My parents are still in the mirror, too, but now they’re in the corner. At least they’re still sleeping. Their clock says six o’clock. It’s getting late.

What do I do?

You could stop the wedding.

No.

Yes.

No.

I have to just go through with it. If I have to be Beastella for the rest of my life, then that’s my punishment.

I deserve it.

Chapter Eighteen: Time Is Tickin’

In my full Beastella glory, I head to Beauty’s room to check on her. She’s not there. Is she still downstairs?

I hurry to the basement. “Beauty?” I say. “What are you doing?”

She’s dusty and wearing sweatpants and sitting among big piles of books. “There is such great stuff here!”

“Yeah,” I say. “But are you going to get ready? You’re getting married in an hour.”

“I just have a few more books to look through,” she says.

She doesn’t seem excited. Shouldn’t she be at least a little excited to get married?

I don’t think she really likes Mike. At all.

I can tell her not to get married. I can tell her that Mike isn’t the right guy for her.

Which might be true.

Is it true?

“Beauty?”

“Yeah?”

No. I can’t. “You have to get ready. People are going to be here soon.”

I leave before I change my mind.

There’s a knock at the front door as I climb upstairs.

“I’ll get it,” I call out.

A group of people dressed in fancy clothes for the wedding stand outside.

“Hello,” I say. “Please go to the Great Hall.”

There’s silence. And then, “AHHHHHH!” They all scream. Then they turn around and run away.

Huh? What just happened?

Oh. I happened. They’re screaming because of me. I am a beast in a purple satin dress. I am terrifying.

“Come back!” I call. But they don’t. They keep running.

Mrs. Butler puts her hand on my shoulder. “Er, dear, maybe you shouldn’t be the official wedding greeter. Why don’t you go check on Beauty?”

“I guess so,” I say with a sigh.

“Snow?” she asks. “No dear, not yet. But it is quite chilly out.”

I hurry to the basement and find Beauty still in sweatpants, still reading.

“Beauty! The wedding is going to start any minute! You have to get ready!”

“Oh my gosh,” she says, jumping up. “I lost track of time. There are just so many great books. Should I bring some up for the wedding guests? Would they want to read them?”

“They want to see you get married,” I tell her. “That’s why they’re here.”

“Of course, of course,” Beauty says. “I guess I have to put on my dress. Give me two minutes!”

Beauty runs up the stairs and I follow.