Love is Beautiful (She's so Ugly)

Chapter Twenty Two (part two)

Jacob was walking his way to where he parked his car when he came by Merida leaning against Leo's car. She was staring at her phone, maybe texting someone because she was grinning. He wonders where Leo was at.

Since Leo wasn't around he approached Merida. "Hey," he greeted.

Merida looked up and her grin slowly turned into a straight line. "Hi," she greeted back.

"Uhh... You alone?" He asked as if he didn't saw Leo earlier.

"No, I'm with Leo. He forgot to buy some oil so he went back," she replied nonchalantly. Merida isn't a bit interested in such talks with Jacob anymore.

Jacob wanted to ask if Merida and Leo were together but then her answer would probably only hurt him more. "You changed."

Merida sighed and flipped her hair, looking at him with a raised brow. "Pain changes a lot of things, Jacob. Emotionally or physically, if it hurts you, you want to want to do something that'll stop the pain no matter what."

"I understand that I've caused you pain and I hurt you badly but you shouldn't change yourself because of that!" he ranted. His gaze pierced fiercely at her.

Merida scoffed.

"I like this change. It makes me feel beautiful and confident on my own" Merida stared at his angry eyes. "I'd rather describe this all as being cautious around people like you than call it 'change'. If you stop by just for that, you better just go."

Jacob is upset with Merida right now but he is more upset at his self. "Fine, be like that. You're still ugly anyways."

He didn't mean to say that, he was just driven by his feelings. Even he feels bad for saying that and what's worse was when Merida started crying.

"I-I didn't—" he was about to touch Merida when she pushed him away.

"Don't freaking touch me!" She shouts and glared at Jacob with her tears falling. "I'm not ugly! And guess what I discovered? I don't need anyone to tell me I'm beautiful especially you! Now leave me alone like you should've done a long time ago!"

Jacob was defeated with guilt and pain in his chest. He took a glance at Merida with sadness in his eyes and then walks away. Pain does change people and love... Love can be very evil.

Merida wiped her tears, accepting the fact that Jacob had played her well. It was too good that she believed in his words. Even almost fallen wholly into a lie that he finds her beautiful.

Leo saw the whole thing but decided to let Merida handle things. It seems like she was really still into him but just blinded by pain. He sighed and started walking towards Merida. When she saw him, she immediately hugged him tight and cried.

Leo smiled sadly and then hugged Merida back. His story was so much sadder than Merida's or Jacob's. But who knows, maybe things will turn his way in the end.

"He called me ugly... Am I ugly?" She asked sobbing.

"Are you?" he asked back.

Merida didn't answer him, she'd just tighten her grip on his shirt.

"Listen to me. They might describe you as 'ugly' 'trash' 'goldfish' or whatever but it doesn't define you. Those adjectives come out like that because you're letting them describe you like that. You can always change how they describe you if you would just do something to change it. Just don't let what they say define you... Show them the real you." Leo moved to cup Merida's face and wipe her tears using his thumb. "Show them what you're showing me. I swear just like at that play, I'll be there at the front row."

Merida somehow managed to beam at Leo. "I wish I befriended you first," she said, chuckling softly.

"I wish I had more time." They stayed gazing at each other's eyes for a while until he added, "Let's cook some egg rolls. I'm pretty hungry."

Merida laughed and let go of him. Leo opened the door for her and then turns around to the other side. Before he got in the car, he saw Jacob looking at him from afar. Leo's face expression drop to deadpan. Their eye contact didn't last long as he went inside but Jacob's face, Leo can see pain and anger.

Well, that's what you get when you're being too foolish, he thought.