~Beauty~

It was tradition for Bethany to sleep in on Saturdays. In fact, she would challenge herself to see how late she could sleep in. It was a ritual for her body to feel the most exhausted Friday night- just in time for the weekend. It was then that she would catch up on all the sleep debt and sink into the glorious feeling of having nowhere to go or be - no alarm to anticipate. That Friday had been the most exhausting one of her life.

The passive-aggressive argument she had with Grayson drained her like a battery. The two of them had fought before - it was normal in a friendship. But their normal fights were more like disagreements. Something would annoy one of them and they would address it, working through it with clear communication and maybe an eye roll or two. There was something much more different and unsettling about the events of the night before. Of course, Bethany was aware of Grayson's clinginess since she had gotten back. She understood it and was being as patient as possible, thinking it would go away after a while. The thing was - it didn't go away. Was it so wrong of her to sneak out for a breath of fresh air? He was trailing her like a lost puppy turned vicious.

Not only that but Grayson wanted an explanation for all the weird events that occurred from her being taken to her 'escaping'. Originally, she had been excited to let her friend in on the truth. She couldn't have imagined keeping such a huge part of her life a secret from him but once she saw how much rage he felt towards the Beast . . . she had a hunch he wouldn't be able to appreciate Teigan. And that's without addressing the amount of sorrow it'd bring for her to speak about him. She seemed to miss him more everyday - and Grayson was catching on.

Bethany was in the middle of a dream - Teigan and her were dancing again but this time he no longer looked like a beast - when she felt someone shake her shoulder. She raised her head from her pillow and blinked her eyes.

"Good morning."

"Carina?"

She rubbed her face and saw it was Grayson sitting beside her.

"No, silly. Who's Carina?" His voice was so chipper, she questioned if she had dreamed up their conversation last night.

"Oh . . . I don't know. I was dreaming." She sat up, pulling the sheets onto her lap. "Is there a fire or something? Why are you in my room?"

He smiled. "No fire. My family is having brunch together and I'd like you to come."

Her clock read 9:30 am. She had planned on sleeping much later than that. Besides, she was still a little upset with Grayson and she didn't want the Li's to catch onto that. They were so kind to her and had treated her so well over the years. She was about to decline when Grayson got up and stroked her head.

"I'll meet you outside."

She swallowed a string of curse words. She'd play nice - but this was the last time. After this she would start putting her foot down. Grayson had never been one to walk all over her but a lot of things had changed since she was gone. It was time for her to face that.

She got pretty as quick as possible and settled into the passenger side of her own car. She bit her tongue, holding back a snide comment about still being able to drive. The radio was on during the duration of the car ride. Bethany was much more in the mood of Teigan's loud aggressive mixes than the sappy station it was on.

"Don't you like this song?"

"Huh?" Beth removed her head from her hand, she had been lost in thought staring out the window.

"This song. It reminds me of you."

She actually paid mind to the lyrics and found herself shrinking into the seat. It was the kind of mushy garbage male artists only sang because they knew it made their female audience melt. Beth did not want Grayson to think of her in that way at all.

"Um . . . Okay." Her cheeks reddened at another lyric. "Wow, that's . . . very forward for him to say."

"People should be open with their feelings." He had a smile on his face that appeared to be pinned up - much like the Joker's. She felt goosebumps run up her arms.

"Sometimes."

They arrived at the Li house shortly after. Jason ran up to her, giving her a bear hug the very second she stepped out of the car. He had grown so much that his head no longer rested in the folds of her stomach but almost her shoulders - granted she was short.

"I saved you a spot next to me. I know how to make a face on pancakes using fruit and whipped cream. I can show you!"

"Awesome! I'll make sure to take notes."

Kyle emerged from the house, telling his younger brother to release her. She hadn't seen him upon her return since he was away at school. He squeezed her arm, eyes shining with the respect he always held for her.

"I'm so happy you're okay. Welcome back." He motioned for them to come inside. "You should probably take Jason up on his offer. That pancake face is really epic."

Bethany was wedged in between Grayson and his little brother, trying to follow his pancake tutorial while answering Grandma Li's questions.

"And you have school all figured out? Does the scholarship still stand?"

"Yes. I think the school fears the backlash it'll recieve if it takes a scholarship away from . . . Well, someone who failed from circumstances out of their control."

"Good!" she said, stirring her black coffee with a tiny spoon. "You're a strong girl. The worst of life is behind you - now you have nothing to fear! The world is yours."

Bethany added whipped cream hair to her pancake and cursed herself for still having Teigan in the back of her mind. She didn't feel like she had the world. She felt like her world was a giant puzzle missing the most important pieces.

"Beth is just about ready to start anew. Right?" Grayson had caught her with her mouth stuffed with pancakes. All she could do was happily chew in response.

"For that reason, we've decided there's no time to hesitate on things we are sure about. Life has shown us it is too short to waste." His voice held an intense sort of passion that had no place at a family brunch. Beth wasn't a fan of all these 'we's and 'us's being thrown around. She didn't recall discussing any of those things with Grayson.

She hurried to swallow the pancakes, thinking about how she should have listened to Jason and added more syrup to it's face.

"The very reason we've come to this brunch is well . . ." He intertwined his hand with hers, her cheeks still stuffed to their capacity. "We wanted to announce to you all that we're getting married."

Bethany started choking.

"I told you," Jason said, shaking his head at her. "Your face needed more syrup."

His parents exchanged wide eyed looks while Kyle gave a tentative smile.

"Oh, so when you moved in with each other . . . it was that way?" Mrs.Li was holding her hand over her heart like she might pass out.

"Yeah, you caught us!" Grayson answered as Beth shook her head like a maniac.

"This is fantastic!" Grandma Li was clapping her hands together. "I always knew it would be like this! Where is the ring? You can't be too cheap to buy a ring!"

"I'm working on it. Everything is still very much in it's beginning stages but we're planning to elope so -"

She had finally managed to swallow the pancake. "We're what?"

"Are you sure you aren't rushing things? I mean, you two are very young . . ." His father's eyes were flickering between the two of them. "Bethany, I won't pretend to understand what you've been through but maybe you should take time to process before making such a big commitment."

Her head was spinning. "Time to process . . ."

"Dad, we've known each other for years. This was always supposed to be it! Nothing is going to stop us now." His hand tightened around hers, making it impossible for her to break free.

"Wait a minute!" she shouted, slamming her other fist on the table. She had to set aside how improper she was acting. "Grayson, what are you -"

"Uh, oh." He frowned at her. "Are you having another meltdown?" He turned to his family. "Sorry, this happens every once in a while. We'll be right back."

"W-what?" She was speechless as he walked them over to the living room, out of earshot.

He finally released his grip on her and she broke into a hysteric grin. She placed her hands on her hips, giving a dry laugh. "Is this a joke? Are you pranking me?"

"My love for you isn't something I'd joke about."

"You love me? You're in love with me?!"

"Are you an idiot, Beth?" She stumbled back from the blow. "Why else would I do everything I have for you?"

"I don't know. Maybe because you're my friend or something."

"I am so sick of being your friend!" Grayson grew red. "I get nothing from being your friend!"

"Is this a business transaction?" She felt her own skin getting hot. She glanced back to the dining room, not entirely convinced they couldn't hear.

"I'm so tired of pouring my heart and soul out for you while you sit there and act all surprised."

"Then stop! Stop pouring out your heart and soul for me!" As mad as she was, the hurt overpowered it. She thought she had found a true friend in Grayson, someone who would be there for her and expect nothing in return - that was what a friend was. Hearing that all this time she was misled shattered her whole perception of reality. She could no longer trust all the memories of their friendship that she had in their mind. He was basically saying that it was all or nothing. She could be his wife or she could be nothing to him.

"You love me too! You want to be with me but whatever that monster did to you has you confused!" He lowered his volume, cupping her face in his hands. "I'll get you the help you need. We'll fix it. You'll see a psychiatrist -"

"I am not the one who needs a psychiatrist." She pulled away and placed her hand out. "Give me the keys to my car. I'm leaving."

"No, you aren't!"

"Give me them or I will embarrass you in front of your whole family!" He reluctantly pulled his keys out of his pocket. She took them and stormed out the door.

She heard his parents move to check on Grayson and his little brother asking if he could finish her pancake for her. It was salt in the wound that in losing Grayson, she was losing them too. He was their son. They had to pick his side.

How was it that when she was free everything started to fall apart around her?