Finding Beauty

Chapter 2

~Beauty~

I turn the pages of the brand new book, feeling it's tenderness and smelling that wonderful new book smell. It's so nice to let go of this terrible world and go somewhere nicer, where anything can happen. There are adventures and journeys just waiting to happen. It's an escape and refuge that I'm glad to take advantage of. It's so magical and-

"Go long!"

"Belle! Watch it!" I look up from my book to see a football soaring towards my face as Grayson jumps in front of me, catches it, and falls to the library floor with a loud boom! "I've told you a million times, you don't catch footballs with your face," Grayson teases as he gets up. He pats himself off chuckling all the while.

"And I've told you a million times, you don't play catch in a library," I say feeling slightly annoyed. I place my book down. I can't read in these conditions.

"Sorry..." he says sheepishly. His eyes hold the weightlessness they always do. It's hard to stay mad at those eyes. They're brown with hazel flecks. The poetic side of my mind has always seen them as representing the light inside of the darkness.

"Hey, Carter! No more tossing the ball over here! Belle is trying to read!" he shouts across the library as we get a bunch of mean stares from people. But as soon as they realize it's Grayson they seem to get nicer with their stares and go back to what they were doing. Everyone loves him. Girls want to date him and guys want to be him. Which is totally unlike me. Everyone hates me.

"Shhh. You're being a bit too loud." Grayson has never been the type to sit down and quietly read a book. It's just not his thing. It's like how football isn't my thing.

As Carter walks off I hear him mumble, "Must be because she's hot. Why else would he spend so much time with her?" I brush it off like I usually do. Sometimes it feels like all of New York is talking behind my back.

Grayson takes a seat next to me on the soft little couch, oblivious to what his friend said about me. "Sorry Bells." It's a nickname he's used since we were younger. "I don't think the library is a good place for me." He shrugs and runs his fingers through his shaggy dirty blonde hair.

"It's fine, Grayson. I just wish we could find a place to hang out that's good for the both of us."

"Why don't we try something different then?" he says, excitement playing in his eyes. It's almost like the hazel bits are dancing around now.

"What do you mean?" I giggle. Grayson has been my best friend for a while now, well only friend, but I still laugh whenever I see an idea pop into his head. Let's just say it rarely happens... Just kidding. Grayson's not all jock, he's got brains to. "The whole package", that's what all the girls whisper to each other as he walks by. The only problem is he doesn't like to dedicate himself, that's what the teachers say.

"How about we go out somewhere different like a coffee shop or Chinese food place? Like a da-"

Strangers judgemental eyes stare me down. It makes me feel out of place and anxious. They're not giving me the usual disgusted looks for being Amy Anderson's daughter, but a look of pity and wonder. I try to ignore it but it seems to spreading along the group of faces until there's pointing and whispering. I feel like I'm being suffocated. I would normally shove my nose in a book to drown it out but not today. I can't take it. "Yea, coffee shop. Sounds great."

I quickly grab my stuff and run out the school library doors. Once I'm out, I feel like I can breathe again.

"Hey! Belle? What's wrong?" He puts his hand on my shoulder forcing me to slow down.

"Did you see how they were looking at me?" I ask continuing to rush down the school hallway.

"Uh, no. I was too busy looking at you." He gives me a goofy smile and I shake my head.