
This is a story of a bean named Eric, and how his life changed when he faced the problems that stopped him from becoming a better bean.
Part 1
He looked at the dragons in front him, all ready to risk their lives for him and his kingdom, and he vowed to himself that he would do everything he could, no matter how difficult, to protect them. The king stood, raised his staff, and called out, "Tomorrow, we risk our lives to protect the ones we love! Tomorrow, our fate will be decided! Tomorrow, we face the enemy!" As he sat, the king heard horns blaring, dragons cheering, and the rush of blood in his ears, caused not only by what he just said, but also the fact that he knew--- Eric grudgingly shut the book and looked up at whoever had just interrupted him. Eric's best friend Louis was staring down at him grinning, suddenly he felt extremely nervous, after being friends with Louis for as long as he had, Eric knew that when he grinned something was going to happen, most likely something that would get them both in trouble, even if Eric himself had nothing to do with it. Before he could do so much as blink, Louis had him by the arm and was dragging him away from his favorite reading spot under the huge maple tree in front of the library. Sighing, Eric asked "so if you don't mind, could you tell me why you interrupted me?! I was just getting to a good part." Louis released his hold on Eric's arm and turned to look at him, "dude, you always have your nose stuck in some dusty old book. You should be out actually doing something." Eric was about to tell him that there was nothing wrong with "dusty old books" as Louis had said, but before he could, his best friend yanked him down behind a bush and whispered "hey watch this, it's going to be epic!" Confused, Eric turned his head to where Louis was pointing and saw him, Jake was the typical jerk, he insulted others, laughed at everyone and everything, and had been picking on Eric for eleven years, since they were both in pre-school. Eric was about to ask Louis what was going on when he heard Jake swear viciously. Eric looked up to see a very angry Jake, covered from horns to tail in maple syrup. He moaned, Eric knew what everyone would think, they would think that he had set this whole thing up. Why would everyone think he had done it? Because to anyone but Louis, he was the maple tree dragon, the bean who just sat under the library's maple tree and read. Louis turned to him about to say something when he saw Eric's face and asked "Uh, E, you okay? You look a little...green." Eric was about to answer when he heard "Hey maple boy! I know you did this, so come out where I can pummel you!" Eric surveyed the scene before him before coming to a decision, he was going to wait behind the bush until Jake got bored of threatening him and left. Unfortunately Jake didn't get bored and leave, he stalked around the library's courtyard looking for him. Eric was crouched behind the bush when a flash of pink caught his eye. Eric had never seen a bean so beautiful, she had fur that looked softer then silk and eyes that sparkled like sapphires. Eric stood up, completely forgetting about Jake, and started walking towards her, when someone grabbed the scruff of his neck and yanked him back, a small choking sound escaped Eric's throat before he saw who was attacking him. Jake stood in front of him sneering, Eric scolded himself, he had totally forgotten about him when he'd seen the pink bean girl. He started to walk away while muttering "I had nothing to do with this." Jake snorted and said "sure you didn't pip-squeak, doesn't mean I can't pound you though." Eric braced himself as his attacker balled his fists, when a laugh rang through the courtyard bright and sharp as church bells. Jake swung around and saw her, the new girl, the pink bean, Eric's new found crush.
Part 2
Eric stood in horrified silence as Jake jogged towards the new girl. She was standing with a few other girl beans with names Eric could never remember, when Jake went up to her. The other girls went silent as soon as they saw Jake, but the new girl just continued to talk quietly, unaware that Jake was right behind her. She was still talking when Jake grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. The new girl gasped as she was spun around, and for a moment she just looked at Jake. Eric's heart dropped, there goes his chances with her. No matter what Eric did he couldn't match Jake's confidence, and cockiness, when it came to girls. While Jake just strolled right up to any girl and could have her giggling within seconds, Eric could barely even speak to a girl without getting tongue tied. The new girl stepped away from Jake and looked him up and down. Without breaking a sweat Jake said "I see you like me, it's right there in your eyes." To everyone's shock the new girl laughed at him, not giggled stupidly at his comment like all the other girls had, but actually laughed in his face. She looked him in the eyes and said "You must be Jake. I've heard about you, and I know about guys like you. You're cocky, arrogant, and think that every girl on the planet worships you." Jake grinned before she continued. "However, unlike most other girls, I do not worship the ground you walk on. I think you're a stupid, self-obsessed, jerk, who needs to be put in his place. And it seems that I am going to have to be the one to do so." Eric's jaw dropped, he couldn't believe what he just heard, no one had ever said anything like that to Jake. Jake stood there with a confused look on his face when he suddenly started laughing. Everyone besides Eric and the new girl started to chuckle nervously, all afraid of what Jake might do if they didn't agree with him. Jake looked down at the new girl, smiled, and said "Well then, you have quite a mouth don't you. Good, I like that." With a smile and a wink Jake sauntered off, still laughing quietly. Realizing that he had narrowly avoided yet another beating from Jake, Eric walked off and plunked back down under his favorite tree. He had just picked up his book again when he heard someone sit down beside him with a huff. Thinking it was Louis, Eric started talking "Can you believe she said that? I mean, we've all thought it, but she actually had the guts to say to his face." Eric smiled before continuing "She stood up to Jake and she gorgeous, she's the most amazing girl I've ever seen." Eric looked up, expecting to see Louis grinning stupidly, but to Eric shock and horror it wasn't Louis sitting next to him, it was her, Eric's new found crush.
Part 3
Eric just sat in stunned silence for a moment before it really sank in what had just happened. Eric tried to apologize but all that came out was "I, um, it's just that...." Eric groaned and banged his head back against the tree. Feeling the jolt Honeysuckle crawled out of Eric's pouch, climbed up to his shoulder, and chattered excitedly in his ear before leaping of his shoulder and landing right in the pink bean's opened palms. Eric sat up, Honeysuckle never came out when there were strangers around, much less jumped happily into their hands. Eric looked at the new girl, she was feeding Honeysuckle sunflower seeds with an awestruck look on her face. Suddenly the new girl asked "So, did you really pull that prank?" Without thinking Eric replied "Of course not, I would never have the guts to do anything like that. My best friend Louis set the whole thing up, I just got blamed for it." The new girl offered him her paw saying "Well that's not fair. Anyway, I'm Elizabeth." Eric hesitantly took her paw and shook it, answering her "Eh it's alright, he really is a good guy once you get to know him. Oh and I'm Eric, and uh, this is Honeysuckle." Hearing her name Honeysuckle jumped up and hopped over to Eric, resting her head on the tip of his tail. "It's nice to meet you Eric, and you too Honeysuckle." Eric started to stutter again "Sh-She r-r-really likes y-you." He couldn't believe it, he hardly ever stuttered any more, Eric tried to say something else but Elizabeth stopped him by holding up a dainty paw, "you really need to relax, it's not like i'm going to bite you or anything." She laughed, and to Eric's surprise he began to laugh with her. After a moment she asked him "So what book are you reading?" and pointed to the old blue book in Eric's lap. Eric handed her the book not expecting her to recognize it, but as soon as it was in her paws she was talking excitedly "I can't believe it! This is one of my favorites!" Eric began to talk to her about the book and the two talked until it began to get dark. Elizabeth noticed the darkening sky "Oh my, It's so late! Now I'm going to have to walk home in the dark." She said with a worried expression. Eric saw the concern in her face and said immediately "I'll walk you home." Without another word he stood up and held out his paw to her. It turned out that Elizabeth only lived a few blocks away from Eric and they walked most of the way together. When they got to Elizabeth's home they both stopped, she looked at him and said "thank you so much for walking me home, I really hate the dark." Eric stood up a little taller and said "Then I'll always walk you home so I can protect you." As soon as the words left his mouth Eric felt like an idiot, why on earth would he say something like that? Before he could continue scolding himself Elizabeth suddenly walked towards him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek and went inside, leaving a stunned Eric to walk home. When Eric got home he couldn't stop himself from thinking about her, the amazing Elizabeth, his new found crush.
Part 4
Eric stood under the library's huge maple tree waiting for Elizabeth, she said she would meet him here at noon. Smiling, Eric sat down to wait when he heard an indignant shout form across the courtyard. Eric turned and saw Jake with his arm wrapped around Elizabeth's waist, Eric looked at Elizabeth, her cheeks were red and she looked furious. "I said let me go!" Elizabeth shouted at Jake. Eric stormed over to the two and without thinking grabbed the arm wrapped around Elizabeth's waist and shoved it off. Then he offered his hand to Elizabeth who took it and sighed, saying "Some guys really don't understand no. Thanks for that Eric." They were walking away from a stunned Jake when he suddenly grabbed Elizabeth's arm and pulled her away from Eric. Looking at Eric and ignoring Elizabeth's struggling Jake said "If you know what's good for you you'll walk away and never talk to either of us again." That was the final straw for Eric, he wasn't going to let Jake treat Elizabeth like that, even if it meant getting the beating of a life time. Eric walked up to Jake and in a low voice said "Let her go, now." Jake snickered and said "Or what maple boy? You'll cover me in syrup again?" Without missing a beat Eric straightened his back and looked Jake in the eye, realizing with a start that he was at least two inches taller then Jake. For the first time since pre-school Jake was the one who looked afraid, and for the first time in his life Eric was standing up for something, someone, that he cared about. Jake laughed nervously and tried to walk away, still holding on to Elizabeth's arm, but Eric stepped closer and told Eric one more time "Let her go." Those three simple words had a shocked and frightened Jake running, away from Eric and away from Elizabeth, he never so much as looked at either of them again. Eric looked at Elizabeth who was smiling up at him, and he knew that he was hers and she was his.
THE END
Besides Eric, the beans in this story are fictional and resemblance to any other beans is completely coincidental.
"I wish Elizabeth was real.""Don't worry Eric, you'll find someone someday."
"I hope it's someday soon."