Ablaze with possibility

Chapter 1: The Arrival

Avonlea. He had been trying not to think about it while working, but now he finally allowed himself to. Since his journey had come to an end and knowing it was only a matter of hours until he could see the snow again, show Sebastian the wonders of the four seasons in Canada and seeing that one person that had been on his mind for these past months, it gave him a thrill he hadn't felt for a very long time.

"Your ticket boy!" The conductor standing in front of Gilbert startled him and he excused himself.

He had been all worked up in his own thoughts and forgot all about the rushing train he sat on.

"So, the ticket! You better have one boy, or I will have to drag you by your ear all the way out!" Gilbert found the man very grumpy and rude but seeing as he really had no time to argue he politely replied:

"I'm sorry sir, here it is." The conductor snatched the ticket from his hand, checked it very thoroughly and then nodded unwillingly without looking at him and walked away.

Gilbert rolled his eyes and then looked out the window. The landscape outside was very different compared to the hot and sunny Trinidad, the contrast was very interesting to think of and he couldn't help but wonder if a certain redhead would have thought the same.

Next to Gilbert, his new companion Sebastian sat, watching the snow-covered pines from outside the window. He could not realize that it was real, not just a painting, but real. All his life had consisted of working or more like slaving for others, leading to long tiring days and sleepless nights. When now sitting as a passenger on a train, the destination bringing hope and choices, a feeling of finally being free, was almost unbelievable.

"I must say, the snow is very beautiful, almost enchanting, just like you told me." Sebastian said, his eyes becoming wider with every second.

"Yeah, it really is enchanting." Gilbert answered dreamingly and smiled at his friend.

In the mean time, at Green Gables in Avonlea, a redheaded girl named Anne Shirley-Cuthbert and her bosom friend Diana Barry, were chattering about all the things that had happened while they'd been away from each other, even though it was only a couple of hours since last.

"Guess what my father told me! "Diana said with a voice full of excitement, clapping her hands together.

"Oh you know I can't guess it until you tell me! It's actually too difficult for even my imagination to guess!" Anne said in the same thrilling

"Really, is that so!" She smiled smugly and Anne just sighed back.

"Stop being so smug and just tell me! Please, Diana! I can't wait one more second!" Anne was jumping up and down and Diana laughed at her eagerness.

"Why should I when I know I can tease you like this!"

"Diaaanaaa!" She pleaded. "TELL ME!" Diana tried to imitate some sort of "evil laugh" with no success at all, leaving them both on the floor crying out in laughter, that when they calmed down, it took a while for them to wipe away all the tears from their faces. Diana then told Anne:

"Of course I'll tell you! It was just so fun seeing you getting so annoyed at me!" She paused for a second and then continued. "So...Today, my father told me that Avonlea will be hosting some kind of big event!"

"OH! An event! What kind of event?" Anne asked in big curiosity.

"Well, I don't know the exact name of it yet but I do know it will be held in spring and the purpose is to celebrate the growth that begins in it! There will be some kind of market with tons of scrumcious things to eat from the farms here in Avonlea and there will be dancing, singing, music, spring-influenced decorations like bouquets and all those fun stuff all together!"                                                                                                                                         Now both Anne and Diana were jumping up and down, the room vibrating around them, making Marilla -who was peacefully cleaning the kitchen- yell from downstairs:

"GIRLS! Stop with this foolishness immediately! The floor could brake under your feet any second and I don't want any broken legs in this house!" The girls stood quiet for a second and then burst out laughing loudly. Marilla sighed and went back to washing the dishes, smiling to herself.

How fun this may have been, Anne and Diana knew to obey when needed to, so instead of jumping around inside, they hurried outside, running through the kitchen, making Anne stop to give Marilla a quick peck on the cheek, saying:

"We will be outside for a while!" And then continued running until they reached their little hut out in the forest where they sat down, Anne wanted to know everything her best friend had to say about this glorious spring event.

"So everyone in Avonlea is invited?" Anne asked and her bosom friend laughed to herself.

"Why yes of course they are! It's not a private event but something for everyone!" Anne smiled in relief and Diana continued:

"There will be some sort of dress code though, but it's not the same as for a ball or a fancy dinner but at least something nicer than usual. Maybe something with spring influences like ruffles, flower prints, puffed sleeves or pastel colors!" Anne sighed at the thought of puffed sleeves and remembered the dress she got from Matthew last winter which she had needed to give away because of the financial problems and she worried she might have to wear something boring like that brown dress she had.

"Oh Diana, if I only had dresses as beautiful as yours! The only ones I have, have no puffed sleeves, or a pretty pastel color or ruffles! They are either grey or brown! How could a redhead feel beautiful in that!" Diana gave her a sympathetic smile and then Anne asked some more about the spring event and Diana answered.

The evening came and Anne and Diana had said their goodbyes, now walking home. Anne felt very excited about the news and sprinted home to tell Matthew and Marilla, although being very careful not to slip on the icy path. After running past the lake of shining waters and the haunted forest she finally came home. When she opened the front door she hurried to take of her coat and scarf and almost ran into the kitchen and sat down across from Marilla, with Matthew at the edge of the table.

"Oh could you guess, could you GUESS what exciting news I have to tell you!" Matthew and Marilla looked at Anne and before they could say anything, Anne almost screamed out:

"Avonlea will host a spring event! Oh you can't understand how excited I am! There will be beautiful flowers, dancing, pretty dresses and everything! As you well know by now, I adore spring! It feels as if this event was made just for me!" Anne kept on and on like this for half an hour, Marilla and Matthew only nodding as they ate while Anne hadn't touched a single bit of it.

"Are we there yet?" Sebastian asked Gilbert for the hundredth time and he answered him, the same as before:

"No...Not yet."

They had been traveling for more than six hours now and Sebastian was impatient, sitting on this train made him bored to death and Gilbert wasn't able to be reached for his mind was somewhere else, were all that existed was him and his many, many thoughts.                                               Sebastian wouldn't give up though, he knew that if he kept on asking, then maybe he would get what he wanted from him, which was his attention.

"You've already told me that Blythe, now I want to know when yet is." Gilbert shook his head, sighing, and said:

"When we're there, you'll know." 

"Why are you being so distant when you know I can't stand it! It's making my poor, poor heart ache with sorrow..." Gilbert tried not to smile, he would not be defeated by Sebastian but moments later a smile crept up his face and then the two of them were laughing like idiots, making everyone around them stare.

"Looks like we've got ourselves an audience." Sebastian commented, smirking.

"Looks like your question's been asked." Sebastian gave him a confused look but the second he looked out the window it didn't take him long to understand what Gilbert meant.