Love is Beautiful (She's so Ugly)

Chapter Nineteen

"So, did you have fun?" Jacob asked Elise.

"Yes! Just like the good old days. I miss you, Jacob."

The moment Elise said that Jacob gaped a little. "I uh... I have a girlfriend, now."

Elise looked down hearing that. She acted hurt and in pain. Jacob could see it and he feels bad. "I'm sorry... I do not mean to intrude. I regret falling into Leo's trap. It was you I love."

Jacob was confused with his feelings. "Why? Why did you still choose to leave?"

"I didn't! I was forced to leave! You know Leo's sister owns this school. She referred me to somewhere else," Elise half lied. She knows Jacob has a soft heart. He would fall for her over and over again.

Elise started to sniff and cry. Jacob didn't have a choice but hug her. He knows what he is doing and he's so sorry. "I miss you too," he whispered.

Right at that moment, Elise back-off a little and kissed Jacob. He kissed her back with longing.

When they stopped kissing, he smiled at her. He made his choice.

"Let's go somewhere," Elise said with a playful smile. She took Jacob's hand and headed for the exit.

Leo was on his way to the theatre room when he saw Elise and Jacob, holding hands and running towards the exit. He wouldn't want to mind that but then he saw a Merida picking up her things. He was too afraid that if she stands up, she would see Jacob with another lady. And so what he did was run towards Merida and blocked the view.

Merida raised her head and Leo could see tears in her eyes. Was it possible that she saw them before he could see those two?

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Leo asked, wiping Merida's tears. The way he was asking made her cry even more.

"I-I'm scared. I didn't know that a lot of people would watch it! Now my heart is pounding and-and-"

"Shh! You need to calm yourself down, okay? Just think that all those people are egg rolls. It's just one scene, it's an ending scene. I'll be in the front row. If anything goes wrong, I'll take you away," Leo reassures her.

Merida breathe in and out and nodded.

"Why were you here?" Leo asked.

"I was looking for J-Jacob. He... Uhm... told me he'd be here," Merida stammers still.

Leo clenched his fist. That asshole doesn't know how to fudging keep a simple promise.

"He'll show up when he wants to. Now let's go." Leo held Merida's arm and drag her to the theatre. He signalled a thumbs-up to Merida before he left her at the backstage.

As promised, Leo sat in the centre of the front row. Well, if he's a temporary knight then be it. Before the show could start, Brandon sat beside him.

"Candice succeeded," Brandon mumbled and exactly the drama began.

Leo looked so surprised. "What do you mean? I saw her earlier, she-" then he realized it. Her cries were because she did saw them.

"I heard Candice said she saw them kissing that made her run away..." Brandon then sighed.

If Leo could just get out of this theatre right now, he would. He would go look for that asshole and punch his face. But he promised Merida, and he is keeping it.

"So, are you satisfied now that you hurt her?" Leo gritted his teeth. He's in rage inside.

"No, not satisfied that I hurt her. Satisfied that she saw the truth. Someone had to be fair to her."

What's already done is done. They just watched the show. Brandon feeling guilty, Candice is happy, while Leo is mad. They all waited for the finale and that's when Merida plays the piano.

It was not long, and she came out in a beautiful dress. Her hair was in a braided bun and her smile was a sad one. She played and everybody hears but only a few of them listened. Few people from the audience could hear her cries in every key she presses. Only Merida could see her painful tears falling as she plays the finale song for that sad drama.

Merida closed her eyes, ending her pain with the last press of her fingers on the tiles. She heard claps of praises from the audience. Looking at the crowd, she saw Leo's big smile and Brandon's. It was enough for her, she didn't bother searching up for more.

Blinded, when the spotlight was pointed at her. It only took a while and curtains had closed.

At the backstage, everyone was happy with the play's success. Merida was complimented and for the first time, she actually felt beautiful. A different kind of beautiful.