But from that moment when he looked into her bright baby blues, he knew not meeting her again wouldn't be an option.
Allen Walker had finally found a girl to distract him from food. He would go to the cafe that she worked at when ever he had time, always asking for the hot tea he knew she personally perpared.
He was captivated by this girl, who's name he only knew was Annabella. He was entranced by the swinging her long brown hair did. The way she would come over and smile at him as she poured his tea. The gentle way she moved. All of this was making him more and more curious about this girl.
Finally, on a Tuesday afternoon, Allen walked into the cafe. Today, it would be different between him and Annabella. Today, it would be more than just him giving her his order and a simple "Thank you". No ,today him and her would finally have their first conversation.
Allen walked over to his usual table, sat down, and waited for her to come over. 10 minutes had passed and she still didn't show up. He started tapping his fingers.
The door to the back room opened and out she came. She was wearing a new uniform, an old maid one. Allen smiled at how it looked on her. She looked so cute and sweet, like a child. She came over to his table with a pen and pad.
"Hello, what can I get for you today?"
He voice was like wind chimes to his ears, ringing sweetly in the air.
" Ummm, I'll have the: apricot pie, sugar covered dumplings, two slices of the apple dutch pie, three pieces of that new cake, ten bowls of chicken soup, five steaks well done, a chicken pot-pie, some turkey casserol along with ten plates of chessy potatoes please. Oh and a cup of your hot sweet tea."
Allen looks back up at Annabella. She had gotten used to him coming here and eating so much that it no longer phased her. She smiled brightly at him, which made his heart thump and a small blush come across his cheeks.
"Be right back Sir!" And off she went.
Allen sighed and put his head on the table. How was he ever going to start a conversation with this girl?
Finally she came back with a platter and some other waitress carrying a huge plate too. Once they both put the platters down Annabella went back to the kitchen and came back carrying a teapot and cup on a saucer plate. She set the cup down and started pouring tea into it. As she was doing this Allen got the courage to finally talk.
"You make very good tea!" He shouted. Allen quickly shrunk back into his seat.
Annabella was so shocked at his sudden out burst that she almost dropped her pot of tea. Bewildered, she look at Allen.
"Umm, excuse me sir?"
"I said you make very good tea. Its even better than at the Orders kitchen." Allen tells her, though very meekly.
"Oh," Annabella says." Well thanks! No one ever tells me that."
Allen smiles happily, glad he could make her happy.
"Your welcome."
And It was thus from this conversation that Allen and Annabella grew closer together. When Allen was not working for the Black Order he was at the cafe with Annabella, talking to her and keeping her company during her long hours working. They would talk about anything from the weather to their personel once had Annabella asked about Allen's work to which he told her that it was a dangerous job to where he might not come home for long periods of time. Sensing that this was a sensitive topic, she let it go. Allen had also learned some things about Annabella, like how she was an orphan resulting from a car crash that killed her parents when she was young. Allen told her about how he lost Mana and both told some parts of their stories after that. Annabella had gotten to meet Lavi and the rest of Allen's friends, getting along great with Leanalee. Allen realized very quickly that he was falling for Annabella, and Annabella herself was starting to think she liked the boy that had become a close friend. Finally, after almost three years of debating, Allen decided it was time to ask Annabella on a date.
He walked up to her after work with her favorite kind of pie, apple dutch. She turned around just as he held out the box, looking at her with a worried exspression.
"Annabella, um, would you like to got out on a date with me? I mean you don't have to yes , but I would like it if you did. It's just I feel we've grown really close so I was thinking you know, maybe a step further? "Allen asked with a shy exspression.
Annabella grinned and jumped into his arms. Allen almost dropped the box but caught it before it hit the ground. He looked down at her, his eyes wide. Annabella raised her head and looked at Allen with her grin still intact.
"Do you know that I've been waiting almost three years for you to ask me this?"
Allen and Annabella starting laughing in each others arms right in the alley way at the back of the cafe.
After this they planned a ice skating date on the following Friday. Annabella came to the park dressed in a long, brown, button coat and blue came dressed in black jeans, a black t-shirt, a black hat with blue flames, and a black button down peacock coat. Annabella brought the food & drinks while Allen brought the skates.
At first Allen was a little wobbly at skating but quickly got the hang of it, easily keeping up with Annabella quit easily. For a couple of hours they played chase on the ice, until finally Allen caught her from behind.
He turned her around, looking in her eyes and seeing a light of which he had never seen in anyone else before. He kissed her gently on the lips as the snow fell around them, as if they were the only two existing in their white world.
As it turned out the gentle snow fall turned into a blizzard. Allen and Annabella gathered their stuff fast and started walking toward a little end near the lake. Allen paid for the only room the end had left, to which both him and Annabella blushed big time.
As the made their way up to the room it was awkardly silent. Neither wanted to bring up that they would have to stay in the same room. When they got into the room, they realized that there was only one bed. Annabella sat on the left side while Allen sat on the right side, both facing away from each. Then Allen grabbed Annabella and layed her back on the bed so that he was looking down at her. He had kissed her earlier, so what was stopping them from taking it a step further?
Later that night when both lovers were in each others arms Allen decided he might as well ask Annabella an important question. He turned her over so she was looking striaght at him with his hands holding her face.
"Annabella," He whispered," I know this is rather rash, but I need to know if you would want to be my girlfriend? If not I don't want us to continue this relationship."
Allen was looking at her with such a hopeful exspression that she laughed a little before she pulled his lips to meet hers. She pulled back after a couple of seconds and looked at Allen with a small smile.
"Allen Walker, if I didn't want to be more than friends, do you think I would have came out her with you?" She pulled his face closer to hers and whispered, "I firmly believe my hands were created so they could keep yours company."
Allen had a look of awe on his face before he whispered back to her, "Me too."
And so, the lovers slept that night peaceful and quietly, the stars gazing at them through their window.
The next two months went by peaceful for Allen and Annabella, though changes with Annabella were happening. She noticed that she was having an upset stomach and throwing up in morning more. Also, she was getting chubby around her waist. And she had been carving certain foods. Allen though didn't seem to notice anything changing about her. He still talked to her like normal and took her places, telling her how happy he was he had her. But the waitresses at the cafe urged her to go to the doctor. Finally she went after they bickered her enough.
As she waiting in the doctors office for the blood work to come back she began wondering what it was she had. The flu? An illness that she didn't know came from her family? What was it that she had?
Finally the door opened and the doctor came in. He was smiling and waving papers at her as he went back to his regarded him carefully. What was he so happy about? She could have cancer for all he knew.
"Soooo, what's wrong with me? Am I sick?"
The doctor starts laughing and slapping his knees.
"Miss Taylor! Nothing's wrong with you! Your pregnant! Congradulations! Your going to be a mother in seven months! I know you and your boyfriend must be happy!"
But while the doctor was saying all this Annabella's face grew grave. How was she suppose to take care of a kid? She lived in a little apartment by herself and was a waitress for God's sake?! And what about Allen? How would he take this? Would he be happy or angry at her? There was some many things going through her mind that she couldn't think striaght.
She ran out of the the doctors office and dashed for a trash can. The most important question kept coming back in her mind though, even while puking.
Who would she tell this to Allen?
Allen had just came back from a mission from the Order and was going to see Annabella. He she had had an upset stomach from a couple of weeks since he was gone and wanted to see how she was doing. He walked over to the cafe but noticed she wasn't working today. Strange, he usually works on these days. Deciding she must be at her apartment, Allen starts walking over to her apartment. When he gets there he knocks on the door and waits.
Five minutes later the door opens and she's standing there with her head hanging down after she looks at him. She's also weridly dressed too. She has on a large, red sweater that engulfs her and polar bear sweats on. Allen looks at her, confused by her apperance. What happened while he was away?
"May I come in, Annabella?" Allen asks softly.
"Yeah."
She moves and opens the door a little more for him to come in. He notices right away that all the lights are off. This is even weirder, considering Annabella hates the dark.
She walks in front of him and makes her way to the kitchen, where she turns on the light and pulls a chiar out for him. He sits down and gets the box out that he bought as a present for her. It was rare tea's he got on his mission from London. He though it would make a nice gift. He holds it out toward with a hopeful smile on his face.
"I thought, you know, since I haven't had your tea in awhile that you could make me some?"
Her hands shake as she takes the cup from him and starts making the tea. As she's making it Allen notices that not only is her hands shaking but her entire body. What could be wrong?
Annabella comes to the table and starts pouring the tea. But as she's pouring the tea She starts crying and lets the tea fall over the table on the floor. Annabella falls to the fall in a break-down of tears, too overwelmed with the burden she carries. Allen rushes to her side, concern and worry filling his eyes.
"Annabella?! Annabella, what's wrong?! Did something happen while I was gone?"
She leans into his ear and whispers," I'm pre..."
Allen turns to her.
"You're what?"
She looks away and blushes.
"I'm pregn..."
"Sorry, but you're what?"
"I AM PREGNANT! There! Are you happy now?!"
Allen took a look at Annabella's face and realized what this meant for her. It meant no more sledding, skating, working, and a lot of other things that he knew she loved to do. But couldn't it also mean a new begining? For both of them, with their new child ofcourse. She could move in with him at the Black Order, he'd find a way to convince them.
He looked at Annabella with a tender smile and pulled her close, cupping her cheeks in his hands.
"I will love you no matter what comes, be it forever or just five seconds more with you. You matter more to me than any one ever will or ever has mattered before, and I don't want to let you or the baby go. So my final question for you is, Anna bella Taylor, will you marry me?"
Annabella looked at Allen as tears broke out and she smile.
"Do you even have to ask?"