AHEAD BY A CENTURY - ANNE WITH AN E

5. Lets go somewhere

Anne awoke from her dream-filled slumber, in a sprightly mood. Her sapphire eyes reflecting the dawning sun as they flickered open.
"Good morning, trees. Good morning, birds. Morning, sun." Anne stretched her freckled arm out of her window, brushing the blossoms with her fingertips.
Anne was ravenous as she had unintentionally missed Lunch and supper, reading to Gilbert. Oh. how she wished she had a copy of Wuthering heights of her own, she craved the delicate pages, flooded with alluring words. Perhaps she could borrow it from Gilbert? No it was his, I could, I suppose, live without. Anne thought.
"Anne are you dressed for school?" Marilla called from below the staircase,
A display of emotions saying "oh crap." Appeared onto Anne's face,
"Give me a minute." Anne rebraided her wild mess of hair, buttoned up her pigeon blue dress, tied her pinafore into an imperfect bow and Laced up her dirt-brown boots. She Bolted down the stairs and snatched her coat from the rack beside the back kitchen exit.
"Bye Marilla!" Anne took her school equipment and slammed the door behind her, running to school, abandoning breakfast and her lunch for school.

"How was Gilbert?" Diana teased, unknowing of yesterday's events?
"What?! How did you..." Anne was completely confused,
"I was joking! Something did happen though, didn't it?" Diana implied.
"Nothing happened. I read a book to him on a tree. Simple as that. No romantical details to share." Anne explained strictly.
Gilbert was not to far behind them in the woods on their journey to school,
"Anne! Wait up!" Gilbert shouted waving at the girl, breaking into a jog.
"Run while we still can!" Anne whispered to Diana trying to escape, Diana gripped tightly onto her thwarting her from leaving.
"Hello, Gilbert. How was you weekend?" Diana greeted.
"It was wonderful, thank you Diana." Gilbert looked at Anne as he emphasised the word wonderful.
Diana smiled at Anne, who was avoiding Gilbert's hazel, deep, dreamy eyes.
"Anne. Would you like to come over to my house? This evening to finish the story?" Gilbert asked her, masking his true enthusiasm.
"Um.. well I-"
"She'd love to. She will walk with you from school. Right Anne? Then it's settled." Diana smiled and linked arms with Anne.
Gilbert was taken aback by Diana's sudden empowerment and Anne's speechlessness.

Annes brain was attempting to make her heart lack excitement for the evening with Gilbert but she failed. Gilbert's eyes couldn't help but focus on Anne.
"Blythe! I'm sure whatever miss Shirley's head is teaching you is much more important than what I am, but could you look at me when I am teaching!" Gilbert's usually ashen complexion reddened as the entirety of the upper school glared at him. Anne included.
"Sorry sir." Gilbert lowered his head, embarrassed.

"What was that about?" Anne approached Gilbert as the bells rang for the end of the school day?
"Oh, I was just going to confirm that your okay with our plans for this evening. Seeing as Diana made them for you." Gilbert said, partially telling the truth.
"Let's go." Gilbert held the door for Anne.
"Thanks, but no thanks. I can hold the door for myself." Anne disputed.
"Yes right." Gilbert closed the door and walked out, "why can't you just let me be nice to you Anne. I try so hard and you throw it back in my face." Gilbert stormed off and disappeared into the crepuscular Forrest.
"Gilbert!" Anne suddenly felt iniquitous,

Gilbert sat at the trunk of a broad maple tree, head in hands.
Why can she let me be a good friend to her. I can't help but be fond of her, although she acts unlikable a times.
Gilbert admired Anne. Romantically and Friendlily; he can't avoid his feelings, but Anne seems to avoid his sights of affection.
——— ✿
Anne had seeked the depths of the forest for Gilbert, coming across a maple tree, Gilbert sat at the roots.
Anne crouched beside him, words became needless. Sometimes silence was a great comfort.
For a while, they both just gazed into the Forrest, watching the sparrows communicate through chirps across the towering trees. The stream flowed placidly, the lulling sound of the water rushing bringing serenity to Anne and Gilbert's ears.
"Can we talk?" Anne locked eyes with Gilbert.
"I suppose so." Gilbert sat upright against the tree trunk.
"I'm sorry I'm such an awful, abominable, loathsome, abhorrent friend." Anne sighed. Breaking the eye contact.
"Anne." Gilbert situated his merciful had on Anne's. "You talk so low of yourself. And I can't stand it. It hurts me to know that you cannot recognise how amazing you are." Gilbert Shot a deep, meaningful stare at Anne.
"Amazing? Me? You must have me mistaken for Diana or Ruby!" Anne's bluebell eyes held onto Gilbert's gaze.
"You are undeniably marvellous! You have such a way with words, I know everyone says that but I mean it, the most phenomenal words roll off of your tongue and from extraordinary sentences. Your unlike the other girls, in an amazing way. The others, they are polite and easily stepped on; but you, you will fight for what's right and everyone loves that about you." Gilbert looked sideways admiring Anne.
A mirthless smile appeared on Anne's face.
"Gilbert. You are ever so kind but look," Anne tugged one of her auburn braids,
"Anne. Beauty is not a set of guidelines, beauty is whatever you want it to be. It comes all all different shapes and sizes and is nothing to what is on the inside." Gilbert's voice departed from his rosy lips softly. Anne beamed at this inspiring speech.
Gilbert acquired 'Wuthering heights' from his stack of school books.
"Let's go somewhere." He waved the novel at her.

A/N
This chapter is so sweet I love it. I'm going to stray away from rushing into shirbert. I want to explore Anne's friendship with Cole, Diana and ruby. I also want to delve into a shirbert friendship as well as an eventual relationship.