La Bella and El Bestia

Chapter 11

Weeks passed, Manny and Frida spent nearly every day together. Sometimes they would play outside in the snow having snow ball fights or ice skating and othertimes they would sit in the library reading books by the fire. Sometimes she would read to him, sometimes he would read to her, and sometimes they would read together. Frida was impressed that she finally met a man who was interested in books instead of hunting for sport unlike some men she knew.

"Listen I don't mean to pry but how did you get that scar on your eye?" She asked him one day.

He froze when she asked that.

"If you don't want to tell me I understand-"

"I did it to myself."

"What?"

"I used to scratch and claw at my face a lot and one day I scratched myself on my eye so hard that it left a scar."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because I'm ashamed of how I look! I'm a hideous freak!"

"You're not hideous."

"Are you blind? Look at me!"

"I am and you're not hideous. You're scary and fearsome when you get angry and yell but when you're calm and sweet you're actually kind of cute."

"You serious?"

"Yes. You're a lot cuter when you're being sweet."

He blushed like mad, he never thought anyone would think he was cute. Let alone someone like her. One evening Frida suggested they do something special together. Manny agreed but quickly regretted it when he realized what his servants were hoping he'd do. At five o'clock he was shoved into a tub of water where his servants began giving him a bath.

"Ahh! This water is freezing!" He complained.

"You'll live." T.J said.

He was pulled out of the tub, dried off, and dressed into under wear while they started doing his hair.

"Hey watch it with the scissors!" He warned as they started snipping some of his hair.

"Worry not sir we are professionals." T.J said. "Tonight is the night so you must look your best."

"Look I don't know if I can do this."

"Now is not the time to be getting nervous." He said. "We don't have much time left."

"I know but I can't do this."

"You care for her don't you?"

"More than anything."

"Then you must tell her."

"But what if she laughs at me? I don't think I could take it if I told her and she laughed at me. It would break my heart."

"You must have strength sir. I admit it is risky but with love it's always a risk."

Soon they were finished with his hair but it wasn't exactly a success.