𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 (𝐆.𝐁.) (𝐁.𝐀.)

Thirty-five.

-

Lavinia hummed a tune as she braided her hair, although it looked more like a knot than a braid. She was sat with Cole in their Story Club shed, waiting for Anne to arrive. Diana and Ruby were busy and had informed them they wouldn't be meeting until later on that day.

Anne suddenly stormed inside, not even greeting them before she spat out, "Gilbert may know just want he wants to be, but does he have a beautiful connection to words? I don't think so."

"I thought you said that was the Pen of Duplicity." Cole nodded his head towards the pen she was using.

"Yes, but I think it's been properly exorcized."

"And what will you be Anne?" Lavinia bit her lip in concentration as she finished braiding the first section.

"Are you going to be a writer?" The boy questioned as he played with clay.

"Maybe. Maybe I'll be a lot of things. I now dub thee the Pen of Possibility."

Lavinia frowned, "I don't know what I want to be."

"Finding your true authentic self takes time, Lavinia. Don't worry, it will come to you." Anne reassured her worried friend.

"It better." She mumbled before taking ahold of her braid and gasping. "I'm getting better!"

"I'm not sure about that." Cole grimaced at the sighted of her messy braid.

"Ugh."

-

"And when my big sister, Susan, was proposed to, he said: 'Father has given me the farm in my own name. What do you say, darling pet, if we get hitched this fall?' Have you ever heard such a thing?!"

Lavinia felt sick at the nickname, watching Diana and Ruby giggle over it, "Darling pet? That doesn't sound romantic at all."

"That's it?" Anne questioned Ruby.

"Anne, he called her 'darling pet.'"

The red-head scoffed, "That proposal is about as amorous as Mr. Phillips doing a roll call."

All girls giggled at Anne's remark.

"And Jane says Prissy's convinced it'll happen any day now." Lavinia smiled at the reminder of the prospect of a wedding.

Diana abruptly held Ruby's hand as she spoke up, "Prissy, you leave me breathless! Marry me, or I shall die choking on my love for you to the end! Will you have me, my dearest Ruby?"

"No." Ruby moved away from Diana's hold, "I plan to have several beaus and be proposed to several times just to drive Gilbert Blythe mad before I accept his offer."

Lavinia's smile fell off that the comment, looking around as she avoided eye contact with Ruby.

"Your turn, Anne."

She stood up, taking a deep breath as she thought over her words, "For you... I will build a castle, with each brick forged in my heart with the fire of my transcendent love. Will you accept this exquisite diamond ring? What say you?"