Love is Beautiful (She's so Ugly)

Chapter II

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"Oh, c'mon, sis! Let's be real, okay? You know when someone's ugly! She's ugly!" Jacob said to his sister, who only rolled her eyes. They were having breakfast.

"Hmm, wow. She must be really ugly," their older brother, Jeremy, added with a smirk.

"Now, now, boys, what did I tell you?" their mother interrupted. "Outer beauty doesn't last. Everyone gets wrinkles when they're older."

"But didn't you say she was kind to the street kids? You found her beautiful at first," his sister, Jane, said, slicing into her meat.

Jacob went quiet. Yeah, she was beautiful in that way... but still, her face...

He didn't know if he should apologize at school or just pretend last night never happened.

He sighed and brushed the thought away.

Merida felt sick just looking at herself in the mirror.

Why did she have so many pimples?
Why wasn't her nose like everyone else's?
Why were her eyebrows so thick, her lips so cracked?
Why was her front tooth crooked?
Why was she so ugly?

Tears welled up. She sniffled. Another person was going to turn against her—like always. That guy from last night... even he froze.

She sighed and tried to smile at her reflection.

Even her smile looked ugly.

There was nothing beautiful about her. No one would ever fall for someone like her.

Wiping her tears, she turned away from the mirror. She grabbed her backpack and left for school.

Jacob was usually late to class, but today was different.

He wanted to see Merida. To apologize.

He arrived early—but she wasn't there.

Maybe Brandon was wrong, he thought.

The bell rang. Students poured into the room. Normally, Jacob wouldn't care who came in—but this time, he looked.

And finally, he saw her.

That face... the one everyone talked about. But now, something else caught his attention—a bruise.

His brow furrowed slightly. What happened to her?

All day, he couldn't stop thinking about it. Even during basketball practice, his mind wandered. He sat on the bleachers, distracted.

Then he heard laughter.

Those girls again.

"I couldn't help it!" one of them said through fits of laughter. "Her ugly face was so annoying—I had to punch her. I didn't even need a reason!"

Guffaws erupted around her.

Jacob clenched his jaw.
So that's why she had that bruise...

He didn't even think. He grabbed his backpack and bolted from the gym.

"Yo, Jacob! Where you going, man? Practice ain't over!" Brandon shouted across the court.

"It's an emergency!" Jacob yelled back, not even turning around.

He rushed across the school grounds, scanning the area. He needed to find Merida. He needed to say something.

First stop: their classroom—empty.
Next: the library. Nothing.

He was about to give up when—there she was.

At the staircase.

Their eyes met.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

Jacob's expression softened into a smug grin.