The Burden of Beauty

There are a few things you should know about me before you read my story. One, all the things I own, are not really... "my" things. You see, ever since I was a little girl, everyone at the palace told me, how gorgeous and delightful I was. I didn't actually live in a palace, but my little, yet rich, family and I lived in a big mansion. As the years passed I got more and more attractive, boys started to fall for me quicker than ever, and I had no choice in the end but to just ignore every boy I saw. Sure, they would give me everything from a little rose, to a car, to whatever they could afford that were valuable basically. I usually just take the things, thank them, and then just move on with my life. Although that might make me seem like a golddigger or some coldhearted person, trust me, I'm not. To read this story, you have to understand, that I did not ask for this life. I did not ask for every boy I meet to suddenly fall in love with me for absolutely no reason! The first many years I tried to refuse the gifts they gave me, in a kind way of course. They just wouldn't listen! I soon learned, that there was no point in refusing so... I began to just accept all the gifts and either use them, or I would give them away to somebody who needs it. Anyway, a few days ago I met a boy, stumbled upon him really, but that's not the point. The point is that he was strange. And I don't mean strange as in 'oh no, he is gonna stalk me'-strange, but as in 'he didn't notice me'-strange. I know, it sounds like I'm some kind of attention seeker, right? Well, it's not the case. I would be more than happy to get rid of all the boys who are chasing me around all day, but I simply just can't. Anyway, this boy... He didn't seem just the slightest obsessed with me? Every boy I meet immediately falls for me. I don't know how, but it happens all the time! This boy just got up and walked past me, like I was just thin air. For a while, I stood still and looked after him, but he didn't turn his head once. He didn't even turn his head once!? Honestly, I was about to lose hope for the chance, that I could ever find someone who would love me for... Well, me. But maybe- maybe this is my chance. Maybe this is the one I have been looking for. And maybe-!   Grace woke up from her dream, by the sound of the loud and irritating alarm clock. She yawned once then got out of bed. What was that dream? Grace asked herself. It was a dream that kept repeating itself recently. She always woke up, when she was just about to get answers, her alarm would sound, and it was time for a new day. It had been the same dream she had the last couple weeks. It's probably nothing. Maybe, I should just ignore it. But how could she? Grace knew that it meant something! It had to! Maybe this would lead her to her destiny. Just maybe. Then again... Destiny is not set in stone, and she didn't really believe in all that psychic nonsense. Although, it might be the only chance she has left to find out, what her purpose is in life. Who she is meant to be with? And yet... It might just be a dead-end like all the others. Oh no, I'm gonna be late for school!!   "Excuse me! Yeah, hi, I just need to- get through here..!" She yelled and apologized for everything along the way to the final bus. Grace ran and ran as fast as she could, down the street to the bus stop. She ran into some people, other times she would simply just fall over herself, but never all the way down to the ground. She had finally made it! Now she just had to set an alarm for, when she should get off, but other than that... She could just sit back and relax. Oh no... It's starting to rain. And not only did it start to rain. No no, the rain came down faster and faster like a storm was about to come. I will not look forward get out of this bus in the nearest future. She sighed, turned her usual playlist on, and just leaned back. Only a 20-minute drive from here, and then the real hell would begin... School!   The rain was pouring down, and if it hadn’t been for her umbrella, she would have been soaked wet from the rain. Grace had jumped off the bus and was walking over the school's parking lot. To the right, she saw a boy laying on the ground. He was in a position that suggested he was trying to get up, but he seemed to be in the need of a bit of help. Grace rushed over there, "Are you okay?!" she asked, not understanding what he was doing on the ground. The closer she got, the more Grace could see how badly hurt he was. Blood ran from his mouth, and he had a black eye on the left eye which was half-closed in pain. Grace reached a hand out to help him up, but he rejected it. "I don't need your pity." He mumbled, barely loud enough for her to hear it. "Sorry, I was just trying to help! Did I do anything to you? I don't remember seeing you before, though..?" "Do you always talk this much?" He got up, then started to walk away towards the school, "Nevermind" he said before he was out of reach for her to hear him. What's his problem? She asked herself, but she didn't really care at that point. He was just a stupid jerk! Oh no, what's the time? Crap! I'm gonna be late! And all because of that stupid boy..!   "And so you can see, the technology today is far more different, than the technology back then-" Saved by the bell once again. Grace smiled while waiting for all of the classmates to leave the room. As usual. "Remember! You have to do the homework on the following pages: 80-83 in your books!!" The teacher desperately yelled, hoping that any of the students for once would listen. Poor miss. Johnson. She still believes that any of the students will actually start and try to pay attention to her class. Grace looked to her left, and there he was. The boy from earlier, who she had so kindly offered her help to but had just rejected it like it was nothing. She wanted to be mad at him. She wanted to yell while asking: What's your problem?! But she just couldn't make herself do it. She felt sorry for him, although she didn't know why. Maybe it was because he was beaten up? That maybe he didn't have such a great life in general? She didn't wanna make his day worse, but she couldn't help herself. She was so curious! "Hi again," she started while laughing nervously, " so... I was thinking... How did you get so badly beaten up?" He didn't respond, just looked at her with a kind of weird look on his face. "I mean not to be rude or anything! But... It seems like you had a rough morning." Grace looked at him with hope in her eyes, like if she was aching for him to answer her! Just once! "It's nothing for you to worry about. Why do you care anyway?" "Well, I-" He didn't wait for an answer, but he just got up from his chair and left the classroom. Seriously, what is his deal?! Now he's just being rude. But Grace didn't let her hopes get down. She followed him out in the hallway. "Soo, not much of a talker are you, huh?" He just kept walking, as if he hadn't seen her. Uh? Mhm! Her patience was starting to run out. "Hi, Grace!" A guy had suddenly stepped in front of her, just as she was about to ask the strange boy something. "Huh? Hi? Do I know you?" "Uhm... No. But! Uh, I was hoping you had no plans after school." Grace tried not to let the boy from before get out of her sight, but it was pretty hard because of the guy standing in front of her who tried to get her attention so bad! "Huh? No, I don't have any plans." "Great! In that case, I want to ask you if you were up for a date this afternoon?" What?! Oh no, not again..! This always happened to her. No joke! Every guy in the school was madly in love with her! Some were more scared to talk to her than others. It wasn't unusual for her to get asked these sort of questions, but she always got surprised when it happened. Grace didn't wanna just date every guy who asked her out. Firstly, it would be too many dates! And secondly, she always wanted to find someone who loved her for her personality. Not just because of her looks! Though, it was really hard for her, because she had some kind of... Curse? Gift? Depends on how you see it! For her... It was a curse! Because every guy she walked past would ask her on a date, give her a car, house, or worse! So no way! No way, would she ever date someone on the school! Not because of the status and all that crap, but because it would just be unpractical for her! If she had a boyfriend, especially one who was in the same school as her, she wouldn't have time or concentration for her studies! That's why she must reject every guy who asks her out or anything near that. And also because she wanted to find 'the one true love. I know... Cheesy, right? But that was Grace Russells biggest wish, that she so badly wanted to come true! "Hello? Grace!?" "Huh?! Oh, uhm- I just forgot, hehe, I actually have this... Thing? Today, and I don't feel so well, so... Bye!" She hurried up and ran after the strange boy. She didn't even stop once to look back at the guy, whose heart, she just broke.   At last, she catched up to him! "Hey, I was thinking... If you want I can help you patch the bruises up. I have a very good experience since my old friends always got themselves hurt, hehe." He still didn't respond. That boy! She ran to catch up with him. Now, Grace was becoming more determined. She got up in front of him, and surprisingly, he stopped. Just looked down at her with wonder in his eyes. "Please, just- Let me help you! I don't know you that well, but..." She paused, "You're not like all the others..." She mumbled. "Huh?" "Nothing! I just like to help people that's all, hehe." He still just looked at her, like if she was this weird, alien thingy. Suddenly his lips moved. "Well... If that's the only way I can get rid of you then... So be it." He smiled a little while finishing that sentence. She just looked at him, as if he had just mentioned a lot of unnecessary details, which he had. "Okay, no need to be rude..." She mumbled. He looked at her, and she immediately said: "Uhm, nothing! Come on, let's patch you up, shall we?" "What? Like right now?" "Yeah, right now!" Grace took his hand and dragged him to the nurse's office. Technically there was no nurse and never really had bin, but! That didn't mean, they couldn't use the room. "Come on, in here!" She placed him on the 'surgery table' although he didn't lay down he sat up. "Now, let's see what we got." She looked in all the closets and boxes in there, until she found some bandages and cleaning material for the small, yet deeper, wounds. "Ah! It stings!" "Of course it does, dummy." She said with a smug on her face. He didn't seem to notice, because he was too busy looking away and ignoring the small stings. Grace now took the bandages and looked at his black eye. "All done! Now I just need to patch up this black eye of yours." She patched it and was about to put everything back from where she took it, but then she suddenly stopped for some reason. She just stared into his eyes, as he looked into hers. They didn't know how long they had stood there, but suddenly they just snapped out of it. "Uhm- I- Uhh..?" She tried to pull herself together for just a moment. "I am all done patching you up, so... You're free to go I guess." "Uhm... Yeah, sure. Took you forever by the way." "At least see it from the bright side, right?" "Huh?" "You don't ever have to see me again. That was our deal, right? I patched you up, and as a favor, in return, I won't bother you again." She smiled at him, but the truth is... She actually felt kind of sad, that she could never talk to him again. They had a deal. Now she had to hold her end of it. But why? Why do I feel this way? I don't even know the guy that much. Ugh, he's just a stupid jerk. "Oh..! Yeah. I guess you're right." He turned around and headed for the door, but on his way out he suddenly stopped. Huh? "Uhm... I- Uh?" "Yeah?" She asked with just a little hope that he would cancel the deal. But then again... Why should he? "Alec." "Huh?" "My name. It's Alec." "Oh! Grace." "Well, nice to meet you. Grace." He winked at her just before walking out the door and turned right out on the hallway. She still stood back there, blushing, but she didn't know why he winked at her. As far as she understood... He hated her. Or he at least didn't like her. Not long after she heard the school bell ring, and she returned to her class.   "And the groups are, so far-" she paused while scrolling through the patches, "Alya and Alice, Mark and Sonic, Grace and Alexander"... Did she just say-!? Grace and... Alexander? Who even is Alexander? Alec send her a little nervous smile. What? Well, it can't be him, because... Well, he told me his name was Alec. Maybe... He just prefers to be called that? "And you may now move around inside and outside the classroom. Remember! The next time the school bell rings, you can go home. Not before!" The last thing miss. Hamly said with a more strict voice than usual. I guess it's because students lately have left school earlier than they were allowed to. Alec went over to Grace's table. "Guess we're in the same group, huh?" "Uh?! But you said-!" "That my name is Alec? Yes. You see, I prefer to be called that, but my real name is Alexander." "Huh?" She looked at him like she had no clue what he just said. "It's complicated- let's just get to work." "Sure! Alec, hehe." "Mhm... And I had just gotten rid of you." Whaaaa-?! That bastard. And so they sat there, working, for 2 long hours before the bell rang, and they packed their stuff. Alec walked up to Grace with his backpack on. He look kind of nervous but she couldn't tell. She was too busy covering herself up with every scarf, sunglasses, and hat she could find in her bag. "What are you doing?" "Huh? Oh! I'm just... Uh... It might sound crazy, but... I kind of have a, uhm... Curse?" "A curse?" He looked at her as if she had just let out the biggest crap he had ever heard. Which was... Also the case. "Yes, and I know it sounds weird, but... Every guy who looks at me instantly falls in love!" "Huh? Well, I don't see any boys near you right now." "Well, that's because that's not how the curse works!" She was too busy covering herself up to even pay attention to his face, which showed that he didn't believe a word she said! "Then how does it work?" "Every guy who looks at me falls in love, but! They can't really do anything about it." "Aaand why is that?" "It's because the curse kind of... Gives and takes." "Meaning?" "Meaning, that the giving part is the desire of me being 'theirs', while the taking part takes away their bravery to tell me about 'their' feelings." "So it's kind of an endless circle?" He said that while wondering if this could actually be true or if it was just a trick to get his attention. "Yeah, I guess, you could say that. Have you ever noticed why I'm so alone all the time?" "Uhm, actually now that you mention it... No, I haven't. Why is that?" "Well, it's because it would bring more attention to me. I really want to not let anyone fall in love with me because of the curse, because it shuts down for their real feelings, their real desires!" "Then how do you know the curse works?" He asked because he found it strange that there was no sign of this so-called curse. Although, he did not believe in these sort of 'supernatural' things, and he probably never would. "I just... I just know, okay?" "Okay..?" "So you believe me?" Grace was now done covering herself and ready to go home. She looked at him, knowing that it was very hard to believe all the things she just said. "No," Figures. Why would he also believe me? It's like it's taken out of a fairytale or something. "But-" There's a but?! "I wanted to ask you if you were doing anything tomorrow?" "Tomorrow?!" "Yes, tomorrow. I... Wanted to invite you to something. I mean not a date! But a fun activity. As... What do you call it?" "Friends?" "Yeah, that. So... Will you?" "Uhm, sure! I would love to. I don't have much to do these days so... I guess, it would be great to hang out with someone for a little while." Besides, tomorrow is Saturday so if I don't go, then I would probably just sit at home and be really bored. "Great. See you tomorrow then." "Uhm, can I ask why?" "Huh?" He looked at her not understanding her question. "Well, I just wanted to know why me? Like, why now? I thought you hated me." "What? Oh, yeah! It's just... I kind of have a habit of keeping picking the wrong kind of people to be around. And... You are the first in a very long time to actually reach contact and help me, so... I guess, that's why I asked you." "Uhm... Okay. Uh... I'll be there tomorrow." She took out a piece of paper and wrote some numbers on it. "Uh, what are you doing?" Grace took the paper and held it up for him to take it. "Here's my phone number. Write the details to me later." Alec took the phone number and smiled a little. "Will do. Well... Bye then." "No no. Not 'bye'. 'See you tomorrow'." He turned around in the doorway and looked strange at her for a few seconds. "Hehe, sure. See you tomorrow." Then he turned around and walked out the door. Grace still stood there getting her thoughts together once again. Wait a minute... I, Grace Russell, just talked with a guy... Without him falling in love with me?! How is that even possible? And more importantly... Who is this guy? Although, Grace didn't know the answer to her questions... She put these thoughts aside for a while, and she went home at last. Tomorrow... Will be a great day. And she was sure of that.