Love is Beautiful (She's so Ugly)

Chapter II.i

Merida froze on the stairs. For a moment, she couldn't move.

Then Jacob took a step up—and in her head, a warning bell went off.

She spun around and rushed upward.

"Wait! Merida!" he shouted after her.

No!
There was no way she was going to face that guy again. No way!

She kept climbing. Thankfully, almost everyone had already left the building.

"Merida, come on! I just want to talk!" she heard him shout again.

His voice sounded like a chainsaw in her ears—loud, cutting, and terrifying. It tore through her, and all she could do was run faster.

She finally burst through the rooftop door.

But then stopped.

There was nowhere to hide. The rooftop was clean, open, and empty.

Great. I'm dead.

"Mer—Merida..."

She turned around.

Jacob had finally caught up. He was bent over, hands on his knees, catching his breath.

She frowned, frustrated—and exhausted from running.

"What is wrong with you?! Why are you chasing me!?" she snapped.

"You were running away! Of course I had to chase you!" he snapped back.

"Why are you yelling at me? I was scared of you!" she yelled louder.

"Well, you're yelling too!" he said, now breathing more steadily.

Merida narrowed her eyes, glaring at him. "What do you even want from me?"

"Nothing! I just... I just wanted to apologize. For, uh, for being shocked at how ug— I mean... uh, it's just—"

Jacob stumbled, unable to find the words. How do you say sorry for calling someone ugly... without saying exactly that?

Merida looked down. Her expression softened.

"You don't have to apologize," she whispered. "Just leave me alone already."

Now Jacob felt like absolute trash.

He could tell his reaction last night had crushed her.

God, I'm such an idiot.

"I just want to be friends with you," he said, hoping she wouldn't push him away.

But what she said next hit him like a punch.

"Why? So you can bully me more now that we're friends? That way you get full access?"

Jacob couldn't even reply.

He looked at her—really looked at her.

Her eyes were full of pain. Her face was shadowed with self-loathing.

And in that moment, something changed.

He saw beauty in the mess.

He saw someone who had been beaten down again and again and still stood.

He saw her.

She could be beautiful, he thought. She already is.