Saving My Heroine

Chapter 9

Celine had gone home pissed. She had planned to drag Anna off during lunch and get to the bottom of her weird behavior but it was at that moment that she was too busy to leave her station – It wasn’t even Anna trying to get out of the conversation, as she had looked at Celine like a lifesaver and asked her to help get her lunch. Even worse Anna had to work extra time meaning she couldn’t even ask on the way home. Anna had offered to head to her place later and while Celine agreed she knew Anna would be too tired so getting anything out of her.

When she got home, she prepared for dinner for both off them and called Michael. She had mentioned Anna’s strange behavior but he couldn’t really help as he was not around to experience it and he wasn’t really close to her. She talked through her meal preparation till he had to move. She finished, took a shower and ate but Celine wasn’t back. She put her meal in the microwave and went to bed. Anna had been to her apartment so many times it was a second home to her and she could handle herself.

Celine woke up to Anna running around, preparing for work. She was wearing a dark green dress with light makeup and her hair in a ponytail. Anna glanced at her and smiled.

“Good morning sleeping beauty.” She said as she put on her shoes, “I made breakfast and lunch. Dinner was amazing but I have to go.” She gave Celine a kiss on the cheek, picked up her bag and left. Celine watched her leave disoriented and still asleep. At the sound of the door clicking, she flinched, wondering exactly what just happened.

6th May 2020

Anna hurried to work, she planned to do a lot of work before Celin showed up, to have more time to keep an eye on her. She worked furiously and quickly, making the member of her team work more as well. Anna felt a little guilty but to her, Celine was more important, she made it up to them by stylishly reducing their workload without their awareness.

Tim glanced at the woman who greeted him and moved to work. He was willing to bet that she did not actually see him. He watched her working like her life was depending on it, it made him curious about what was making her so anxious. He walked and stood in front of her desk, peering into her work. She wasn’t stuck on anything and seemed to be way ahead of schedule.

“Are rushing somewhere?” He asked, startling her.

Anna flinched and her head shot up. He gave her a warm, apologetic smile. She smiled back.

“I’m not rushing anywhere.” She replied. He gave her a look full of doubt and she avoided his eyes.

“I’m not, I just think that since I’m here I might as well work right?”

“And why did you come so early?” He threw back, “You were almost here before me.”

She gave a blinding smile, “I was trying to get ere before you actually.”

This caused Tim to burst into laughter and Anna joined him, looking like a satisfied cat.

“Alright then, I guess you’ll be trying harder tommorow.” He said as his laughter died down.

Anna nodded her head decisively. Tim let out a warm smile, his entire being radiating warmth causing Anna to relax and smile back. He turned and left to continue his work and Anna went back to her work as well.

Even with all her preparation, Coral’s appearance still caught her by surprise. She had taken a short break and gone to seat with Celine. At this point most of Celine’s colleagues already knew about their friendship and were used to seeing Anna in their workspace.

Suddenly whispers flooded into the room, talks about Coral Clarke filled the room. Celine and Anna shared a glance. Celine knew who about Coral and her relationship or lack thereof wit Michael, she didn’t know what was coming but she felt a sudden sense of dread in her gut. She looked at Anna who stared at everyone with a mix of interest and slight indifference.

Anna smiled internally, what an amazing stroke of luck, exactly when she was around. While she knew that Celine had handled the confrontation very well, she was here to quell any stem of insecurity that Coral was going to evoke.

“Who is Celine Anderser?” Coral asked as she stepped into their work space, her voice cold and eyes colder. Her words chilled the room and caused everyone to quiet down curious about her appearance and relationship with Celine.

Coral’s eyes roamed the room searching when a quiet but firm voice spoke up.

“I’m Celine Anderser. How may I help you?” She replied.

Coral eyes scanned her, taking in her appearance as much as she could while she was sitting down. She was actually very pretty, she mused. She was wearing a dark off shoulder shirt with a professional trouser, her black hair pushed back with a ribbon giving her a fresh and youthful look. Coral frowned. She wouldn’t say Celine was prettier than her but there was something charming about her.

She took a seat in front of Celine and glanced at the other woman beside her, who seemed to be glaring at her but when she paid attention there was only a blank look of disinterest in her eyes. Coral turned back to Celine who was staring at her with question in her eyes.

“So,” She started dryly, “You’re who Michael’s dating now.”

Celine froze, while conversations about her and Michael had been going around. They were yet to announce it.

“Miss Coral,” Celine inhaled sharply, stamping on the annoyance bubbling in her. “I don’t think we’ve met before and I don’t believe you have any job you need my help with without the awareness of my superior.” She ignored the statement made by Celine earlier, neither denying nor affirming.

Coral wasn’t expecting Michael’s new girlfriend to be so calm, the one before her had crumbled from just seeing her. Well, that was her mistake, she conceded lightly and smiled.

“I’m just here to meet the girl that stole my fiancée.” The already silent room somehow felt quieter. Coral smiled sweetly. This was the exact reaction she was going for. She had picked this day and place because she knew Michael was not around and she wanted to humiliate Celine in her place of work.

“Ex fiancée!” Celine shot back and the smile on Coral’s face immediately dropped. “Your engagement with Michael has been over since he was eighteen. Don’t act like I seduced him while he was with you.” She refused to have her reputation damaged by a petty woman who was upset because the man she liked didn’t return her feelings.

Coral glared fiercely, her lips curling in a sneer of contempt, “You think he loves you know but has he even introduced you to his parents?” She scoffed, “At the end of the day he would still have to marry a woman who matches his status.” She rose from her seat and stormed out of the room in anger.

Celine glanced around the room, her colleagues avoided her eyes, pretending to work while musing over the interesting gossip they just heard. She turned to Anna who was looking at her with eyes full of admiration. Anna shot her a bright smile and she smiled back, her anger and frustration immediately dispersing.

Anna stood up, “I have to go now but we’ll talk about this later.” Celine nodded and Anna left.

Celine handled that amazingly, Anna thought as she headed back to her current office. So what exactly affected her? What am I missing? She wondered.