Silent Beast | ✓

prologue

I close my eyes and I see it all over again.

"Haha! I told you it was true! Now, drive faster, everyone's already here and waiting." I exclaimed through the phone, excitedly jumping up and down in front the restaurant where we were going to celebrate our friend's eighteenth birthday. The sun had fallen low below the horizon, with a blend of colors that spread across the sky. A simple reflection of my feelings. The manager glared at me, pointedly looking at my phone. I shrugged and took a few steps away from the beautiful, vintage-looking restaurant.

Zach's laugh resounds through my cell phone, pulsing with my heartbeat. He was my first and only love, it was miraculous. It's not everyday that you find someone that makes the world seem bigger than it could possibly ever be. He was presented to me as packaged gift of humor, adorableness, and full of love. Every one of my dreams became a reality as soon as he opened a door to enter my life. A fairy tale to be told.

"Belle, it's hard not to dwell over your magical spell." I giggled, not knowing I was fifteen seconds away from bidding him a farewell.

15. 14.

"I love you so much, Zach."

13. 12.

"I love you too princess."

11. 10. 9.

"Are you sure the party didn't start without me?"

8. 7. 6.

"Should I lie to you?"

5.

"I'm driving as fast as I can."

4.

"Mhmmmmm."

3.

"Can't wait to see you, pretty-face."

2.

"I can't wait to see you either handsome."

1.

"AH!"

0.

All I could hear was a long honk and the phone call ended with the resonating, 'beep, beep, beeeeep....'

I always believed that I could live my fairytale if I could make it happen. That's why I introduced myself to Zach when I was in my sophomore year of high school. The guy that strummed his way into my heart with his bass. That was one year before he died in a car accident. I remember sitting next to him by the hospital bed, holding his hand, waiting for him to get out of the bed that bound him to his death. His unruly black hair had been cut short and his eyes pled for survival, but he stood along the battlefront, with a 50-50 chance of surviving. Every cry of pain that came from him was a stab to my heart. It was as if the knife was dragged slowly across it, ripping my heart, seam-by-seam. He died within three hours of the accident, with my name as the last word he ever spoke.

Trusting love can be the hardest thing I've ever done.

Believing that a fairytale was my life,

Thinking that Zach was my number one

Was the reason why we'd prob'ly meet in the afterlife.

-+-

My hotspot had always been the Hilton Head Island town library where I'd lean against a bookcase and cuddle up to read a good book. Unfortunately, a majority of the days in our town were heat-exhausted. Sitting in the air-conditioning-broken library, with my armpits sweating buckets, and reading fairytales, seemed to be a day spent well. While others ate ice cream to cope with their sadness, I filled my emptiness with fairytales. It seemed ironic; Belle reading Beauty and the Beast. But, the only beast I was fighting was the fear in me.

Dad always told me that to fight the beasts inside, you have got to face them. I never thought I'd have to face them alone. From the quietest of people, anyone could ever meet, I haven't spoken a word since Zach's death. It was because of me he had died. If I hadn't told him to drive faster, he would be here now. At school, people always knew me as the girl who sat in the corner reading a book. They don't know I could hear them speaking about me. Every word, makes me feel like a coal in the rough. I'm like that one lone oak tree, sitting there, thinking that being alone is enough. Being alone isn't bad, no, it really isn't. You get to visit new worlds with so many different stories to learn from.

You see, I had no prince in my life. After he died a year ago, I was left alone to fight off the evils of the world. Everything took a turn for the worst as my emotions hit a dead end. I never knew books would be my recovery point. A few years ago, books seemed to be another object around the house with black ink that smeared if it got too hot. The pages would wrinkle too easily and the binding would be too fragile after reading it a couple times. I never thought I'd find myself so delved into reading books that were reflections of lessons that these authors have learned. They're humans just like me and I was a part of their imagination. And that's what fairytales were like. All wishes and desires were granted in fairytales. Every princess begins in her own hardships, whether it's Belle who doesn't have a mother or Rapunzel who is locked up in her tower. It's only till they all have the happily ever after. Finding a prince and beating the bad guys seem so easy, but in reality, it takes time. Sometimes taking time means the beginning of a fairytale which meant my journey began with me being alone.

And so fate didn't want me to be alone forever... falling in love again had been a fear of mine for awhile and when it happened, it was like my heart took a spear.

-+-

{I'm really excited to announce that I'm entering this story for the #Wattys2016! From the #OnceUponNow contest to now, this story has been on a journey. Your incredible support by voting, commenting, sharing, and enjoying this story all counts! So, please take a moment to consider supporting me :) Y'all are the best, love you <3 Thank you!}

Picture (cover) by @synonomous