The Big Town Princess and The Small Town Teacher

The Basement

Annabelle's POV

"Thanks for coming," Sam sighed, running his hand through his hair. "I have a ton of organizing I need to do. I finally got a shipment of supplies I've been waiting for from Dallas and it is a complete disaster."

I looked around the room, slightly laughing when I saw the classroom perfectly clean. "What a mess," I chuckled.

"All my supplies are down in the basement," he sighed, sending me a playful look. I smirked when I saw him hesitate. "Will you help me go through them? My students are coming in ten minutes. As soon as class is over, I can come down and help you."

"No problem," I chuckled as I grabbed his arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze before letting it go.

"Really?" He asked, letting out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Annabelle. I owe you."

I gasped as he pressed a kiss to my cheek before heading towards the basement. I cleared my throat as I quickly followed him, my cheek still burning.

I spent the next couple of hours going through the boxes and organizing the supplies. I jumped when I felt the ground start to shake. I looked around, nervous when things started falling. My legs gave out, falling to the ground as the earth continued to shake.

I covered my head as things fell all around me. Suddenly, I heard something break and the sound of water splashing. I looked around unsure of what to do as the basement started filling with water.

I tried to stand up but the ground started shaking again. I fell as building pieces fell around me. Once it stopped, I quickly stood up and carefully made my way to the stairs up to the ground level. The water was already past my ankles.

I tried to ignore the shaking as I made my way closer to the stairs. I had to jump back just as I reached them when a piece of wood fell, blocking the stairs.

I started to panic as the basement filled more with water. "Oh no," I whispered as the water rose above my knees. I looked up as the shaking stopped. "Sam, I hope you're okay."

Sam's POV

It all happened so quickly. One minute I was reviewing with my students what I just taught them and the next, the whole building started to shake.

"Get under your desks! All of you!" I yelled. We got under our desks until the shaking stopped. I hesitated before coming out from under my desk. I looked around, a few things knocked over. My heart sank when I saw the students scared.

"It's going to be alright," I said gently. I walked by and helped the students get out from under their desks.

"Mr. Sam, what was that?" Maria asked as she ran up to me.

"It was an earthquake," I explained. "We better get outside. Everyone, careful where you step. Hurry. Before the aftershocks start."

I quickly ushered the kids outside. I scanned the crowd as parents came running over to their kids. I let out a sigh of relief as I ran my fingers through my hair. My eyes widened when I remembered a certain bartender helping out in the basement.

"Annabelle," I gasped as I ran back into the building. I quickly made my way through the school building, jumping over fallen desks, books, and school supplies.

When I got to the stairs that led to the basement, I froze. The pipes must have broken from the earthquake because the basement was already full of water.

Right as I was about to walk down the stairs to get to Annabelle, the whole building started shaking again. "Annabelle?" I yelled over the shaking.

Once the shaking stopped, I didn't hesitate to run down the steps. Before I could get to the bottom of the stairs, a beam fell right in front of me, blocking my way even more than it already was. Now there was no way to get to her.

"Annabelle?" I yelled, looking around. My heart jumped into my throat when I briefly saw her, holding on to a fallen piece of wood.

"Sam?"

"I'm here!" I reassured her.

"Sam," she said my name again. "I can't. . ."

"I know," I said when she took a shaky breath. "It's going to be okay. I promise, Annabelle. Just hang on."

I looked around, trying to find a way to get her to me. "Annabelle?"

"I'm still here," she said weakly.

"Okay, listen. I'm gonna need you to let go of the beam you're holding onto."

"What?" She stuttered.

"I need you to trust me, Annabelle. Let go and then swim over to me."

"I can't," she stuttered. "I can't swim, Sam."

"Okay. That's okay," I said. I looked around, trying to find a way for her to get over to me safely. "Then don't let go completely. Grab onto other stuff around you. I just need you to slowly make your way towards me and then I will grab you."

"Promise?" She stuttered. My heart jumped into my throat when she finally looked up at me.

"I promise, Annabelle. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere until you are safe in my arms."

I watched as she took a shaky breath before finally letting go. As soon as she let go of the beam, she caught onto something else. I smiled and nodded, encouraging her to keep making her way over to me.

My eyes widened when she went to grab onto a bookcase, but her wet hands lost their grip.

"Sam," she gasped. I tried to grab her, but I was too far away. Before I could do anything, Annabelle disappeared under the surface of the water. I waited, but she didn't come back up.

"Annabelle!"