In the Woods When First We Met

49. Bravery

Gilbert had a smile on his face for the rest of the afternoon.

She was brave. Not because she wasn't scared- he knew she was scared.

But bravery wasn't about not being scared, he thought. True bravery was being scared and insisting on standing tall despite it.

He wondered, though, what to do on his end.

He had threatened Billy that he would rat him out if he hassled Anne again. Clearly, Billy didn't feel threatened by him and was going to hassle Anne anyway.

So should he keep his word and out him?

The problem with his threat to rat Billy out if he bothered Anne, was that he didn't want to rat Billy out. Not out of concern for Billy's welfare, but for Anne's. While Gilbert vehemently disagreed with Anne's choice not to tell anyone, he did not want to be like Billy- Billy had made choices for Anne, without her consent, and Gilbert wasn't about to do the same. If Anne didn't want to tell anyone, then he would not make that decision for her.

Unless something drastic happened- something where someone had to know, he thought- if lives were at stake or there was danger to someone else- he supposed there could come a time when the events would have to be brought to light, but that would be only if the situation were extreme and he didn't know what else to do.

The only thing, then, was to convince Anne that she should tell.

I have never written a story before and I didn't think this would get so long...sorry. I promise though, I am not just writing aimlessly- there is a specific plan for the story and the way it will end.