"Merida is so ugly, she looks like a goldfish," a red headed girl had said and burst out into laughter with her friends.
Jacob couldn't help but take a glance at them. He thought about who Merida was. He has been hearing people at school say she's really ugly and he's curious if it were a bit true.
He looked at the basket ball in his side and picks it up. Then took his bag and headed to the shower area.
There, he asked few male friends about this Merida.
"You haven't seen her? How? I mean she's in the same class as you," a guy named Brandon told Jacob.
Jacob turned off the shower and while soaping his body, he replied, "Nah, I don't think I heard someone named Merida in class."
"Well, check her out tomorrow," Brandon said and then laughed. "She's so ugly."
•••
The words "she's so ugly" is still on Jacob's head. It wouldn't seem to fade even though he's laying down on his bed now. He's too curious.
An hour passed and it was still messing with his head. So he decided to get out of bed and take a walk outside.
At an alley where there was mostly street children he saw someone who was giving the children food. That someone was wearing a hoodie so he couldn't really tell if that someone was a he or she.
Jacob was about to go when the someone took off her hoodie. And yes, that someone is a she. He smiled at the kind gesture she had given the street children.
He started walking towards the lady, who when he was closer looked at him for a second and her smile faded. Jacob was shock that she put her hoodie back on, as if she was hiding her face.
"It's nice to see someone actually giving food to these children," he said as he stopped at her side.
The lady didn't say anything. She was trying her best not to show her face tho.
"Mister, are you here to give us food too?" A kid asked Jacob. That made his attention to shift to the kids.
"Not tonight but maybe tomorrow," he replied with a smile.
"Oh... this beautiful lady named Merida, gives food to us every—"
"Wait you're Merida?" Jacob asked abruptly while facing the lady at his side.
The lady who was hiding her face was surprised that he knew her. She didn't know what to do so she ran away. She didn't want him to see her ugly face, he probably goes to school where she goes to.
Jacob was more surprised that Merida ran away like that.
"Uhm... I'll come back here tomorrow. Right now, I gotta follow her, be safe." After saying that to the kid, he went and ran to follow her.
He's a basketball player and he's also fast. It's no problem to him catching up to her. He could already see her.
"Merida! Listen! I just want to talk!" He shout as he catches up.
Merida's heart was pounding inside her chest. No, she can't let him see me, she thought. He will probably say the same things they do at school.
Jacob knew what he's doing was crazy and ridiculous but there's something that's telling him to catch her. He was so close to her that he grab on to her hoodie.
Merida looked back and it was in slow motion for Jacob. They met each other's eyes and he saw her bare face that made everything stop.
For a moment, he saw her cry and put her hoodie back on. She sniffed and said, "I know. I'm ugly you don't have to say it."
After saying that, Merida left running again. Jacob couldn't say anything, he froze at the moment he saw her face. Indeed she is ugly...