Audrey sighed, irritated, as she stomped back to her room. Her roommates were all out so she was alone, but two সেকেন্ড later there was a knock at her door.

“Who’s there?” she called.

“Hey, it’s Jim!”

Relieved, she went to let him in. “Jim, আপনি would not believe what Belle’s just been saying!”

“Yes, I would.” Calmly, Jim folded his arms. “She told আপনি that আপনি were sick, right?”

“Oh, don’t আপনি start!”

“Audrey, it’s the truth! Everyone can see it but you!”

“I am not sick!” Even as she ব্যক্ত it, she knew that she was lying to him. “Why can’t everyone just leave me alone? And what did আপনি have to tell her for? It’s none of her business!”

“Maybe, but I was desperate!”

“Desperate?”

“Desperate to make আপনি see sense!” Jim caught her দ্বারা the arms. “Look at you! There’s barely anything of you!”

“Stop it!” Audrey flung his hands off her. “Stop lying to me, Jim!”

He stared at her. “Audrey, I’m not lying!”

“Yes, আপনি are! Look at me!” Audrey turned and stared at her reflection in the mirror. “Look at all this!” She plucked at barely any flesh on her arm. “It’s awful!”

Jim was alarmed. She really was sick. She really couldn’t see just how painfully thin she was. “Audrey, you’re beginning to scare me.”

“It just doesn’t go!” Audrey cried. “I exercise! I diet! It still stays on! What is wrong with me, Jim?”

“You’re anorexic!”

“I am not!”

“You are!” Jim stepped up to her. “And I won’t see আপনি do this to yourself, Audrey! Just admit আপনি need help!”

“I don’t need help, from আপনি অথবা anyone!”

Her sharpness stung both of them. Jim sighed. “Fine. I’ve tried. I’ve done my best. I give up. But if আপনি insist on killing yourself like this, then I can’t be with আপনি anymore.”

Audrey stared at him. “What? What do আপনি mean?”

“I প্রণয় you, Audrey, but I can’t watch আপনি do this to yourself.” Jim took a deep, heaving breath. He was actually on the verge of tears. “It’s over. I’m sorry.”

“No!” Audrey grabbed his arm, desperately, as he turned to go. “No, please, Jim! Don’t leave me! I know I’m not beautiful like Snow White অথবা Belle অথবা any of the other girls here, but please, I প্রণয় you! Please don’t leave me!” In tears, she sank to the floor. “Please!”

Jim dropped to his knees beside her and gathered her in his arms. He was confused. “Audrey, what do আপনি mean?”

“I’m not beautiful but I can be! Please, just let me!”

“You...don’t think you’re beautiful?” Jim was slowly beginning to understand. “You think that not eating and losing all this weight will make me want you?”

She began to sob into his shoulder. “Don’t leave me, please.”

“Audrey, আপনি are beautiful,” Jim told her, holding her tightly. “You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid eyes on, and so much আরো than that too. You’re my best friend; my missing half. I don’t want to lose you; don’t আপনি understand? That’s what’ll happen if আপনি keep starving yourself! I’ll lose you! I don’t want that!”

“But-”

“Audrey, listen to me. You’re making yourself less beautiful দ্বারা doing this. If আপনি keep this up, you’re not going to be the girl I fell in প্রণয় with in the first place anymore.” Jim looked at her. “When we first started going out, আপনি remember, when we used to roll in the field after dark, and now, well, now I’m afraid of touching আপনি in case আপনি break.”

Audrey looked up at him; tears in her beautiful eyes. “You think I’m beautiful now, Jim?”

“Yes.”

“But...look at me.”

“I am.” Jim cupped her face and turned her to him. “I see a smart, strong and beautiful girl who took my হৃদয় the moment I met her; and who’s foolishly wasting herself away because she’s worried she’s no longer attractive. Audrey, I’ll always প্রণয় you, no matter what; but if আপনি starve yourself to death, there won’t be any of আপনি left to love.”

His words finally shook some sense into her. “Jim?”

“Yes?”

She smiled. “I’m starving.”

Jim sighed. “Then we can’t be together if আপনি insist-”

“No.” She cupped his cheek. “I mean I’m hungry right now. Let’s eat.”

He eyed her, carefully. “You’ll eat? Properly?”

“Every last mouthful.”

“And আপনি won’t make yourself sick afterwards?”

“Will আপনি leave me if I do?”

“I’ll have to.”

“Then I won’t. Jim,” she took a deep breath, “Help me.”

In relief, Jim kissed her forehead. “Oh, Audrey. Yes, I’ll help you.”

If Belle had known what was going on in Audrey’s room, she too would have been relieved; but being in the school hall, having put up the rest of Mr Genie’s posters, with Adam, she didn’t. She stepped up on the stage, which was a lot bigger than the one in the Drama room and looked around. “This is where we’ll be performing the Summer concert?”

“Yep!” Adam removed the dustsheet from the piano. “How about আপনি প্রদর্শনী me what আপনি can do, seeing as your up there now?”

“I’m sorry?”

“Sing for me.”

Belle laughed. “You sound like the Phantom.”

“I’m serious, Belle.” Adam smiled. “You might as well practise for the auditions.”

“There’s no music.” Truth be told, Belle was suddenly nervous about গান গাওয়া for the boy she had deep feelings for.

Adam pressed a note on the keyboard. “There is now.” He flicked through the সঙ্গীত sheets on the পিয়ানো stand. “What sort of সঙ্গীত do আপনি like?”

Belle looked embarrassed. “Truth be told, I don’t listen to সঙ্গীত much, Adam.”

“Oh, Belle, you’re hopeless!” Adam laughed. “There must be some song আপনি know.”

“Well, there is one I like a lot.”

“Yeah?” Adam gestured for her to sing. “Let’s hear it.”

Belle hesitated. “Bear in mind my voice isn’t great, Adam.”

“I’m bearing it in mind, Belle. Now, stop stalling.”

Belle took a deep breath. “Every evening brings an ending. Every দিন becomes a legacy. Every sunset leads to morning, with the promise of opportunity. We can reach for the stars we find along the way, dreaming as we learn to প্রণয় every day. Promise আপনি will take my hand, as tomorrow comes, we’ll go on. We’ll go on, growing closer through the years. Moving on, through the good times and the tears. Ever on, another thousand circles ‘round the sun. If two can be as one, we’ll go on.”

Adam was silent for a মিনিট after she’d finished. When he finally spoke, he ব্যক্ত “Belle, আপনি are such a liar.”

She looked at him, confused. “What?”

“You ব্যক্ত আপনি couldn’t sing. You’ve a wonderful voice.”

Belle blushed at the compliment. “I don’t think so.”

“Trust me. আপনি do.”

Her blush deepened. “Well, thank you.”

“How about we try it with the music?” Adam moved over to the piano.

“Do আপনি know it?”

“Yes.”

“What’s it called? I learned the words but I never found out what the song was called.”

“It’s called Promise. Ready?”

She nodded, all nerves suddenly leaving her. “Ready.”

As Adam played and Belle sang, she realised that she had no need to be nervous of doing anything at all when Adam was around...