"Once Upon A Time High: Making dreams a reality since 1888"

Belle read the brochure for the local private school dubiously. It seemed like such a cliché motto, the kind that guaranteed that the school wouldn't be particularly good. It seemed like a school where anyone could go, so long as they had a plump wallet, one where misbehavior could be covered up with some cold, hard cash.

Of course, she would find out soon enough exactly what the school was like as her father had just gotten a teaching job there. The two had just moved from France and her Papa was thrilled to be working as the Woodshop teacher. They weren't a wealthy family but, with her father's new job and Belle's grades, the school had happily given her a scholarship.

She pulled her skirt down slightly, thoroughly uncomfortable with its short length. She straightened her black tie and reached into her ragged messenger bag. She felt her fingers grace the cover of her favorite book and sighed in relief. She wouldn't have been able to start the day without it.

"Courage, ce n'est pas si terrible" she muttered to herself. It was an expression that she often told herself before social situations. She believed that it translated to "courage is not so terrible". Belle had never been chatty or at ease with large groups of people. She preferred to watch-to observe life and create her own realties-rather than join in.

However, as soon as she stepped inside the tall school building, she knew that it would be nearly impossible to avoid her classmates. There were just so many of them. She was nearly knocked over by a tall, handsome boy the moment she stepped inside. Although a tall, handsome man was probably a more appropriate description. With chin length dark hair, clear blue eyes, and devilish grin, it was easy to see that he was one of the most attractive men she had ever met. However, his hulking build and brutish smile made her wildly ill at ease. She couldn't help but notice that his charming smile seemed more like a lascivious leer in disguise.

"Pardon me," She stuttered, the English phrase feeling unfamiliar on her tongue even though she was nearly fluent. Studying French in a classroom with other francophones was far different from speaking to a person whose first language was English. Her stomach clenched anxiously as she noticed how thick her accent sounded, even to her own ears.

"Any day," He said charmingly, flashing an appreciative grin, clearly taking pleasure in her frazzled expression. Flushing beet red, Belle made haste towards the front office. It took her a moment to locate her destination and she felt like crying with relief once she did. The office was painted a dull cream color and was home to a long brown desk and stacks of filing cabinets just as every good office should. An office would be filled with nonthreateningly adults and not tall, handsome students who seemed ready to attack.

'Excuse me," She said timidly, peering over the desk into a seemingly empty room, that is, until a stout woman with loose white bun and warm smile popped up in front of her.

"Hello dear," the woman answered distractedly as she blindly ran her hands over her desk. Belle spotted a pair of red-framed glasses and quickly handed them to the woman.

"Here you go, Madame," She was rewarded with a class schedule and a chocolate bar.

"Thank you, Belle Spirituel," She looked at the girl to confirm that she had handed her the right schedule, "Call me Mrs. Potts. Now, you should best be getting off to class, don't hesitate to come back if you have any questions." The woman finished kindly and watched over the tip of her spectacles as the beautiful girl walked back to the main hall apprehensively. She was looking at the school map trying to locate her first class when another person walked right into her, throwing of her balance and sending her schedule flying.

"Terribly sorry," A slender girl with long dark hair apologized as she picked up the piece of paper moments before it was trampled by a dirty, red sneaker, "Are you new?" Belle blushed, certain that, to any passerby, she must seem terrified by the crush of students racing down the halls.

"Is it that obvious?" She smiled at the copper skinned girl who returned the gesture. She gently pulled her schedule out of her hands and located her first class.

"A little, let's see, you have AP calculus with Miss Boo. So do I, I'll walk you there." She started to lead the girl to the classroom silently. Standing next to the almost stoic young woman, Belle felt some of her anxieties about sticking out melt away. So far, everyone she had encountered had been kind to her.

"So are you a senior?" Her walking companion asked her, curiously.

"No, I'm a junior. Je-I-I'm Belle," She introduced herself, fumbling on her words as she made a conscious effort to speak English. The girl looked at her again, slightly dumbfounded, but not by her language slip-up.

"Wow, you're in so many advanced classes. Anyways, I'm Pocahontas, although most call me Poca, and I'm a senior." They had just reached the classroom and Belle snagged a seat in the back, thankful that Pocahontas sat down beside her. The other seats near her were soon occupied by a couple of the girl's friends. One was a fair skinned girl with short, curly blonde hair who seemed to ooze excitement and flair while the other had dark skin and wispy black hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. She was shocked by how beautiful and kind the three girls were.

"Hello Sugar," The blonde began in Southern drawl, "I'm Lottie, and you are?" She asked interestedly. Belle introduced herself and noticed that her accent seemed to fascinate the two girls.

"I'm Tia-well Tiana- but just about everyone calls me Tia. Are you French? We're from New Orleans so we speak a bit." The dark skinned beauty explained. Belle nodded quietly, she found that she was comfortable among her new friends.

"Hello class," A chubby old woman with a round face and blue cloak-like jacket greeted her students, "I'm Mrs. Bippety Boppity Boo-I understand that it's rather long and almost cartoon-sounding so please call me Mrs. Boo-I hope that we will have an excellent year. Please direct your attention to the projector so we can begin." The class passed by uneventfully and Belle felt as though a large weight had been lifted off her shoulders as the hour wore on. She had expected to feel completely ostracized and out of place on her first day and was pleasantly surprised by her new American school and its inhabitants.

She received directions from Poca to her next class and promised to sit with them at lunch. Belle darted down the hallway to her locker so that she could put away some books when she spotted someone looking at her from across the hall. It was the dark haired boy from earlier and she quickly threw her books in the locker, hoping to move quickly enough that she might avoid his company. Much to her chagrin, she was not quick enough to escape the intimidating young man.

"So we meet again," he boomed, towering over the averagely small brunette. He was mesmerized by her round hazel eyes and the creaminess of her skin, which was turning redder each second. He thrilled at the effect he had on the girl and resolved to make her his next conquest, smiling as he pictured her in a more intimate setting.

"Um, yes," She faltered, her English failing her in her moment of need. She felt so nervous in his presence and wished that she could escape to the library-though she did not know where it was yet. Large butterflies had taken flight in her stomach, but it wasn't the sensation that accompanied the excitement of new love. Rather, it filled her with dread as if he was a particularly clever animal stalking its prey.

"So, you're Belle, the new girl from France?" He continued without waiting for a response, which was probably for the best as she wouldn't have been able to speak anyways, "I'm Gaston and I would be overjoyed to show you around school," He offered, his words coming out as if he was boasting instead of trying to help. Look at me, his face said, Aren't I handsome?

Feeling trapped, Belle ducked under a toned arm and dashed to her classroom, leaving a confused teen in her midst. But as Gaston watched her skirt hitch slightly on the bottom of her backpack, he resolved to woo the quiet girl, whatever the cost. He doubted it would be difficult, after all, he was Gaston Salaud, the king of Once Upon A Time High, and he was excellent at making his dreams a reality.

She had just stepped inside the English room when the warning bell rang and she quickly snagged a seat near the front. Literature had always been her favorite subject and she had been placed in a senior class due to her previous school. In France, the curriculum was quite different and she had covered most of the genres that kids in American schools would in their junior year. Of course, the books weren't the same but Belle had taken it upon herself to make sure that she would not be behind and, as a result, had been too prepared to attend the same classes as most students her age. She pulled a blue spiral notebook and pen out of her bag and placed them on the desk in front of her, eagerly awaiting the beginning of class. Unfortunately for Belle—but to the pleasure of every other student in the room—the teacher was nearly twenty minutes late to class. At the fifteen-minute mark, she noticed that many of the students stand up and leave. Apparently after fifteen minutes without a teacher, a class was turned into a free period. But Belle refused to leave the one class that she had been looking forward to without seeing the teacher first. By the time an older, cruel looking teacher appeared, only three students remained: an athletic boy with short dark hair, an exotic looking girl with vivid green eyes that seemed to glow and thick, wavy black hair, and Belle.

"I see that everyone else has already left. My name is Master- excuse me- Mr. Frollo. Will you all please take out The Scarlet Letterso we can begin?" He was dressed in dark pants and an equally dark shirt with a white priest's collar. Belle took the Freudian slip at face value and decided that he was a teacher who would not be kind if he had to issue an order twice. Already afraid of the teacher, she moved quickly in order to comply with his request.

After they had all opened their books, he told them to read in a group of three and left the classroom, claiming he required the restroom. Skeptical that their teacher would return before the classroom ended, the students moved their desks so that they sat in a triangle.

"He never even called attendance," The boy sighed before looking at Belle and excitedly asking, "Hey, are you the new girl?" In a school like OUATH, a new student was big news. It was a midsized boarding school that rarely acquired new students.

"Yes, I'm Belle." She informed them both before the enchanting girl spoke.

"Hello Belle, I'm Esmeralda, which I know is a mouthful, But I'm not one for nicknames. And this dreamy lad," she winked jokingly, "is Damon Charm, although he is a nickname kind of guy, so most call him Charming." She was so kind and open that Belle found herself quickly comfortable with the enchanting girl.

Instead of reading, the three decided to chat the entire class period and Belle was pleasantly surprised at how well she got along with the very different individuals, She began to open up to them and participated fully in the conversation.

"So Charming, what do you do?" She inquired after Esmeralda finished talking about her dance team and her aspiration to become a professional performer.

"Basketball, soccer, and track." He smiled and went on to describe the rush of making a basket or scoring a goal. In fact, he was so excited to have a captivated audience as he spoke about sports that he forgot to mention he was the student body president.

"Yeah, Charming here, is the real deal. He's practically a prince," Esmeralda teased, nudging the blushing boy. It was quite easy to tell that the two were best friends and she felt herself relax in their company.

"So, when do you turn eighteen?" Charming asked near the end of the class period. He and Esmeralda had been talking about the freedom that came along with adulthood and how much they each craved it.

"Actually, I just turned seventeen last month. I was supposed to be a junior and I guess that I am, in a way. I'm just a junior in all senior classes," She giggled slightly at how ridiculous her last statement sounded.

"Damn girl, you must be a genius," The green eyed girl commented and Bell shrugged, flattered. She was sad to leave her new friends when the bell rang, signaling the end of class, but got both of their numbers and promised to meet up with them the next day after school.

As they were leaving the classroom, Esmeralda noticed Belle's irritation with her skirt and took her to the bathroom to help her with it. She had Belle remove the skirt and wait in a stall while she ripped open the seem at the bottom so that is was three or four inches longer before whipping out a needle and thread and hemming it half an inch.

"Merci beaucoup," Belle cried with delight when she saw that her skirt now reached the top of her knees.

"Just a little Home Ec magic for you," Her friend winked before walking her to the lunchroom. While she would have loved to sit with Charming and Esmeralda in the cafeteria or outside on the lawn where she saw so many eating, she had promised to meet up with the girls from her math class and wasn't one to break promises.

She spotted Poca, Lottie, and Tia in the back of the lunch line and waved to them. They gestured for her to join them even though she had pulled out a brown paper bag that held her lunch. She hurried over to them and stood next to Poca, her lunch still in hand.

"How was English? I hear that Frollo is an absolute nightmare," Lottie gushed dramatically.

"It was pretty nice, but it's not like we saw much of the teacher." She proceeded to recount her class, smiling as she mentioned meeting Charming and Esmeralda.

"It sounds like you had more fun than a barrel of monkeys," Tiana laughed when she saw Belle's puzzled expression, "It's an American saying, honey. It means you had a good time." Belle smiled because it was true: she was thoroughly enjoying her first day at school and thought that maybe, just maybe, the school motto had it right. Maybe Once Upon A Time High would make her dreams a reality.

After the girls had finished purchasing their lunches, they all walked outside and sat down on the grass near a tall tree. It was a comfortable spot and Belle could tell that it would be the perfect place to read afterschool. She reached into her bag and gripped her book again, pleased as punch at how her day was going. At least she was until she went to throw away her empty lunch bag and accidentally bumped into a boy. He was tall and thick with long gingery blonde hair and a surly expression.

"Watch where you're going," He said darkly before leaving her alone by the trashcan. For some reason, the anger he seemed to hold inside terrified Belle and she was still shaken up when she returned to her friends.

"What was that about?" Poca looked slightly concerned. The French girl explained what had happened before reaching into her bag again and squeezing her book comfortingly. She had just begun to feel completely comfortable at the school, but now her confidence was shaken.

"Oh, don't mind him, Sugar, that's Adam Bête," Lottie said soothingly and Belle felt a small chuckle escape her.

"What?" Lottie demanded, befuddled by the new girl's sudden change in demeanor.

"Well, in French, Bêtemeans Beast, and it is also a crude kind of insult. You only call someone that if you think that they are a really big, and not very kind, idiot." The others joined in her laughter and soon the lunch period was over.

Belle was beginning to be able to navigate the halls without getting hopelessly lost and walked herself to French. She sat down in a seat near the front and waited for Monsieur Lumière to arrive. He walked in just as the bell rang and walked swiftly to the blackboard.

"Bonjour," he greeted the class and told them to pair up with the person next to them and spend a couple minutes talking about their summers so that they could get it out of their systems. Belle looked the empty seat that should have contained her partner and sighed before turning towards another pair. She had just joined in on the conversation when she heard someone clear his or her throat behind her.

"Yes?" She spun around to ask the person what he or she required when she realized it was Adam Bête.

"I believe we're partners," He said coldly and looked at her expectantly, "Are you going to tell me about your summer?" Belle was a pretty patient person but this "Beast" was starting to get on her nerves and she forgot her shyness for a moment in order to snap at him,

"Pardonnez-moi, did I offend you in some way?" Her accent thick and her tone sharp. Adam simply glared at her before pulling out a pen and drawing a peculiar shape on his hand. He kept it out of her sight but she attempted to catch a glimpse of it nonetheless.

The class wore on and Belle was called on several times to answer a question, which she did with ease, after all, French was her first language. As the class continued, Adam struggled with his accent and verb choice, making him even surlier and ever so interested in his drawing.

Thankfully, the class was soon over and Belle was able to leave class, but not before seeing Adam's pen tattoo. He had drawn a single rose into the palm of his hand and made the thorns wind up his forearm where they appeared to draw blood. She had to admit, he was really talented. She considered telling him so but the intimidating teen pushed past her and into the hallway as soon as he could.

"Faldi Faldonza," a tall tan teen next to her remarked, "I wonder what's got his goat, you're Belle right?" She nodded, unsure and slightly alarmed that he knew who she was.

"Yes," He answered hesitantly, fiddling with the bottom of her grey uniform sweater.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I'm Naveen Prinz," he introduced himself, his interesting accent becoming apparent, "Oh I'm from Maldonia, in case you were wondering," he gestured in a way that indicated that people were constantly asking him what his nationality was, "Anyways, Charming told me to find you because you have Marine Biology with Ms. Lagoon as well." He smiled charmingly and Belle grinned back, quickly warming to the endearingly obnoxious boy. There was a charismatic air about him that made her completely comfortable walking with him. The two walked over to the classroom together, along the way, talking about Maldonia and France. He said that he had transferred in his sophomore year and hadn't been able to speak a word of English.

"I thought pencil meant teacherfor the first sixth months which made everyone think that I was an oddball. I would always be late to class and as I rushed in I would ask Is the pencil here yet? And they would all look at me like I was nuts because, of course, there were many pencils in attendance." Belle laughed with him, extremely grateful that her father had enrolled her in a English immersion school back in France because, while everyone spoke a little English, she would not have picked up enough to understand her new classmates if she hadn't been forced to speak the language every day at school for the past ten years.

Marine Biology passed by quickly and without commotion. The teacher was a rather unpleasant woman whom everyone called "Cursula" under their breath, but otherwise, the class passed by uneventfully. Belle exchanged numbers with Naveen and walked home, excited to have met so many kind faces and brimming with hope for the school year.

She worked quickly and diligently, finishing her homework in a little over an hour before she sat out on her- new to her, but rather old in general- porch swing with my book in hand. She flipped the battered pages rapidly, so caught up in the enthralling story, that she almost didn't notice the ringing phone. Surprised and caught unaware, she fumbled to open it, managing to answer just before what would have been the final ring.

"Hello," She said, her voice turning up at the end.

"Belle, it's Esmeralda, how do you feel about scavenger hunts?"

REVISED A/N AND APOLOGY:

Hey Guys,

So, it's been a while since I started—and cruelly abandoned—this story, but I am returning to make edits and continue in the hopes that it is able to generate more non-fanfiction ideas in my brain, but also to make sure that I am constantly exercising the creative side of my brain. I have decided to take the platitude, "Use it or lose it" to heart and will be writing as much as I can.

I am currently a college student and am finding myself fascinated with the way that the social scene differs from high school and I will try to work in this new dynamic with some of the older characters (EX: John Smith, John Rolfe, and Flynn Rider).

To my loyal readers who I heartlessly left hanging, I am incredibly sorry. Please forgive me and I hope that you will keep reading. I can't promise a consistent update schedule, but I can promise that I am going to update more and that I will come up with some conclusion for this tale before I leave it.

Also, as I am going back now to edit and, since I am hopefully a much better writer now than I was two years ago, I will be changing past chapters to reflect this change.

Much Love,

-SSSTD