₁.₀ SUPERCUT; gilbert blythe ✔

014.

"Hello."

"Um, hi." All of sudden, Marianne starts to feel very much awkward. "Sorry about Anne, none of us had had enough sleep tonight."

Somehow, it was easier to talk to him when her head wasn't that much lear. Less uncomfortable.

"Though I see you're far from procrastinating. It's looking much better than it did just a few hours ago," continues the girl, mentioning to the house. "Shouldn't you- Don't you have to come back to work? I wouldn't want to be accused of holding you back from it."

Gilbert moves a hand to his cap, fixing it on his head. "Yeah. I-I just wanted to ask how you're feeling. After the fire, that is."

"Oh. Well, I truly like Anne, but what she did wasn't a very bright move. Running into a burning house like that-"

"Didn't you do the same?"

Marianne is left to stare at him for a moment. "Why, yes, I did," she admits finally. "I'm proud of her knowing what to do, but she risked her life for empty rooms, which would have had to be rebuilt anyway. And I did it for her."

Maybe it's not very wise, explaining herself in this way, but Marianne genuinely believes she's right. She's knows it was dangerous, maybe even stupid of her to ran after Anne. Still, she couldn't possibly force herself to regret her actions at all.

And maybe Gilbert sees that look on her face, because he doesn't argue with her words at all. Marianne's glad he had decided against it - she's not sure she would be able to handle being called reckless right to her face.

"There's a chance she owes her life to you. I'm sure she's grateful you two are all right now."

"Well-"

"And I am too," says the boy, quickly adding, "I, uh- Everyone must be. It's a shame you aren't at school anymore. I feel responsible for that, at least partly."

"No, isn't not that, it's not your fault. Not for me, at least. I just wasn't allowed to go after the incident, Marilla though it would be best for my health to take a few days off. Anne, on the other hand..."

  "So it is my fault. Had I known it would affect her that much, I wouldn't have even thought about doing it."

"If helps your remorse, she was already quite disappointed with school before you came. I suppose that whole pulling on her hair thing just did it." She smiles a little. "She'll come around, though apologies wouldn't hurt either."

"I know." Gilbert nods, his eyes moving to look at something over her shoulder. "I just wish she would give me a chance. But, judging by the looks she's giving us now, she thinks me one of the worst villains possible."

Marianne instinctively turns her hard back; she thought Anne would be on her way back to Green Gables already. "She's there? No wonder I was feeling as though someone was trying to burn a hole through my back."

Gilbert chuckles and Marianne, not really voluntarily, classifies the sound as something quite enjoyable.

"Don't worry. I'm afraid she's doing it just so she could get to me," he says with a smile still on his lips, his eyes bright as well. "Do her wrong and she'll certainly let you know, right?"

"Well, Anne's just one of a kind."

"She's something, all right."

Little does Marianne know he doesn't exactly mean the same person she does.

🌼

It is true Anne is no ordinary being as she managed to persuade Marianne to join her and other girls in the woods.