ELECTRICITY ━━ gilbert blythe

30. a promise

CHAPTER THIRTY:
A PROMISE

Gilbert.

Gilbert was here.

The feeling of his lips burning electricity on her forehead still lingered, even after a week. Violet knew in her bones, that she hated him, that she hated what he did to her, but yet—

The possibilities. Endless and surreal, they dawned on her like she was as light as a butterfly, and the whole world was waiting for her—

No. She could not.

Not when Sylvie was here too.

Not when Sylvie was perfect.

Ashy blonde hair and full lips, Sylvie was hers.

"You're thinking about him, aren't you?" Sylvie whispered. Her eyes looked confused, withered, and sad.

"He... he came back." Violet simply said. "He came back."

"But you want me." Sylvie responded, as if trying to convince herself.

You want me, right?

Violet's eyes clouded, and she hesitated, just a second too long before speaking. "Yes."

Sylvie felt her soul twist and turn. "I wish I could believe you."

"I do want you, Sylvie." Violet's voice was soft and vulnerable.

"You just want him, too." Sylvie finished for her. "Vi, you need to make your choice."

"I—"

"No, Violet." Sylvie's ripped to shreds as her voice quivered, shaking. "You need to choose. Him or Me?"

Sylvie or Gilbert.

Gilbert or Sylvie.

Sylvie or Gilbert or Sylvie or Gilbert or Sylvie—

"Sylvie, I never wanted him to come back."

"But he's here now, isn't he?" Sylvie smiles sadly.

"Yes. Yes, he is."

"I'm going to make this easy for you, Violet." Sylvie felt her chest burn. "I want to kiss you."

She traces her fingers along Violet's jawline. "But I won't. Not until you're thinking of me instead of trying to forget him."

Violet would come to miss Sylvie in the future. Her breathy sighs, the way her hair smelled like daisies, and the scar on her left cheek. She would come to miss the liberation Sylvie dawned on her. The freedom, the spontaneity, the spectacles—

But it was Gilbert she loved.

The safety. The comfort. The electricity. The way his fingers twisted in her hair when he kissed her. Old books and warm tea, his soft breaths and dark brown eyes.

It was Gilbert that she needed to go to.

Gilbert that she needed to touch, to kiss, to fall into—

So, Violet was running.

The sky was thunderous, pouring drops of rain onto her hair, but it was so freeing. She erupted into a bright smile, so bright it was blinding as the droplets embraced her skin and trickled down her neck.

She ran so fast her feet began to ache. Her muscles were sore but so numb, the pain being overruled by the missing puzzle pieces of her soul finally being glued together.

And the very last piece was Gilbert.

A house stood tall, and right next to it was a beautiful lawn with fresh lilies. Blooming, flourishing in the shower of water and booming with the enhanced petrichor. A house like this was rare in the pristine grime of London, and yet it was the most Gilbert house she could think of.

The garden's gates were poetic and rusting, so grand, so beautiful.

And then she saw him.

Hurrying to the garden with a tarp to cover the chairs, and she couldn't help but grin so wide.

"Gilbert!" She shouted, muffled by the pouring of the rain.

"Violet?" He questioned, equally as loud. His beautiful, brown eyes widened as he ran to the gate and unlocked it.

Her smile was so wide that her eyes crinkled. Tears of happiness glistened in her eyes, masked by the rain. She ran into the garden, and he followed her, smiling wide at her glee.

"You're here." He cupped her cheeks gently, chuckling in disbelief. "You're actually here."

"You came back for me." Violet breathed out. Her words were soft, almost hidden by the pitter patter of the rain, "So I did haunt you, then?"

Gilbert smiled. "I'd have it no other way, sweetheart." His hair was wet from the rain, and he had never looked this beautiful.

"Can I- can I kiss you?" Violet whispered. "We have a lot of growing to do together, a lot of conversations we need to have about this whole ordeal but... Right now, I just want you."

And Gilbert nodded, eyes crinkling as he pressed his lips gently to hers.

A kiss. A promise. That no matter how many times he left, he would always come back.

It was just as she remembered. Electrifying. Soulful. Beautiful. A melody of souls and they were dancing and twining and it was dizzying and he was hers and she was his—

"If you leave me again..." Violet whispered against his lips. His eyes grew sad, as he lifted a finger and put it on her lips.

"I know." Gilbert's voice was so soft, so enticing.

"Stay?" Violet pleaded. "Stay and we can build a life together. Stay and I'm yours, forever. Stay, Gilbert, for once in your life, just stay."

"I'll stay for you." Gilbert said, simply.

"No. I want you to stay for you." Violet placed a hand on his heart. "For your happiness."

"Violet, you are my happiness."

And that was that.