Baker - G. BLYTHE

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-ˋˏ *.·:·. [TWO DAYS LATER] .·:·.* ˎˊ-

ANNE'S PLAN WAS ABOUT READY FOR ACTION AND EVERYONE HOPED THAT IT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE. The group of students, also including Marilla, Prissy and a few others who had turned up, excitedly walked through the town of Avonlea to the town hall. Along the way, they collected people to come and witness their important message. By the time they reached the hall, there was a huge crowd of people present and cheering - much to the old men around the table's disapproval. The student's climbed onto the stage, Anne taking charge with a mini-speech as everyone got ready behind the curtain. Tillie helped Charlotte wrap her handkerchief around her mouth and Charlotte helped her before they both took their boards and stood ready for action. The curtain swooped aside and the group walked forward, displaying their very important message on old wood with white paint.

'Freedom of speech is a human right.'

Gasps erupted in the crowd, not out of outage. No, the message just simply shocked people. Gilbert then walked forward, giving a very short piece of his opinion before tearing the suggestment paper into shreds. He made eye contact with Charlotte as he tore the paper, sending her a sly smile that she would have returned if she didn't currently have a handkerchief wrapped over her mouth. Anne's plan had worked perfectly.

-ˋˏ *.·:·. [ONE DAY LATER] .·:·.* ˎˊ-

THE MORNING FOLLOWING THE EVENTS AT THE TOWN HALL, GILBERT TURNED UP AT THE BAKERY WITH SOMETHING IN HAND. Charlotte hadn't even noticed his arrival, she was too focused on an argument she was having with Rían in the kitchen. So when her mother grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face the door she nearly fell over her own two feet. There stood Gilbert with the most beautiful bouquet of flowers in hand she had ever seen. "Gil what-" she whispered in almost astonishment as he handed the bouquet to her. The majority of the bouquet had been made up of red tulips, a few climbing white flowers intertwined between.

"You said your father used to bring you flowers after every big achievement, Art College has got to be considered one of those," he smiled, watching how her face lit up at the memory. Gilbert had gotten the information from Tillie after much persistence, he did feel hurt that she hadn't told him but after considering it for a second he fully understood. They had been rather distant since Anne, he hated it. He hated how seeing her laugh or smile made him so confused.

Charlotte immediately walked around the counter she stood behind and wrapped Gilbert in a grateful hug. He felt stunned for a second at the sudden contact but soon found himself melting into the contact. "You have no idea how much this means to me Gil, thank you so much," she whispered with her head resting on his shoulder. "I'm sorry for not telling you myself."

They broke the hug, each feeling the sudden cold without each other's touch. "It's okay Lottie, I understand completely," he smiled, both of them then realized how close together their faces were. The scent of buttery pastries longed in his nose for so long that he began to recognise it as normal, something which he hated. They gazed into each other's eyes briefly then each looking in other directions randomly. Charlotte's eyes dropped down to the freckles that she hadn't noticed littered his nose, how in his eyes there was a lighter ring of hazel going towards the middle. His dropped down to her lips, the way they curved into the perfect bow and how they were coloured like ripe cherries.

Maybe if she had noticed it sooner she wouldn't feel such a way. It was her own fault for being so utterly blind, if he would even reciprocate the feelings wasn't something that she dwelled on as it was clear that now he didn't. He had chosen to step out with Anne, he had chosen to court Anne and not her. And that thought broke her heart.