In one of the small changing rooms of the Agrabah Palace, jimmy, hunitumia 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 onyesha 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!”
jimmy, hunitumia felt her jaw drop as Belle came out of the cubicle. She was wearing a beautiful yellow ball kanzu, gown with matching gloves and shoes. Jeannie had tied her hair up for her just to onyesha her what it would look like. “Belle, wewe look...well, zaidi than lovely!”
“Do wewe think so?” asked Belle, nervously.
Jeannie handed her a mirror. “Take a look, love! wewe 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. jimmy, hunitumia 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, wewe look good!”
“Well, I do like the big machungwa, chungwa 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 wewe really think so?”
“Adam’s not going to be able to resist wewe in that!” grinned Snow White. “Oh, wewe have to get it!”
“I told you!” grinned Jeannie, gleefully. “Yellow suits you, honey!”
“You look like a princess,” alisema Meg, grinning.
Belle smiled. “Well, if wewe guys insist...”
“We do!” alisema 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 jimmy, hunitumia 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 tarehe 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 zaidi 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,” alisema 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,” alisema Snow White, “but I’m out of makeup. I’m gonna go to Nature Knows Best. Can I meet wewe guys there?”
“Ok, we’ll come to wewe if we finish first, and vice versa,” alisema Meg.
Belle found her head quickly turned kwa a small used bookstore. “Um, is it ok if I meet wewe guys there too?”
“You’ll ruin your eyes with all that reading,” jimmy, hunitumia teased her with a grin. “Ok, we’ll see wewe there.”
“No, I tell wewe what,” alisema Meg. “We’ll all meet kwa the kisima, chemchemi and then go for lunch in Tiana’s Palace.”
“Yeah, ok,” agreed Snow White.
“Got it!” alisema Jasmine, already halfway to the shoe shop.
“See wewe there,” smiled Belle, before she slipped into the bookstore. zaidi than anything, she loved little second-hand book shops, because wewe 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 maktaba years ago, Little Women. She bought it and went to sit kwa the fountain, kusoma as she walked. That was something of a talent she possessed. She reached the kisima, chemchemi 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,” alisema the voice of a shepardess as she passed, and Belle thought for a sekunde 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 kwa 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 upendo coming into town,” smiled Ariel. “I went to pick up some zaidi art supplies.”
“For another sculpture?”
“Nah. I’m painting now.”
“Painting what?”
Ariel’s blush gave her away. “Pictures of John.”
Belle patted the ukuta where she sat for Ariel to sit down beside her. “Ariel, I can understand wewe like him, but have wewe ever considered wewe might be getting obsessed with him?”
Her blush deepened. “Maybe, just a little. I can’t help it.”
“It’s understandable,” alisema Belle, truthfully. “John’s a good looking guy, but I just don’t want wewe turning out like Esme with Phoebus.”
“Oh, wewe know, she had a go at me a while back when she thought I was flirting with Phoebus.”
“Yeah?”
“I hear wewe stood up for her and she stopped, though. Good for you.”
“Thanks.”
“Are wewe looking mbele to the dance?” asked Ariel, stretching, lazily. She smiled, teasingly. “I hear Adam asked wewe out.”
“He didn’t ask me out, as such. He just asked me to the dance.”
“Well, whatever.”
“But, yes, I am looking mbele to it.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Did John...you know? Ask you?”
“Nah, but it’s ok. I’ll ask him for a dance au something when he’s had too much ngumi, punch au 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! wewe haven’t ever...you know, have you?”
Belle ducked her head. “I’m saving it for the boy I fall in upendo 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, wewe know...at school? I mean, in their rooms au whatever?”
“Yeah, sometimes.” Ariel shrugged. “When they feel like it.” Belle’s blush deepened. “Oh, sorry, if this is making wewe 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 zaidi than women?”
“Nah, I don’t think so. I think they think about it zaidi than we do, but, wewe know, we have different brains to them, so it’s to be expected. Just make sure you’re with a guy wewe trust 100% before wewe 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!” jimmy, hunitumia grinned. “Need shoes for the dance!”
“Well, I’d better get going,” alisema 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 wewe ok?” asked Meg, glancing at her. “Your face has gone really, really red.”
“I’m fine,” insisted Belle, in spite of her lobster, kamba 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 onyesha 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!”
jimmy, hunitumia felt her jaw drop as Belle came out of the cubicle. She was wearing a beautiful yellow ball kanzu, gown with matching gloves and shoes. Jeannie had tied her hair up for her just to onyesha her what it would look like. “Belle, wewe look...well, zaidi than lovely!”
“Do wewe think so?” asked Belle, nervously.
Jeannie handed her a mirror. “Take a look, love! wewe 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. jimmy, hunitumia 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, wewe look good!”
“Well, I do like the big machungwa, chungwa 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 wewe really think so?”
“Adam’s not going to be able to resist wewe in that!” grinned Snow White. “Oh, wewe have to get it!”
“I told you!” grinned Jeannie, gleefully. “Yellow suits you, honey!”
“You look like a princess,” alisema Meg, grinning.
Belle smiled. “Well, if wewe guys insist...”
“We do!” alisema 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 jimmy, hunitumia 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 tarehe 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 zaidi 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,” alisema 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,” alisema Snow White, “but I’m out of makeup. I’m gonna go to Nature Knows Best. Can I meet wewe guys there?”
“Ok, we’ll come to wewe if we finish first, and vice versa,” alisema Meg.
Belle found her head quickly turned kwa a small used bookstore. “Um, is it ok if I meet wewe guys there too?”
“You’ll ruin your eyes with all that reading,” jimmy, hunitumia teased her with a grin. “Ok, we’ll see wewe there.”
“No, I tell wewe what,” alisema Meg. “We’ll all meet kwa the kisima, chemchemi and then go for lunch in Tiana’s Palace.”
“Yeah, ok,” agreed Snow White.
“Got it!” alisema Jasmine, already halfway to the shoe shop.
“See wewe there,” smiled Belle, before she slipped into the bookstore. zaidi than anything, she loved little second-hand book shops, because wewe 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 maktaba years ago, Little Women. She bought it and went to sit kwa the fountain, kusoma as she walked. That was something of a talent she possessed. She reached the kisima, chemchemi 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,” alisema the voice of a shepardess as she passed, and Belle thought for a sekunde 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 kwa 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 upendo coming into town,” smiled Ariel. “I went to pick up some zaidi art supplies.”
“For another sculpture?”
“Nah. I’m painting now.”
“Painting what?”
Ariel’s blush gave her away. “Pictures of John.”
Belle patted the ukuta where she sat for Ariel to sit down beside her. “Ariel, I can understand wewe like him, but have wewe ever considered wewe might be getting obsessed with him?”
Her blush deepened. “Maybe, just a little. I can’t help it.”
“It’s understandable,” alisema Belle, truthfully. “John’s a good looking guy, but I just don’t want wewe turning out like Esme with Phoebus.”
“Oh, wewe know, she had a go at me a while back when she thought I was flirting with Phoebus.”
“Yeah?”
“I hear wewe stood up for her and she stopped, though. Good for you.”
“Thanks.”
“Are wewe looking mbele to the dance?” asked Ariel, stretching, lazily. She smiled, teasingly. “I hear Adam asked wewe out.”
“He didn’t ask me out, as such. He just asked me to the dance.”
“Well, whatever.”
“But, yes, I am looking mbele to it.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Did John...you know? Ask you?”
“Nah, but it’s ok. I’ll ask him for a dance au something when he’s had too much ngumi, punch au 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! wewe haven’t ever...you know, have you?”
Belle ducked her head. “I’m saving it for the boy I fall in upendo 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, wewe know...at school? I mean, in their rooms au whatever?”
“Yeah, sometimes.” Ariel shrugged. “When they feel like it.” Belle’s blush deepened. “Oh, sorry, if this is making wewe 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 zaidi than women?”
“Nah, I don’t think so. I think they think about it zaidi than we do, but, wewe know, we have different brains to them, so it’s to be expected. Just make sure you’re with a guy wewe trust 100% before wewe 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!” jimmy, hunitumia grinned. “Need shoes for the dance!”
“Well, I’d better get going,” alisema 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 wewe ok?” asked Meg, glancing at her. “Your face has gone really, really red.”
“I’m fine,” insisted Belle, in spite of her lobster, kamba red cheeks. “Shall we eat? I’m starving!”