Beauty and the Beast - l.s. au

3

September 14, right after cleaning up

"Louis is going to get the surprise of his life!" I hear Taylor exclaim from the outside.

"Yep this is his lucky day." Eleanor agrees. She turns to the band and crowd of people. "Thank you all for coming to my wedding. I'd better go in there and propose to him though. Now when me and Belle come out, I want you to-"

"I know!" She says and begins directing the band to play Here Comes the Bride.

"Not yet you idiot!" Eleanor yells and I stifle a laugh from the window.

"Sorry." Taylor says and Eleanor rolls her eyes and walks to the front door, knocking.

"Eleanor. What a... pleasant surprise." I say.

"Isn't it though? I'm just full of surprises. You know Louis, there's not a guy in town who wouldn't love to be in your shoes. This is the day..." She passes by a mirror and checks her hair as I try not to roll my eyes, yet again, "This is the day your dreams come true."

"What would you know about my dreams?"

"Plenty," she sits down in my mother's chair and props her grubby ass shoes onto our table, "picture this. A hunting lodge with your latest kill roasting on the fire. Your little wife, massaging your feet while the little ones play with the dogs. We'll have six or seven."

"Dogs?" I ask, praying that it's the answer even though I know it's not.

"No. Boys just like you. Or girls just like me."

"Imagine that." I say, wanting to kick her right in the face. "Why would any woman want to massage my feet. They smell really bad."

"I'm sure that's a lie."

"Want to bet? Can you please take your feet off of our table too. My mother wouldn't be very happy if there was mud all over it when she gets back home."

"Yep," she stands up and walks toward me, "and do you know who that little wife will be?" She steps closer and closer as I back up.

"Gee. I don't know. Oh I give up just tell me. The suspense is killing me." I say sarcastically.

"Me."

"Are you... are you proposing to me?" I ask as she corners me against the front door.

"Yep."

"Eleanor, I really don't know what to say."

"Say you'll marry me."

"I'm sorry, I truly am, but I just don't deserve you." I stifle a laugh and bite my lip to keep from smiling.

I twist the door know behind me and hold onto the door as it swings open backwards, causing her to roll down the steps of my front porch.

I shut the door and walk back inside, hearing the band start to play and I burst into laughter. I got her good.

A few minutes later, I glance outside and notice everyone gone.

"Is she gone?" I ask the chickens and they just cluck. "Can you imagine me the husband of that brainless idiot? Eleanor? No thank you. I want adventure. I want it more than I can tell."

I walk up a small hill that overlooks the forest and see the sun setting about it. The breeze blows nicely, so that it's a cooler evening than the day was.

"And for once it would be nice to have someone understand. I want so much more than they've got planned." I mutter to myself. I hear commotion behind me and groan internally, thinking it's Eleanor again. It's Phillipe. But my mum isn't there. "Phillipe! Where's Mum?! What are you doing here? We have to find her! Take me to her!" I tell him.