it was my fault

Chapter 3: a beautiful flowery morning

Anne's perspective.

two weeks later.

"Good morning Marilla!"
I yelled downstairs on a beautiful flowery Sunday morning, with my voice full of joy.

"Good morning Anne!"
Marilla answered back with a slightly surprised voice because my tone was extra enthusiastic today.

This day felt so much brighter for some reason. Nothing special was planned but I just knew it that this day was going to be magical.

I just had that feeling.

"Get down for breakfast Anne!"

"Coming!"

While eating breakfast, Marilla and I seemed really quiet surprisingly.
I decided not to talk because I could tell she was analyzing something in her head and I really didn't want to interrupt her.
I started questioning what she was thinking when I realized that today Matthew wasn't eating breakfast with us.

"Where's Matthew?"

"Oh, yes, right. Matthew has gone to the Blythe's orchard to help them with the basics. So, I wanted you to go there and give them these muffins. They must be starving after such a long travel."

My heart skipped a beat.

"Anne?"

"No, no Marilla I- I can't go."

"Why that?"

"I- I just can't, okay?"

"Of course you can and will. Give my greetings and tell Matthew to come home before supper. Now go upstairs to get ready."

I left my plate there, messy, with half the breakfast eaten, at the table and ran upstairs feeling weird, excited and anxious all at once.

When I was approaching the Blythe's house I felt my hands shaking, and my heart pounding in my chest.
I attempted to knock on the door but miserably failed. When I was about to start going back to green gables, miserably regretting listening to Marilla, I heard Matthew talking with someone from inside. The voices started getting closer and closer and then suddenly the door opened.

Matthew and I glanced at each other and smiled.

"Hello Anne, what brings you here?"

"Oh, yes, well... I was here to-"

My heart stopped.

A tall, grown up, smiling boy was just behind Matthew.
He was looking at me with two shining green eyes full of hope.

But I quickly looked away.

"...Yes?" Matthew asked confused.

"Well, I was here to deliver you these homemade muffins made from Marilla. She said you should be back home before supper."
I answered trying my hardest not to mix up my words.

"Good morning Anne!" Gilbert said with an enthusiastic tone.

"Well, hello there Mr. Blythe." I answered trying to sound formal.

"Sebastian and I were about to have a look at the orchard so you two should go inside and have some of these muffins, would you?" Matthew said while taking Sebastian, a middle aged man seating behind Gilbert, to go to the orchard without saying anything else.

"Good morning miss." Sebastian said while walking away with Matthew.

I was looking straight at my feet.

I couldn't think of anything so say.

"Well, I'm still Gilbert." he said with a happy tone, kind of giggling.

"...would you come in?" He continued.

I nodded while taking a step forward, still looking down at my feet.

He offered making me some tea to drink with the muffins and I simply nodded anxiously once again.
I literally couldn't speak.
I, Anne Shirley, couldn't think of anything to say. 

I am usually really, really talkative and almost never anxious or stressed to talk to someone.

It felt weird.

"So, what's going on with school?" He asked kindly while giving me a cup of tea.
"I bet you're the best student in class! I really hope I can still catch up with you, Anne."

"Well, yes. I guess so, I am one of the best students in class." I couldn't stop myself from smiling, although I tried really hard.

"What about you Gilbert? Did you like working on the docks?"
I asked, finally looking up, and straight into his eyes.

But I quickly looked away once again.

And with that, Gilbert and I started talking about what had happened to both of us while he was away.
He talked about the places he visited and the story about how he met Sebastian and how kind he was.
And I talked about the things that happened at school.
Time seemed to pass really quickly and we didn't even realize hours had passed.
We were talking, laughing and giggling all the way while eating some muffins.

But suddenly we heard someone opening the door,
it was Matthew.

When he looked at us, a wide smile appeared on his face that made me look straight at my feet once again.

"I see you guys keep each other good company, right?" He commented with a grin on his face.

We didn't answer him. I looked up for a second and realized Gilbert was looking down at his feet too, and I could see his cheeks had quickly turned red.
I avoided making eye contact with him but at the same time I couldn't stop myself from looking at him. With his black curls covering half his forehead and his cheeks turning redder than my hair. He just looked so embarrassed but happy at the same time.

"Anne I think we should go, Marilla will definitely be upset if we don't arrive soon. Also, Gilbert, I'll return tomorrow at the same time as today and I'll help Sebastian while you're at school."

"Oh, no mr. Cuthbert I ought help you both. I should skip some school so I can be here."
Gilbert quickly looked up at Matthew.

"Sebastian thought that the best thing for you is to start school as soon as possible, so it won't get any harder in the way. But don't worry you can still help when you finish school on the evenings."

"Thank you very much mr. Cuthbert, I am forever grateful for your kindness and help." he answered kindly.

"We should get going." I said quickly while standing up and walking towards the door.

"I guess see you tomorrow Anne!"
He managed to say before I closed the door.

"I hope you enjoyed the muffins!"

While walking back home, Matthew and I were almost silent, and the only thing you could hear was our feet stepping on the grass.

When we finally arrived home, I went straight into my room. I needed time to think and rest my heartbeat for once this entire day.

I thought of how grownup Gilbert looked.
Of how tall he had grown and
of how longer his hair were from the last time I saw him months ago,
that felt like entire years.

He though, as a person and character, didn't change at all. He was still him,
always kind with the best manners,
smiley and positive.

He said he's staying here permanently and by listening to Matthew I'll probably see him tomorrow again at school.

I can't wait to finally have competition again, it feels like years since the last time I putted effort on school work and actually was motived to study.

*****
hey thank you for reading once again!
The support I'm getting through this is unbelievable and I'm extremely grateful that people are actually reading this story! I hope you liked this continuation<33