Anne with an E - A Winter Journey

9 - There's something I need to tell you

Gilbert was walking aimlessly, thinking about the conversation he had overheard in the cabin. Any ounce of hope he'd had of salvaging their friendship was now lost as Anne had made it quite clear that she didn't like him, not even as a friend. A small part of him wanted to believe that maybe she was lying but his common sense reminded him she had been talking to her two best friends and had no reason to deceive them. The worst part, though, thought Gilbert, was that when she opened the door and saw him standing there, Anne looked full of guilt. It was one thing if she didn't want to be his friend but Gilbert would not let Anne pity him. He'd suffered enough embarrassment already and Gilbert resolved to move on and forget about Anne, for good this time.

Almost as soon as Gilbert had made his decision, he heard Diana's voice calling in the distance. "Forgetting about Anne sure would be a lot easier if we weren't lost in the snow together," he thought bitterly as he turned to make his way back.

------

Anne, meanwhile, was reflecting on Gilbert in another part of the forest. She was deeply confused. When she woke up that morning she had been so surprised to find Gilbert's arms wrapped around her but she hadn't felt at all disappointed. Gilbert, however, had made his feelings quite clear when he jumped up and practically ran out the door. She'd had no option but to deny her feelings when questioned. Firstly, because she was afraid of losing Ruby's friendship, secondly, because she wasn't entirely sure what her feelings actually were, and thirdly, because it would be absolutely mortifying to admit to liking a boy who clearly didn't reciprocate her feelings.

Although she couldn't admit to any romantical feelings, Anne did regret saying that she didn't want to be Gilbert's friend. She couldn't wipe the image of his sad face from her mind and the way he had simply walked past her to get his jacket had made her feel awful. Gilbert was quite possibly the politest boy she knew and for him to have been so cold meant she really must have hurt him.

As Anne lamented among the trees her thoughts were broken by Diana calling her name. She broke into a run back to the cabin.

-----

Anne arrived back at the cabin before Gilbert. "Is everything okay?" she asked Diana.

"Yes, quite alright," Diana replied, "But I think we should get going. We don't want to waste any more time."

"I suppose you are right," agreed Anne. She glanced warily at Ruby, hoping that she had calmed down and was still willing to be her friend. "Ruby..." she began.

"Anne," Ruby cut her off. "There's something I need to tell you..."

But before Ruby could finish her sentence, Gilbert appeared in the doorway. He looked at Diana and Ruby, purposely avoiding Anne's pitiful gaze, and asked curtly, "Are we going then?"

The girls nodded and picked up their things. They followed him outside, an awkward silence falling over them as they trudged through the snow.