Ablaze with possibility

Chapter 3: Lost in nowhere

"Enthusiasm is the divine particle in our composition: with it we are great, generous, and true; without it, we are little, false, and mean." Anne quoted out of her endless mind.

She was standing against the old barn, watching Matthew repair their wagon.

"Isn't this the most romantic thing you've ever heard Matthew!" She asked him fondly. "It's by Letitia Elizabeth Landon, she writes ever so delicate and her name is so magnificent! Letitia...it sounds like the perfect name for a...For a beautiful fairy!" She sad dreamingly, "but besides that I for one believe that this describes my own ideology very well. Enthusiasm is indeed a very divine particle in my own compositions, don't you agree? I try to use it as often as possible seeing as it give others such a joy in life! Or, so I hope at least, and I'm certain that if everyone combined some enthusiasm into their everyday life, we would all be living in peace with one another!" Matthew smiled at the red-headed girl, thinking that a mind like hers, was a one of a kind. He admired Anne for the way she looked at life, so full of brightness and bliss.

"One thing I can tell you Anne, is that worrying about not giving enough joy to others-at least from your part-is a waist of time." Matthew replied and Anne, being Anne, gave him the biggest hug she possibly could. He held her tightly for a while and then said:

"So, so Anne, give this old man some time to breath now could you? You really are quite a strong girl!" He said, tousling her hair with his hand.

"You really think so Matthew?" She asked him hopefully.

"When have I lied to you Anne?" He asked her back . She beamed at him and then pranced away.

When Anne strolled into the kitchen Marilla was peeling the potatoes, preparing for dinner that they would eat at five. It was Tuesday and Anne had tried not to think about the encounter from Saturday at the library with Gilbert. School wouldn't start until Thursday and she wondered how far behind he really was. Out of nowhere, Marilla asked:

"I've heard a rumor about Gilbert Blythe being back from his travels?" Anne looked up at her with big eyes. "Is it true? I thought you would know, for you do go in school together." She gave her a hard defined look that Anne couldn't really get and instantly felt uncomfortable.

"Just because I go in school with him does NOT mean I'm good friends with him!" She snapped back at her. Marilla looked at her, stunned by her reaction to only mentioning his name but felt like keeping the conversation going.

"I was just wondering...You see, I would really like to invite him to dinner some day. It must be really hard for him, especially with John B--", she hesitated for a moment and then said: "so, is he home or not?"

"Well, umm, sort of or I--I..." Anne couldn't get herself to declare that he truly was home, which she very well knew.

"Anne! Stop trying to make this question seem harder than it is. Say yes if he is home or no if he isn't." Anne could hear the Ministers voice in her head: "God frowns on figging young lady" and she thought that lying, maybe wasn't the best of ideas at the moment for she wasn't fond by the idea of talking to the minister, again.

"Affirmative. He is back home. Happy now?" She asked her but Marilla was far from done here and she asked her in curiosity:

"So if you aren't good friends with him and school doesn't start before Thursday, how come you know Gilbert's back home?" Marilla hid a smirk trying to appear on her face and Anne's cheeks turned instantly red.

"We just met in Charlottetown." She said nonchalantly hiding her burning cheeks with her hands but still struggling with keeping herself totally calm.