Heart Attack • Shirbert

• 61 • houses, happenings, and hotspots

'We were just kids but we're so in love,

Fighting against all odds'

—

Anne and Gilbert kept walked hand-in-hand through the woods until Anne suddenly stopped.

"This is where we met." Anne looked up at him.

"Is it?" Gilbert scanned the woods, impressed Anne remembered the exact location.

"You slayed a dragon." Anne remembered the joke he made about saving her.

"Tried to, anyway."

Gilbert felt slightly guilty he wasn't able to completely stop Billy from ever hurting her after that day.

Anne saw his face fall. Her intent behind this journey wasn't to upset him.

"Hey, hey look at me," she took his face in her hands, "I'm here, I'm okay."

"I know." Gilbert murmured, not making eye contact with her.

"Gilbert," Anne whispered, causing him to finally look back down at her, "I'm okay."

Gilbert stared into Anne's eyes. She seemed stronger than she had in those moments after her multiple encounters with Billy. He believed her.

"Okay."

Anne stepped away from him, "Now, follow me!"

She grabbed his hand and pulled him excitedly through the woods.

"Are we going to school?"

"Keep up the pace, Doc!"

--

As they approached the school, Anne presented it to him as if he had never seen it before.

"Do you remember what happened here?"

Gilbert chuckled, "Anne I went to this school for most of my life, a lot happened here."

"Okay, Doc, what happened with us here?"

"Now that's an entirely different question."

Anne playfully pushed his shoulder, "You are getting off topic."

Gilbert took her hand and kissed it, "You are beautiful."

Anne's heart swelled. How were they supposed to part in only a few days?

"Come on." She took his hand and pulled him to sit on the school stairs.

"Well," Gilbert put his hands on his knees, "you beat me in a spelling bee."

"You tried desperately to give me an apple." Anne smoothed her beautiful dress over her knees.

"You asked me if I would post on the take notice board." Gilbert nudged Anne with a smile.

"You punched Billy."

"And I'd do it again."

Anne snorted, "I bet you would."

"You hit me with your slate."

"And I'd do it again."

Gilbert turned to face Anne, "Carrots!"

"Oh yeah you also called me Carrots."

Gilbert shook his head, "Now you're the incorrigible one."

"We also both got perfect scores on the Queens exam here." Anne took his hand in hers.

"We became dance partners."

Anne remembered how upset that made her at first. Now, she couldn't be more grateful.