Stone Cold | Gaston | Luke Evans

8

The next morning Claire walked through the town. She could feel everyone looking at her. The group of three brunettes that she approached the first night marched up to her.

"How could you do that?" One of them asked.

"I'm sorry?"

"Monsieur Gaston! How could you do that to him?"

Claire scoffed. "Are you serious? He beat up the baker's son and then kissed me! Are you three really that clueless that you can't even see that he's done something wrong?" She shook her head. "Get out of my way."

"Claire!" A voice called.

"Marie!" Claire smiled.

"I heard what happened last night! That was really brave of you to do that. No one's ever stood up to him since Belle. Then again though, pretty much the whole town hates him, but everyone's too scared to put him in his place," Marie said.

"Why does the whole town hate him?" Claire asked, now suddenly very curious.

"Gaston? More like Ass-ton. He's a narcissistic, miserable human being. All he does is sit in his tavern all day feeling sorry for himself," Marie said.

"What did he do?"

"Oh, you don't know?"

"I'm afraid I don't."

"About three-"

"Marie! Hurry up! The baguettes!" A voice called, cutting her off.

Her eyes widened, "Oh dear! The baguettes! I forgot all about them!"

She sprinted into the bakery "Louis, I need four baguettes! Fast!" She pulled a few coins out of her pocket and slammed them down on the counter, "Keep the change!"

She ran out holding the baguettes in her skirt, "My mother is going to kill me!"

Claire chuckled, "Wait, what about the story?"

"I have to go, but I'll tell you everything you want to know tomorrow!" Marie said sprinting away.

She stopping her tracks and turned around, "By the way, Louis is one fine specimen. Consider yourself a very lucky woman," She winked before taking off again.

**

"I messed up LeFou," Gaston said, watching the liquor in his glass swirl around.

"You don't say."

"She's the only girl that gave me the feeling of, what's the word?"

"Je veux te baiser?" LeFou said.

"I don't even know what that means," Gaston replied.

"Good. Let's keep it that way."

"She hates me, LeFou. Whatever chance I had if being with her, I ruined it," Gaston said.

"I wouldn't say hate, rather, strongly dislike," LeFou answered, "After all, you did beat up the guy that she likes."

"Yeah well, whatever she feels towards me, I'm sure she doesn't hate me as much as I hate myself."

LeFou looked over and gave Gaston a sympathetic look.

"Gaston.."

"Oh please LeFou. We both know that it's true," Gaston scoffed bitterly, "Everyone is right. I really am a monster."

Gaston picked up the knife next to him and threw it at the wall with a frustrated cry. There was a scream. Claire got up from the floor where she ducked. Her chest rose up and down as she tried to steady her breathing.

"Claire..." Gaston said taking a step towards her.

"No, Gaston, stay the hell away from me," Claire said holding her hand out to stop him from moving any closer, "You and me, it's never going to happen."

**