AHEAD BY A CENTURY - ANNE WITH AN E

4. The laughter of the Trees

The ascending sun crept through the glowing curtains of Anne's bedroom, over the course of the early hours the beams of sun had escalated to Anne's bedsheets that she lay, curled up in a ball, entangled within the depths of them. Her first impression of the sun that tranquil morning drifted her thoughts to Princess Cordelia, who was most likely, no most definitely being awoken that very minute with a botanic tray, holding only the most exquisite breakfast ever to touch the lips. Exotic fruits, that once hung on tall, tropical trees in the humid depths of the Amazon rainforest, or perhaps pastries of such elegance all the way from Paris. The possibilities were infinite. A rose lay beside her meal. Ever so picturesque-
"Anne! Get up this instance. Breakfast was served a quarter of an hour ago." Marilla exclaimed.
"What is it?" Anne wondered dreamily.
"What is what?" A look of confusion overruled her wrinkled face.
"Breakfast. Oh Marilla, please can it be an exquisite selection of wild, glorious, scrumptious fruits from the distant, sultry rainforest." Anne begged, her mind trapped in a daydream.
"Oh Anne, stop spewing such nonsense!" Marilla sighed, exhausted although the sun had only just risen from the horizon.
"It's eggs and toast." Marilla mentioned before departing from Anne's bedroom to return to the kitchen. Anne's high mood had been lowered already.
"Today I wish for adventure." Anne stated during the routine, awkward, laconic, morning meal, breaking the peace.
"Lust is a sin Anne. You must learn to become content with what you already have." Marilla implied. Matthew staying out of conversation as per usual.
"I must get going, an adventure awaits." Anne declared, ignoring Marilla's lecturing, placing her hat on top of her auburn locks.
As Anne shut the door perhaps a little to hard behind her Matthew and Marilla gave each other a look of stress before a light chuckle filled the silent air.
Anne searched high and low for any signs of excitement surrounding Avonlea; finding nothing seemingly unusual she gave up and perched herself on a fence, sighing, her chin resting on her wrist.
Gilbert Blythe was not to distant as he was seated on a nearby tree branch. Engrossed in a fictional novel.
The red headed girl once bored, had broken into a light run across the field reaching the tree where Gilbert was spending his morning on.
"Hey Gilbert!" She said cheerfully.
"Anne of Green Gables, what a pleasure to see you this fine Sunday." He said, his eyes widening, a sparkle illuminating his eyes, his signature smile tugged at his lips.
"Come sit." He said patting the spot beside him.
"If you don't mind." She pulled herself up onto the branch, the branch seemed inferior to the other branches, closer to the flowery grass, yet broader and more stable than the slim, towering branches above.
Anne wriggled about trying to find comfort on the firm branch.
"What book are you devoting your time into today?" Anne asked, her eyes filled with curiosity.
"A book named.." He had a quick glance at the front cover of the story, "Wuthering.. heights. By Emily Brontë, have got read it, Anne?" He asked.
"I don't believe so. Is it intriguing?" Anne asked, intrigued herself.
"Very much so. Would you like to read it aloud to me? My eyes are beginning to ache, but I am afraid I cannot bring myself to put it down." He requested, knowing Anne adored reading aloud. Anne thought to herself, Am I too dramatic as a reader, perhaps he wants me to read for comical purposes.
"And besides, I have grown fond of the way you read, giving each character a distinct voice." He complimented.
Before long Anne projected the beautiful written words of Brontë clearly, enthusiastically flying through adjectives.
Gilbert lay along the branch, leaning on another branch as to not tumble off. His feet reaching across the entire branch, careful to not knock her off, Anne sat, her legs swinging below the branch. Gilbert grinned at Anne's alluring way of speech.
Five, lengthy hours whizzed past them, both unaware of the lowering sun.
"Anne." Gilbert sat upright alerted by the setting sun. Anne jumped at the sudden sound of his gentle voice. "Marilla with be enraged that I've missed lunch and possibly supper. Matthew may worry, oh my I must get going. Sorry." She clumsily jumped from the branch, she hit the ground and regained her balance.
"Allow me to walk you. I'll clear the air between you and Miss. Cuthbert by explaining that I kept you out so long." He offered, launching himself from the tree, a lot more gracful and balanced than Anne had been.
Anne selected an untamed lavender flower, sliding it between the pages of the book she had ended the reading session at.
"Good idea. Anne." Gilbert smiled, retrieving the book from Anne, holding it to his chest with one arm, the other dangling beside his waist, hoping to meet Anne's.
"Oh yes. Anne, you never did try an apple from my family orchard." He said pulling a glossy, rosy apple from his trouser pocket and held it towards her.
"I suppose I haven't really." She accepted his offering and pierced the juicy, ripe apple with her strong teeth.
"Delicious." She said, her mouth filled with apple. Gilbert chuckled at her manners, or lack of them.
Gilbert took another apple from his other pocket and joined Anne in devouring apples. They made eye contact and broke out into shared laughter, for no particular reason, but that was what friendship was about, laughing together without any reason.

A/N
Aw I did a little shirbert chapter it's not really filler but not essential to the plot so I hope you enjoy! Have a lovely day.