Finding Beauty

Chapter 54

I take a breath and collapse onto my bed. "I'm happy for him. I'm happy he's starting over but I can't help but think he took Gale's chance of starting over."

Gabrielle lays next to me and sighs. "I hear you. I wish things didn't end up like this. I've done my fair share of curse casting and this is by far the most crappiest ending."

I feel like everything in my life has shattered. Almost everything in it is broken and I'm left to fix it without the people that were initially involved. It's all messed up.

I give her a sad smile before sitting up again. "Enough of the sad talk. Prom is tomorrow and I haven't even picked out a dress."

Sometimes it seems wrong to just carry on knowing Gale is gone. But I have to live my life. Besides, the whole reason why he let me go was so I could live it. That's what I'm going to do. For him and for myself.

Gabrielle uses her magic to lift up all the dresses from their hangers and display them in front of me. One is too pink, one is too short, one is too granny, and one is just plain ugly.

"Take your pick."

Biting my lip, I shrug. "I don't know... there are just so many options."

Her shoulders slump. "You hate them."

"No, it's not-"

She shushes me and presses a finger to my lips. "Do not lie or I'll give you a Pinocchio nose."

Giggling, I give up. "Okay, you got me."

"No worries," she assures. She grasps my arms and pulls me off the bed. She straightens my posture and strolls around me in a studying manner. "I'll have tailor one myself and I think I have just the right idea."

I lift an eyebrow. "You do?"

"Yes!" She flashes a bright smile. "I'll be back tomorrow to make you look like a princess." She grabs her stuff and begins to exit my room just as my mother enters it.

"Bye, Miss Anderson!"

"Bye, Gabrielle," my mom says with a healthy smile. "You'll have to tell me how you met that girl. She's very nice."

I manage a sad laugh. "Trust me, mom. You don't. It's a long story."

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The school building stands in front of me. I haven't been here since the day my mother was kidnapped. It's weird to be back here but it feels nice. Nothing's changed with it. It's clear I haven't missed much, still a smelly New York school.

"You look beautiful, Belle." Gabrielle nudges me with a twinkle in her eyes. "Let's go in."

We go up the steps side by side, our dresses trailing behind us. She was right. She did have the right idea when creating my dress. It's absolutely stunning.

It's a yellow ball gown. The fabric is soft and smooth like silk. The skirt goes down to the floor and the sleeves hangs off my shoulders. Light, gold, sparkly designs are formed on the bottom of the dress and if you look closely you can see they are roses. My hair is styled in a half of up, half down hairdo. The top half in a neat bun and the rest down in loose curls.

Not wanting to draw any attention, Gabrielle settled for a simple pink dress. No one would ever suspect she's an Enchantress who once turned a man into a beast.

As we enter the ballroom in the school, I receive the most attention I've ever received in my life.

Everyone stops what they are doing. They stop dancing, they stop talking, they stop eating. I haven't been seen by these people since I got kidnapped. Most of them thought I was dead. Most of them hated me. But here I am, back from the grave. The girl they thought was trash, nothing more than the daughter of a drug addict, showed up better than ever, looking like a princess.