Beauty and the Beast

Isabelle's POV

My mind went blissfully blank for a few moments. It turned into a seething black hole of nothingness for few precious seconds before it all came rushing back with the force of a tidal wave. I noticed the darkening sky; the clouds swirled around as the wind picked up.
Then, in complete opposite to my previous blankness, a million thoughts hit me at once, rendering me incapable of forming any sort of sound that could pass as any normal expression of speech.
In other words, I was speechless. I could hear my dad fixing something in the background, probably packing, but the thuds and murmurings just mingled with the dull buzzing in my brain. I watched the branches of the trees dance in the wind and with my mind still whirling I felt the same cold breath fan across my face, causing me to shiver.
“But dad, Garreth White lives with them!” There, finally. Words. Coherent speech. I was staring at the ground, unable to look up at Ryan, knowing if I did, I’d probably start crying again. Yeah, I know I’m a coward. I concentrated on a crack in the concrete, trying to focus all of my mental capacity on that tiny fracture as if it had all the answers to my vast problems.
Don’t I wish?
My dad sighed heavily, and I could almost see him run his hands through his thin hair, as he does when he is irritated. “Bells, listen, I know Garreth is a bit… you know. But at least you’ll get to stay here. That’s what you wanted, right?”
What I wanted was to not have to be in this predicament. To not have to have to decide between two levels of hell. On one hand, I leave everyone, Maurice, Ryan. I can forget about graduating here, but I wouldn’t have to worry about living with… Garreth. And on the other hand, I stay here, stay with Maurice and Ryan… I can graduate. But I’d have to endure living with a guy who is just a complete Devil incarnate.
I looked up at Ryan, meeting his eyes. Saw the blue eyes shinning with worry, concern. He studied me for a moment, his gaze searching. Then understanding, in its bitterest form, crossed over his face.
“Dad. Listen to me. I cannot under absolutely no circumstances, stay with him.”
‘Belle, his parents are very nice—“
“I don’t give a damn how nice his parents are.” Doesn’t change the fact their son is slime. God, I wanted to scream out all this frustration, all this anger. Ryan’s face had become a myriad of expressions. Ranging from hurt, disappointment, hatred, and pity. Worry. Concern. God it was all there. I dropped my gaze from his as guilt wormed its way up through my stomach.
“Do not cuss at me, Isabelle Mannix Paige.” My dad snapped. If there is one thing my dad hates, well besides people who don’t know how to do “easy” logarithmic equations, is bad language.
I felt my cheeks burned as I lowered my face to the ground again. My hair fell in a comfortable curtain around my face. I mumbled a low “sorry.”
“Belle,” My dad said, his voice calmer, sympathetic, “I know this sucks. And I know Garreth isn’t the greatest guy, but this is you’re chance to stay here. To be able to finish school, to stay with Maurice.”
My dad was talking, saying all these things that would make sense, could make perfect sense. But my brain, my heart, my whole being violently refused to accept defeat, to accept this grim nightmare that was slowly becoming my reality. My future. My hell.
“Isabelle, would you rather come with me?” He asked me, sensing victory. “Or would you rather suffer just a bit with the Whites, but be able to stay here with all of your friends?”
Suffer. It was a cruel expression. Vicious in some twisted sense. Was it a good enough word to fully illustrate what I would be subjected to staying with the Whites? No, no it just didn’t seem to fully convey the torture, the hell I would have to live with for the rest of the year. I was dimly aware of the burning in my eyes. It was too feeble, and I really don’t think there is a word in any language merciless enough. Garreth’s face swam around in my head, causing the dread that had already taken refuge in my stomach to double.
The tears were there, a burning reminder in my eyes. I saw my hand reach out on its own accord and felt my fingers grip Ryan’s jacket. It was cold, stiff. His arm was solid under the fabric. It was like digging your fingers into stone. He caught my eye, and held my gaze.
“Belle!” Unwillingly, I turned my attention back to my dad. “You’re staying with him, and that’s final.”
“I’d rather die than stay with him.” A little overdramatic I’ll admit, but truthful, nonetheless. My dad sighed in irritation, and with mirrored irritation I swiped a hand over my face.
It was wet. Surprised I looked down at my hand glistening. I felt my face again, and realized that I had been crying. Embarrassed now, I looked up at Ryan, who was looking down at me, his eyes clouded with concern. I ducked my head, and blushed.
“Isabelle! What is the matter with you? You have a chance to stay with your friends and to graduate, and you’re spitting it in the face!” He paused to take a deep breath. “I wish there was someone else you could stay with, I mean, do you know anyone to stay with?
At my silence, he grunted. “That’s what I thought.”
“Damn it.” I said, heartfelt. I ignored my dad’s angry hiss. “Dad, I don’t know who I’ll stay with. But I am not, NOT, staying with them.”
There, I had made a decision. Brash that it was, it was also final.
I’m staying, but not with Garreth.
I lost myself in the argument. Emotions boiled up inside of me; a hot, blistering mess of angry retorts and stubborn refusals. My father grew angrier and angrier as the minutes passed by with blinding speed.
I suggested about twenty people, with each name I gave, a small kernel of hope bloomed, only to be mercilessly ripped apart as my dad shot them down. The excuses were vast, and with each excuse I felt my anger grow and grow.
“Dad, for someone smart, you’re being really stupid right now.” I finally snarled at my dad, after he had shot down my last hope.
“For someone sweet, you’re being a real jerk.” He retorted, slamming something down. We were both breathing hard now. Both stubbornly set to not give a freaking inch. Like father, like daughter. “Give it up Belle. Just stay with the Whites. Its only for a few more months…” He trailed off. Yeah, try seven months. If I can barely stand being around Garreth for seven minutes, how can I do seven months?
I mean, even seven minutes sounds like forever with him.
“There has to be someone I can stay with…” I said desperately. I could actually feel my fate falling straight to the deepest, blackest pit of hell.
“Yeah? Who?”
I racked my brain. Names popped up in my head only to be dismissed. I grew more and more desolate. There really is no one. Not one person I can stay with.
Oh God. This is really going to happen. I’m really going to have to stay with the Whites… with Garreth. And then, almost like it had been sent from some Higher being looking out for me, the proverbial light bulb flashed. . This is it, my last hope, my only hope. “How about I stay with Uncle Phillipe?”
My Uncle Phillipe is a professor at the University of H. Smith, about an hour and a half away from here. I crossed my fingers. And closed my eyes, and started praying
“He’s on his sabbatical. He won’t want you running around on him.” WHAT? Screw. This. I began to vibrate with fury, with this deeps seated fear; the anger wrecked havoc on the slim grasp I had on my control. And then, with a wild, echoing snap, it broke.
“I don’t give a flying fuc—“ A cold, wet hand covered my mouth, stopping me mid-curse. I looked up at Ryan, who slowly shook his head at me. Right. I gave him a smile, well it was a pathetic excuse for a smile, but a smile nonetheless. He had, thankfully, stopped me from saying the mother of all curses. The one curse my father would probably ground me forever for saying.
“Jesus Christ, Belle!” My dad said, his voice rich with fatherly disapproval. “Keep a lid on the cursing.” He paused. “But yes, Phillipe is on his sabbatical. He’s not—“
“I don’t care if Uncle Phil is on his sabbatical. I can still bunk with—“
“And Hali is there.” He said grimly. “They’re going to be working together on a new book—“
“What do you mean him and—dad, this is stupid. Why can’t I just stay at home—?” The last statement was my one last attempt for salvation.
“Belle.” Ryan’s voice came from somewhere above me. I looked up and almost smacked him. The guy had the nerve to smile at me. Smile! I mean I was debating life and death here, and he was having the time of his--
“Stay with me.” He said, and with those few words, Ryan Tier saved my life for the second time. The wind blew, blowing strands of his hair in his face. I fought the urge to push them away.
“Stay with… Of course!” It took a minute, I’ll admit, to sink in. And boy, when I say sink in, we are talking sinkage of Titanic proportions. I screamed.
Heedless of the wet pavement, which I had just noticed was indeed wet; I threw my stuff to the ground, my purse, my book bag, and well, my phone. My stuff had barely landed when I launched myself at Ryan. I slammed against him, and threw my arms around his neck. He was warm, wet, and felt so unbelievably good I wanted to stay like this forever. His arms were hanging down at his sides, as if he didn’t know what to do with them. And then, they were around me. They wrapped around my waist, and pulled me closer. I melted; there is no other way to describe it. God, this boy was like a space heater or something. Despite the wetness of his shirt and hair, he radiated heat like a freaking sun.
I knew that nothing I did could fully encapsulate how thankful I was, how relieved, how happy. I squeezed him, as if the tighter I held on, the more emotions he would be able to discern from me.
“Thank you.” I whispered, completely aware of its inadequacy. I mean, the guy had just saved my LIFE! The dark horizon that was to be my fate was slowly gaining light, and now all I have to do is let my dad--- “Ah, crap. Dad!”
I disentangled myself from him, reluctant to let go. But, happiness swelled and broke, pulling a huge smile on my face. He gave me a tentative smile back as I bent to pick up my phone.
“Great news dad! I found someone to stay with!”
He sighed, irritated. “Who, Belle?” A loud thump, followed by a muttered oath, and then, “you know, this really should have been this difficult, or infuriating. But you just had to make things harder, didn’t you Belle?”
“I’m going to stay with Ryan!” I ignored his snub, too damn happy about this new twist in my fate to give a crap.
“Ryan?” He paused, racking his brain to place Ryan. I knew the exact moment he recognized the name. Because my father, loving man that he is, snarled like a rabid dog.“You won’t stay with Garreth, but you’d stay with HIM? He’s a monster!”
The shock came first, but was quickly eclipsed by anger. How is it that people can so quickly condemn someone they don’t know, based on stories? Exaggerated stories, I’m sure. Why are people so afraid of someone who is different?
“Don’t you dare say that about him. He is a hell of a lot better than Garreth White. And you know it.”
“I’ve heard things Belle—“
“Just because you’ve heard stories---“
“I don’t trust him---“
“I don’t care if you trust him. I do.”
“Listen, Belle. You’re a young woman, you wouldn’t u---“
I was growling now, unable to help myself. “Oh, and because I’m young, and a girl, it automatically means I have no common sense? Is that what you’re trying to say, dad?” Choose your words well father, I warned him silently. I promise I’m not a violent person, but I was seriously contemplating throwing something at my dad. He was being uncharacteristically ignorant.
Sounding almost sheepish now, he said, “Belle, I’ve heard really bad stories about him. Like how he beat up a bunch of kids. And how many schools he’s been kicked out. How could I be a good father and trust a guy like that with my daughter?”
. “Dad, Ryan isn’t like that. You don’t trust him I get that.” I gritted through my teeth.
“I’d be a terrible father if I did.” He said stubbornly.
“Oh, whatever, father.”
“Listen here young lady. How can I trust a guy who has stories like that behind him? And besides, I’ve never even talked to the guy before.”
“Ryan is right here, you want to talk to him.” I turned to Ryan, and would have laughed at his horrified expression, but the situation was way to dire, and laughter just seemed to morbid at a time like this. Where my wellbeing laid in the hands of a stubborn father and a guy who has no social etiquette whatsoever.
I took a step towards him. He took one back. And raised his palms, as if to stop me. “No, Belle, trust me you don’t want me to talk to him. I’ll just make things worse. I’m not good with talking to parents. Hell, you know I’m not good talking period. Belle… Isabelle Paige, don’t you dare give me that phone and hello, Sir.” I had thrust the phone at him, and crossed my fingers, my toes and prayed.
He gave me a blistering glare, before hunching his shoulders. I shivered when the wind picked up, and realized that I had his jacket on. When… How did that happen?
I tore my gaze away from his jacket to his face. “Yes?” He muttered and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
He was… kind of cute, standing there all awkward and uncertain. “They’re gone.” He said, his voice chilly. I raised my eyebrows, and pleaded with him silently not to blow it with my dad. I had no idea what my dad was saying, nor did I particularly want to. I just hope he isn’t embarrassing me, or anything.
“They’re dead.” His voice was flat. I gasped, and covered my mouth with my hands. He… he had never told me… Oh, God. I wanted to weep, more so because he seemed so immune to the fact now that his parents, or I’m guessing they were talking about his parents, were dead.
He winced. I winced.
“No, sir.” He scrunched up his face.
I felt the ray of hope that had streaked through me at Ryan’s proposal wither and die.
And then, his face just bloomed with shock, with denial. And I knew, I just knew that my father had shot down his proposition.
I ripped my phone out of Ryan’s hands, compelled by fury to rage at my father. I wanted to hit something, to break something.
“Dad why can’t you just listen to me! I trust him! He won’t hurt me. Stop being stupid!”
“I said yes.”
“What.. you..” I stuttered, floundering around in disbelief. “Oh, sorry… Sorry, dad.”
“There are conditions though. I want to meet him before I leave. You two come straight here after school. I’ll explain the rest of the rules then.” There was this ringing in my ear. A Hallelujah chorus of Angels that came down from heaven to sing out in happiness and joy tore through my brain, causing me momentarily to go deaf. A bright, white light in cadence with the Hallelujah chorus blinded me.
“Right, OK. We’ll be there right after school dad. I promise. Yeah, love you too. Oh, and dad…. Thank you.” I managed to talk to my father, despite being momentarily blind and deaf.
Saying goodbye to my father, being dimly aware of his grumblings, I hung up the phone. Bent down to put it in my purse, and for the second time that day, I launched myself into Ryan’s arms.
“God, Ryan. Thank you! Thank you! Oh, dear Jesus, thank you! How can I ever repay you?” I couldn’t. And I knew that. I could never repay this guy, ever. He saved me. Again.
“And Ryan, you don’t know how grateful I am---“
He gave me a dazzling smile, one that almost had the same blinding consequences that my momentary freak out did. It definitely succeeded in shutting me up. “No, Belle. Thank you.”
“For what?” I mean all I’ve pretty much done for him is make his life a living hell. I don’t know if that deserves praise and thanks, in my opinion, I really should be smacked or something.
The warning bell came on, and people everywhere were dashing through the rain, hurrying to class.
“For calling me by my name.” But… I was confused, and went to say it when he raised his hand. I closed my mouth. “Not Tier. Not beast. Just Ryan.”
And with that, he turned and walked away. Through the rain and through the darkness, he walked away, leaving his coat with me, leaving me stunned, confused, and happy.
God was I happy. My day had started out like hell, and went into a long downward spiral from there.
I couldn’t help but wonder what he meant by that. How I called him Ryan. Not Tier. Guilt brought a flush to my face when I realized that when we first had met I had called him beast. And Tier. And monster.
But now, now he was Ryan.
The warning bell rang, shaking me out of my reverie.
Smiling now, I bent down to pick up my stuff, only to realize they weren’t there. I swiftly straightened, and felt my heart sink when I found Garreth standing in front of my, my stuff neatly pilled in his arms.
His face was flushed, from the wind I guess. His dark t-shirt clung to his chest, more so with the steadily increasing wind. God, he was handsome. But I couldn’t help but feel disgusted, and pissed to find him standing so close to me.
“I think these are yours.” He said, giving me a wide grin. I was hit with a wave of uneasiness. His grin was too forced; he was agitated, and staring at me with those icy blue eyes.
“Thanks.” I muttered, and grabbed them from him. I turned, hoping to make a quick getaway, when I felt his hands wrap around my waist.
“Now,” He said, whirling me around to face him. “That wasn’t a very good thank you.”
“Let go of me, Garreth.” His face was too close to mine. His breath clogged my nose; it was sickly sweet, choking me. I was so close I could count the flecks of gold in his eyes, his body was rubbing against mine, and I fought the urge to scream. I whipped my head around trying to find someone, something to help me. But there was no one.
I was alone.
“Don’t be like that Isabelle, you know you don't want me to let you go.” And with that, he yanked me against him, and crushed his mouth onto mine.

----------------------Preview--------------------------------------------------------
This is my new story. Its called When Light Dies: An Atlantean Quest
You should totally check it out!!!!

It has always been said that their world would end in darkness. That chaos would reign as the world succumbed to the overpowering forces of destruction, of death. Shadows and screams, the cries of the damned would fall into morbid harmony with the silent clamor of the looming eclipse. The ground will crumble. Their city will fall, the once great city would become one with history, it would fade into oblivion.
They were wrong. All that they had been taught, all that they had assumed was wrong. Their world did not end in darkness; it ended as the light died.