𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 (𝐆.𝐁.) (𝐁.𝐀.)

Three.

A few minutes later, after Diana and Anne had returned, Mr philips entered. He ordered everyone to get back to their seats.

They sat in their usual seats, where Jane and Lavinia sat together in the middle. While Diana sat in the front with Anne, just as Lavinia had told her.

-

After a long period of Mr philips calling out everyone on their spelling, it was time for lunch.

All of the girls met in their usual place in the classroom, while Anne was all alone.

"Anne!"
Lavinia was the first to call the red head, and soon the others followed.

"I'm just so excited to hear about everything that you saw." Josie squealed.

Ruby then joined, "Me too!"

And so did Tillie, "Me three!"

Lavinia looked at Jane and Diana who were beside her, and made a face showing how done she was with the other girls. This made Jane laugh slightly, while Diana shook her head with a small smile.

"What do you mean?" Anne gave them a confused look.

"Prissy and Mr. Phillips, silly. In the supply room?" Josie replied, while looking at Anne as if she was dumb.

"I told them about the pet mouse." Diana rubbed both of her hands nervously.

"It's just all so shocking." The mean blonde spoke up once again.

"I wasn't too sure about it, though, so I thought maybe you could tell them."

"I just can't believe it." Lavinia grimaced at the thought of what Diana had told them earlier.

Tillie nodded her head, "Me neither."

"Prissy and Mr. Phillips are having intimate relations all right." Anne finally told them, making Lavinia frown.
"It's a pretty common occurrence."

Prissy was her best friends sister, and a good friend of hers. Hearing them talk about her made Lavinia feel uncomfortable, and it seemed like Jane felt the same way.

Lavinia hugged the Andrews girl, while laying her head on her shoulder, and stayed in that position as they listened to the girls gossiping.

"But you don't really think she... touched it, do you?"

"His pet mouse?"

"I spy with my little eye..." Once again billy had interrupted the girls.

"Go away!"
Josie yelled with Tillie finishing for her.
"Stop spying!"

Lavinia glared at him, "Stupid boys!"

Once they left, the girls went back to gossiping, "Are they really making a baby?"

"It's disgusting! He's the teacher."

"Then again, Prissy does look quite grown up this year."

"Do you think they're in love?" Tillie asked, looking interested.

"When it comes to intimate relations, I'm not sure it matters."

"Oh, my!" Lavinia gasped, and so did Jane.

"Do tell, Anne."

"Well, in my experience with Mrs. Hammond and her drunken husband..."

"Drunken husband?!"

"Oh, my."

"They're the people you lived with before you came to Green Gables?"

"They were the last ones, yes."

"And he was a drunkard?"

"Oh, indeed."

"Oh, Anne..."

"Mr. Hammond always had his moonshine, and after he'd partaken, he would stomp around the house like Frankenstein's monster and everybody would run! But nobody faster than Mrs. Hammond, because she knew he was going to make her pet his mouse."

"And did she?"

"I believe she had to."

"Oh, my."

"I could hear everything!"

"Everything?"

"To this day, I don't know quite what to make of it. There were times I heard laughing and it sounded like fun, but there were other times I was sure he was murdering her. Either way, it sure made Mrs. Hammond mad. And the next morning, more often as not, she would take after me with a wooden spoon. I'll confess that I was relieved when Mr. Hammond dropped dead. I didn't miss the sting of his belt one bit."

Lavinia and Jane quickly packed their lunch, not wanting to hear Anne's story anymore. And soon everyone followed along.

"Is lunchtime over already?" Anne looked at everyone, confused.

Josie being herself, had to reply, "No. I won't eat next to dirty trash. Come on, girls, before we all become tarnished."

"Diana?" Lavinia asked the girl that was still sitting.

Diana quickly packed her lunch, following Lavinia and Jane outside.

Leaving Anne all alone.

The three girls sat outside, beside the stream.

"What we had done was awfully mean, but I no longer wanted to hear her story." Lavinia frowned.

"It was horrendous! I mean, the screams?" Jane shivered.

"It truly was horrifying." Diana nodded as she looked back at the classroom.
"We should head back to class, lunch is almost over."

-