Adam Smith sat at his desk, doodling as usual. It was the first day back at school and he knew already that just because this was his Senior year, it wasn't going to be any different. Could he have been any more wrong? The bell rang and he slouched to class. He barely noticed the girl he banged into. He sighed as he entered Biology. What a great start to the year, double Biology. He sat down and there was a minor argument over who sat in the seats around him. He was, and he could say this truthfully, the most popular guy in school. Eventually it was decided that Jonny, Darren and Sam would be sitting next to him. He stayed silent through the whole debate. He didn't really care who sat next to him. He watched absent mindedly as students filed in through the doors.

That's when he saw her. She was new, he knew all the old faces. She had long black hair and piercing grey/blue eyes. She was wearing worn jeans, a purple tank top and bright pink converses. She slumped into a seat and looked out the window. She didn't look up any where else the whole lesson. He knew because he couldn't draw his eyes away from her, he was totally enraptured. Or ensnared as some might say.

He ran out of class after her and caught her arm. "Hey, I'm Adam."

She gave him a look of disdain, "And?"

"I'm just introducing myself," he smiled, "You'll want to know me."

"I doubt that highly," she sneered before walking off. Adam smiled to himself. He wasn't sure what it was. She was pretty enough, but there were plenty of pretty girls who were all over him. No, it was her... energy, the way she seemed, her charisma.

A few days passed and every time he saw her, he couldn't help but look. Even his friends noticed the difference.

"Adam, Adam! What you staring at? Oh that new girl."

"Yeah, anyone know what her name is yet?"

"No, she doesn't talk to anyone!"

Adam smiled again. That was another thing, she was so enigmatic, nobody knew anything about her. He hadn't even managed to find out her name yet. But by the end of the week, he decided he would have to ask himself. So, at lunch he went right up to her,

"So, what's your name, you never said."

She looked him up and down, he had blonde hair that sort of stuck up, emerald green eyes, he was tall and had quite an original fashion sense. Well, except that everyone seemed to copy him.

"Kairos," she said simply, before walking off. The next week he found a little about her everyday. It was almost as if she had made up her mind to talk to him, but didn't want to make it obvious. He had that effect on girls.

The next Friday he was walking her home. "You want me don't you," she said, smiling.

"I what?" He spluttered, she just looked at him, playing with her keys, "Maybe a little."

"So..." She stepped forward and pulled him down to meet her lips. Then they were kissing. To Adam it was as if fireworks went off or something. It was amazing.

"Wow, I think I love you!" He laughed, she smiled and went inside.

He saw her again on Monday. By now he had forsaken everyone. Including his girlfriend. Him and Kairos were making out in the hall when Jennifer came up to them.

"Excuse me, but like, what do you think you're like, doing?" She said, in her annoying way. Adam had only gone out with her because she was head cheerleader and it was a conquest he needed to boost his popularity to the top.

"Sorry Jen, but you know, you're like dumped!" He said mimicking her,

"Bitch!" Jennifer said to Kairos before running down the hall, she wasn't quick enough that they didn't see her tears though.

"You didn't tell me you had a girlfriend," Kairos said, looking at him with disdain.

"I don't now, and anyway, I only went out with her because..." And he went on to explain his ideas of conquests. It was true, he had gone out with most of the female population of the school at one point of another. Sometimes for bets or dares, sometimes just for fun. And he didn't know why he was telling her this. "But I want to change, I want you to change me."

"Fine, I will," she smiled, a glint in her eyes. "Hey why don't you come back to mine after school, you can actually come in this time."

He couldn't believe that she wasn't annoyed, but that was why he liked her. No, he loved her, he knew that now. He had never felt this way before, it had to be love.

They walked home holding hands. Even this simple touch was enough to send electricity up Adam's spine. Then they got to her house and went inside. The living room was pretty bare, just a sofa and a coffee table. Not even a t.v. He didn't get to see the rest of the house.

They were kissing on the sofa, then she pulled away, "You remember the first day of school?"

"Uh huh," he mumbled, trying to follow her mouth, but she put a hand on his chest,

"You bumped into me, that's why I didn't talk to you... and now I hear about your conquests, is that what I am?"

"No, of course not, I want you to..."

"Change you, of course," she interrupted, chuckling, then her voice changed, "That can be arranged," she stood up, and suddenly she seemed to tower over him. Her hair whipped about her, and she sneered at him. "You say you love me, but you don't know what love is! But you will learn, or else you will be cursed forever." She laughed, a high piercing laugh.

He jumped up and tried to get out of the room, this was seriously freaking him out. But as he reached out for the door handle he saw his hand was changing. Claws were forming and fur covered them. They were paws. He began to grow, his shoulders getting broader and hunched. Fur was covering his whole body. He had tusks and fangs in his mouth instead of teeth. He had a long shaggy mane. His clothes were clinging to him in shreds. His trainers had buckled, revealing that his feet were now also paws.

"What have you done to me?" He snarled, whipping around to face her. But Kairos was gone, in her place was a tall, willowy woman, with her hair and eyes.

"I have turned you into what you really are, a Beast," she laughed again, and suddenly they were no longer in her living room. They were in the courtyard of an ancient castle. The battlements towered above them and the fountain in the courtyard was silent. The only sound was her laughing.

"Turn me back."

"No such luck, that isn't how a curse works," she smiled, "anyway I thought you wanted me to change you? But of course, there is a get out clause." She waved her hand a red rose was suddenly floating in the air before them.

"Where are we?" He growled, "And what the hell do you want me to do with that rose?"

"We are in my castle, it's in England, but don't worry, nobody will pass, well actually I suppose that is a worry, because you see the only way to break the spell is for you to learn how to love, really love, and for someone to love you in return."

"I will never love again, not after what happened when I loved you!"

"You never loved me, you were infatuated with me, and it serves you right. Oh and the rose, it is enchanted, and will bloom for quite a while longer than normal roses, but, it will begin to wilt. You must have broken the spell before the last petal drops, or you shall be like this for always." She gave one last laugh and disappeared, with her laughter still ringing around the courtyard.

"I will never love again, I shall remain like this forever!" He growled, swiping a paw at the rose, but it simply moved out the way.