"Yeeha!"
“Yeeha!” crowed Hercules, প্রদর্শিত হচ্ছে off his prowess দ্বারা wrestling with one of the giant inflatable dinghies. John laughed as he was splashed and then laughed even harder seeing আলাদীন with his hair all over his face.
“What?” আলাদীন grunted.
“You!” John splashed him. “You look like such a nerd!”
A little way away, Adam was swimming alone. Belle watched him. He was quite a steady, smooth swimmer. Why, she wondered suddenly, did the Bimbettes swoon and ধামা ধরা over Gaston when there were plenty of other, better looking guys in the school? Flynn was good looking in a Prince Charming kind of way. Hercules was what Meg called “Hot” although he had perhaps a little too much muscle for Belle’s liking. আলাদীন was what আপনি might call “ruggedly handsome” whereas John was handsome in a আরো conventional way. Jim Hawkins, whom she had met only a couple of times, was good-looking in a bad-boy type way, but he didn’t have to worry about getting a girlfriend; he was already with Audrey Rameriz. Belle had accidently walked in on them snogging in empty classrooms, and once even a little bit আরো before now; that last one had been pretty embarrassing! Linguini, who was rather clumsy and fancied Merrida, wasn’t bad to look at either. But yet none of them made her হৃদয় skip a beat like Adam did.
“Hey!” Meg greeted her as she came up. Meg stretched, lazily, on her lounger. “So আপনি sussed this place out, then?”
“Flynn told me that Adam would probably be here,” Belle replied, sitting down on a lounger beside Meg’s.
“Ah!” Meg’s eyes lit up. “I see!”
“No!” Belle blushed. “No! It’s not like that! I just wanted to ask him something!”
“Uh-huh, yeah, sure,” Meg replied, with a wink. “I get you.”
“Not that!” Belle insisted, still পরাকাষ্ঠা with embarrassment.
“No, I hope not. Otherwise you’d really look desperate.” Meg stretched again. “Girls asking guys out; that’s just soooo tacky.”
“As opposed to staring at them while they mess around in the pool?” Belle teased. “Or shouting out when they score a winning touchdown?”
Meg blushed. “Touché, Belle, well done.”
They watched the boys for a while. Meg smiled as Hercules stood up on শীর্ষ of the dinghy and shouted out “I’m king of the world!” before being promptly tipped off দ্বারা Aladdin. Belle watched Adam swimming. He was very good, she thought. She imagined herself being in a shipwreck during a storm at sea and Adam swimming up to her, saving her and then স্নেহ চুম্বন her on the beach. What would it be like to চুম্বন him? She imagined it to be gentle but firm, passionate but tender, experienced but loving...
“So, what did আপনি want to ask him?” asked Meg, finally tearing her eyes away from Hercules long enough to talk to her friend.
“Hm?” Belle was brought back to Earth with a bump. Hot with embarrassment, she turned to Meg. “Sorry, what?”
“Was someone dreaming about স্নেহ চুম্বন a certain someone?” Meg teased.
“How did আপনি guess?” Belle gasped.
Meg stared at her. “Belle, I was joking.”
“So was I,” Belle stammered, in an attempt to save her dignity but the damage was done.
“Oh, my God, Belle; আপনি really are smitten!” Meg exclaimed.
“But আপনি already knew that,” Belle replied, confused.
“We were just teasing আপনি back then.” Meg looked at her, carefully. “You really are stuck on him, aren’t you?”
“It’s just a crush,” Belle insisted, fanning herself in an attempt to cool her blushes.
“Are আপনি sure about that?” Meg sat up. “Some people don’t know the difference between a having a crush and being in love.”
“Trust me, Meg, I know what প্রণয় is.” Belle put her feet up on the lounger and hugged her knees. “I’ve seen it in বই enough times. It’s the most wonderful and amazing thing in the world. প্রণয় is hope. It fuels our dreams. And if you’re in it, আপনি need to enjoy it. Because প্রণয় doesn’t always last forever.”
“Wow,” Meg murmured. “That’s really beautiful, Belle. Is that a line from a book?”
“No, I made it up.”
“Maybe আপনি should try it on Adam.”
Belle giggled. “Do আপনি think so?”
“Only if you’re really desperate!”
The two of them laughed and Hercules finally noticed that they were being watched. “Whoa, guys! Girls at twelve o’clock!”
“Hey, Adam!” hissed Aladdin. “Your girl’s there!”
Adam looked over at them. “Belle’s not my girl,” he reminded them.
“No, but আপনি want her to be.” Adam didn’t deny it. “Hey!” John called to the girls. “You gys coming in অথবা waiting for us to get out?”
“Oh, sorry, guys; I forgot my bathing suit!” Meg teased back, flirtatiously. “And Belle’s only here to see, I mean talk to Adam!”
“Meg!” hissed Belle, blushing again.
“Whoa!” Hercules grinned at Adam. “You were saying?”
“Shut up,” Adam muttered, splashing him.
“Well, what are আপনি waiting for?” grinned Aladdin. “Go over there!”
“What did আপনি say that for?” hissed Belle. “Now he’ll think I’m stalking him অথবা something!”
“You? Please, Belle; I think Adam’s figured you’re not that kind of girl!”
Adam climbed out of the pool and Belle watched him as he seized a towel and his শার্ট from the nearest lounger. Water droplets glistened off him and she couldn’t help but feel weak at the slight muscle in his arms and torso. She felt bad for watching and ducked her head away, blushing. Adam pulled on his শার্ট and went up to her. “Hey,” he said, nodding to Meg in acknowledgement. “Meg, how are আপনি doing?”
“Just fine, thanks for asking,” she smiled back, giving Belle a small nudge.
Belle got to her feet. “I just wanted to ask আপনি something,” she stammered, “but I can come back if you’re busy...or...”
“No, it’s ok; I can talk now.” Adam smiled at her and she felt at ease.
“Well, it’s, um, kind of a private matter,” she said, brushing that small strand of hair that always fell in her face back into place.
“Ok, well, we can go outside,” Adam replied, gesturing to the French windows.
Belle followed him out into the grounds. His শার্ট was sticking to him where he was still damp, প্রদর্শিত হচ্ছে off his muscle. Belle hoped that she wasn’t about to become giddy and faint. Truth being told, up until this moment, she had never actually seen a man without a শার্ট on before. It was something of a new experience for her.
Adam sat down on the দেওয়াল and gestured for her to যোগদান him. Belle sat down beside him. Feeling awkward, she twisted her hands in her lap.
“What is it?” asked Adam, gently.
She turned to him. “I need your advice. Since...what happened with Mr Frollo, I’ve been dreading going back to one of his classes. I mean, what if he calls me back after class and tries it on again? I don’t know what...what I’d do.” She looked into his eyes. “I’m scared, Adam.”
Adam put his arms around her and Belle fell against him, clinging to him. He was the only person she could bring herself to talk about this stuff to. “You don’t have to be scared, Belle,” Adam murmured, softly. “I won’t let him do anything to you.”
“How can আপনি stop him?” Belle mumbled.
“Trust me.” Adam stroked her hair. “You’re my friend. I’ll protect you.”
Belle stifled a giggle. “You sound like a knight in shining armour pledging his troth to a fair princess.”
“Not like Heathcliff pledging his প্রণয় to Cathy, then?”
“No, not even close!” Belle did giggle then. “It’s strange; they really did have a love/hate relationship in that book.”
“Yeah, can আপনি imagine if they had married each other?” Adam laughed, softly. “They probably would have ended up killing each other whatever happened.”
Belle didn’t pull away; she didn’t want to. She loved being in Adam’s arms. She loved being with Adam. She loved...Adam? Did she প্রণয় Adam? She wasn’t entirely sure.
“Belle, I’m probably soaking আপনি right now,” Adam realized, finally breaking the embrace.
Belle smiled. “Well, I wouldn’t say “soaking,” Adam. I’m just a little damp at most.”
“You’re going to be ok.” It was a statement, not a question, and Belle nodded her agreement. “You’re বন্ধু with us, remember; and none of us will let anyone hurt you, ever.”
“Thanks, Adam,” she whispered.
He looked into her eyes and, for a second, she thought he was about to চুম্বন her. Then...
“Belle, I’m off!” Meg stuck her head out of the window. “You coming?”
Belle jumped and looked up at her. “Oh, yeah, sure.”
“Tell Adam we’re off too!” Hercules called from inside the pool room.
“What did your last slave die of?” Meg called back, playfully.
Belle got to her feet. “Thanks, Adam; I feel a lot better now.”
“My pleasure,” Adam replied, getting to his feet.
It wasn’t until she got back to her room that Belle knew the answer to her question.
Did she প্রণয় Adam?
“Yes,” she whispered.
“I just wanted to ask you something.”
