Beauty & the Beast [Narry]

Chapter 2

Nathan stared at the book on the ground by his feet for a while, not quite processing what had just happened. When it finally sunk in, he numbly picked the book off the ground and walked away, his feet feeling heavy.

What should he care, anyways? There were plenty more people in this town- ones who adored him. He didn't need Niall.

*

Niall took every step carefully, but he still managed to trip over something and fall on his stomach.

The forest was creepy. A thick fog settled between the trees. Their thick leaves covered the sky, so it made everything seem dark. He could hardly see.

He picked himself up, groaning, and brushed the dirt away from his clothes. He limped on, calling out for his dog, who was probably frightened by now.

On his way to . . . wherever he was headed, he tripped a few more times but, lucky for him, he managed to grab on to something before he could fall.

"Frisy!" He called, looking around for his dog. "Frisy! Here boy! I-I know it's scary, but you need to come here!"

Niall felt a presence near him, but it didn't seem like a dog. It didn't even seem like an animal, but what other human would be here? Could it be Nathan?

"Nathan?" Niall asked. He'd be relieved to see the red-haired boy right about now, but somehow he doubted he would.

When he got no answer, he moved forward. Leaves crunched behind him and he whirled around. There was a woman behind him. She had a pistol in her hand, and it was pointed right at Niall.

"Don't move." She said. She was British, but everyone in town was, too. It would make sense, living in the UK and all. "Hands up! What's your name?"

"N-Niall." Niall stuttered, raising his hands up by his head. The girl moved closer, her finger on the trigger of the gun. Niall didn't move back, not wanting to disobey her orders, especially since she could take him out before he could blink.

"Come here." She said. He stepped closer, inching forward slowly. When he got close enough, she put the gun down and grabbed his shoulder, turning him around and forcing him to his knees. "What are you doing out here? Got any weapons?"

"M-my dog ran out here. I-I was just looking for him." Niall's heart was hammering in his chest, and he was having trouble thinking of things to say that hopefully wouldn't get him killed. It was an innocent situation, but he didn't know what this girl was looking for. "No, I don't have any weapons."

"What do you know about this place?" The woman crouched next to him, check his pockets and unzipping his hoodie. He knew she was only checking for weapons, but he still couldn't help but be horribly uncomfortable and scared.

"N-nothing. I just know nobody ever goes here. Th-there are legends of this place, but I don't believe them." Niall wished he would stop stuttering, but it didn't seem to bother the woman.

"What kind of legends?" With her so close now, Niall could see her properly. She had light pink hair, dark pink at the tips, and big blue eyes. She was beautiful, in Niall's opinion, but he decided now wasn't a good time for compliments.

"P-people say there's a beast that lives in an abandoned castle." He said, noticing how her eyes flashed to his face, but only for a moment. There was a certain look in them, too, and it only made him more terrified. "I-I've never heard what happened, th-they just say it's u-ugly and c-cruel."

The woman looked at him for a moment, her face blank. She leaned back after a moment of silence, her arm on her knee. "How old are you?"

"S-seventeen." Niall stuttered. She nodded, standing up. She grabbed Niall's elbow and dragged him up as well. He didn't try to protest, although he wanted to.