In the Woods When First We Met

10. Shield

As they came out of the woods and were approaching the school building, Anne began to feel anxious.

All this time she kept thinking, I need to get to school, I need to get to school.

Yet now that she was actually here, her feet felt frozen to the ground. She could not move.

Gilbert was a few steps ahead of her when he realized she wasn't by his side anymore. He turned back.

He could see her face and immediately looked concerned. "What is it?" He asked.

Anne couldn't speak. But her face said everything.

Gilbert stepped to her side. "Anne?"

Anne wasn't looking at him. She was staring at the door of the school.

Gilbert, seeing where her gaze was, looked from her to the door. He didn't see anything alarming about the door of the school.

"I can't. I can't go in there," she barely whispered.

Gilbert creased his brow. "Did you change your mind about the doctor? 'Cause I can walk with you to-"

"No," Anne whispered. "Leave me alone."

Gilbert looked surprised. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Anne said.

She looked at Gilbert, pleading. "Just go, go to school, the teacher will be mad at you, I made you late, I'm sorry-"

Gilbert walked back to her. "Actually, he doesn't even know I'm back from Alberta yet. Or if he does, he doesn't know that I planned to start school again today. He'd never know I was missing a day I was supposed to be here."

Anne looked back and forth from Gilbert to the school.

She wanted him to go into the school and leave her be.

But at the same time, she didn't want to be alone...she knew Billy would be in school by now, but, she still couldn't face those woods alone.

"Is it Billy?" Gilbert asked, reading her mind. "You don't want to face him. Is that it?"

Anne shivered. "I..."

Gilbert cocked his head, "He can't hurt you, not in school. Everyone would see him. He'd be in trouble hitting a girl. If you're worried about lunch time, or walking home after school, you don't need to be. I'll stay with you the whole time. You have my word."

Anne wrapped her arms around herself. She bit her lip, thinking.