Welcome to Avonlea

Chapter 23

I stayed behind to wait for Anne. "I've been gone for some time. So I was hoping you wouldn't mind tutoring me? I'm worried I'm behind and I'm very serious about medicine as my vocation." My head tilted at Gilbert asking for help. "My husband accelerated in his studies and got early entrance into college." "Husband?!" I looked at the floor listening to Anne. "I'm widowed, actually." "I'm sorry to hear that." Ms. Stacy looked at me with a smile. "Oh, how tragical." I wanted to hit my head on my desk. "Anyway, with hard work, it's possible you could finish school early and be pre-med next year." My smile fell that he would leave so soon. I was happy for him but I felt sad at the same time. "I'll do whatever it takes!" "Let's meet before classes in the mornings and get you started. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" He looked between me and Anne before gathering his things and leaving. "Lydia. I understand you want to wait for your sister, but if you could please wait outside." "Yes, Ms. Stacy." I grabbed my things and headed to the cloakroom. "This is amazing. I could be in med school by next year." "I'm happy for you. But don't think for a moment I won't study as hard as you. Fair and square remember." He nodded smiling. "Yes. I know." "Good. Prepare yourself Mr. Blythe. You have just found yourself a much tougher opponent." I finished getting my coat, scarf and hat on before walking outside. I would have to see if Ms. Stacy could provide me with materials so I could learn on my own.

I was woken to footsteps running around. "Anne? What are you doing?" I sat up and stare wide-eyed at the fire. "Ugh!" I went face first onto my pillow when she put it out with her shoes. "Okay. Time to get ready. Get up. It's the start of a new day." "I really dislike you right now." My words were muffled by the pillow before getting up and dressed. "So. We need to study harder if we're going to overthrow Gilbert." "I already thought of something." "Really?! What is it? It is so torturous not to know." "You already know I want to be a tutor. I'll ask Ms. Stacy for the materials and study on my own. And if you want you can study with me." "But that wouldn't be fair. If she chooses to help you as well, both you and Gilbert will accelerate quickly and you'll be taking college exams as well. And what about your writing. You're almost finished with the second novel." "I know. I'll finish it well before Christmas and be started on the third. They'll just be written at a slower pace." "Ugh!" She stomped off ahead of me. I glanced at Marilla who only shook her head.

Diana had to take my hand since I continued to mess with my dress. I really wanted to ask Ms. Stacy but was extremely nervous. Marilla was standing nearby. "He's so handsome when he looks serious." I glanced from Ruby to Gilbert. I felt happy that he was working so hard. But I was determined to do the exact same thing. My eyes became wide when Anne started in on him. He glanced at me when she mentioned me asking for assistance. "Would you care to stay and observe us?" "Why thank you." "Gilbert." He got up and went to sit before looking at me as he settled. She had the boys move a table to watch what she was doing. I did feel a little cramped between Anne and Gilbert. These two were going to give me a headache now that she wasn't offered and that he was studying. "Science changes the world for the better. Does anyone know what electricity is?" "Light." "Yes. And?" "A form of energy." I watched carefully as she put nails into potatoes. "Electricity is indeed a form of energy." "I was going to say that." "Shh." I looked at Anne then back to the table. "If you've ever watched a thunderstorm, with mighty lightning bolts darting down from the sky, that's electricity. Powerful stuff. A bolt of lightning is a sudden, massive surge of electricity between the sky and the ground beneath. Electrical currents live inside atoms. And atoms are small particles that make up all matter. They're so small that it takes billions and billions of them just to make something useful like a nail. All objects that take up space and have mass are called called matter. And everything around you is made up of matter. Chocolate cake is made up of matter. These walls, the school is made up of matter. You are made up of matter. Now, today, without a standard power source, like they have in big cities, we are going to make our own electric current in order to illuminate... a light bulb."