Eye Of The Beholder

Mary Lou met Annabella's eyes. "But I guess I am. I didn't realize how judgmental I was being. I'd... like to get to know Derek better."

Annabella smiled. "I'll call you."

CHAPTER 16

The next morning, Bella was walking to the gym when a woman stopped her and looked at her with disgust.

"I really thought you had changed, girl. You fooled the whole town."

Annabella frowned. "What are you talking about?"

The woman offered her the latest edition of The Middletown Gazette, and turned it so Annabella could read the headline: Beauty and the Beast.

Her blood went cold even before she saw the picture below the words. Derek and her, holding hands at her apartment door, their mouths inches apart, looking into each other's eyes.

She grabbed the paper out of the woman's hand and skimmed the article beneath the picture:

"A source close to Annabella Reed claims that she and the owner of the gym Derek Hayes have been involved in a relationship for weeks. It is said that the former model is looking for a way to re-launch her career, and dating an injured and decorated veteran is a publicity coup of the highest order. It's said some modeling agencies had reached Ms. Reed..."

Annabella folded the paper back together and gave it back to the woman. Unease prickled the back of her neck. The article was nothing but lies.

A source close to Annabella Reed? Who? She certainly hadn't told anyone. Except... Janice! She was going to kill her!

Ignoring the continued smirks, snickers and winks from the locals, Annabella hurried down Main Street. She fled toward the gym.

Derek was there. His hoodie was back on his head. Obviously, he had read The Gazette article too.

"Tell me you don't believe the bullshit Janice published."

He looked at her.

Everyone around stopped exercising to witness the exchange between them.

Derek looked at Bella and said, "I'm not exactly swimming in self-confidence. I won't deny that when I read the story it made me doubt us for a split second... I didn't know what to believe about what I read, and I didn't want to believe the worst."

Bella wrapped her arms around herself feeling a sudden chill. "Derek, please..."

Derek softly pressed a finger on Bella's lips. "The article echoed my deepest fears, and made a lot more sense than what I've believed for the past weeks."

Bella went light-headed with dread. "You can't believe everything we shared was a lie."

Derek smiled at her, "Relax, I don't. I know what we have is real. I know Janice too."

"Oh Derek!" Bella ran to him and he opened his arms to welcome her in them.

"I love you, Bella."

Annabella cried. "I love you too." Relief flooded her entire being. "I was so afraid."

He kissed the top of her head, squeezing her tight in his strong arms.

"However, a tabloid story like this is going to be a gossip fest. You know the saying 'Give a lie twenty-four hours' start, and you can never overtake it'."

Bella pressed her lips together. She hastily released herself from his embrace and walked tothe door.

"Where are you going?" Derek asked her.

"To catch a lie and kick someone's ass in the process," Bella explained. She winked at Derek and left the gym. "I'll set everything straight."

She stormed out of the gym. Several people followed her as she practically ran towards The Gazette's building.

Annabella pushed open the door and rushed into the office. Janice was working on her computer.

"Hi, girlfriend. What's up? Did you read today's issue? You and Derek made it to the front page," Janice smirked, showing her a paper.

Bella stood in front of Janice, snatched the paper from her hands and threw it at her face.

"You are a true snake. You're so full of venom," she growled.

"Get down off your high horse, girlfriend. You did worse things in high school. You're not better than me," Janice yelled back.

By now, a small crowd was gathering at the front of the building and was watching everything through the glass window.

"Yes, I did and I'm truly sorry because now I know how much they hurt. You hurt the man I love. You cheapened our love. Everyone is going to think I don't love him." Annabella leaned forward and hissed. "This is the last of your cruel jokes. You are going to come with me right now and apologize to Derek."

"Oh no, I won't! I have work to do. Have a great morning!" Janice started typing on her keyboard, ignoring Annabella.

Bella yanked the computer's cord out from the wall's electrical outlet. "Not anymore. You are coming with me."

Janice looked at her friend with a smirk on her face and said, "Make me."

Annabella slapped Janice in the face so hard it made her cheek burn. She gasped and looked at Bella in surprise.

"YOU are going to come with me. YOU are going to set things straight with everyone, and YOU are going to apologize to us. Am I clear?" Annabella said, wiggling her finger in front of her former friend.

"You hit me!"

Bella slapped Janice again on the other cheek even harder than the first time.

"Yes, I did. Someone needs to slap the shit out of you," she screamed.

"You assaulted me!" Janice exclaimed rubbing her cheek.

"You published lies about me!" Bella shot back. "How is it called? Defamation of character?"

A roar of approval came from the small crowd outside.

Annabella grabbed Janice's arm and dragged her out of her chair and out of the Gazette's building.

"Let me go, Bella! This isn't funny. Are you crazy?" Janice struggled in vain to set herself free from Annabella's tight grip.

"YOU'LL come with me to the gym. YOU'LL explain to everyone that what you wrote is nothing but a lie and then YOU'LL apologize to us. THEN and only then I'll let you go." Annabella pulled Janice's arm forward causing her to stumble.

"When did you get so strong?" Janice asked, out of breath.

"It's calling exercising, bitch. You should try it. Your ass is getting fat."

The crowd that was gathering behind the two women laughed. They followed them, commenting on what was going on. Some of the locals who had seen the whole scene from the beginning were telling others who had just arrived what was going on.

"I'm sorry, okay? I never wanted to hurt you or Derek. I thought you would find the article funny. Please, don't make me do this. Not in front of the whole town," Janice implored. "I'll write an article in the next Gazette issue."

"That's a great idea. You'll explain to everyone that the article was a lie. You'll apologize to us, and you'll publish a written apology in the next issue."

Annabella was practically dragging Janice on Main Street, her feet barely touching the ground.

Some women supported Annabella's words. "You tell her, girl."

When they finally reached the gym, Bella pushed Janice forward, and she fell on her knees. Then Annabella entered the gym, spotted Derek and said, "Someone wants to apologize to us."

Derek looked at Bella, and then at the large crowd in front of his gym. It seemed the entire town was there. He pulled the hoodie down over his face and went out.

Annabella slapped the back of Janice's head and ordered her, "Talk!"

Janice raised her head a bit, but she caught a glimpse of Derek's face. He looked really scary. She lowered her head down, gulped and said in a whisper. "Look, Derek..."

Someone from the crowd screamed, "Louder. We can't hear anything from here."

Annabella looked down at Janice and said in a commanding voice, "You heard the man. Speak louder so everyone can hear you."

Janice cleared her throat and said, "Look, Derek, I apologize about the article I wrote. The other day when we gathered for lunch, Bella started to say how wonderful you were and how much she cared for you. Mary Lou and I pointed out that she could do better than you. Then Annabella started lashing both of us, saying we were still two immature teens who needed to grow up."

Someone from the crowd said, "Yes, you are." A small group laughed. The rest shushed them.

"So I wrote this article to pay her back for her words and her holier-than-thou attitude. I made up the whole thing about the publicity stunt. It's not true. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."

Janice started to cry, but no one paid attention to her. Every pair of eyes was fixed on Derek and Janice.

Bella walked to Derek and slowly slid the hoodie off his head, grabbed his T-shirt with both hands and said loud enough for everyone to hear it, "I love you. I'd never do anything to hurt you." She tip-toed and kissed him deeply.

The crowd cheered and clapped.

When they broke off, Annabella turned around and harangued the multitude that had gathered around them, "Do any of you have any doubt about us?"

No one said a word.

"Good. Because I love Derek and, for some inexplicable reason, it seems he loves me too."

She turned her head to check on Derek. She could tell he was still feeling uneasy not having his hood on in front of a crowd. He smiled at her and nodded. Tears started falling down her cheeks.

"Janice called us beauty and the beast. In a very twisted way, she was right. Derek has one of the most beautiful souls I've ever met. He is kind, he is caring, he is loving... He is everything a girl could wish for in a man. Me on the other hand..." her voice faltered and broke. Derek placed his big hands on her shoulder for moral support.

"I know what you think about me. I was vain. I was selfish. I thought I was better than anyone because of my looks. I was part of a group that bullied and humiliated lots of you in high school. I'm the monster here, not Derek. I'm deeply sorry."

Annabella started sobbing.

Derek took her in his arms and rested her head on his chest, "You might be a beast, but you are MY beast," he told her.

Annabella looked up and said, "Yours. All yours. Only yours. Forever yours."

Kat came out of the crowd and called her softly, "Bella."

Annabella turned around and looked at Kat's face.

Kat smiled wide at her.

"Well done, girl. Next lunch at The Jammed, it's on the house," and she started clapping. The whole town joined her.

Derek took Bella and his arms and kissed her again, deeply; madly, truly in love with her.

The crowd went wild. Everyone loves a happy ending.

EPILOGUE.

Janice kept her word, and she published what seemed a heartfelt apology for her previous article and a pretty accurate account of what had happened. It was the most sold issue in years. Even so, Janice was treated like a pariah for a very long time.

People in town didn't talk about anything else for weeks. Derek and Bella became local celebrities. People called them 'Beauty and The Beast', but in a good way. Wherever they went, they got nothing but support and good wishes from everyone.

Mary Lou and Bella eventually rekindled their friendship. She was one of Anabella's bridesmaids at the wedding.

Of course there was a wedding! Almost every fairytale ends with a wedding.

Bella prepared a surprised for Derek. After they recited their vows and kissed, she began to sing a familiar song,

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night.
Take these broken wings and learn to fly.
All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise..."

THE END