kill the beast

Stay

There's a sudden knock at my door, followed by two large bangs. Jingles jumps off my lap and run's into the tiny closet in my room.
Good to know my cat would leave me to die.
Staying perfectly still, I wait. Maybe this person at my door made a mistake. Or maybe this person isn't normal and they are here to kill me. Either way, there is nowhere for me to run and hide, so wait I shall. Left in suspense I notice the pocket watch I keep buried in my sweater ticks loudly reminding me that wherever I am I'll always have a piece of my father with me.
I can't imagine who would be knocking at this time, though. I know it's late because this is my reading time, where I curl up with an old book from the library, and get lost in another world. A world where my father isn't sick and I know who my mother is.

Placing my foot on the cold floor beneath me, I attempt to stand but my body won't move. I'm frozen in fear, and awaiting my fate.

The doorknob jiggles and a scream escapes my lips.

"I am calling the police!" I threaten and reach for my phone.

"It's me, Izzy!"

Grey?

"Greyson?" I question with a shaky voice.

"I tried calling you ten times!" His muffled voice echoes past the doorway.

For fuck sake!

I fly from the couch and open my door to find two green doe eyes full of tears staring back at me.

"What is going on with you Grey, you scared me and jingles half to death!"

He pulls me in for a hug and squeezes tight. His tears soak my hair.

"I had this dream, Isabel, that I lost you to this horrible beast! You were taken and I couldn't find you. It was horrifying. I had to come see you. Because if anyone ever took you from my life I'd end theirs. I was ready to kill the creep but I woke up."

I smirk against his chest. "That's quite the dream. Have you been reading the books I bought you lately?"

He places his hand through the thickness of my brown hair and sighs. My head moves with his breath.
"I'm not messing around, Bel. You were taken to a strange place and I couldn't find you."

I've known Greyson my whole life and never once did he come crying at my door in the middle of the night. This must've been some really bad dream, or his fear of losing me like he did his mother a few years back, surfacing. Since her death he's clung to me and hasn't let go.
But what could I say? I will always love Grey as a friend, but that's it. Falling in love isn't in the cards for us. I just wish he understood.

Sure he's handsome, and charismatic. Who wouldn't love a tall muscular sun kissed man with big green eyes and a bright smile? Ever since I can remember he's charmed women into bed with his unique looks.
But beneath the exterior, lies a darkness that I and many others fear when shown. The beast he speaks about in his dreams may very well be him.

Because Grey has two sides. This side, and the other.

I remember as if it were yesterday. We were only sixteen. I was picking flowers in the garden for my father and a boy from my class happened to be walking by. When in a small town, you learn to expect to run into everyone all the time.
So this boy was cute and he and I were crushing on each other enough to make him stop and talk to me.
I don't know how many seconds passed, maybe three before Grey came out of nowhere and tackled this poor boy to the ground.
Horrified I screamed as Greyson made my crush
bleed so bad he had to be hospitalized.
My father was the one to break it up. He had to
restrain Grey until he came back and when he came back to reality he cried and pleaded that he was sorry and he was only trying to protect me.
At that time my father thought it was heroic but after many times of the same thing happening he too has realized Greysons darkness and fears it'll only get worse.

"Promise you'll never leave me Bel. I'll always find you. You know I will."

I try to move away but his grip tightens.

"Never, Grey."

————————————-
I love Beauty and the Beast!
Hope you enjoy ♥️