When the Beast Falls in Love

"Welcome, Miss Brenda Carleta." A big warm smile comes out from a man with a blue plaid shirt and black trousers and matching old shoes, his physical appearance is far from handsome. Brenda was completely flabbergasted to see the man who might not even be called a human in front of her right now. With a faint, forced smile, Brenda approached the ugly man and kept her distance from him.

"Why are you sitting so far away?" asked the man with a wide smile showing his big slightly yellow teeth.

"I-I'm comfortable here," Brenda said uncomfortably.

The man sniffed himself and said, "Do I stink, Miss Brenda?" plain the flabbergasted glare at Brenda.

"What? Oh, n-no . . . no! No, you smell good, you smell good." Brenda hastily waved her hands, arguing.

"Then could you sit a little closer to me?" the man asked, looking at Brenda through his thick cylindrical glasses.

Brenda was silent, biting her index finger, showing doubt or fear? The man continued to look at Brenda's attitude and smiled faintly as he said, "I understand Miss Brenda must be very afraid of me, because of my face ...." the man turned his face away with a sad expression.

Brenda immediately approached the man and held his hand. "No! You are not bad! I ...." Brenda continued to hold the man's hand until without realizing it, the two of them looked at each other. "You are very beautiful, Miss Brenda. Your heart must be much more beautiful."

Brenda immediately let go of her hand, keeping a little distance again turning her face away. "S-sorry," Brenda said quietly.

"Why are you apologizing?" asked the man adjusting his glasses.

"I-I... I don't know why I'm here and I also don't know what this place is? Why am I dressed like this I also don't know," Brenda explained.

"What? What do you mean, Miss Brenda?" the man was so surprised by Brenda's words.

"I was just a guest, not like … them." Brenda's expression was pure and saint, at least that the man thought.

"M-me, too," said that man bowing his head, shoveling, and feeling upset.

"You too? How could it be possible? I thought you are-"

"A man who likes only women's bodies and licks them to the core," said the man with a fake smile as if he was mocking himself

Brenda just watched in silence as the man with thick cylindrical glasses kept his head down, hiding his face behind a worn-out blue checkered white shirt and dark blue baggy trousers that might not be appropriate to wear.

"Well, it can't be helped if it's like this." Brenda tied her hair in a ponytail and held out her hand to the man with a smile. "Come on, let's go out," she said.

"W-out to where Miss?" the man asked nervously.

Bringing herself closer, Brenda looked into those glasses-coated eyes and said, "Since I'm already here, why can't I be like 'them'?" Brenda smiled again.

"B-but… but I…."

"What is wrong? Is there a problem?" asked Brenda curiously.

"No, nothing." Said the man accepted Brenda's hand and got out of the hut.

Brenda, who tightly gripped the hand of the man with thick cylindrical glasses, didn't realize that the man was grinning, smiling slightly while looking at the girl's brunette hair. 'Brenda Carleta, we'll see if you fit into my qualifications or not.' His mumbling continued to follow where Brenda's tiny hands and long fingers led him

"Hah, what a strange person! He has a handsome face like a movie star and a supermodel, why want to replace it with a face that is so damaged? Really ...." Anthony just shook his head while looking from the balcony home and workplace.

***

Brenda and that man walked around Anthony's house under the moonlight. A few times Brenda looks at the man next to her walking charming and very different from what she saw at the beginning. "By the way, who's your name? I've told you mine, now it's your turn." Said Brenda's big smile.

"M-my name is Elmer. Miss Brenda."

"Elmer?" Brenda murmurs like she knows something. "Are you that Elmer?" asked Brenda curiously.

"That Elmer? Which Elmer you pointed to, Miss Brenda?"

Quiet for a while, "Nah, nothing. It's really nothing. Can we go for a walk?" Brenda tries to distract their conversation.

"If you meant 'that Elmer' is the heir of Elmer Enterprise Group, you are the wrong person, Miss Brenda. I'm not from that crazy rich family, Miss. My parents are just ordinary employees while I'm just a teacher," Elmer tries to explain.

"Teacher? You are … teacher?" Brenda's vision can't trust Elmer's words and there is a big doubt about him.

"Yeah, why? Something matter?"

"Are you serious? A teacher? In a place like this? What kind of teacher are you, Elmer? Can I call you like that?"

"Yeah, freely you want to call me in other ways. Yes, I am a teacher. Well, maybe not in school, but higher. I was looking for a new 'scenery' and one of my friends recommended this place. So, yeah that's why it should be." A smile overflowing comes out from Elmer's lips.

"What teacher are you? Can you tell me?" Brenda looks curious now.

"Why do you really wanna know, Miss Brenda? Do you wanna be a teacher?"

"No … no. It's not like that, Elmer. Just, I still can't believe that a teacher, a person who has great knowledge, pleasant manners, polite, and someone that has to be respected, unbelievable I met in this place like this? Just, I'm still confused, Elmer."

"No need to be confused, Miss Brenda. The more you are confused, the more you are in a labyrinth … spinning but no ends. All you have to do is just face off, what will happen tomorrow … let it be the secret."

Brenda was silent all of a sudden. She couldn't believe that words came from someone she neglected at the beginning for his appearance and now, she is enchanted by his words.

"We've been talking about me. How about you, Miss? Didn't you say you were a guest? Could you tell me what kind of guest you were?" Elmer distracts their conversation.

"That's … a long-time story. I also didn't know how I would end up in this place. Cause …." Brenda stops her feet and looks up to the gloomy-moonlight sky.

"What happened, Miss Brenda?" asked Elmer to see Brenda in pain.

"Nothing, Elmer. Shall we come back to the hut? It starts cold outside," asked Brenda in a low voice.

Elmer nods. They finally come back to the hut and have a little chat while inside it. Brenda and Elmer look very familiar one each other, like old friends that have never met for years. Laughing, and sometimes they make stupid jokes while accompanied by the red wine that has been provided. Brenda, who was not a drinker, was starting to feel dizzy and drunk, while Elmer was still holding his glass of red wine with a calm and relaxed expression.

'My head hurts.' Brenda muttered holding her head.

"Miss Brenda, are you all right?" Elmer asked, looking at Brenda getting drunk.

"N-no. It's okay, Elmer. I just... just...."

BRUK

Instantly Brenda's body fell on the long red sofa and the glass shattered.

"Hah, you're not what I expected, Brenda Carleta." Elmer said, caressing Brenda's thin cheek as she carried her to the bed. "But even so, why am I still curious and have thought about you, Brenda? Was it because you're painting of me or you reckless, or you're stupid? But after all, maybe I can help you to reach your goals." Elmer whispered his words while Brenda was unconscious.

Not for long, Elmer comes out from the hut and someone is waiting for him out of the hut. "How was she?" asked that person.

"She's drunk. Take care of her carefully and give her the best room you have, I'll pay for it, no matter the cost!"

"What is she to you? Why do you care so much about the unknown girl somewhere? And what savior?"

"You're asking too much! Just do what I said and never mention my real identity or you're gonna be in trouble!" Elmer glares sharply and takes off his glasses.

"What a bold person." Said that man with a big smile watching Elmer's back.