Young love (Gilbert Blythe)

♡The only one♡

CHAPTER THREE:

The only one.

Evelyn's point of view

I sit down on his bed, waiting for him to talk.

I've been way to harsh with him. I wanted an explanation, but I didn't even let him talk. I was so blinded by the idea that he broke his promise, that I didn't have time to think about putting myself in his place. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

He sits down next to me and I look at him. He is thinking about what to say, you can see it in his eyes.

"When my dad died, I felt trapped in my own house, in my own town. Wherever I went, whatever I did, I couldn't get him out of my mind. I needed a way to escape."

I listen to his words, feeling bad for the way I behaved with him. This is exactly what I did when Emma died. I left as far as I could and tried to recover. And now I judged him because he did exactly the same thing. Although that doesn't change the fact that he didn't think it was important to let me know he was leaving.

"I thought that the world is so big, and I haven't even seen half of the continent, and my father liked to travel, so I followed his path. I embarked on that ship with the intention of to see the world and grow more mature. I visited beautiful harbors, I met Bash, I helped a woman give birth, I-"

"You helped a woman give birth!?" The confusion can probably be seen on my face because Gilbert is laughing.

"Yeah, she was helpless, and Bash and I couldn't leave her like that."

I look at him as if he told me that the end of the world is coming. It's a nice gesture, what he did, helping that woman give birth, but what if something went wrong? And how did he know what to do and not panic? I panic if my horse gives birth.

"That still doesn't change the fact that you didn't want to tell me you were leaving."

I remind him of the reason why I was and I am still angry. He omitted to tell me that he was leaving, and left me with my eyes in the sun.

"I was about to tell you why, but you interrupted me."

"You said you helped a woman give birth, I couldn't just pass by it!"

He shakes his head, smiling, before getting serious.

"I didn't tell you because I knew you would have been the only one who would have convinced me to stay."

I analyze his words, trying to figure out what he is talking about. Would he not have left if I had insisted on staying? I wouldn't have asked him to stay if he told me how important the trip is to him. I would have been sad, of course, but I would never stop him from what he really wants to do. I would have supported him.

"I wouldn't have told you to stay if you wanted to leave."

"I know, Eve, but only if I had seen you sad, I would have stayed. During that time, you were the closest to me. You were with me when my father died, you made sure I wanted to eat and that I'm going outside. Of course, your parents also helped me, but no one knew how to cheer me up like you did. I wouldn't have been able to leave if I'd known you were sad, or that you didn't like the idea, so I chose to hide the trip from you, to be sure that there will be nothing to make me stay."

A small smile appears on his face, and I try to find something to say. He didn't want to tell me, because if I asked him to stay, would he have stayed? Would he have stayed only if I had told him that I didn't want him to leave?

I thought he didn't tell me because he simply didn't want me to know, that he didn't trust me or something like that.

"Now I feel bad for how I treated you."

I really feel bad for all the times I ignored him or answered him sharply. He was trying to explain himself and I pretended that it was a ghost that I could only see out of the corner of my eye, but if I had turned to face it, it would have disappeared.

"It's okay, you were upset."

No, it's not.

"So you didn't hide the trip from me because you didn't trust me?" I ask, just to make sure.

"No." I smile, hugging him. He puts his hands around my waist almost immediately. "Why did you let me stay angry for so long, idiot?" I hit him lightly on the shoulder. "You shouldn't have left me alone until I listened to you." My suggestion makes him laugh.

"Yeah, I'm sure I wouldn't have escaped with my life in that scenario."

He is right, but I still regret that I was angry with him for so long.

"Hey, sorry I didn't tell you I wanted to leave."

He apologizes, moving a little so he can look at me.

"I'm sorry I didn't want to listen to you."

_-_-_-_

"Someone has resurrected the Take Notice board with a post about me."

I hear Josie talking to the other girls, so I approach. They all look at a sign that says "Billy walked Josie home after the game". It's easy to see that it's Josie's immaculate handwriting.

"This is so exciting!"

How exciting is it that anyone reading the board would know what you're doing?

"Isn't that scandalous?"

Oh, it is indeed.

"The scandal will be when folks find out it was you."

"You're a sly one, Jane, since I'm sure it was you who put this up. Who else might have seen me strolling home with Billy?"

Literally anyone?

I look at Anne and Diana who are as amused as I am.

"Everyone will know now!" Tillie seems excited about all of this.

"Then again, I supposed it's a good thing. Since we should all stake our claim on our paramours. The clock is ticking."

Oh, God. Not that talk again.

"At this age, we should all be promised to someone!"

Yes, and to be given to our husbands, with a bow, as some properties that they can buy and with which they can do whatever they want. Is it a little too dramatic to say it out loud?

"Wouldn't want to wind up an old maid. Can that run in a family?" Josie added, looking directly at Anne. Very subtle. I never understood Josie's hatred for Anne.

"I'm so confused! We're of age now, but Gilbert hasn't made any advances yet."

Ruby appears from nowhere. And yes, she still has that unhealthy obsession for Gilbert.

"Think of all the fresh eye-catching talent that will be at Queens next year."

"But I'm only going to Queens to be near Gilbert!" She exclaims, with tears in her eyes.

This is my signal to leave, I'm not good at this kind of conversation. I probably would have made her cry even more.