Sharing
Ariel brushed her hair as she looked out at the ocean from her balcony. She wondered how her family was. Or how Flounder was doing. Even though she was living her dream, that didn't mean she didn't miss her family and friends. She wondered how her sisters would react to her staying in the palace with a human prince. Adella would be jealous, Andrina would probably make jokes about it, Arista would be running all over the place looking at everything. She smiled at the memory of her and her sisters sneaking into an underwater club back when music was banned. She frowned as she remembered.
How was her dad doing? Even though she didn't leave him with a goodbye or on the best of terms, she still missed him. She remembered playing hide-and-seek with him and her mom when she was younger. She remembered showing them how she played the piano. She remembered when he brought music back to the kingdom and how happy he looked as he gazed at the statue of him and her mom. She bit her lip in thought. Maybe she should've left him a note or something to say she was alright. Despite everything that happened, he's still her dad and she knows he still loves her just as much as she loves him.
A knock on the door took Ariel out of her thoughts and she rushed to open it, confused at who would be asking for her at nighttime. When she opened it, a familiar brunette stood in front of her with a grin on her face. Naturally, Ariel smiled in return.
"Hi, mind if I come in?" Belle asked. Ariel nodded and opened the door wider for Belle to enter. She closed the door as Belle sat on her bed. She wondered what Belle's quarters looked like. Did she have a big, bouncy bed just like her?
Ariel sat next to Belle, wondering what Belle wanted. Not that she didn't want her in her room, she was simply confused at why she was there. As if reading her mind, Belle spoke.
"Eric told me he invited you to the ball," Belle explained, to which Ariel nodded. Belle gave a small smile as she shook her head, making Ariel tilt her head.
"You have no idea what you're getting in to tomorrow," Belle stated. Ariel's eyebrows furrowed at her words. Getting into? Into what? The ball isn't tomorrow? Is something happening tomorrow? Should she be worried? Ariel felt her heart racing at the many possibilities of what could happen.
Belle glanced at Ariel and, noticing her wide eyes and heavy breathing, placed her hands on Ariel's to calm her down. Ariel looked down at Belle's hands, her touch seeming to calm her down almost instantly. Belle really was a calming presence.
"Hey, don't worry, I didn't mean to scare you," Belle assured her. "I just meant that, seeing as this is your first human ball, there are a lot of things you're going to have to learn. For example, do you know how to waltz?"
Ariel shook her head. She knew about dancing for mermaids, but that was back when she had fins. Now with two feet, she had to learn a whole new dance by the ball. What if she made a fool of herself? What if she embarrassed Eric? She couldn't have that. Ariel's eyes widened as an idea popped into her head.
"What is it?" Belle asked. Ariel stood up, pulling Belle up with her. The two held hands as Ariel looked at her with expectant eyes. Belle glanced down at their hands, before glancing up at Ariel's eyes. A slow, gradual smile lit her face as she realized what Ariel was asking of her.
"Do you want me to teach you how to waltz?" Belle asked her and Ariel nodded, bouncing on the soles of her feet. Belle giggled at Ariel's reaction before sighing.
"Okay, in this equation, I will the guy," Belle explained, before lifting Ariel's left hand onto her shoulder and placing her own right hand on the small of Ariel's back. Ariel's breath hitched at the contact and her grip on Belle's shoulder tightened as Belle brought their locked hands up. Ariel noticed a slight blush on her own face.
"Your hands should always be at shoulder length," Belle explained, giving her an encouraging smile. Ariel glanced at their hands and brought them up to shoulder length. She knew that, they did that back at home.
"Now, I'm going to teach you a basic box step," Belle told her, taking a deep breath before continuing.
"When I step forward with my left, you have to step back with your right," Belle told her. She noticed how Ariel stuck her tongue out as Belle brought her left foot forward and she, hesitantly, brought her right foot back. Ariel was looking at their feet, clearly worried about messing up.
"You shouldn't look at your feet while dancing," Belle encouraged her. "Look at me."
Ariel's eyes bore into Belle's and it was only then that Belle realized how close she was. She cleared her throat, aware of the heat rushing to her face.
"Now, when I step to the right, you must step to your left," Belle went back to teaching her. As the two did the step, Ariel stumbled a bit and Belle tightened her hold on Ariel's back to steady her. She noticed how the silk nightgown pressed in to the small of her back as if it was meant for her. Ariel's pout brought her back.
"Don't worry, you got this," Belle assured her. She noticed how Ariel nodded her head with a small smile on her face. She really was adorable.
"Now, I'm going to step back with my right, you should step forward with your left," Ariel nodded in response and the two completed the step.
After a few takes, it seemed that Ariel had finally got the basic box step down. She was a quick learner, Belle realized. Now would be a good time to teach her how to turn, though noticing how sweaty her hands were getting, now seemed like a good time for a break.
Belle let go of Ariel and fell back onto the bed, taking deep breaths as she laid there. She felt the bed shift, signalling that Ariel had sat down next to her.
"You were good," Belle stated. "But now, we should take a break."
She felt Ariel lay down next to her and turned her head to find Ariel looking up at the ceiling. She never took in Ariel's profile before. She had a soft jawline, a perky nose, and nice cheekbones. If Belle didn't know any better, she would've thought Ariel was a Goddess.
"Do you have any dances like the waltz under the sea?" Belle asked her. Ariel turned to face her and nodded, the sheet on the bed scrunching up by her face. However, Belle noticed Ariel's bright eyes turn dark for a second at the mention of the sea. Belle pouted as she sat up to look down at Ariel.
"Do you...miss your home?" Belle asked her. Ariel blinked her eyes once, twice, and bit her lip. She noticed the redhead look towards the balcony, where the view of the ocean was. After a few seconds, Ariel slowly nodded.
At that moment, Belle realized that even though she was happy being a human for a couple of days, she still missed her loved ones. Belle looked out at the balcony, wondering if there was something she could do to help. She didn't know how far Ariel's home was from the palace, not to mention how deep under the sea it is. She sighed before asking Ariel a question.
"What was your home like?" Belle asked. She didn't know if she could get a proper answer out of Ariel, considering the fact that she had no voice. But seeing Ariel's nostalgic grin, Belle didn't care. Ariel sat up and pointed to herself before showing six fingers.
"Six?" Belle waited for elaboration. Ariel pointed to herself and then counted her six fingers before Belle got it.
"Oh, you have six siblings?" Belle asked. Ariel nodded, clapping her hands and her smile getting wider in response.
"That must be nice," Belle told her, causing Ariel to tilt her head. "I don't have any. I'm an only child."
Ariel's eyes widened before nodding her head. She then pouted, clearly thinking of something else to explain to Belle. She held up one finger to Belle.
"One?" Belle furrowed her brows as she tried to understand. "One? First? First sibling?"
Ariel nodded, before fixing her face into a stern expression and placing her hands on her hips. Belle laughed at her arched brows and tight lipped smile.
"They're very serious, I'm guessing," Belle said between chuckles. Ariel smiled and nodded before placing her hands on her head as if she was placing a crown on it. Belle nodded at her action.
"They're next in line for the throne, huh?" Belle asked, remembering that Ariel was a princess. "So are you the second oldest?"
Ariel shook her head and held up seven fingers. Belle's eyes widened before settling into a smile.
"You're the youngest?" Belle said, tilting her head. "I can see it."
Ariel pouted at her response and playfully hit Belle on her arm. Belle rubbed the spot where she hit, one question still burning in her mind.
"What's your father like? The King, right?" Belle asked. Ariel's eyes darkened at Belle's question, her smile dropping from her face. She looked down at her hands and locked her fingers together, refusing to meet Belle's eyes. Maybe it was a mistake to ask her of her father, Belle thought. Perhaps they didn't get along.
"You don't have to answer," Belle assured her, placing her hand on Ariel's. Ariel looked up at her and Belle gave her a reassuring smile. She wasn't going to force Ariel to answer if she didn't want to. After a few seconds, Ariel nodded and returned the smile.
A knock from the door made the girls jump. Confused, Ariel got up to answer the door.
When she opened the door, she was expecting to see Carlotta or maybe another one of the palace servants. She definitely wasn't expecting the raven-haired young man standing in front of her. It was then that Ariel realized she was only in her nightgown and that made her blush as he looked at her. What did he even want? Why was he here? Did he want to give her a kiss goodnight?
"Hey, mind if I come in?" Eric asked her, his voice unnaturally shaky. Ariel nodded and opened the door wider for him to enter. Eric's eyes widened as he looked at Belle sitting on Ariel's bed.
"Oh, what are you doing here?" Eric asked her. Ariel noticed how his left hand was shaking and his eyes never focused on one place for too long. Did something happen?
Belle stood up from the bed and brushed her nightgown off, sighing as she did so.
"Just came to talk with her for a while, I'll be leaving now," Belle told him, walking to the door. Ariel shook her head at this. She didn't want Belle to leave. She was having fun learning how to waltz with her and talking about her family. It made her feel happy and calm. She made her feel comfortable. Why did she have to go? Because of Eric? Are the two fighting?
Just as Belle reached the door, she turned to Ariel and gave her a wink. Ariel felt her heart race and her stomach flip in response. As Belle left the room, Ariel slowly closed the door behind her, taking deep breaths to calm her heart. Why did that make her so nervous? It was just Belle winking to her. It didn't mean nothing. What was she winking for anyway? That didn't matter. Eric was in her room, he wanted to talk to her.
She turned to Eric who was standing in the middle of the room, shuffling from foot to foot. His hands were in his pockets and his eyes stared down at the floor. Why was he so nervous?
"Um...I wanted to talk to you about today," Eric started, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I had a lot of fun with you. You're different from other girls I've known. Even though...you can't talk...you are very expressive and curious and, well...cute."
Ariel felt her stomach twist again as she thought of the multiple outcomes of this conversation. He called her cute, expressive, and curious. Isn't that good? Is he trying to confess to her? Is that why he's so nervous? Did Belle know about this and that's why she left? Is that why she winked?
"Even yesterday when I met you, I knew there was something about you," Eric's voice became more confident as he spoke. "I've never seen a girl as beautiful as you. Well, I've never seen a girl that combs her hair with a...fork. But it's alright, you're funny in that way. Basically, what I'm trying to say is…"
As Eric's voice trailed off, Ariel's thoughts began to swim. He was confessing to her! He actually liked her! Did that mean he wanted to kiss her? Was she going to get her kiss today? Would she finally get to stay human? She will be able to talk to him and Belle! She wondered how Belle would take it. She knew Belle would be happy for her. The two will get to talk to each other again and she could actually tell Belle how grateful she is to have her around. How thankful she is for the gift. How happy she is whenever the brunette is around.
"What I wanted to tell you is…" The door opening caused both of them to jump as Carlotta stood in the doorframe. She looked between the two of them, her eyes widened before hardening as they landed on Eric. She was carrying towels in her hand and quickly took one off and swat at him.
"Eric! You know better than to talk to a maiden in her bedquarters!" Carlotta scolded him as Eric avoided her hits.
"I know, I know, I…" Eric yelped as Carlotta hit him on his behind with the towel. Ariel inaudibly chuckled at the sight.
"Get out! Now!" Carlotta told him. Eric nodded and quickly left the room. Carlotta sighed as she placed the towels on Ariel's bed and held one out to her.
"Here, boys…" Carlotta handed Ariel the towel, before picking up the rest and leaving her room. Ariel held the towel in her hand, feeling the softness of it against her skin. She closed the door, upset at Carlotta for interrupting her and Eric. Why did she have to come in now? Why didn't she knock? Why did Eric take so long to tell her? Ariel sighed.
There was no point in worrying about it now. She still had five more days to get Eric to fall in love with her and kiss her. She could still get her wish.
The next day, Ariel walked through the halls of the palace, looking for Eric. She wanted to see him, to see what he was going to tell her last night. She didn't know where his bedroom was and she didn't feel comfortable going there anyway, so she kept knocking on doors to see if he would answer. She got some odd looks from the workers asking her what she was doing there and who she was looking for, but she brushed them off. All that mattered to her was finding Eric.
She came across one door at the end of the hall. It was large and dark blue with two gold handles. She wondered why this one room was tucked away in a corner like this, as if hiding from someone. She glanced behind her and, realizing that no one was behind her, pulled open the door. She cringed at the loud creak it made, turning around again to see if anyone heard it. Seeing no one there, she walked in, closing the door behind her.
The room was large and bright, the sun shining in from the windows. The smell of wood and old pages filled her nostrils as she looked around the room. All she saw was books, lined up on shelves that reached all the way to the ceiling. She tilted her head, wondering how someone could even reach up there to get a book. Despite the library being large and wide, it felt cosy and comfortable. Honestly, it reminded her of Belle.
"Hello, is anyone there?" A familiar voice called out and Ariel turned to the direction it came from. She stepped closer to the sound, around a bookshelf and saw Belle sitting up on a couch, a book nestled on her lap. She was wearing a simple, green dress and she had a matching bow holding her hair into a ponytail. The light from the window made her brown hair look almost golden and the little particles in the air floated around her as if she was a goddess.
Seeing Ariel, a grin broke on Belle's face and she placed the book she was reading next to her.
"Good morning, Ariel," Belle told her, tilting her head at the red head. "Um...what are you doing here?"
Ariel blinked, trying to think of a way to explain she was looking for Eric, though it seemed that was pointless as Belle spoke again.
"Ah, you're looking for Eric, aren't you?" Ariel nodded in response and Belle's lips became a tight line. "Sorry, but he's in a meeting right now."
Ariel nodded, looking down at her feet which were dressed in black flats. Of course he wouldn't be available all the time, he was a prince. He was going to be a King soon and he had to prepare for that. Ariel winced as she just realized something. If she were to marry Eric, that would make her the Queen. Was she deserving of such a title? Sure, when she was staying under the sea she had to learn the laws and ways to run a kingdom, but she was the youngest in her family. Attina would be Queen, not her, and therefore Attina had more to learn than she would. Besides, the ways of running a kingdom in the human world is different from the merworld.
"Ariel?" Ariel shook her head of her thoughts as she looked up to see Belle's hazel eyes looking at her. Belle had stood up and walked over to her, her face etched with concern. But Ariel couldn't look away from her eyes. Belle's hazel eyes reminded her of the golden palace back home, with the way the light shined on them from the window. They shined brighter than any form of jewelry she has seen, even brighter than the crown that adorned her father's head. Ariel felt herself getting lost in the deep gold of her eyes.
"Ariel!" Belle stepped back and Ariel realized she was leaning closer. A furious blush rushed to her cheeks and she stepped back as well, biting her lip and mentally hitting herself. What was wrong with her? What was she going to do? Kiss her? Ariel looked at Belle to see her cheeks a deep pink and her hair falling in front of her face. She had the urge to brush her hair back but held back instead. What was wrong with her?
After taking a couple of breaths and letting the awkward silence go on for too long, Belle looked up at Ariel with a tight lipped grin. Her face was still hot and her heart was still pounding against her chest, but she chose to ignore it. Her mind was swimming and she felt as if she couldn't stand any longer. She eased back onto the couch and noticed Ariel glancing at her while biting her lip. The action made Belle feel warm.
"Um...do you want to sit down?" Belle asked, patting the seat next to her. Ariel nodded and walked over to the couch, sitting on the opposite end of it. Another awkward silence followed and Belle sucked in her cheeks as she thought of how to break the jumped as she saw Ariel pick up the book by her and open it. Belle watched as Ariel's eyes darted across the page, her cheeks puffed out and her red hair framing her face.
Ariel looked up at Belle, her bright blue eyes shining brighter than the ocean on a summer day. She pushed the book into Belle's hands and Belle glanced between her and the book, an idea coming to mind.
"Do you want me to read it to you?" Belle asked. Ariel's eyes widened and Belle watched as a slow, gradual smile formed on her face. After a few seconds, she nodded like an excited child causing Belle to giggle. Belle opened the book to the beginning and noticed Ariel move over a little to get closer to her. Belle shuffled to her left to do the same.
"Two households," Belle began, reading.
After about an hour or so, Belle was on the last page of the book. She and Ariel were seated so close to each other, their shoulders were touching and they both could feel the other's body heat. During the reading, Belle had to pause multiple times to explain certain lines to Ariel and as she did so, she saw Ariel's eyes filled with curiosity and wonder, light up. Belle smiled at seeing Ariel enjoy her hobby just as much as she did. She never read with anyone besides her mother before and she remembered how enjoyable it was to share her love with someone.
"For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo," Belle finished, closing the book and hugging it to her chest. She truly did enjoy the story, although it wasn't perfect. She felt Ariel tap her knee and turned to look at her.
Ariel pointed to the book and then to herself. Instantly, Belle got what she was trying to say.
"Do you want to read it yourself?" Belle asked her, holding out the book. Ariel nodded and held out her hands for Belle to place it in. Ariel's eyes skimmed the cover and her hand glided over it, almost featherlike. A thought came to Belle's mind as she looked at the little mermaid.
"You know, you and Eric are kind of like Romeo and Juliet," Belle told her, which earned her a look of confusion. "You two come from different worlds and aren't supposed to be together. Yet, you still put in the effort to make it work."
Ariel's eyes looked down at the book and she bit her lip as she did so. Her red hair fell in front of her face and she brushed it back with her hand. Suddenly, the air grew tense and Belle could see a slight frown appearing on Ariel's face. Was it what she said? Why was Ariel upset? Belle placed her hand on top of Ariel's, the red head looking up when she did.
"Are you alright?" Belle asked. "If it's something I said, I didn't mean to offend you."
Ariel shook her head and gave Belle a forced smile. If only she could talk. There was clearly something bothering her and Belle didn't feel right not knowing what was on her mind. She wanted to comfort her as best as she could.
"Are you still worried about the kiss?" Belle asked. After a few seconds, Ariel nodded.
Why would she be worried about it? From what she saw yesterday, Eric seems to be falling for her. And why wouldn't he? She's beautiful, curious, funny, and sweet. It would be hard not to. So why was she so worried? Did something happen when she left her room last night? Did he kiss her but she still didn't have her voice? But Eric wasn't the type to kiss someone he didn't have feelings for. Was it her instead?
"Ariel…" Belle's voice trailed off as she tried to think of a nice way to ask her. "Do you really love Eric?"
Ariel's eyes widened at Belle's question. Love Eric? Of course she loved Eric. He's handsome, kind, and understanding. What wasn't there to love? What was Belle trying to say?
"It's just…" Belle trailed off again, taking a deep breath to compose herself. "Why do you want the kiss so bad?"
What kind of question was that? She wanted to be human, that's why. She wanted to walk along the streets, dance with the other humans, spend a day in the sand, she wanted to do so much. She's been dreaming of having legs for so long and now that she has them, she never wants to go back to her fins. Kissing Eric would get her that. Her eyebrows furrowed at her own thoughts.
Did she only want to kiss Eric to be human? No. No! Of course not. She wouldn't be able to be with him if she was a mermaid. If she was human, she would get to spend as much time with him as she wanted. Would she? He would become King if they marry and being a Queen wasn't something Ariel really wanted. He would also be busy and the two would have to take every chance they could get to be together. She shook her head.
She shouldn't worry about that. If she wants to be with Eric, she would have to do it. But looking at Belle's hazel eyes confused her. Did she love Eric? She didn't really know much about him. But you don't have to know everything about your partner to know you want to be with them. Right? Did she only like him because he was the first male human she ever saw? No! Maybe? That couldn't be. Ariel internally groaned as she placed her head in her hands, her vision starting to become foggy. Oh great, now she's going to cry.
Ariel flinched as she felt two arms wrap her in a hug. She knew who it was just from the feeling she got. Warm, comfortable, and safe. Without thinking, Ariel leaned her head into the crook on Belle's shoulders. She thought of her mother and how she would hug her like this whenever she was scared or sad. Being with Belle brought her the same feeling she felt eleven years ago.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that," Belle apologized and Ariel shook her head against Belle's skin, feeling her hair brush against the smooth surface. She patted Belle's knee to show her that she was alright. Was she? She still didn't know how to answer Belle's question.
Belle pulled away from the hug, leaving Ariel feeling cold. Ariel look up at Belle, who turned away once their eyes met and cleared her throat.
"I'm a little hungry, aren't you?" Belle asked. Ariel nodded, although she didn't feel hungry. Belle stood up and brushed her dress off before turning to Ariel with an extended hand.
"Come on, let's go get some food," Belle said. Ariel placed her hand in Belle's and stood up, letting Belle lead her to wherever she wanted to go.
The two were walking across the courtyard now towards the horse stables. While they were eating Belle had brought up her horse, Philippe, and Ariel nearly jumped out of her seat when Belle offered to show her.
Belle giggled as Ariel seemed to hop with each step she took, the bright smile never leaving her face. She knew Ariel would want to see Philippe since she told her yesterday and now, with both of them not having much to do, she could. Belle knew her best friend was going to like Ariel, though she realized she should go over the rules before getting there.
"Ariel?" Belle called to her, causing Ariel to slow down and look at her. "A word of advice, when you meet Philippe, don't scare him. He's a bit of scaredy-cat. So try not to jump too much around him."
Ariel nodded, beginning to walk at a normal pace. Well, trying. Belle could see the way her shoulders bounced with each step and how her fingers twitched. Belle laughed at Ariel's excitement. It reminded her of when her father surprised her by telling her he was getting a horse. She was only twelve at the time and her excitement was just like Ariel's now.
The two rounded a corner and entered the stables, the smell of horses, hay, and other things filling her nose. She didn't have a problem with it though, she was used to it. She felt a hand grip her arm tightly and turned to see Ariel looking around the stable with both happiness and fear in her eyes. Belle patted Ariel's hand and gave her a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, you're safe," Belle told her. Ariel nodded and allowed Belle to lead her through the stables. The brunette didn't even have to look to know Ariel's face was shining brighter than a child's on Christmas Day. Near the end of the stables, stood Philippe. Upon seeing Belle, he let out a happy sound and stepped as close to her as he could with the wooden door blocking them. Belle let go of Ariel to reach out and pet her friend on his nose.
"Hi, Philippe," Belle greeted the horse, a grin on her face.
Ariel watched as Belle pet the horse on his face and she suddenly felt rooted to the ground. She wanted to go and approach the horse, but she didn't know how. What if the horse didn't like her? What would she do? Would Belle tell her to leave? She didn't want to have Belle choose between her and her pet.
Speaking of Belle, as Ariel watched the girl and her horse, a small smile broke onto her face. Belle's smile was so different from any other she had seen before. She looked genuinely happy with her friend. Her hair had fell in front of her face, though she didn't seem to care. The horse moved his head closer to her, nudging her back a bit and causing the brunette to let out a laugh that sounded prettier than any song she ever heard. She really did love her horse.
"Ariel," Belle called for her and held out her. "Let me introduce you."
Ariel took Belle's hand and moved closer to the horse. He was larger now and his long face was much closer than she thought it was going to be. The long face reminded her of the seahorses she would see back in Atlantica and she wondered if horses got their name from them. She glanced at Belle, unsure of what to do.
"Hold out your hand," Belle explained, lifting Ariel's hand so the palm faced up. Ariel tensed as Philippe's nose sniffed it, the air from his nose hotter than her expectations. She closed her eyes. She knew Belle wouldn't have a savage animal for a pet, but she couldn't help but be scared. What if he didn't like her and wanted to eat her? Could a horse eat her? She didn't want to find out.
Ariel jumped as the horse pulled their head back and let out a sound that she didn't know was happy or angry. She dropped down to her knees and wrapped her arms around herself, closing her eyes as she awaited whatever doom was coming to her. After a few seconds, Ariel felt herself getting pulled up by small hands.
"Ariel, it's okay," Belle reassured her, brushing Ariel's hair down with her hand. "He likes you."
Ariel opened one eye as she looked at the confused animal in front of her. He likes her? If he liked her, why did he make that sound? The horse took a step closer to her, holding his head out. Instinctively, Ariel took a step back.
"It's alright, he's not going to hurt you," Belle told her. "He wants you to pet him."
Ariel's eyes darted between Belle and the horse, panic, anxiety, and fear filling up inside of her. Pet him? No! It's a trick. He's just doing that so she can bring her hand closer and then he'll rip it off. But Belle wouldn't allow it, right? Would he hurt her in front of her? Ariel felt a warm hand grab her left one and froze as Belle placed it on the top of Philippe's nose. The nose was wet, big, and soft. It reminded her of the curtains that hung in her room.
Slowly, Ariel begun to pet him, though she still kept her distance just in case she needed to get away. Could she outrun a horse? Maybe not, but she would try. She heard a chuckle next to her and turned to see Belle hiding a smile behind her hand. Ariel quirked an eyebrow up at her.
"You have something in your hair," Belle told her. Ariel lifted her free hand up to touch the top of her head, inaudibly screaming as she felt something coarse on top of it. She staggered back and fell on top of something big that felt just like the stuff in her hair. She shook her head back and forth to get if off, ignoring Belle's laughs.
"Here, let me," Belle told her, placing her hands on Ariel's frantic shoulders. Ariel tensed as she felt Belle's small hands pull the stuff out of her hair. What was it?
"It's hay," Belle explained as if she could read her mind. Ariel nodded, pouting at her reaction. Why was she acting so silly? Hearing Belle's giggles, she didn't know if the brunette was laughing at or with her. But when she glanced up and saw Belle's bright smile as she plucked the hay out of her hair, she couldn't help but laugh. Although she couldn't make any sounds, she didn't care. Seeing Belle's bright smile was worth giving up her voice.
Sixth chapter. Leave a review if you could.