Pardon me, but can I ask you to please release that young lady." said a voice with well-masked rage. Meg and Gaston looked to their right and found a very unlikely person had showed up. Hercules, of all people had dared to walk straight up to Gaston, Meg realized with surprise. He about the same size as Gaston, yet much leaner than the over-stuffed Gaston, but still as tall and if not, even taller than Gaston.
"Keep moving Junior." Meg sighed, her jaw hanging open slightly.
"Um." Hercules looked a little deflated, "Aren't you in need of help?"
Meg sighed, and smiled at him in an overly sweet manner, saying, "I'm a damsel, I'm in distress. I can handle this. Have a nice day."
Hercules stood there puzzled, for a moment, unsure of how to reply. Meg couldn't suppress a smirk as she knew very clearly that she had just bursted his little hero entrance. Gaston let go of Meg's fist, enraged that Hercules had to butt in and destroy his little (forever going to be unsuccessful) quest to impress Meg, if not every girl in school.
"That's right, get lost." Gaston growled, raising a fist. Hercules stared at Gaston, his pale blue eyes filled to the brim with determination. Meg rubbed her fist, saying, "Wow, is this going to turn into some brawl."
"Well, I hope not." Hercules said with a nervous smile, before Gaston threw a punch at Hercules, which he swiftly dodged. Meg's eyes widened. That Hercules was full of surprises. Meg only remembered him as the shy pushover friendly giant sort of guy, not this daring courageous skilled Hercules. It was like Bruce Wayne and Batman, almost. In the midst of it all, Gaston crashed into Meg and she was pushed aside into a dank puddle of water.
"Can you break it up!" Meg yelled from the puddle, where she was sprinkling the water off her hands. Hercules immediately stopped and Meg proceeded pulling Gaston away, who had a purple bruise blossoming upon his cheekbone, while Hercules seemed untouched.
"You are a self-absorbed idiot, Gaston." Meg spat taking her anger out on him, shoving her foot into his side, earning a howl from him (music to her ears).
"Sorry, that was stupid of me." Hercules actually apologized, though half of it wasn't even his own fault. Meg's eyebrows raised and she looked in his direction, as he stood there awkwardly, his flushed cheeks clashing with his bright orange hair.
"Yeah it was." Meg said, before a stout, large-bellied man with tanned skin came bursting out of nowhere (though Meg was pretty sure he came out of a bush), and grabbed Hercules by arm, "Kid! What the heck! Getting into fights without my supervision? You almost got hit back there. Next time don't get distracted by MS GOO GOO EYES!"
Meg wasn't all that amused, yet she bit back a laugh with the stout man's description of her. Hercules chose to ignore the stout man, and instead stepped forwards to Meg, who was ringing out her hair.
"Are you alright?" he asked politely.
"The name's Megara." Meg said, and added bitterly, "My friends would call me Meg at least if I had any friends."
She dropped rubber band into Hercule's hand, which he took without a word.
"So, they gave you the name Hercules along with all those, rippling pectorals?" Meg said, watching him intently as he opened his mouth a stuttered, returning to the pushover Meg knew best.
"I... um." he tried to speak but to no avail.
"Are you always this articulate?" Meg smiled taking her rubber band back.
"Yeah! The name's Hercules." Hercules finally spluttered out immediately as she began retying her hair. Meg purposely looked him straight in the eye, enjoying having the upperhand in a conversation with someone who just kicked the crap out of Gaston.
"I prefer the name Wonderboy." Meg blurted out. She had just came up with a super-hero sort of name for him, for his reminder to her of Superman.
"Um..." Hercules tried to find something say.
"Yes?" Meg prompted him, looking at him expectantly as she squeezed the water out of her dress.
"How did you end up with him?" Hercules asked, pointing a thumb in Gaston's direction, who now picked himself up and was groaning off towards Hans. As for the stout man, he was rolling his eyes and stomping away to a bench to read the newspapers.
"Oh, you know how men are." Meg sighed, "They think no means yes and get lost means take me I'm yours."
She said her last words as she drew up real close to Hercules, and clasped her hands together, dramatically bashing her eyelashes at him. Hercules leaned back, his blue eyes wide with mingled surprise. Meg smiled, and took a step back, letting him have his personal space back.
"Well, thanks for everything once again. It's been a reeeeal slice, Herc." Meg said and saluted lazily to him before strutting off, leaving a speechless Hercules behind her.
Hamburger Heaven! TKC4VOP4JOV4TKVROJBVO5JGBIO5TJBIOJ5IOBJ5OGIBJ
I literally had to scream a couple times because I was so happy I was FINALLY WRITING WITH MEG. LOVE HER SO MUCH.
Ok, so here are my top favourite disney women:
-Jane Porter
-Esmeralda
-Meg
-Pocahontas
-Maybe Belle? Eh. Like, if I was a disney princess I would totally be her. I literally sing like her. We are like twinsies. XD oh, yeah plus rapunzel i guess
So, YAY! I like writing with Meg. I was actually kind of scared to do so, because she is has such a colourful personality, which is why, hehe, Jane, Esme and Meg are my top three, hehe? She is kinda funny. And yanno, Meg is pretty complex. She actually isn't just super snarky and sarcastic. She is more, misunderstood. Like, she can be a bit hot-headed, but also has a lot of quirky elements and a bit of spunk. :)
So, that was it for this chapter. There is a fresh new version of snow white, yall? I'm gonna make her a stuck up brat. Hehehehehe. That sounded way more mean than I intended.
And what is with Gaston and puddles? Yeah, this chapter we see him come in a lot. And oh I love abusing him. He has held the record of being beaten up twice already. Love it. By the way, my disney crushes are Hercules and Tarzan and Aladdin and Phoebus. I know. I swoon hella hard for those men. :)
But anyway, I'll see ya'll in the next chapter, chapter FIFTEEN? WHAT I KNOW RIGHT. YEEP!
Ok, so onto my new review! I was writing Belle, finished it, then read your review. So, I was like. IT'S TIME TO GO MEG. Ok, and I'll do a guy next, because hey, it's better for me to get out of my comfort zone, and Esmeralda soon, I promise. :)
Plus, i HAD TO INCLUDE PHIL. HE IS SO CUTE!
Freshman (15):
Girls:
-Rapunzel Goth ***
-Anna Summers *
-Merida DunBroch
-Snow White
Boys:
-Hiro Hamada
-Kristoff Rudd
-Jim Hawkins
-Florian Weber
Sophomore (16):
Girls:
-Ariel Crabbs ***
-Fa Mulan *
-Aurora Bruyère
-Jasmine Agrabah *
Boys:
-Eric Mogensen
-Li Shang
-Philippe Remy
-Flynn Ryder/Eugene Fitzherbert
Junior (17):
Girls:
-Belle Se Leva ***
-Cinderella Tremaine
-Elsa Summers
-Tiana Sanders *
-Charlotte Labouff
-Adella Crabbs
Boys:
-Adam Bete
-Charles Charmant
-Aladdin Ababwah
-Naveen Maldonia
-Milo James Thatch
-Gaston Riou
-Hans Isles
Senior (18):
Girls:
-Esmeralda Agnes ***
-Pocahontas/Rebecca Powhatan
-Nakoma Jones
-Jane Porter **
-Kidagakash Nedakh
-Megara Sagona *
-Alana Crabbs
Boys:
-Phoebus Deschamps
-John Smith
-Quasimodo Frollo *
-John Rolfe
-Tarzan Greystoke
-Hercules Olympus