Veiled Rose // Harry Hook

Chapter 10

I said this on my profile but for those who didn't see it: thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for getting this story up to 2k views! I'm glad you all like this story as much as I do so thank you so much for the support. Now onto the chapter!

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Everyone stared in shock at the stairs Azalea had just disappeared up. Harry collapsed onto the couch, putting his head in his hands. Uma rubbed his shoulder supportively and Mal clenched her jaw. 

"I don't care if she wants me to try or not, I'm going to." She said.

"Mal, wait." Jane said. Everyone turned to look at the fairy. "We're overlooking the most obvious answer." Many eyebrows were raised. "She got this way because she pricked her finger on a rose grown from the seeds of Adam's enchanted rose, right?" Adam and Belle nodded. "And how was Adam's curse broken?"

Most eyes widened. "True love." Mal whispered.

"It works every time." Evie added. Nearly everyone turned to look at Harry who still had his head down.

"I ain't lookin' up but I know ya all are lookin' at me." He said not lifting his head.

"Can you blame us?" Uma defended. "Everyone knows you're in love with the princess."

Belle and Adam's eyes shot to Harry. "You're in love with Azalea?" Adam asked.

"It doesn't matter if I am." He responded.

"Yes it does, Harry." Jane shot back. "This could be what breaks Azalea's curse. She could finally talk and sing like she always wanted. And I know you want her to be happy."

"Except wouldn't it have to be both ways?" Harry argued. He gestured to Adam. "Ain't that what yer curse said?"

"Learn to love another and earn that love in return." Adam clarified. Belle took his hand and squeezed it gently. 

"But it clearly goes both ways." Jane insisted. "Whether she admits it or not, Azalea has fallen for you."

Harry felt his heart skip a beat at the thought but shook his head. "Even if that's true, I'm sure the curse realizes she's worth more than me." He stood up and went up the stairs, following Azalea.

Uma groaned. "Of all the times for him to be hard-headed, he chose this one?"

"Tell me about it." Mal scoffed.

"They're both too stubborn to admit they love each other." Audrey pointed out. "Both of them think the other one deserves more."

Ben sighed. "Which just proves they truly do love each other." He looked at Mal, loosely taking her fingers in his hand. "You never feel like you're good enough for the one you love."

Jane massaged her temples. "Then our job just got a lot harder."

*******

Harry approached the door and placed a hand on it. "Little rose," He called, hoping she would hear him. "I know this probably ain't the best time fer this but... I'm sorry. About that whole situation in the ballroom. I shouldn't have pushed so hard but the last thing I thought this would be was a curse." He sighed and took a step back. "You probably want to be alone but I'll be here when ya don't wanna be anymore."

He turned and took a few steps away when his phone chimed with a new message. He cracked a small smile when he saw it was from Azalea.

I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have snapped at you. I know you were just trying to help. I don't think I'm in the right frame of mind to be around people right now but you'll be the first one to know when I am.

Harry nodded to himself and pocketed his phone, heading down the stairs and out the door.

*******

Jane's smile fell when she came into the music room to find it deserted. It had been over a week and no one had seen Azalea out of her room. But apparently there was food disappearing so Mrs. Potts believes she was coming down to eat after everyone had gone to bed.

Carlos came up behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist. "It's okay." He reassured her. "She'll come to you when she's ready."

"I know." Jane sighed. She went over to the piano and ran her hand over it. "I just feel like such a bad friend. We've been best friends for years and I can't help her."

"You're not a bad friend." Carlos insisted. "You feeling like this but still giving her her space is proof of that."

Jane simply nodded. She then saw the leather notebook on the windowsill next to the harp. She went over and picked it up, opening it to the first page. "Carlos, these are her compositions."

Carlos came over to look at the notebook. "She's a composer?"

"And lyricist." Jane added. "She always wanted to perform with an orchestra and record her own music but with..." She motioned to her mouth, "I guess she just never pursued it out of insecurities." Her eyes widened at some of the music. "Carlos, these are inspired by us and our friends." His eyes widened. "Look,"

"Sleeping Beauty's Sonata." He read out a title. "That must be based on Aurora and Audrey." They flipped a few pages, seeing music that bounced between pop and classical and somewhere in between. All of them either with titles that hinted at their inspirations or lyrics that referenced them.

They turned to a song and Jane let out a small gasp. Music Box. "This... is about all the girls."

Carlos raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?"

She pointed to one of the lyrics. "'They stare but do they care about what you can't rearrange? Whose face is in the mirror today? Is it me or am I in the way?' She's said that to us. She must've written it as a message to us."

Carlos nodded, squeezing her hand. He flipped the page but came across multiple edges of pages that had been torn off. "Looks like she tore out quite a few of them." 

Jane nodded but looked closer at the edges. A few of them still had pieces of words on them. She furrowed her eyebrows. They looked to be the same words. "I think... I think she tore out and rewrote the same song." 

"But why would she do that?"

She looked to the page and her eyes widened. Speechless. The music looked to be gorgeous and powerful but the lyrics are where she stalled. The farther she read, the more her heart raced. But what really stopped her heart was the note Azalea had left in the margins of the page.

"Get everyone here." She told Carlos. "We've been underestimating Azalea."