In one of the small changing rooms of the Agrabah Palace, Jasmine pressed down the purple outfit she had chosen from the rack. Oh, yes, she decided, this was definitely the one.
“Honey, that is divine!” she heard Jeannie’s voice say from another cubicle. Stepping out from her own, she wondered what exactly Jeannie had found for Belle to wear. It would be something good, of course it would, but she was tingling to find out what.
She was about to leave the changing rooms and show Meg and Snow White her outfit when she heard the sound of another curtain being pulled back and Jeannie grinned at her. “Jasmine, honey, tell me she doesn’t look lovely!”
Jasmine felt her jaw drop as Belle came out of the cubicle. She was wearing a beautiful yellow ball gown with matching gloves and shoes. Jeannie had tied her hair up for her just to show her what it would look like. “Belle, you look...well, more than lovely!”
“Do you think so?” asked Belle, nervously.
Jeannie handed her a mirror. “Take a look, love! You see! Belle of the ball indeed!”
Belle hardly recognised herself. “Well, the dress is lovely...”
“Hey, guys! Take a look at this one!” called Meg from the store. Jasmine went out to see what she was calling out about. She was holding a dark blue number up to Snow White. “I’m telling you, you look good!”
“Well, I do like the big orange bow at the back,” began Snow White, and then she broke off on seeing Belle. “Oh, wow! Belle!”
Meg stared at her. “Oh my God! That’s the one! Definitely the one!”
Belle blushed. “Do you really think so?”
“Adam’s not going to be able to resist you in that!” grinned Snow White. “Oh, you have to get it!”
“I told you!” grinned Jeannie, gleefully. “Yellow suits you, honey!”
“You look like a princess,” said Meg, grinning.
Belle smiled. “Well, if you guys insist...”
“We do!” said Snow White, firmly. “Look, ok, I’ll get this blue one if Belle gets that yellow one!”
Belle giggled. “Ok, I’ll get it.”
“Excellent choice, love!” gushed Jeannie, rigging the price up on the till. “Who’s this Adam, anyway?”
“He’s my...”
“Boyfriend!” put in Jasmine with a grin.
Belle’s blush deepened. “He’s not my boyfriend! He’s a friend.”
“Who happens to be taking our Belle to the school dance,” Meg reminded her.
“Ah, your date for the evening!” Jeannie grinned. “Well, they’re right, honey! In that dress, he won’t be able to resist you!”
It was a lovely dress, Belle had to admit, and she did look good in it; but it really was more for the evenings. She was beginning to understand what Meg meant now about her other dresses. In this place, at this time of day, she felt too overdressed and was glad to change into her old blue one and pull her hair back into its usual ponytail. But for the dance, well, she couldn’t wait to put it on again. So it was that she bought the entire outfit, shoes and gloves too.
“Lucky,” said Jasmine. “I need to find some shoes to go with mine.”
“Yeah, me too!” Meg reminded her. “Let’s go to Glass Slippers.”
“Oh, I’ve got shoes,” said Snow White, “but I’m out of makeup. I’m gonna go to Nature Knows Best. Can I meet you guys there?”
“Ok, we’ll come to you if we finish first, and vice versa,” said Meg.
Belle found her head quickly turned by a small used bookstore. “Um, is it ok if I meet you guys there too?”
“You’ll ruin your eyes with all that reading,” Jasmine teased her with a grin. “Ok, we’ll see you there.”
“No, I tell you what,” said Meg. “We’ll all meet by the fountain and then go for lunch in Tiana’s Palace.”
“Yeah, ok,” agreed Snow White.
“Got it!” said Jasmine, already halfway to the shoe shop.
“See you there,” smiled Belle, before she slipped into the bookstore. More than anything, she loved little second-hand book shops, because you could find all kinds of interesting things in there. To her great surprise and pleasure, she found a good copy of one of her old favourites she had borrowed from her own town library years ago, Little Women. She bought it and went to sit by the fountain, reading as she walked. That was something of a talent she possessed. She reached the fountain and sat down on the edge of it. It was rather peaceful, to sit and listen to the water pouring down beside her. It was relaxing, tranquil in fact.
“Shoo, shoo,” said the voice of a shepardess as she passed, and Belle thought for a second the woman was referring to her, but she was in fact referring to her flock, some of whom had stopped to watched Belle in her reading. She smiled and patted their heads affectionately before they were all herded on by their commander.
“Hey, Belle!”
She looked up and smiled. It was Ariel. “Hi, Ariel. How come you’re here?” John’s not around, she thought to add, but decided against it in case it sounded too catty.
“Oh, I love coming into town,” smiled Ariel. “I went to pick up some more art supplies.”
“For another sculpture?”
“Nah. I’m painting now.”
“Painting what?”
Ariel’s blush gave her away. “Pictures of John.”
Belle patted the wall where she sat for Ariel to sit down beside her. “Ariel, I can understand you like him, but have you ever considered you might be getting obsessed with him?”
Her blush deepened. “Maybe, just a little. I can’t help it.”
“It’s understandable,” said Belle, truthfully. “John’s a good looking guy, but I just don’t want you turning out like Esme with Phoebus.”
“Oh, you know, she had a go at me a while back when she thought I was flirting with Phoebus.”
“Yeah?”
“I hear you stood up for her and she stopped, though. Good for you.”
“Thanks.”
“Are you looking forward to the dance?” asked Ariel, stretching, lazily. She smiled, teasingly. “I hear Adam asked you out.”
“He didn’t ask me out, as such. He just asked me to the dance.”
“Well, whatever.”
“But, yes, I am looking forward to it.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Did John...you know? Ask you?”
“Nah, but it’s ok. I’ll ask him for a dance or something when he’s had too much punch or something!” Ariel giggled. “Maybe if he gets really squiffy, I’ll seduce him!”
“Ariel!” Belle felt the colour rush to her cheeks.
“Oh, come on, Belle! I’m kidding! I’d like to have a relationship with him before we go doing that!” Ariel rocked back, clasping her knees. She took in Belle’s blush. “Oh, my God! Belle! You haven’t ever...you know, have you?”
Belle ducked her head. “I’m saving it for the boy I fall in love with.”
“Aw! That’s so sweet!” Ariel smiled.
Belle had never thought about that before, well, apart from when Gaston tried it on with her, that is. “Do people, you know...at school? I mean, in their rooms or whatever?”
“Yeah, sometimes.” Ariel shrugged. “When they feel like it.” Belle’s blush deepened. “Oh, sorry, if this is making you feel awkward, I can stop talking about it.”
“No, it’s ok. I just didn’t really give it much thought before, that’s all.” Belle smiled. “Is it true that men want it more than women?”
“Nah, I don’t think so. I think they think about it more than we do, but, you know, we have different brains to them, so it’s to be expected. Just make sure you’re with a guy you trust 100% before you lose it, though, that’s my advice.”
Belle smiled. “It’s good advice.”
“Hey!”
That was Meg and Jasmine, with Snow White not far behind them. “Hey, Ariel,” grinned Snow White, cheerily.
“Hey,” Ariel greeted them. “Been shoe shopping?”
“Yeah!” Jasmine grinned. “Need shoes for the dance!”
“Well, I’d better get going,” said Ariel, getting to her feet. “I’m meeting Rapunzel and Merrida at the pictures. See ya, Belle.”
“Bye!” Belle called as she left.
“Belle, are you ok?” asked Meg, glancing at her. “Your face has gone really, really red.”
“I’m fine,” insisted Belle, in spite of her lobster red cheeks. “Shall we eat? I’m starving!”
“Honey, that is divine!” she heard Jeannie’s voice say from another cubicle. Stepping out from her own, she wondered what exactly Jeannie had found for Belle to wear. It would be something good, of course it would, but she was tingling to find out what.
She was about to leave the changing rooms and show Meg and Snow White her outfit when she heard the sound of another curtain being pulled back and Jeannie grinned at her. “Jasmine, honey, tell me she doesn’t look lovely!”
Jasmine felt her jaw drop as Belle came out of the cubicle. She was wearing a beautiful yellow ball gown with matching gloves and shoes. Jeannie had tied her hair up for her just to show her what it would look like. “Belle, you look...well, more than lovely!”
“Do you think so?” asked Belle, nervously.
Jeannie handed her a mirror. “Take a look, love! You see! Belle of the ball indeed!”
Belle hardly recognised herself. “Well, the dress is lovely...”
“Hey, guys! Take a look at this one!” called Meg from the store. Jasmine went out to see what she was calling out about. She was holding a dark blue number up to Snow White. “I’m telling you, you look good!”
“Well, I do like the big orange bow at the back,” began Snow White, and then she broke off on seeing Belle. “Oh, wow! Belle!”
Meg stared at her. “Oh my God! That’s the one! Definitely the one!”
Belle blushed. “Do you really think so?”
“Adam’s not going to be able to resist you in that!” grinned Snow White. “Oh, you have to get it!”
“I told you!” grinned Jeannie, gleefully. “Yellow suits you, honey!”
“You look like a princess,” said Meg, grinning.
Belle smiled. “Well, if you guys insist...”
“We do!” said Snow White, firmly. “Look, ok, I’ll get this blue one if Belle gets that yellow one!”
Belle giggled. “Ok, I’ll get it.”
“Excellent choice, love!” gushed Jeannie, rigging the price up on the till. “Who’s this Adam, anyway?”
“He’s my...”
“Boyfriend!” put in Jasmine with a grin.
Belle’s blush deepened. “He’s not my boyfriend! He’s a friend.”
“Who happens to be taking our Belle to the school dance,” Meg reminded her.
“Ah, your date for the evening!” Jeannie grinned. “Well, they’re right, honey! In that dress, he won’t be able to resist you!”
It was a lovely dress, Belle had to admit, and she did look good in it; but it really was more for the evenings. She was beginning to understand what Meg meant now about her other dresses. In this place, at this time of day, she felt too overdressed and was glad to change into her old blue one and pull her hair back into its usual ponytail. But for the dance, well, she couldn’t wait to put it on again. So it was that she bought the entire outfit, shoes and gloves too.
“Lucky,” said Jasmine. “I need to find some shoes to go with mine.”
“Yeah, me too!” Meg reminded her. “Let’s go to Glass Slippers.”
“Oh, I’ve got shoes,” said Snow White, “but I’m out of makeup. I’m gonna go to Nature Knows Best. Can I meet you guys there?”
“Ok, we’ll come to you if we finish first, and vice versa,” said Meg.
Belle found her head quickly turned by a small used bookstore. “Um, is it ok if I meet you guys there too?”
“You’ll ruin your eyes with all that reading,” Jasmine teased her with a grin. “Ok, we’ll see you there.”
“No, I tell you what,” said Meg. “We’ll all meet by the fountain and then go for lunch in Tiana’s Palace.”
“Yeah, ok,” agreed Snow White.
“Got it!” said Jasmine, already halfway to the shoe shop.
“See you there,” smiled Belle, before she slipped into the bookstore. More than anything, she loved little second-hand book shops, because you could find all kinds of interesting things in there. To her great surprise and pleasure, she found a good copy of one of her old favourites she had borrowed from her own town library years ago, Little Women. She bought it and went to sit by the fountain, reading as she walked. That was something of a talent she possessed. She reached the fountain and sat down on the edge of it. It was rather peaceful, to sit and listen to the water pouring down beside her. It was relaxing, tranquil in fact.
“Shoo, shoo,” said the voice of a shepardess as she passed, and Belle thought for a second the woman was referring to her, but she was in fact referring to her flock, some of whom had stopped to watched Belle in her reading. She smiled and patted their heads affectionately before they were all herded on by their commander.
“Hey, Belle!”
She looked up and smiled. It was Ariel. “Hi, Ariel. How come you’re here?” John’s not around, she thought to add, but decided against it in case it sounded too catty.
“Oh, I love coming into town,” smiled Ariel. “I went to pick up some more art supplies.”
“For another sculpture?”
“Nah. I’m painting now.”
“Painting what?”
Ariel’s blush gave her away. “Pictures of John.”
Belle patted the wall where she sat for Ariel to sit down beside her. “Ariel, I can understand you like him, but have you ever considered you might be getting obsessed with him?”
Her blush deepened. “Maybe, just a little. I can’t help it.”
“It’s understandable,” said Belle, truthfully. “John’s a good looking guy, but I just don’t want you turning out like Esme with Phoebus.”
“Oh, you know, she had a go at me a while back when she thought I was flirting with Phoebus.”
“Yeah?”
“I hear you stood up for her and she stopped, though. Good for you.”
“Thanks.”
“Are you looking forward to the dance?” asked Ariel, stretching, lazily. She smiled, teasingly. “I hear Adam asked you out.”
“He didn’t ask me out, as such. He just asked me to the dance.”
“Well, whatever.”
“But, yes, I am looking forward to it.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Did John...you know? Ask you?”
“Nah, but it’s ok. I’ll ask him for a dance or something when he’s had too much punch or something!” Ariel giggled. “Maybe if he gets really squiffy, I’ll seduce him!”
“Ariel!” Belle felt the colour rush to her cheeks.
“Oh, come on, Belle! I’m kidding! I’d like to have a relationship with him before we go doing that!” Ariel rocked back, clasping her knees. She took in Belle’s blush. “Oh, my God! Belle! You haven’t ever...you know, have you?”
Belle ducked her head. “I’m saving it for the boy I fall in love with.”
“Aw! That’s so sweet!” Ariel smiled.
Belle had never thought about that before, well, apart from when Gaston tried it on with her, that is. “Do people, you know...at school? I mean, in their rooms or whatever?”
“Yeah, sometimes.” Ariel shrugged. “When they feel like it.” Belle’s blush deepened. “Oh, sorry, if this is making you feel awkward, I can stop talking about it.”
“No, it’s ok. I just didn’t really give it much thought before, that’s all.” Belle smiled. “Is it true that men want it more than women?”
“Nah, I don’t think so. I think they think about it more than we do, but, you know, we have different brains to them, so it’s to be expected. Just make sure you’re with a guy you trust 100% before you lose it, though, that’s my advice.”
Belle smiled. “It’s good advice.”
“Hey!”
That was Meg and Jasmine, with Snow White not far behind them. “Hey, Ariel,” grinned Snow White, cheerily.
“Hey,” Ariel greeted them. “Been shoe shopping?”
“Yeah!” Jasmine grinned. “Need shoes for the dance!”
“Well, I’d better get going,” said Ariel, getting to her feet. “I’m meeting Rapunzel and Merrida at the pictures. See ya, Belle.”
“Bye!” Belle called as she left.
“Belle, are you ok?” asked Meg, glancing at her. “Your face has gone really, really red.”
“I’m fine,” insisted Belle, in spite of her lobster red cheeks. “Shall we eat? I’m starving!”