broken...

Julius held her in his arms as she slowly died. She was a beauty indeed and the love of his life. All that was left was the memories of her which he'll cherish forever. She was badly wounded in battle against their own people who turned against them.

The vimpere prince watched as she slowly sunk into darkness, never coming back. She was his everything. The very air he breathes. They were the best vimpere couples known in the kingdom of light.

The prince was shattered into pieces after the death of his beloved wife. Princess Irene was a brave and strong worrier and a princess. After her death, the prince went to sleep for a very long time, with a piece of wood stiffed into his heart.

For a thousand years, the vimperes dispersed and the kingdom of light was lost forever. A scientist by the name Goodwin discovered the lost kingdom of light. He moved everything that looked historical to the national museum including the wooden curved coffin in which the vimpere prince laid peacefully.

Many students and organisations came to take a look at the mysterious coffin and found it amusing.

"Belle, you're gonna be late for school" Mrs Joan said while she pulled the half awake girl from bed.

she yawned and looked at her with her mouth paused.

"oh..no, there's no way you're staying home today young lady" her mom pointed her finger at her and said.

"please mom, just for today, I promise I'll go tomorrow" Belle pleaded with her mom.

"No, you're going and that's final!!" she stamped into the kitchen leaving Belle with her sad face.

she recalled the embarrassing moment that happened in school yesterday.

"Hey where are you going bit*h, come let's have fun".

Everyone knows Manuel and his gangs. Although he's handsome and rich, he acts like a jerk. He makes his goons do the dirty work while he stands and watch. Like one time when a new male student was transferred to the school.

He made his gang bullied him until he had enough and finally left the school. When he left, Manuel made his gang track him down and when they found him, they gave him the beatings of his life.

They reported to the police but they did nothing because his father is a very powerful business man. And now that he has nobody to bully, he targeted Belle to be his next victim. The school authorities had nothing to say about his disturbing behaviour since his father is the one who donates big to the school.

Everyone in the school including the teachers are gravely afraid of him. Nobody had ever stood up to him, ever.

This time, he poured oil paint on her making her the laughing stock in the school. So, she decided not to go to school for a while, but her strict mother will not allow that to happen.

She sighed in confusion and stepped into the bathroom to take a bath. She relaxed in the bathtub while her thoughts drifted to the incident that happened in school.

"Belle!!, Belle!!, how long will you stay in there?!, don't play games with me young lady" Mrs Joan called out.

Belle sighed for the umpteenth time then decided to come out cause there's no way on earth she's going to be allowed to stay home. She came out of the bathroom, dried her hair and slipped into her school uniform.

She went out if the room to the kitchen where her mom had finished cooking dinner. She sat down on the kitchen stool while she ate her food on the counter.

She looked pale all of a sudden and her mom noticed the gloomy face she had.

"What's wrong honey?, why are you looking like that?" Mrs Joan asked in her soft motherly tone.

"It's nothing mom, I'll just take my leave" with these words, she stormed out of the house without saying goodbye to her mom

Mrs Joan gave out a desperate sigh and wondered what was going on with her daughter. Since her husband kicked the bucket, she has been trying her possible best to take care of their daughter any how she can.

Thankfully her daughter is a brilliant student and she has gotten a scholarship to go to the high school of her dreams. She knows that high school is full of rich spoiled brats but she has no choice to talk her out cause that's the school she likes and wants. She's just afraid that she wouldn't fit in.

Belle quickly caught up with the school bus as it almost left. As she got into the bus, she heard people laughing and others giggling and whispering something into ones ear.

"isn't this the ragged girl everyone is talking about?" one girl whispered to the other girl sitting next to her.

"Yeah.. she's the girl in the video, poor girl she has to be the next victim of Manuel, so sad" the other girl said with a sad tone.

"But she's a beauty".

"Yeah right .. I love her ginger red hair, it's so long and pretty and silly and soft. Oh...how I wish I had her hair" one girl said with dreamy eyes.

"Yeah, Yeah.. but still, that beauty will be ruined by Manuel. He doesn't know when and how to stop when you fall victim to him".

Belle just chuckled and went to the back seat were nobody was sitting. She kept on listening to their nonsense until the bus cane to a halt. She gave out a deep breath before stepping out but someone intentionally pushed her and she fell flat on her face. Those present started laughing. She got up, dusted herself and headed to class, ignoring the laughter.

When she got to the entrance, she held tight to her bag as I'd it was going to protect her. She carefully took her steps while looking down. She slowly walked to her locker, only then did she raise her head and noticed that there is a picture of her pasted all over the place. In the picture, she was soiled with paint.

"This is so embarrassing" two students who were passing by said while giggling silently.

When she opened her locker, she was stunned at the scene that greeted her. All her books and text books were torn others were soiled with oil paint.

She closed the locker with a bang and run to the girls washroom pouring her heats out not caring who heard. She didn't realise that she has been there for a long time.

She finally came out but she found out that the main door to the room has been locked form the outside.

She screamed for help but got no response. It seemed like everyone has gone to class. She sat at a corner and hugged her knee. To like what seemed like forever, she head some voices approaching.

"Help!!!, someone please help me!!, am stuck in here!!" she screamed.

She saw the door knob turn and the door opened.

"Why are you screaming weirdo?" a blonde girl asked.

"Someone locked me in here", Belle said.

"whatever, you look horrible" the girl said with a chuckle and went on to do whatever she came to do.

Belle walked to the mirror to take a look and it was true. She looked like a ghost. She washed her face with water and cleaned it with some tissue.

She adjusted her hair which looked bushy and left the washroom. She came to a halt when she caught a glimpse of Manuel and his followers walking towards her direction. She quickly turned to walk away but she suddenly felt someone's hand on her wrist.

"where do you think you are going?, the boss wants to talk to you" one of the deciples of Manuel said with an evil smile.

"I see you have managed to escape from my trap" Manual said with a grim expression.

He pulled her hair, Belle cried out in pain. He whispered something into her ears.

"Don't even think of leaving this school or this town or I'll make your life a living hell" he warned.

Belle struggled to remove his hand as the pain was unbearable.

"Get it!?" he yelled.

"Ye..y... yes", she said with a breaking voice.

As she struggled to hold back her tears.

"Good" he released her and said with a laugh, which indeed his followers also did.

She wiped her tears with the back of her hands and walked to her history class.

"Hey Ms Belle, you don't look so good. Your eyes are red and you look pale, us everything okay?" Mrs Lordina asked when she scanned Belle from head to toe.

"Am okay ma'am, just some headache" Belle said.

"Okay", Mrs Lordina said and started with her teachings.

After that, she gave an announcement which made the students excited.

"So, we've been invited to the national museum where we'll learn about alot of things. Especially the history about the lost kingdom of light where vimperes ruled for thousands of years".

The students chatted among themselves happily, except for Belle who knew her biggest bully will be there and there wont be fun for her.

"see you tomorrow students and don't forget to bring your camping equipments. It's actually going to be fun" Mrs Lordina assured.

Belle was glade that school is finally over. She couldn't wait to get home. She packed the few books she brought into her bag and left the classroom. As she walked, she felt something hit the back of her head. She turned to see who did that and as usual it was Manuel and his gang of followers.

"where do you think you're off to. Don't even think of it" Manuel muttered.

Belle stood like a statue with her head bent.

"Look at me when am talking to you!!" he commanded.

Belle with trembling legs lifted her head.

"so...,sor.... sorry", she said with trembling voice.

"Now.., come with me", Manuel commanded.

He led her to the principle's office and told her to go and steal the exam papers for next week's examination.

"I,..I,..ca...can't do it" she said carefully under her breath.

"what did you say?", he asked.

"N..no.. nothing", she said.

"Good, now go get me those papers and quickly", Manuel said sounding authoritative.

She walked carefully into the principle's office. She searched and searched for the papers and she finally found them. It was in a yellow folder.

As she was about to leave, she heard footsteps approaching. She quickly hid under the table. Then the door to the office opened, she held tightly unto the folder. She heard the footsteps leaving. She gave out a deep breath of relief and quickly left the office and handed the folder to Manuel.

"Good, now you can go" he said and left with his followers as usual.

Belle went home looking more paler than before. She went straight to her room and drifted off to sleep.