The farewell ball came too fast. It feels like only yesterday when Merida used to look at herself in the mirror and say she's ugly. Now look at her, she's smiling and loving herself more than she loves someone else.

"You look so beautiful!" Beth awed, waters coming from her eyes.

The ball gown looked so good to be true on her. She can't even recognize herself anymore. She turned around and sees herself in the mirror one last time. "You look so different tonight," she mumbled.

They went out of her room but Beth hurried down to take a photo of her up descending.

As she steps down the staircase, her date, Leo smiled at her. Looking at those blue eyes calms her but somehow she was missing the hazel eyes she used to stare at.

Slowly, she reached the bottom and Leo offered her a hand which she gladly took. For a reason that she doesn't know, Leo didn't compliment her.

"You two look good together!" Beth exclaimed and took a stolen picture with Merida and Leo looking at each other.

One with pure love and one who was empty-handed. It was what Beth saw and her tears started rolling down. Merida told Beth about Leo, that's why she wasn't surprised. Plus, Leo had grown to be such a gentleman.

Before Leo could walk out the door, Beth whispered in his ear that made Leo smile.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine," Leo muttered. "Thank you."

Beth waved at the two teenagers who just went out the door. "I hope you two have a good night," she regards them with a worried look.

"Are you ready?" Leo asked Merida before they drive away. Merida nodded and so he drove away.

Once they arrived, Yuri and Lisa came running to get Merida. They drag her to take a lot of pictures together. The boys just watched the girl but then Yuri had called them to take the picture for their squad.

"This night will be epic!" Yuri yells as they enter the ballroom.

Everything seemed magical to Merida but she couldn't help glancing at Jacob every time she gets a chance to. Little did she know that it was too obvious to Leo.

Their squad took the table right near the foods and drinks where Brandon could easily snatch some.

Before their party could even start, Candice came to their table. "Hello there, ugly duckling. I see you're enjoying the party. I've got a big surprise for you later," she whispers, plastering that evil grin.

Merida refuses to get shaken by her words. She faked a smile and replied, "I hope it's one that I don't forget."

It's like they were having a staring contest. "Oh, I bet you won't." After saying that, Candice left with her glass of wine.

Leo held Merida's hand that made her look up at him. "It's okay. You have us if anything happens," he assures her with a smile.

Moments later, their party had started. A lot of performances that were hilarious and amazing filled their evening. In the middle of one dance, Yuri asked Merida to come with her in the powder room. They excused their selves including Lisa because she didn't want to be left out with those dudes.

"Merida, I think Candice is up to something so bad!" Lisa was worried. Knowing Candice for too long now, she probably prepared something bad to hurt Merida.

"Nah, it's time I stand up for myself." Merida's eyes brighten and the corner of her mouth curved up. "Don't worry. If anything happens, I know you guys will be there. I'm not scared."

Lisa looked down; she's still guilty for bullying Merida before. She was surprised when Merida hugged her so suddenly.

"What matters is we're friends now. The past doesn't matter to me," she heard Merida whispered.

"You two are so dramatic!" Yuri exclaimed, rolling her eyes. She just got out of the cubicle.

Lisa and Merida came to hug her so tight and she just grimaced. Deep inside her, she was happy to find two loving friends. There might be so many differences between them but she loves them.

The girls were back and it relaxed the boys. They took so long that they thought the girls were kidnapped or something.

"Alright! The next performance is from —anonymous? But whatever it's a slideshow, the story of our—"

The emcee was cut off when he heard screams and everyone gasped. He looked back and his eyes widened seeing the video. It was a girl being harassed by...

Merida's heart started pounding but she wasn't in a bit embarrassed or anything. Even the indistinct chatters from everyone, it didn't affect her. Leo was about to stand for her but she stopped him and smile.

Her face was clouded with suppressed anger and courage had filled her up all of a sudden. She walked her way to get the microphone from the emcee and then face everyone.

"So, are you happy, Candice?" She started, raising a brow. "It must've been so hard for you to have kept that video all this time. It must've have been hard feeling envious of some ugly girl."

Merida started to walk down and forward to Candice. She stopped when she was at her table. "I might be ugly but at least I have a good heart. Not just that, I have every love I want and that makes me beautiful." She stopped and looks at Candice intensely. "What about you? What do you have, Candice."

Candice was more than mad, she was about to slap Merida but she caught it. No one has ever seen Merida with that angry look on her face before. No one but Leo.

"You have nothing but beauty, Candice. Too bad, beauty is in everyone and outer beauty, it doesn't last." Merida then flashed her a smirk and turned back to return the microphone.

Everyone clapped and yelled 'amazing' and just wooing and realizing things. "You're awesome, Merida!" Someone screamed.

Candice felt humiliated that instead of Merida walking out, she was the one to run out of that room with rage. Outside she cried her frustrations and anger. She didn't know, Merida had followed her.

"You know, you just have to let go."

Candice looked back to see who it was and she never expected it to be Merida. She frowned.

"What are you doing here? You already humiliated me! Oh wait—you want to slap me?"

"You humiliated yourself!" Merida shouts at her.

"I hate you! I don't get why someone would be at your side!" Candice roared. Her anger turned into tears.

"I know you do! That's why you keep bullying me! I know you hate me because your parents praise the shit out of me!" Merida fires at Candice. "I don't mean to!"

Candice glared at Merida for the longest time possible. Her makeup was ruined and her night too. She realized all of it was honestly her fault. She was too obsessed with revenge that she had ruined her high school life trying to ruin Merida's.

Wiping her tears, she turned away. "Don't think I'm done with you," she mumbled. "You're still ugly to me but I'm sorry."

Upon hearing that, Merida smiled brightly. Finally, she reached Candice's heart and it went fine. Although she felt bad for doing that to Candice, she feels good that it ended the way they ended.

***