The Urban Princesses: Belle

Chapter 1

"On her way to the library again."

"What's wrong with this girl?"

"No wonder she has no friends."

Normal whispers I always hear on Monday mornings as I zip through town on my bike, the balmy wind whipping my hair around. It was a beautiful day to read.

The question was where, by the lake would be a nice place, but it might be windy. At the park, but there was an Italian festival today. On the balcony would be nice, but it would probably loud with my father tinkering away at new ideas.

My dad was an inventor, and probably a very good one if one of his machines ever worked. Everyone thinks he is mad, but I just think he is determined and passionate, two things a lot of people in this town don't have.

I park my bike in front of the library and skip inside.

"Hi, Mr. Brown!" I must scare him because his glasses fall off his nose onto the book he is reading.

"Bella! What a surprise!" He picks up his glasses and balances them on his nose again. "Well, not that big of a surprise." He chuckles.

"Any new shipments?" I smile hopefully.

He frowns. "Sorry, hon."

I immediately immerse myself in the stacks, perusing each spine and deciding what would be worth rereading. I have been taking books out from this library since was thirteen, I don't think there was a book I haven't read.

I come across one I don't recognize and quickly pull it out.

"You can't hide from me." I murmur to it. The title was "Fever", a historical fiction book. I shrugged and tucked it under my arm. I drift through the aisles and a certain cover catches my eye. I grab it and rush to the front, handing Mr. Brown my library card and books.

"This book again?" He picks up the second book I chose. "You might as well keep it, nobody else is going to read it."

"Thank you so much!" I take the book from him and hug it to my chest. "It's my favorite."

"I can tell." He chuckles as he scans Fever.

"Thank you again, Mr. Brown!" I rush out and hop back on my bike, pedaling quickly go school.

I visit the library every Monday just before school, it's become a natural thing now. A fresh book to start a fresh week.

I pedal into school and park my bike in my usual spot, opening my new book as I walk in. The murmurs start again. Come on, people, I do the same thing every Monday, what's more to murmur about?

"Bella!" I hear my best friend, Dusty, call to me. I smile and rush over to her. She grimaces when she sees my book. "Come on, it's senior year. Will you close that thing? Prom is coming up and you won't get any dates carrying around that."

"What if I don't want a date to prom?" I crossed my arms.

"Do I have to repeat that? It's SENIOR YEAR! And we have to have a double date, I heard Louie is planning on asking me out." She squealed. We walked inside only for her to drag me into the lockers. I was confused for a moment, until I saw what she was looking at. Louie, and Colin were walking by, otherwise known as Dusty's crushes. What did she see in them? Louie was tall and lean, blond hair swept to the side, grinning to every girl who passed him. Colin was short and stocky, a hint of a mustache lingering above his lip, round face, and mahogany colored hair.

"Isn't he dreamy?" Dusty giggled.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, I'll just bring my calculator to prom, double date it will be awesome."