[1] YOU FOUND ME ( gilbert blythe! )

11 | BACK TO YOU

⎾11 | BACK TO YOU⏌

GILBERT WASN'T AT SCHOOL for the next few days, causing a tinge of worry to develop inside of me. It must be because of his father—why else would he miss school? I knew him and Anne were neck and neck with grades, me following closely behind. But I didn't like the competition, so I purposely held back.

After the bell rang, everyone found their seats. I sat down next to Prissy, as I did every day since she was my desk parter.

Diana and Anne sat next to each other a couple rows above, and I could tell they did not want to be apart. Mr. Phillips noticed this, and took action at once.

"You are not to fraternize or exert undue influence," said Mr. Phillips, with a stern look on his face. "Prissy, please switch places with Anne."

I gasped, along with the entire class. Anne looked at Diana sadly, then stood up and walked to the back of the classroom, taking a seat next to me. I glanced at her, but she didn't mutter a word.

—

At the end of the day, I noticed Anne looking miserable while smacking two chalk erasers together out the window. Mr. Phillips had given her some punishments because of her poor behavior.

As I threw on my scarf, I realized that it was fair for her to do this alone. I hadn't been at the Cuthberts' at the time of the incident, but I had learned enough about it to know that it wasn't Anne's fault. Besides, Diana had screamed it over and over for the past few days.

Disobeying Mrs. Barry's orders, I approached Anne and asked kindly, "Do you need any help?"

Anne looked up at me in shock, then Mr. Phillips interrupted, "There will be no need for that. Anne has to do one more thing."

Anne sighed in anger and annoyance as she walked up to Mr. Phillips' desk.

"Here," Mr. Phillips said, raising a few books in his hands. "Take these lessons to Gilbert Blythe, he has been missing classes for some time and I don't want him falling too far behind. He is, after all, my best student."

"Why is he missing class?" Anne asked with tone of annoyance, crossing her arms.

"That is none of your concern." Mr. Phillips said coldly, then turned to me.

"I refuse to take these to Gilbert Blythe," Anne said, crossing her arms.

"That's a shame, because you just earned yourself another weeks punishment." Mr. Phillips spat.