Yours truly, Gilbert | 𝐆𝐈𝐋𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐓 𝐁𝐋𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐄

eighteen

HARLEY'S POV
***

"Good Morning Ms. Clarke." I was greeted by Mr. Phillips on Monday.

I nodded and forced a smile on my way to my seat.

"... And at the funeral, he put his arm around me." Josie exclaimed in a whisper.

"What are you guys talking about?" I asked.

All their gazes fell on me, and Tillie rolled her eyes. "She's talking about at the funeral, Billy Andrews comforted her." She said as if it were obvious.

Oh.

Something about this all felt... strange. How quickly things were going back to normal. It didn't sit right with me, but then again, not everyone knew Mr. Blythe as well as I did. So maybe his death wasn't as hard for them.

"Everyone take your seats!" Mr. Phillips voice boomed across the class.

The room was still for several seconds, until the classroom door creaked open.

In came Gilbert Blythe.

A few gasps came from the class, mine included, as we watched Gilbert slowly stroll in.

"Mr. Blythe..." Mr. Phillips started skeptically. "What bring you here on a day like... today?"

I knew what he meant by that. Everyone did. The funeral was Saturday.. What on earth was Gilbert doing back so fast?

Gilbert only shrugged at this and walked to his unoccupied seat. "Just observing."

Mr. Phillips waited a few seconds, and slowly nodded. "Alright. Everyone, we're going to start with our pen-pal activity since we're all here. I'm going to pass out a small sheet of paper and... you know what to do." He stated carefully, still fixed on Gilbert's appearance.

My pen pal. It's been so long since we've talked. I almost forgot what we last spoke about.

Oh that's right. He told me about how conflicted he was with his feelings. What to say to that now?

Hello, I hope you're well. I'm doing alright. But... I'm not really sure what else to add. Now that I know where you stand, I don't know what to say, knowing you don't feel the same as I. I just hope you have a good day is all.
-Your partner

And with that, I set down my pencil. Not feeling regret, or that fluttering feeling in my stomach. That was a good message. Nothing too forward, and nothing too held back. Just right.

After Mr. Phillips collected all the letters, minutes that felt like hours ran by, and he was taking longer than usual.

Finally he leaned off his desk, but without sending the letters around to our partners, he clutched two in his hand.

"Two students... broke a rule today." He started. His tone was calm, but his body language was anything but. His hands were tight on the paper and his face was stone cold.

"Everyone, your partner should be the same. gender. as. you. Is that understood?!" He snapped.

A murmur of "Yes sir," filled the class, and I glanced around. Were we found out? Did Mr. Phillips read my partner and I's letters for once and discover we weren't supposed to be pen-pals?

The air in the class was tense, and I was scared to even breathe. There was a chance I could be getting punished right now, and my partner and I would be forced to reveal ourselfs. Not only to eachother, but the entire class too.

He waited a few moments before speaking again. And Diana gave me a scared look.

"Any breakage of this rule is punishable by lines, and suspension, is that also understood?!"

"Yes sir."

"I can't hear you."

"Yes sir!"

I felt like I was going to throw up, tears were already filling my eyes, and I swore I could've fainted right there.

"I'll be revealing the students who broke this rule, now." He stated.

This got everyone riled up. Mutiple kids whispered to eachother. Perhaps asking who is who.

"Wait!" A male voice shouted.

Everyone turned to see Gilbert standing. Looking as tense as me. What was he doing? And more importantly why?

"Sir, these students may not even know eachother yet. You forcing them to show themselves to everyone is simply cruel!"

"I will not be told what is cruel and what isn't in my classroom Mr. Blythe!" His voice was rising, and filled the entire class. No one dared move a muscle.

"But sir!"

"Sit down!"

"No!"

Silence. Mr. Phillips looked him dead in the eye with a jaw so tightly clenched, he almost looked in pain.

"Come up here now... Mr. Blythe." He said cautiously.

Gilbert didn't take his eyes off him either. In a smiliar tone, he spat. "Fine."

His steps were calculated, and slow as he made his way towards the front of the room. To the right of Mr. Phillips desk.

"I'll deal with you later." He nodded and looked back at us. "Now that that was taken care of..."

We knew what he was about to say. The two rule breakers. One boy and one girl. This couldn't be happening. Not right now. Not ever. A few tears had already escaped my face when I stood up and cried, "Stop it!"

But at the same time, Diana stood up too, and shouted, "Wait!"

I never looked at her so thankfully.

And so... others saw we didn't like this and did the same.

Boys were coming out of their seats, girls were shouting threats, and soon, no one could hear Mr. Phillips anymore with all our voices clamoring over eachother.

"SILENCE!" He bellowed.

"No, no!"

"The two people punished today are..."

"Shut up!"

This was it. It's over. Everything. I took one last look at Diana and Gilbert, both had their eyebrows furrowed.

And then Mr. Phillips, with the slight smirk on his face. He was about to ruin everything. And there was nothing we could do about it.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment, taking in this last time before brutal embarrassment.

I wasn't ready. But I had to face it. I had to face meeting him.

No more running from my problems. Once they hear my name, all eyes will fall on me, and whoever my pen-pal is.

"Jane Andrews and Charlie Sloane."