It felt like her heart had stopped in her chest. Her face was burning and her hands were starting to shake as she whispered out several apologies. Kneeling and picking up the tray, she delicately started cleaning up the ruined food and plates and cutlery. It was such a waste, after the time that she spent cooking it all. Those thoughts were soon discarded as one of the other college boys spoke up, sending a spike of fear piercing her heart like an arrow.

“Look, boys, she's at least good at something on her knees. Why don't we bring her back to our dorm with us and see if she's not good at anything else?” From the corner of her eye, she saw the man on the end raise his hand behind her and start to swing down.

Instinctively, Annabel squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation for the slap...that never came. Blinking in confusion when a yelp of surprise and pain came from the student, Annabel turned around to see him standing there, holding the guy's wrist. All Annabel could do was stare in barely concealed awe, gazing at the head of damp black curls.

“Ey, cabrón, that's no way to talk to a lady, nor is trying to touch her. I would highly suggest you pay the owner for the damages done and the food you wasted, and then I would suggest you leave before the police become involved. I'm sure this wouldn't be the first time that they would've been called on you, and I'm sure none of you need any harassment charges…”

Annabel watched the group's range of expressions from anger to fear to the paleness of pain.

“Why, you little--” The student was cut off as Annabel's savior twisted his arm more painfully behind his back.

“I don't believe I asked you to talk…” He shook his head, sighing before nodding to the owner of the cafe who had come over to investigate the ruckus while Annabel had been distracted. The two quietly conversed amongst themselves for a few moments before the man finally let go of the delinquent's arm and stepped off to the side for the owner to continue dealing with the group.

Shaking her head, Annabel reluctantly returned to her duties and cleaning up the remains of the ruined breakfast. It was only a few seconds later that a second pair of hands was picking up the dishes too, making Annabel pause and glance over. To her surprise, it was the young man that had saved her earlier. “Y-You don't need to do that. It's my job…”

He gave her a wide smile when he saw her surprise. “Your job, it may be, but everything is easier when you work together. Besides,” he paused, his expression becoming more somber, “what they were trying to do and what they did wasn't right. There's no reason for you to suffer for their actions.”

Warm relief spread through her chest, nodding her head slowly. “Thank you,” she stammered out, picking up the loaded tray once everything was cleaned up. “You didn't have to do that…” Annabel mumbled, hesitating before passing the tray off to one of the other girls that was there and going to wash her hands.

To her surprise, the man was waiting for her when she came back. “It was the right thing to do, so my honor dictates that I must. I know how hard your job is, and there's no reason for people like that to go around harassing a beautiful woman and making it worse.”

“But--”

“It was an honor to serve you, my lady,” he murmured, holding an arm across his stomach as he bowed. It only made the blush on her cheeks darken. “I hope that we may meet again, Annabel.”

Before she could say anything in her state of shock, he had already disappeared out the door of the cafe. “W-Wait, I--” she called out with an outstretched arm that eventually fell to her side. I didn't even get to know your name.

Annabel had tried to push the encounter from her mind after that, but all that she could think about was him. His smile. The gentle cadences of his voice. The soft green hues of his eyes. His naturally sun-bronzed skin. They had barely even talked, but there was something about him that she just couldn't let go.

And she had absolutely no way to find him or to figure out who he was.

A part of her had begun to despair, already having given up on the prospect of meeting him again. It wasn't until the next day when she had arrived at work that the heaviness in her chest had lifted. Sitting in one of the booths of the cafe with the morning light streaming in through the window was him. The sight of the smile that lit up his face when he saw Annabel made her heart flutter.

“You! I wasn't expecting to see you again after you just disappeared yesterday,” Annabel murmured, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she stood by his table. “I never got a chance to thank you for what you did yesterday…”

“What I did requires no thanks, my lady,” the man stated, pressing a hand over his heart. “It merely joys me to be able to see your face again.”

“Well, I work here nearly every morning, so if you end up coming by, I'm more than likely going to be here,” she murmured, hands fiddling with the hem of her uniform's skirt. Shaking her head, she cleared her throat. “You never did tell me your name, even though you knew mine...”

The man looked sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck. “Ah, did I forget to do that? Lo siento. It must've just slipped my mind, considering what those...degenerates had been saying to you and what they were trying to do. Me hizo enojar. No woman should have to fear for her life…” Shaking his head, he held out a hand towards her with a gentle smile. “But yes. I'm Antonio,” he stated, his grin only widening whenever Annabel took his hand.

“Antonio…” she murmured, a warm fluttering in her chest. “It's nice to officially meet you. What brings you--”

“Annabel! We've got some orders that need you!” one of the girls called from the kitchen, making Annabel wince and her shoulders droop slightly.

Turning back to Antonio, she grimaced, opening her mouth to apologize but he merely shook his head. “Go, mi hermosa. We can talk more when you are done with work.” He brought the back of Annabel's hand to his lips, pressing a gentle to kiss to her skin. “I will be waiting for you.”

And wait for her, he did. Once her shift was over, they exchanged phone numbers, arranging to spend time together outside of Annabel's work so that they could get to know each other better. With each moment they spent together, Annabel fell even deeper in love than before. It was like a fairytale dream, where the knight in shining armor swoops in to save the princess and they fall in love.

She still couldn't believe that she had gotten so lucky with him. Though as she sat now, gazing at Antonio across from her in their restaurant booth, Annabel couldn't help but to think that perhaps it wasn't luck at all. Maybe it was destiny.

The thought brought a smile to her face as she nuzzled against the hand that was still cupping her cheek. “Well, I don't want you to lay down your life for me. Who would help me finish all of this pizza if you were gone?” she teased, reaching over and running a hand through Antonio's curls briefly, a wide smile on her face. She may not feel completely better about what had transpired with her brother earlier, but she knew that there was no one else that she would ever turn to except for Antonio.

He laughed, shaking his head as he picked up one of the pieces of pizza. “You make a fair point,” he said, holding out the piece to Annabel for her to take a bite before eating it himself.

“I do really appreciate that you're willing to look after Mathias and Willem. I truly hope that nothing is going to happen, but I can't help but to worry,” she said quietly, taking another bite of her pizza.

“I just want to do everything I can to help. Willem's your brother, but both of them are also my teammates, and I'd like to know that they're okay too,” Antonio said, taking her hand with a reassuring smile. “I'm sure that we'll get this entire mess sorted out soon enough.”

She knew that the words were meant to be comforting, but Annabel couldn't help the ache of worry that gnawed at her chest as she gave his hand a squeeze and looked out the window. “I hope so… I truly hope so…”