AHEAD BY A CENTURY - ANNE WITH AN E

8. All that matters is you

"Anne?" Gilbert croaked as he had just that minute awoken, his blurred eyesight seeing only a redheaded blur. Anne panicked. Afraid she'd look creepy watching him sleeping, which she wasn't. She had just went to check up on him to see if he'd awoken but may been too polite to wake the rest of the house. He looked cute, cuddling into the white purity of the pillows, Anne thought.
As his vision cleared, he used the little strength he had to push himself up, the red blur had escaped the room just in time. Gilbert pulled the tangled mess of sheets away from him and he stood up, slowly, gaining balance. He caught sight of himself in a full length mirror across the room. His curls were tangled, his shirt crumpled, his sleeves unbuttoned and rolled up, his trousers rolled up to his knees.
No wonder Anne ran away, Gilbert thought. He swirled his hair around his finger, neatening up his curls. He pressed his hands down on his shirt, smoothing it out as much as possible, unrolling his sleeves and pants.
Gilbert knocked on Anne's door, at least he hoped it was Anne's.
"Come in!" Anne assumed it was Marilla or Matthew, although brushed, her hair spread across her shoulders, she was dressed but admiring her presentability, she was alarmed to see Gilbert standing, leaning on the door frame, observing her natural beauty, a slight smile spreading across his face, His eyes twinkled as he did so.
Anne challenged herself to ignore Gilbert's stares, proceeding to look in the mirror, she eventually, against her will, replied to Gilbert's eyes through the mirror, hoping he wouldn't actually be able to tell.
Gilbert his hands behind his back as he sauntered In. Face to face with Anne, he stared at the floorboards, smiling. Anne looked into his eyes, Gilbert's gaze lifted to meet hers, his hand couldn't resist the temptation to tuck her glowing, red hair behind her freckled ear.
"I think it looks splendid loose." He complimented her hair. Anne's cheeks flushed pink.
"As does yours." Anne giggled stroking his curls. Gilbert pulled her wrist as she was about to pull away from his hair, taking ahold of her hand, she felt secure in his hand, safe and secure.
"Anne." Marilla's voices appeared muffled from being downstairs. Marilla was most likely calling her down to breakfast, Anne pulled her hand away, allowing her fingers to slowly drag across his hand.
"Let's go to breakfast." Gilbert followed Anne downstairs.
"You are a divine cook miss Cuthbert." Gilbert chewed heartily.
"Well.. thank you." Marilla was not accustomed to compliments as they were seldom delivered to her.
"We must be getting to school," Anne collected hers and Gilbert's plates,
"No need." Gilbert's removed them from her clutched with a smile, "it's the least I can do I'm return of your hospitality." Anne instead, grabbed her school equipment and stood at the door awaiting gilbert.
"I need to stop at my house to change. Will you wait for me outside?" Gilbert asked, leading her up the path to his house.
"Of course." Anne smiled as Gilbert entered his house. While Gilbert dressed, Anne interested herself in some wild roses across the path.
"Aren't you all pulchritudes?!" Anne exclaimed in delight, the roses where a mix of blood red, blush pink and Snow White.
She decided to pluck one of each. One for ruby, one for Diana and one for herself she supposed. She chose the Blood red for Diana and she knew it would compliment her beauty, the blush pink for ruby as she loved pink so. And white for Anne as it juxtaposed her fiery hair.
Gilbert reappeared In less crumpled clothes, "Sorry I took so long." Gilbert took the Snow White Rose from Anne's basket, "what are you-" Gilberts pushed the Rose stem through her hair, behind her ear, careful to not prick her with the thorns.
"It really contrasts your flame red hair, I think it looks divine especially now that it's being worn by you." Gilbert smiled sweetly before taking her hand once again.
"Stop fooling around!" Anne pulled her hand away, but the romantic feeling lingered.

In school, Josie Pye shouted out "spin the bottle!" The entire class gathered around her anxiously.
"I'll go first." She bit her lip, awaiting her mysterious kiss. The bottle felt like it would never stop spinning, as the spinning reduced its speed it stopped at Gilbert. Gilbert was hardly paying attention, he was admiring Anne.
"Gilbert!" Everyone's chants awoke him from his dreamy gaze. He stood up nervously, annoyed that he'd kiss Josie before Anne.
As they leaned in a cry was heard as Ruby Gillis ran out of the room. Everyone turned away from the kiss to watch Ruby. Gilbert ran towards the door to retrieve her from her sorrow, Anne pushed him aside, delivering a lingering look that said, she needs us right now. You stay away unless you want to hurt her more.
Anne and Diana rushed outside to the woods where ruby sobbed on the floor.
The three hugged,
"Gilbert wasn't going to kiss Josie." Anne assured ruby. "He wouldn't want to." She smiled at her.
"How would you know?" Ruby sat up confused, Anne wanted to be truthful and say I know because he wants to kiss me. But the best answer for everyone was "Josie is a wicked girl. Nobody would ever want to kiss her." Diana nodded in agreement. Anne took the roses from her basket and handed the blush pink one to ruby and blood red to Diana.
"I saw them this morning by Gil- the path." Anne smiled fakely to cover up her almost give away.
"ANNE DIANA RUBY!" Moody ran screaming towards them. Anne stared at the school building imagining the worst, Diana and Ruby fussed over Moody.
"Whatever's happened." Diana asked.
"B-Billy he-he had a fight with Gilbert." Ruby gasped, Anne didn't turn around but payed attention at the sound of Gilbert's name.
"What happened." Ruby wailed.
"He-he's injured." Moody cried.
"Who?" Diana wondered, "Gilbert!" He replied.
Anne ran as fast as she ever did, ignoring her name being called by Diana and Ruby. All that mattered was Gilbert.

A/N
This chapter is horrible so expect major adjustments. It's not 100% finished but I wanted you give you all a chapter because I haven't for a few days. Please comment suggestions or corrections. 💕