Bella and a Beast

He was a beast at the full moon.
He scared me, but also intrigued me. He was gorgeous, young, and perfect. Well, not so perfect. I never imagined falling in love with him. I guess we were perfect for each other. We were both strange in our own ways.
I guess you could call us, Bella and a Beast.

I found him in the mists of an old Scotland castle.
I was touring Scotland on a school field trip because we were learning its geography in my town of Hartford, Connecticut. Only some of the geography teacher’s, Mr. Wilson, best students had the opportunity to go. Of course, being the dork I was, I was given the opportunity.
I so interested in the Scottish culture. Some of my ancestors are Scottish, so my parents jumped at the chance. My parents are ancient Greek Philosophers, so they love history and geography. And they named me Bella because of my great Grandmother, who was a philosopher as well.
As I was saying, I found him in the castle my class was touring in. Mr. Wilson wouldn’t let us go through a mystery door. I got so fascinated that I slipped away from the class and went into the room.
The room was full of light because of the big staircase that lead outside the castle. I buttoned up my gray knitted sweater and let down my deep red hair to cover my cold neck. Suddenly, I heard a human voice whimpering.
“Hello?” I called to the voice ahead. “Is there anyone here?”
The whimpering continued. I came closer to a mist in the corner. As I got closer, scatters of cement rocks were spread about the floor. I guessed the mist came from them being crashed onto the ground because the rocks were cracked.
I got closer to find a teenage boy cuddled up in the corner of the wall. He was shielding his face into the wall and was continuing to whimper. He had a bare back to me, which surely meant he was shirtless and freezing. He also had on dark brown pants with some scattering rips in them and he was bare foot.
I ran up to him and knelt in front of him. I twirled him around to see if he was okay. “Are you okay? Hello?”
My best friend Jeremy showed up through the cement shadows. “Bell, where are you? Are you in here?”
“Jeremy, I’m in here! I need help!” I said as the boy cried.
I looked the boy’s face and he looked about the same age as me-sixteen. He had black, ruffled short hair and the most built body I had ever seen. He was so handsome. Like as handsome as a prince.
Jeremy ran up to me and the boy. “Who is this?”
“I don’t know, but I found him here. Go get some help!” I brought the boy’s head up to me and cuddled it in my arms-trying to sit him up. He sniffled at my stomach.
“But you will get in trouble!”
“They’re going to find me anyway. Just go!”
Jeremy ran out through the cement double doors. I soothed him while I waited for Mr. Wilson to show up. The boy hugged his arms around my waist for warmth. “You’re going to be okay … I promise,” I soothed to him. His teeth chattered.
“What’s your name?” I asked him.
“W-William.” He said as his teeth chattered.
“Well, William, my friend is going to get some people to help you.”
His eyes widened and I noticed they were dark brown. “No! She’s out there! She did this to me!”
“Did what?” I couldn’t understand so much that I was frightened now.
He cried into my chest. “She put the curse on me …” He whimpered.
“Sweetie, there are no such things as curses. Relax …” I shed my sweater off and wrapped it around his bare shoulders as he still cried.
“Miss Martin, didn’t I explain to not go through those doors?” Mr. Wilson’s voice echoed as he and the class approached me and William.
“Yes, Mr. Wilson …” I mumbled, shamelessly.
“Then why did you disobey me?” He asked.
“I just wanted to see what was back here. And then I found this boy, so-”
“No excuses,” he came closer to me.
Whispering voice came from the crowd, making fun of me. I heard what a dork! Loser, nerd … Just all the usual I get in a day’s work. I hid my face from Mr. Wilson with my long, red bangs.
…
“So where do you suggest this boy stay? You didn’t pay for him.”
The Scotland hotel’s manager pointed a finger at William. He was sleeping on the couch, with my sweater draped over his chest. I stood next to Mr. Wilson, explaining where I found him and to plead for him to stay.
“Please, Misses …” I read her name tag, “Harrison. I found him in an abandoned castle while we were taking a trip.”
“That is no excuse, child.”
“Mrs. Harrison is right, Bella. You have to put him back on the street, where he belongs.” Mr. Wilson turned to me.
“No, please! He … can stay in my room. My parents can pay for his stay. I have an extra bed.” I begged.
“Are you sure your parents can pay?” Mr. Wilson asked me, straightening his formal coat and bald head shining in the light.
“I’m sure.”
Mrs. Harrison went behind to the opening desk and went into a drawer. She came back and handed me the hotel’s business card. “Here, have you parents call after your stay here. Send a check.” She said and walked away.
“I’ll bring him up to my room.” I told Mr. Wilson.
I went over to William sleeping on the couch. Jeremy came up to me; his brown hair messed up (as usual) and blue eyes twinkling. We both looked down at William, thinking how to bring him upstairs.
“You need some help with this one?” He asked.
“Yeah.”
I grabbed my sweater off him and put it back on. We both lifted him up and slung his arms over both of our shoulders. He was heavy, but not too heavy. His head was pulled down and he was still sleeping. His skin was ice cold from the weather. Suddenly, Danielle Walker and her band of plastic nose groupies approached us and blocked our way.
“Oh! Looks like little Bella is going to get lucky tonight. She’ll have her first boy in her room.” Danielle insulted.
“Besides him …” A blonde groupie whispered to Danielle.
“True, Emily.” She put her hands on her hips.
“Listen, babe,” Jeremy came up closer to Danielle, leaving me trying to hold William up. “We all know you want me in your room.” He said, being flirty.
Jeremy always had a little crush on Danielle. I mean, what boy wouldn’t? Her and her band of groupies were the most popular girls in school. I had known Danielle since third grade and we used to be friends. Then one day she found out what a mini skirt was and we stopped being friends. She’s practically hated me ever since.
“I’d rather scrub an old person.” She scowled as their noses touched.
“Are we going to kiss now?” He smirked.
“You wish,” she walked away as her blonde hair whipped Jeremy in the face.
He came back and we walked with William to the old elevator. It was strange because it had a metal bar to close and then a pair of doors to lock. I used my free arm to push the level number-five.
“Why do you even bother with her?” I asked him.
“Because someday she’ll realize how sexy I really am.” He seemed satisfied.
“She’s a total bitch, Jeremy.”
“A hot bitch.”
I grumbled. I remember I used to have a crush on Jeremy when we first met in fifth grade. Then it just turned into a friendship. We have been best friends for six years.
…
Jeremy and I got William into my room safely.
We laid him inside the covers of the white silk bed. Jeremy left right after to his room. I said goodnight to him and turned on the Sony plasma screen TV. I ran my hand through my red hair. I shut my brown eyes, thinking about what to do when William wakes up.
He’ll probably be so confused, I thought. What if he doesn’t like me?
It was nine o’clock and lights had to go out at ten. I decided to go down to the hotel’s gift shop to see there was some kind of sweat shirt I could buy for him since he had no shirt. I ran to the elevator just to catch it in time to slide into it with another person: Danielle.
“So when are you going to do it with him, Bella? Or does he think you’re not pretty enough? Or-”
“Why can’t you just leave me alone?” I interrupted her.
“Why are you ugly?”
“I don’t know …” I looked away from her and rolled my eyes.
“These are questions we can never answer.” She pulled out a compact from her small purse and looked into the mirror.
I looked down at her. All she wore was a pink silk pajama shirt and short green pants. Ugh, it made me disgusted.
“Don’t you own any pants?” I scoffed.
She looked away from the mirror and scowled. The elevator landed on the Lobby floor and I opened both doors. I put my hands in front of the door for Miss Playboy to go out first. “After you, your Highness.”
She closed her compact and put it in her purse. “I love the Help these days,” she walked out and went towards the opening desk. She looked back at me-just walking out of the elevator. “But the maids need to work on their clothing,” she looked up and down at my outfit.
I didn’t have time to give that whore another insult. Mostly because I couldn’t think of a comeback. I ran to the tiny gift shop with the sleepy cashier. I looked around and finally found a rack of plain sweatshirts saying a stupid logo: “I’m with Scotland.” I rolled my eyes. I looked around for his size. I guess it was an Extra-Large because he was so built.
I was getting off track. But I had to admit to myself how handsome and full of muscle William was. But he was just a guest in my room, nothing else. It wasn’t like he was my boyfriend and I was going to kiss him all the time.
I went up to the cashier’s desk and flicked him on the head to wake him up. He woke up with a snort. “Hello?” I tried to get his attention.
“Welcome to the-” He said with a thick Scottish accent.
“I’ve already gotten the introduction,” I said, interrupting. I laid the sweatshirt on the counter and the cashier scanned it.
“It comes to, twenty five pounds.” He yawned.
I remembered when I first came here, on Monday; Mr. Wilson let us all go to the bank to exchange our dollars for pounds. I think I had at least fifty pounds left or eighty dollars in U.S. money.
I gave him twenty five of my international money. His register printed out the receipt and he put it in with the sweatshirt in the bag. I ran back to the elevator and went up back to my room. I walked through the door to see William standing up and looking out the window. There was also a broken lamp on the ground. William pushed his hands through is hair and I could hear his teeth chatter.
“William?” I asked, nervously.
He looked back at me, his face full of nervousness. I shut the door and put the bag from the gift shop on his bed. I back away slowly.
“Who the hell are you? Are you here to take me away like the last?” He clenched his fists like he was ready to fight.
“No, of course not. I’m Bella, but my friends call me Bell. We met in the castle near this hotel.” I tried to see if he would remember.
He ran toward me quickly and put a finger on my lips. “You have to promise me that you will never tell anyone I’m here.”
I took a big gulp. “Um, o-okay …”
“Good,” he took the finger off my lips. “Where did you say you found me?”
“In, um, the castle near this hotel.”
He backed away and crashed his fist on the small table with the loveseat. “Ugh! Why would you do that? They’re looking for me!” He pointed to window.
“What are you talking about?”
“Ugh! And there’s a full moon tonight too! That castle was the only place they couldn’t find me.” He thundered to me.
“Okay, I tried to be a nice guest to you but it looks like this isn’t going to work out. I’m going to Mr. Wilson and-”
“Stop!” He interrupted as I was halfway to the door. “You can’t leave me. Please.”
I looked back. “William, why don’t you just lay down …”
“Call me Will.”
I was so confused here. Full moon, people, the castle … And who was coming for him? Why was Will so paranoid? It was like he had a damn stalker.
“Okay, Will, can you just relax, please?” I pointed to his bed.
“No,” he disobeyed.
“Look, lights have to be out at ten and its nine thirty so …”
He started to chuckle. “What?” I asked.
“You like me, don’t you?” He laughed.
“What are you talking about?”
He tapped where is his heart is at and came closer to me. I did think, yes, that he was handsome. And very cute, but also very weird. Half of the time he was paranoid, now he’s acting normal? But how did he know that I was thinking he was handsome? There was something so wrong (but so … right) with him … It made me interested.
Dammit, I thought, he’s seeing through me like everyone else does.
“I have to admit that you’re not so bad looking yourself.” He tipped my chin up so I could look at him. “You have really beautiful eyes.” He flattered. I noticed he was wearing some type of claw necklace. It reminded me of my mother’s necklace.
I couldn’t help but break out in a smile this time. “Thanks …” But seriously, I just met this guy and he’s already flirting me? Two minutes ago he was paranoid that somebody was looking for him! “But, Will, we seriously just met and I think that before flattery we should-”
He suddenly kissed me with his soft lips. He cupped his hands on my face. This felt nice, better than anything. It was like he took me to another world that I always dreamed of. A world where no one else existed. It was just me and him, kissing.
He pulled away and brushed my bangs out of my eyes. I smile wide. But some part of me wanted to leave this room and go tell Mr. Wilson that he needs another room mate. So, out of sheer stupidity, I slapped Will.
“Ow! What the hell is your problem?” He held his hand to his cheek.
“What is your problem? Like five minutes ago you were paranoid as a turtle, and now you’re kissing me! Who do you think you are?”
He grumbled. His eyes turned from a dark brown to a bright gold and his eyebrows narrowed. He grunted and steam floated out of his nose. “Don’t you dare slap me again.” He ordered in a low voice.
I stepped back. He looked out the open window to the moon. He ran out of the room as fast as a jaguar. I ran to the door to see him already in the elevator, growling at me. I looked my watch. It was ten o’clock-lights out time.
Jeremy ran out of his room across from me. “What was that bang, Bell?”
“Nothing …” I looked back at Jeremy. I walked closer to him and asked, “Jeremy, do some people come into your life for a reason?”
“You came into my life to be my best friend. So, yeah,” he answered, laughing.
I nodded. Just by Jeremy’s answer, I knew what I had to do. Maybe Will came into my life for a reason. To change my life around and make it better. Having a boyfriend like him will turn me from a loser to a cool dork. Whatever the reason was, Will is in my life now.
…
I had no idea where Will was headed, but since he was so interested in the moon, I guess he’d be heading there.
I had on supposed-to-be Will’s Scotland sweatshirt with the hood up because it was raining. The damp grass stained the bottoms of my jeans and leather boots. I imagined that Will must have been cold because he had no shirt or shoes on, so I brought my parent’s blanket they got from Mexico that was in my suitcase. But that blanket was practically wet by now.
I was somewhere in a valley near the hotel. I didn’t want to go far, so if I didn’t find Will in the next three miles, I was going back. I was in enough trouble as it is for slipping away later today. I looked closer and saw a low sitting tree about two miles north. If he wasn’t there, I was definitely going back. As I got closer, I started to see a group of objects huddling together. At first, I thought it was some stray cats. Then I got closer, and closer, and closer …
They were … wolves.
I was five feet away and they were all looking at me with their bright gold eyes. They looked like a same eyes Will had when he was angry … They were also midnight black. Suddenly, I saw a group of people with torches and pitch forks clawing their way up the hill to the wolves. The wolves ran to me now. I screamed with all my might as I ran away with the wolves chasing me.
I tripped on a tree’s root while running and fell down. The wolves came closer to me and I shielded my face. I felt their rush of paws running past me. I looked back to noticed the stood planted behind me. Except one wolf stood beside me and stared. He brought his head up.
On his neck laid a long claw necklace. I saw the same necklace on … Will.
I started to figure all the facts out. Full moon, the castle, people chasing him, the necklace, I thought everything through. I looked back at the chasing people coming closer to me and the wolves. The light from the torches was practically shining on me now.
Before I had time to die, I needed to tell the wolf that I knew everything. “You are a-”
“Stop! Get away from the wolves!” The screaming people interrupted.
They stopped running and were a foot away. I got up and made them be quiet. “Be quiet!” I yelled at them and stood up.
They flinched and stopped talking.
“You cannot kill these wolves. Ever. Do you have a reason to kill them?”
The old Scottish man in the front of the crowd answered, “They are the sacred demons of the night. We have a right to kill the demons!” The crowd shouted yes behind him.
“They are not demons. A wolf is like any other creature on this Earth and deserves respect. If we can respect a lamb or a pig, why can’t we accept these wolves? Just let them be.”
“Are you the damn owner of these wolves?” The man asked.
I put my fists on my hips-acting like I knew what I was doing. “I am the … sacred owner of these wolves. God gave me his permission …” I lied, bad.
“Are you sure about that?”
“Yes,” I lied again.
The old man looked up at the sky. “God, give us a sign that this woman is the owner of these demon dogs!” He yelled to the sky.
In one minute, everyone looked to the sky. The moon quickly settled into the horizon and sun came up slowly. I looked at my watch. The hands on the clock twirled around in twenty seconds and finally rested on the time four o’clock A.M.
I couldn’t believe it, this was the sign. I really was the sacred owner of these wolves. The crowd awed in amazement. I looked them straight in the eye. The crowd started to nod their heads and smile. I had no idea what was happening, and I was sure that God didn’t tell me to be the absolute sacred owner of these wolves, but there was a sign.
The crowd started to blow out their torches and put down their other weapons. They all seemed to believe me. “We are so sorry. We will not bother you anymore.”
I nodded to them as they walked away in shame and amazement. I looked back at the sun rising. I put the sweatshirt’s hood down. Someone put a hand on my shoulder.
I turned around. It was Will.
I wrapped my arms around him and snuggled my head into his chest. As I hugged him, I noticed he had my damp blanket I brought for him and the same brown pants with no shoes. I lifted my head up to look at his face.
“Why did you come?” He asked, laughing.
“I realized that some weird things-really weird things-come into your life for a reason,” I admitted. “And … I thought that a girl doesn’t let a cute guy get away.”
He laughed again.
“Where did the other wolves go?” I asked.
“To their cave, far east.”
“Wait, they’re not humans as well?”
“No, I hang out with different packs at a time.”
I still had more questions, even the most obvious. “So, I’m guessing you’re a werewolf, right?” I let go of him but he still had his arms locked around my waist.
“Yeah, it’s a curse. I was a very arrogant boy, so a witch came to me and put a curse on me. But now I have a guardian, to keep me grounded.”
“He’s right, Bella,” a voice called.
I looked north and saw Danielle standing in front of us in, surprisingly, something that hid her legs. She wore a long, white silk dress and her blonde hair flowed in the breeze. I faced her and Will let go of my waist. I wouldn’t be surprised if Danielle was the witch. She was already a witch in real life.
“Danielle, you’re the witch that …”
“Yes, Bella the Smella,” she teased.
I rolled my eyes as she continued. “I may be as arrogant as Will was, but I don’t need a curse to tell me when I’m being too mean. I put the curse on Will because he was way too mean to all the people here. But now, since he has a sacred owner, you are his Wolf Guardian to keep him grounded. He needs you.”
“Why me?” I asked.
“You claimed that you are the sacred owner of him. That means you are his Wolf Guardian. You have to make sure he doesn’t go back to the way he was. And that’s why I put the curse on him-for him not to go back. Now he has you.”
“Does that mean I have to stay here in Scotland?”
She chuckled. “No, but you should at least still be with him. That was the deal. He shall turn back to his normal self if he finds someone to love him for what he really is. Do you love Will?”
I had no idea what to answer. I had just met Will today, and now Danielle’s asking me if I’m in love with him? Well, there is that saying: Love at First Sight. Is that what happened between us?
“I-I don’t know, really …”
“Well, you saved him from the cold castle, provided him with care, and rescued him from the villagers that wanted to kill him. The biggest part: you kissed him. And haven’t you ever heard about love at first sight?”
It was like she read my mind. She probably did with her powers. I started to nod my head. “Yes,” I answered her, “I am in love with Will.”
Danielle clapped her hands together. “Okay, here’s what I’m going to do: I’m not going to take the curse off. Now, before you say anything, it’s because if I do then your little Bell can’t be your Wolf Guardian anymore. And when you don’t have a Wolf Guardian anymore it means that you and that person can’t see each other ever again. So, I’m going to limit your full moon frenzy to once a year on today.”
“Why today?” Will asked.
“It’s the day you got your Wolf Guardian.”
He smiled at me and I smiled back. “So does this mean that we’re friends now, Danielle?” I asked her.
She smiled and it faded. “Ha, you wish. It’s still going to be the same as it was before, Bella the Smella. But don’t turn arrogant; I can do more than you think.” She twirled her finger around and disappeared.
“So what does this mean for us?” I asked Will.
“Well, I’m still a werewolf-only every year on this day-and you’re my Guardian for life.” He flashed his white teeth and placed his hands on my cheeks.
“So I have no way out of this?” I joked.
“None.”
I wipe his black hair out of his beautiful eyes and kissed him. Our noses touched and we both smiled. “It’s weird how only one day, can change your life.” I said.
“There is just one problem we need to face.”
I lifted my face from his. “What’s that?”
“We have to find a way that I can come back to Connecticut with you,” he said.
“How do you know I live there?”
He tapped his lips. “I can know everything about a person in one touch of the lips.”
“So you didn’t want to kiss me a couple of hours ago …”
“No, trust me. I wanted to,” he chuckled.
I smiled as we walked back to the hotel. He hugged my waist as I hugged his. We talked about his past and his present, my past and my present, how a Wolf Guardian works …
“You know, we’re going to be the weirdest couple in Connecticut,” he laughed.
“Just call us … Bella and a beast.” I smiled as we walked off to our future.