Unrequited// OC x Gilbert Blyth // OC x OC

02

KATHERINE TURNER AWOKE HEARING STRANGE NOISES. Katherine took out a match and lit a candle on fire. She exited her room and traveled the dark halls. She kept hearing the sounds, then she heard moans, then once she got to her parent's room, she heard a thud.

Katherine put her ear against the door, curious of what was happening. She heard John's voice. He had said words which Katherine knew she'd get a beating if it were her who said them. Then, Katherine heard her mother's voice.

Katherine backed up and blew out the candle. She heard footsteps walked to the door and it opened a few seconds later. John walked out, buttoning his shirt. After he had walked downstairs, Katherine entered her mother's room.

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" she exclaimed, pulling the sheets closer to her chest.

"Mother, what's going on?" Katherine asked.

"It's nothing, dear," she said. "Go back to bed. You have school tomorrow."

"Where did Stepfather go?" Katherine asked.

"He's gone to work," she replied. "There was an emergency. Now, go back to bed."

Reluctantly, Katherine did as she was told. The next morning, it was only her mother and her in the house. Katherine wore a maroon dress and a white pinafore. Her hair was curled and put in her usual half-up updo with braids. She wore stockings and boots.

Katherine packed her school supplies. This consisted of her slate, books, ink, and pencil. She walked downstairs with her things and had a small breakfast before packing her lunch for the day.

Once she was done, she said goodbye to her mother and waved. On the path to school, she met with Diana. She wore a blue dress and a white pinafore. Her hair was let down, some hair tied back so they were out of her face. Her hair was also embellished with light blue ribbons.

"Wait," Diana said, stopping. "I heard something."

"Figment of your imagination?" Katherine wondered, looking around.

Diana heard a twig snap. "I heard it again!"

"Please," Katherine told her. "If you're trying to scare me, I'm gonna get back at you ten times harder."

There was a yell as a figure jumped in front of them. The two girls let out a scream, then recognized the boy. He had dark hair which was a bit curly and messy, though the messy look fit well with him. He had forest green eyes and an infectious smile.

"Well, if it isn't Thomas Flint," said Diana, calming her breaths.

"I'd prefer Tommy," he said back.

Thomas Flint was the other best friend of Katherine, who was two years older than her. His family wasn't rich but weren't poor either. It was difficult to persuade her mother for permission to hang out. It was her father, the biological one, who convinced Emma and allowed it.

Thomas Flint was a polite young man and was quite smart, too. He loved the outdoors, stood up for himself and others, and was incredibly protective of his friends.

"I hadn't known you came back," Thomas said to Katherine.

"Had you been at the picnic, you'd have known," Katherine replied. "Has it been a busy week?"

"My parents and I were out in Charlottetown," he explained. "Can't make money just by sitting down and signing papers."

"I think some people do," said Diana.

The three came into the area of the white-painted building with a steeple. Thomas broke off from the two girls, leaving to greet his friends. Katherine and Diana set her milk down in a stream so it would stay fresh and cold. They walked up the steps and opened the door. There was a small parlor and there, they set their coats on a hook and her basket below it like the other students had done before her.