𝑶𝑪𝑬𝑨𝑵 𝑬𝒀𝑬𝑺 - Rumplestiltskin [1]

FORTY

40|PARTY

Bella finally left her room with the party being an hour in. Her makeup and hair styled to perfection while a dainty gold dress hugged her figure and flowed out at her hips. Her ocean blue eyes made contact with his, a raised brow given in reply to her wink.

"Dr. Richards, you look splendid this evening." Mr. Gold teased, kissing her head.

"Why thank you, Mr. Gold." She giggled and led him to the kitchen so she could find herself a drink.

"No more alcohol for you, young lady." He reminded her, stealing the bottle of vodka out her hand and putting it back into the cupboard. "Excuse me."

"May I have some punch?" Bella called out to him with a laugh, wandering over to Emma to get a glass.

"All of these people, just to welcome me home?" Mary Margaret glanced at her two roommates with surprise.

"You've got a lot of friends." Emma replied, pouring a glass of punch for Bella.

"Didn't feel like that yesterday." She said in thought before grabbing the tray and offering everyone some punch.

"It's true." Bella hummed, still stood beside Emma. "Nobody likes her and believed she killed Kathryn."

"It's what people do." The blonde replied with a shrug, looking over everyone at the small party. "Come on, Henry is giving her his card."

"Hey." Henry smiled at his teacher, a large card and present in his hands. "I have something for you."

"Thank you." Mary Margaret happily accepted the card off him and read it, a strange look on her face as she read it aloud. "We're so glad you didn't kill Mrs. Nolan."

"It's from the whole class. And I got you a bell." He explained as he passed her the present.

"Thank you. Tell everyone I'll be back soon." She grinned and smiled at everyone gratefully.

"Henry, we gotta get you home before your mom finds out." Emma spoke up, placing at hand on Henry's shoulder. "That won't be pretty."

"Hi, I'm Bella, Mary Margaret's and Emma's roommate." Bella offered her hand to the random man in their house, not remembering if she had introduced herself.

"August." He shook her hand and offered her the seat Henry was just sat in. "I noticed you talking to Mr. Gold."

"I believe we are dating." She bit her lip in thought and glanced over to the man who was pacing away from the crowd.

"Really?" August asked with shock, putting down his glass. "I didn't expect that, he doesn't seem like someone who would date."

"I'm talented like that." Bella laughed, finishing her drink. "But it was a surprise to everyone, the doctor dating the town villain."

"You're a doctor?"

"There's something on the tip of your tongue, I can see it." She joked, noticing the nervous finger twitches and darting eyes. "I don't mind, you can say it."

"Do you believe in Henry's book?" He finally asked, her smile widening at the mention of the book.

"Honestly, I'm starting to believe it." Bella shrugged. "The abusive father, in love with a villain, looks are identical. Plus, I get memories, strange ones. I'm wearing old fashioned ball gowns and living in a castle. And he called me Celeste when he first met me, the same name in the book."

"Are you okay?" August asked with concern, seeing the scared look on her face.

"Excuse me." She jumped up and walked over to Mr. Gold, dragging him into her room much to his confusion. "Why did you call me Celeste?"

"I don't understand, love." He sat on the edge of her bed as she paced in front of him.

"When you walked through that door looking for Emma you looked me in the eye and said "Celeste". Why did you call me Celeste?" Bella demanded, standing in front of him with narrow eyes. "In Henry's book there is a character called Celeste who has similar life problems like me. The abusive father, being in love with the villain, the black hair and ocean blue eyes."

"Bella, you're looking into this book too much." Mr. Gold tried to reassure her, standing up to grab her hands.

"Tell Mary Margaret I'm not feeling well, I'll phone you when I'm feeling better." She pulled her hands away from his, walking to the other side of her bed and sitting down, her back to him.

"I understand." He kissed her head before walking out the room, leaving her to her thoughts.

A headache took over her mind, her thoughts running wild as a stray tear fell down her cheek. She believed a child and his book, a fictional tale.