In the Woods When First We Met

102. Trying

At lunch time Josie treated Jane like a traitor for choosing Anne over her.

And while Ruby and Tillie looked like they didn't really want to stick with Josie, they ultimately did.

When Jane saw that Josie was not only against Anne but against her now, she took Anne's arm and said, "Let's go sit over there, Anne. I really need your help..."

Jane sat down with Anne and pretended to be interested in the math problems. She felt unhappy. She didn't want the group to be split up, and she felt a bit resentful- not necessarily of Anne, but of Billy. Why had he put her in this situation? And now she felt she owed it to Anne to be a friend to her, but she didn't want it to affect her friendship with the other girls.

And Anne was okay, she thought, there were lots of things that were very nice about Anne. But she also thought Anne was just a bit strange. But maybe that was just jitters; Anne seemed to talk much more when she got nervous. Maybe once she settled down and had a few friends, she'd relax.

Jane was glad when school was over.

Feeling it was her duty, she asked Anne if she'd like to walk home together, as far as they could until they had to go their separate ways. Anne bit her lip.

She would be walking with Gilbert, but she also couldn't see herself walking with Jane because Billy would of course be going in the same direction and even if he didn't walk alongside them, he'd surely be nearby.

She finally said no. "...But thank you so much for asking," she said with a kind smile.

Jane smiled back. "See you tomorrow, then, okay?"

When Anne met Gilbert in the woods, she told him the latest developments.

Gilbert was glad Anne was beginning to be more accepted, but he felt bad for her that the girl who was initiating friendship with her was also the one girl whose house she'd never want to go over to.