The Frog and The Beast

The Beauty Chapter 2

As I turned to the next page in my book, I stumbled upon one of my most cherished treasures: a glorious white rose given to me by Glen Grisham. Oh, he was so handsome, with his jet-black hair, deep blue eyes, and that captivating smile. Every girl in school, myself included, was head over heels for him. I know it sounds cliché, but I had liked him for years—ever since sixth grade, long before he became the popular "prince" everyone adored.

But he never knew I existed. Not until that unforgettable night at the dance when he presented me with a beautiful rose corsage.

I was at the ticket table, feeling like a pathetic drone, when Glen arrived with his date, Jenny. The moment they walked in, a crowd gathered, drawn to their radiant presence. But something was off.

Jenny was yelling at him, and he looked genuinely uncomfortable. Suddenly, he stood in front of me, and I complimented the flower he held. To my astonishment, he offered it to me. I couldn't believe it. I loved roses. For my last birthday, my mother had given me a charm bracelet with a locket that contained a tiny glass rose. For someone like Glen Grisham to give me a real one felt like a dream come true.

I pressed the rose between the pages of my book, hoping to preserve its fragrance and the memory of that magical night.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice the sound until a voice broke through. "Are you thinking about me, Juvia?"

I turned my head sharply to see Sue, dressed in a satin cocktail dress and Prada heels, her face heavily made up.

"Are you listening to me, Juvia?" she asked, her voice a whisper that sent chills down my spine. "Why do you just sit there in silence? Have you lost your vocal cords?"

Sue had always hated me. I couldn't pinpoint why, but it felt like she despised everyone.

"My, are you stupid! Holes in the belfry with bats flying 'round, that's what Juvia is," she sneered.

"What do you want, Sue?"

"I just wanted to tell you about this new guy I'm seeing. He's rich, strong, handsome, and sexy. He loves me. I can see it in his eyes." She opened her compact mirror and gazed into it. "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest beauty of all? You are, Sue. Not Juvia, but you."

I felt a twinge of pity for her. After all, she was fifteen, entangled with a twenty-five-year-old man—or at least, that's what she claimed. He could have been forty-five for all I knew.

"Sue, I really don't need to hear this."

"Why not? You should be taking notes from me," she said, flipping her hair back dramatically. "Look at you. You're practically invisible. You should thank me for giving you a glimpse into the real world."

I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore her taunts. She narrowed her eyes, her lips curling into a smirk. "Jealous? You should be. I'm living the dream while you're stuck here with your dusty old books and your pathetic crush on Glen Grisham."

My cheeks flushed, but I refused to let her see how much her words affected me. Instead, I turned my attention back to my book, hoping she would take the hint and leave me alone.

"You know he's in rehab, right?" she said, her tone dripping with malice. "That's what his dad said. He got into drugs, and now he's in rehab. Of course, you'd fall for a druggie like Jose."

Gajeel always said she tormented me out of jealousy. Jealous of what, I had no idea. I was just an average girl, lost in my books and nursing a crush on a boy who barely knew I existed. Meanwhile, Sue, with her designer clothes and flashy lifestyle, acted like she ruled the world.

"Why don't you just go back to your little fantasy land, Juvia?" she sneered, her eyes glinting with malice. "You're wasting your time dreaming about someone who'll never notice you. Focus on someone who actually wants you."

"Like who?" I shot back, my voice sharper than I intended. "Someone like you, who's dating a guy old enough to be your father? That sounds like a great plan."

Her expression faltered for a moment, revealing a flicker of insecurity behind her bravado, but she quickly recovered. "At least I have someone. What do you have? A stupid rose and a crush on a guy in rehab? Pathetic."

I felt the sting of her words.

"You'll never have a boyfriend, never even a friend. You're so odd that no one, absolutely no one, will want to be around you."

She was probably right. No one in school ever really noticed me, and when they did, it usually ended badly. Girls would tease me for being a scholarship student, while boys would stare and make crude comments. My options were either to be ignored or harassed, so I started dressing in layers of dark and gray clothes, hiding my hair under a beanie—anything to avoid drawing negative attention.

"He's going to take me away from here," Sue continued. "You'll see. I'll be rich, beautiful, and adored, while you'll be stuck here for the rest of your life."

"Well, if that happens, I genuinely hope you'll be happy, Sue," I replied, surprising even myself with the sincerity of my words.

Sue's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I thought she might lash out again. But instead, she laughed—a cold, mocking sound that echoed in the quiet library.

In all honesty, arguing with Sue was like trying to reason with a brick wall. She thrived on chaos, and I was just a pawn in her game.

"Whatever," she scoffed, flipping her hair once more.

With that, she turned on her heel and strutted away, her heels clicking against the floor like a metronome counting down the seconds until I could escape this conversation. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, feeling the tension in my shoulders ease slightly.

I glanced back at my book, the pressed rose still nestled between the pages, its delicate petals a reminder of a moment that felt like a lifetime ago.

Glen had pretty much disappeared after the dance. No one knew what had happened to him. Some rumors claimed he was in rehab, just like Sue said, while others suggested he had been sent to a boarding school in Europe.

I couldn't help but wonder what really happened to him.