Soul Harbour

0.56 |when Anthony surprised|

0.56*|from Sabah's first draft: when Anthony surprised|

Auburn was trying her best to be friendly with her colleagues and so, two o'clock on a Monday afternoon found her struggling to keep up beside two of her fellow teachers as they walked to the main gate of the school, threading their way through students racing towards the exit.

"Such a long Monday, right?" Auburn started.

Miss. Lopez, who was a lovely, tall woman with strawberry-blonde hair that just told you she was using the best conditioner in town, frowned at her voice and looked down at her, "Miss. Ivy?"

"Oh, you know me," Auburn laughed nervously. "That's great. Wow. Er-I was thinking-" She was panting because these two with their long legs seemed to be walking at the speed of a cheetah.

"Miss. Ivy," Miss Lopez repeated. The other teacher, Miss. Hernandez, was still ignoring Auburn. "School's over and Clara and I have a party to go to so..."

Miss. Hernandez fixed her reflector shades on her perfect nose and flicked her long hazel tresses across her shoulder, still apparently oblivious to Auburn's existence.

"Oh, hi, Clara," Auburn tried. "Didn't see you there. You look really nice." Inward cringe. "Where are you guys going?"

"Its Lana's birthday party," Miss. Lopez explained. "She didn't invite you?" She looked pityingly at Auburn.

"No," Auburn said, flatly.

"Well, I'm pretty sure she only invited her close friends," Miss. Lopez tried to soothe Auburn's deflating ego.

Auburn made a face, "Yeah, pretty sure." Yes, she was pretty sure that only she hadn't been invited. Who cares about birthday parties anyway? She mentally puked over the image of Lana cutting her cake which was probably sporting fifty candles at least.

"Maybe we could ask Lana to make a last minute addition to her guest list?" Miss. Lopez offered, kindly.

Clara turned to her friend, "Lisa, its not your party. Stop wasting your time talking to Miss. High and Mighty. Do you want Lana to make a last minute subtraction from her guest list?"

Auburn gasped with anger, "What!? Who are you calling high and mighty?"

Lisa looked apologetically at Auburn and walked out of the gate with Clara. Auburn sighed and massaged her temples. This socializing thing was tough.

A student ran past her, his bottle catching her shin and she yelped, "Ow!"

Another ran past, shouting happily, "Quick, Hugo, or we won't get an autograph."

"I can't believe he's here," his friend shouted.

"I love him," a group of girls and boys pushed her and ran ahead. "My idol!" "My hero."

Auburn followed the kids out, wondering who had come who could inspire such intense fangirling.

Lisa and Clara were standing outside, frozen in mid-stride. A few others whom she recognized from the staff room were standing and whispering loudly. Auburn made another puke face as she caught sight of Lana who didn't look fifty at all.

"Oh hey, you're here."

Auburn turned towards the familiar voice. Her eyebrows climbed up to her hairline. Anthony stood there, hips lightly leaning against the door of his Audi, a mischievous smile on his lips. He straightened when she turned towards him.

It was true that Auburn was confused and freaking out and totally surprised but there was no denying that there was a part of her who wanted to catch every detail of him. His sandy coloured trousers that stopped slightly above the blue shoes, his off-white long sleeved t-shirt that fit him perfectly contouring his shoulder muscles and hanging loosely otherwise. Her eyes followed his soft-looking blonde hair which was being tussled by the slight wind and his dark sunglasses which seemed to glint in coordination with his mischievous smile.

She opened her voice to say something when he walked to her but her brain was all mush. She couldn't believe he was here but he had to be because everyone else could see him too so she wasn't hallucinating which would have been awkward because why would she hallucinate about Anthony? She shook her head to clear her it.

"Hola, carino," Anthony said, taking her bag in one hand and her hand in another. The onlookers seemed to take a collective breath. "You look beautiful, Auburn. Ready for our date?"

And the world decided to talk at once.

Anthony heaved the bag over his shoulder and, smiling lovingly, tucked her loose hair behind her ear using the action to whisper, "Auburn, for God's sake, close your mouth."

Auburn blushed and closed her mouth.

As they walked to his car, she could hear Lana squawk in the background, "SHE IS DATING ANTHONY KROFF!?"

[ *the numbering on the chapter isn't a typo. Its an honest numbering of how Sabah wrote the chapter wayyy after she actually came to know of the events of this chapter. So, being true to the timeline of Sabah's stay on Madrid, this chapter is 56.

Also, as you must have noticed this was the very first chapter of Sabah's first draft. I don't know about you but that thought excites me like anything. *dances to Hotline Bling*

So, guys, tell me what you thought of #aubony this chapter. Did you get the feels? :') Vote and comment, ya lovelies, and you will get virtual lattes like the one I'm drinking right now]