Chapter 57: Surprise

                                    

                                          
Anne was back at their house, knocking on the door and standing in frustration on the doorstep. She'd waited all afternoon, because surely they'd be done by then. "If you guys are done boinking in there, I'd really like to talk to you! Because I can't really wait any longer!" She yelled into the door. 
There was the sound of something dropping before running, and Sebastian opened the door with wide eyes and a bright flush on his face. "A-Anne?" He said in a flustered tone. 
"You know I could hear you from down the hill? For Gods' sake, Sebastian!" Anne said in embarrassment. 
She heard a soft moan of embarrassment, looking behind him to see Diane at the end of the entry hallway, her hands covering her face with embarrassment as Ominis chuckled amusingly beside her. 
"S-so what did you want?" Sebastian asked, rubbing the back of his neck and eager to change the subject. 
"Are you three going to the masquerade?" Anne asked in a huff.
"That's... in two days, right?" Sebastian glanced back to Ominis, who nodded. 
"Oh," Diane said softly, her eyes widening a bit with a little smile. 
Ominis noticed the small sound, a grin coming over his face. "Sounds like we are." 
"We are?" Sebastian asked, looking back again and seeing the small hopeful look on Diane's face, laughing in amusement. "So we are." 
"Good, because I'll go with you, then." Anne said, surprising all three of them.
"With us?" Sebastian asked in confusion. 
"Y-yeah, I want to surprise Garreth so I can't actually travel with him to the dance." Anne said with a blush, acting like it wasn't a big deal. "So I'll have to travel with you three." She pointed a finger up to Sebastian's face threateningly. "No schmoozing on the way there!" 
"Alright!" He said defensively, holding his hands up in surrender with another blush. 
"We'd love to have you come with us." Diane said happily. "What's the surprise?" She asked eagerly. 
"You'll see when I get here." Anne muttered in embarrassment. 
Sebastian rose a brow curiously, wondering why she was so embarrassed about it. He'd never seen Anne act this way with a guy before, though. It was pretty adorable. "If my younger sis needs my help, then help she shall have." He said in a baby-talk tone, patting the top of her head. 
"Don't talk to me like that!" Anne said, flailing her arms at him defensively with a huff. 
He backed up out of her reach with a chuckle of amusement, grinning happily. "Did you already go to Hogsmeade, then?" 
"Yes, we went this afternoon." She sighed, though it had been fairly difficult to keep it hidden from Garreth. He'd been fairly keen to shop on his own too, thankfully. He seemed like he wanted to get something. Probably an ingredient or something. 
"Good, we'll go tonight, then. That way we'll be ready for Christmas Eve." 
Diane gasped excitedly. "Butter beers?" She asked hopefully. 
"Butter beers." He smiled over his shoulder to her. 
He chuckled when she let out a little cheer, raising her arms into the air excitedly. 
"I'll see you all on Christmas Eve, then." Anne said with a smile. "It'll be fun. I've never been asked to a dance before." Anne said excitedly. 
Oh he knew. He was glad Garreth had taken his suggestion, because he could see how excited Anne was about this.