Anne with an e- a new version of the story

Chapter 66- Graduation prom

ANNE

Anne smoothed the gown she wore as if it had an imaginary wrinkle and sighed. She straightened her red braids again, which matched the black color of her suit beautifully, and looked out her bedroom window. The day was splendid, no clouds seemed to cloud the sky that was bluer than his eyes, and he felt a certain nostalgia when he thought about Diana and Cole.

Both of them were not there to complete that step with her, and although they had sent congratulatory cards for that day, it was not the same as having their physical presence on graduation day. Ruby wouldn't be there either, and Anne felt her heart squeeze just thinking about the girl. She hadn't heard from her since she had traveled to New York. Her entire family had moved to the big city because of her illness, and they had not returned by then. As far as Anne knew, Ruby's father's business was being handled by relatives living in Charlotte Town, and Anne had no idea who they were. Perhaps she could ask Muddy to help her investigate and try to find out something about the girl's real condition as he knew the town well and her father had business there as well.

In any case, it was a pity not to have Ruby at the graduation, the girl would have liked to participate, even more so because in the evening they would have a ball, and Ruby, vain as she was, would dress whimsically for that occasion. It was really a shame that she couldn't attend, just as it was too sad not to have Diana around.

Four months had passed since Diana had left, and Anne had missed her every day. Summer had come and gone, and they were in the height of autumn. Diana loved that season because of the milder temperatures, and the falling leaves that changed color giving the landscape a more romantic feel. Diana, like Anne, had a fondness for things connected to the heart. Anne expressed her feelings through words, and Diana through music. Her friend liked to create new sounds on her piano, and had even composed many songs that spoke of the feelings of the heart, too bad her mother did not encourage her as an artist, because if she had, Anne believed she would become a great pianist, But Diana's mother had filled her head with stories that a woman's place was in the home, and Diana had abandoned her artistic aspirations, but Anne knew that Diana had kept these dreams deep in her heart, and she hoped that by living in Paris her friend would regain her taste for the piano. 

Anne heard Gilbert's voice downstairs and hurried, she hurried down the stairs, eager to find her fiancé, but when she reached the last step she stumbled and would have fallen, if Gilbert hadn't held her. He looked at her with his brown eyes full of humor and said:

- You see? Even the universe conspires so that you are always in my arms.

- Maybe that's because it knows that this is the only place I want to be," Anne replied, caressing Gilbert with her gaze.

- It was Marilla speaking in her usual snotty voice, but when Anne looked at her she had the impression that she was smiling at them both. The good lady always liked to show her grumpy side, perhaps because she wanted to hide that inside her there was a human being full of compassion for the less fortunate. It was Marilla, being Marilla, Anne thought fondly.

They drove to school in Matthew's car, because Marilla made sure they all arrived at the graduation ceremony, and on the way there Anne and Gilbert remained in a conspiratorial silence, but they kept in their eyes the words they didn't need to say to each other, because their entwined hands and the smile they exchanged now and then said it all.

The touch of Gilbert's lips on her palm caused an involuntary shiver to run up the back of Anne's neck as the boy played with her fingers absentmindedly, his eyes sometimes lost in the local scenery they passed. Anne took the opportunity to get a better look at him in his graduation suit. He looked as attractive in black as he did in blue. His light brown skin tanned easily, and he still retained much of the tan from last summer when he and Anne spent many weekends at the beach. Anne loved to see him wet, lying in the sand after swimming in the sea. The salty drops glistened on his skin like little diamonds in the sun, making him so irresistible to her eyes that she felt unable to just watch him from a distance, always ending up touching him just to feel the soft texture of Gilbert's skin in her hands.