Finding Gilbert Blythe

Kissing Gilbert Blythe

OCTOBER 2011

"I've given you enough chances."

"Rid-babe, please, you don't understand-this was nothing what it looked like...please..."

Ridley resists the urge to smack Sawyer across the face. Her violent and childish ways, however, have died along with any feelings she had left for this sorry excuse for a male. Instead, she chooses to merely fake a yawn - well, to be perfectly truthful, she does feel really tired. All she wants to do right now is curl up in her poky little bedroom with her laptop and maybe write a story about an amazing, independent, sassy redhead who catches her boyfriend in bed with not one, not two, but three girls, covered in chocolate ice-cream. At least that story would end with all the girls dumping ice-cream all over him and walking away together, hand in hand.

The naked women tangled in the sheets of Sawyer's bed don't seem to be the least bit concerned that Sawyer's just been caught cheating on Ridley with them. Instead, they're all whispering to each other, pointing and giggling excitedly at Ridley, who feels a little offended. Alright, so her skin isn't as creamy as theirs but there really is no need to be so rude about it.

"Sawyer," Ridley drawls lazily, suddenly very bored with the situation. "It's not like we were official anyway, right? Like you told me some time back, we should take things slow. And when I mean slow, I mean we should probably never see each other again."

She turns to leave but Sawyer quickly grabs her wrist and tugs her towards him. He looks livid. Ridley snatches her hand away and scowls at Sawyer angrily. "I'm sorry," she spits, "I didn't realise I'd given you a non-verbal consent to touch me."

"Ridley you can't just leave." Sawyer runs a hand through his matted blonde hair. Ridley can't believe she used to find that attractive. It actually makes her feel sick right now. "I...I made a mistake. A huge, horrible mistake. I need you; you can't leave me like this, please. I...I'm...I'm lost without you."

Sawyer stares at Ridley, open-mouthed, hopeful looking. Ridley stares right back at him before opening her mouth to speak.

"Then get a bloody map, you wanker."

And with that, she walks out of his house, ignoring his cries of protest. Once she's out in the open, she begins to giggle. And the giggles turn in to laughter.

I'm lost without you? Did he actually just say that? Out loud? Perhaps hanging around Benjamin had made her immune to cheesy romantic lines like these. Ridley knew her sixteen year old self would've melted instantly under these words but Ben seems to have taught her better. All those nights she'd spent listening to him make snide remarks at romantic movies...who knew she could've benefited from that? I owe you one, Ben.

➜➜➜

Ridley smiles as Ben's laughter echoes around the ever empty Aroma.

"And you just left him there? Standing around like a total idiot?"

"Yep. Do you think I could've-"

"Nope." Benjamin gives her a dopy grin. "Everything was perfect. Perfect."

Ridley sighs and rests the back of her head against the chair she is sitting on. Inhaling slowly, she thinks about all those times she'd actually thought Sawyer was her Gilbert Blythe. She can't believe she'd ever had such a thought. Sawyer! Psh. Clearly, Ridley hadn't been in the right state of mind. But...but he'd been so perfect, at first. He'd read all the books and he'd been so kind, and intelligent, and witty. And all those cute little kisses they had shared, all the cuddling and the inside jokes...Ridley knows she'd thoroughly enjoyed those moments - but...had she, really? She briefly remembers the time when Sawyer had first kissed her; the plumpness of his lips, the chocolate-y aftertaste...it had been her first kiss...ever, and it had been a rather satisfactory one. But that was it, really. Satisfactory. Not how she'd imagined it to be. It wasn't toe-curlingly brilliant, nor did it give her any butterflies in her stomach and...oh, how cliché...there was nothing in it. No spark. Not even a fizzle.