In the Woods When First We Met

122. Mean

The next day, Anne went to school feeling more determined to try to fix things.

She'd agreed to talk to Marilla- she realized she really needed to- but she wasn't quite sure exactly how that was going to go down yet.

But she knew she had to do something to put an end to Billy's attention on her.

Billy was back to trying to be nice to Anne, at Jane's insistence. Jane was put out with him because he hadn't done anything nice the day before.

But Billy had tried to explain to Jane that being nice every day was too difficult, and he needed a day off now and again.

Jane wasn't going to have it.

So Billy tried again.

But after a long and difficult morning, and Anne clearly upset, Jane pulled Anne off to the side when everyone was leaving the cloakroom with their lunches.

"Anne, did my brother say something mean to you without me hearing?" she asked, concerned.

"No," Anne said, looking a bit sick. "No, he's been extraordinarily charming."

Jane smiled. "Well, that's good then, isn't it? I didn't want him to be mean to you anymore."

"No, it's not," Anne said dryly.

Jane's smile faded away. "What do you mean? I thought you'd be happy if he was nicer."

"Jane, it's not that I want him to be mean, I'm glad he isn't being mean anymore, but..." Finally she shook her head. "I can't explain it. But him being nice is making me feel worse, somehow."

She looked so sad that Jane felt desperate. "Anne..."

"What?" Asked asked tiredly.

"Billy is sorry for the things he did. I know it doesn't seem like it, but..."

Anne's breath caught in her throat. Did Jane know something? Or did she just mean the way Billy treated her in general?

The two girls stood staring at each other for a moment, neither one knowing what to say.

Finally Anne said, "All right. It's enough for me to know he's sorry...he doesn't need to show it."

Jane bit her lip.

"I mean it, Jane. Tell him I forgive him, if that's what he wants to hear. I don't care, whatever will get him to stop trying to prove how nice can be."

Jane nodded. "...Ok," she said. She felt unsettled. She watched Anne walk back to the other girls.

Before joining her, she went over to where Billy was sitting with his friends. Billy, seeing her, got up and moved off to the side.

"New plan," Jane said. "You don't have to be nice to her anymore."

Billy grinned. "I don't?"

"No. For some reason she doesn't like that."

Billy laughed. "She's so weird."

Jane looked sad. "I don't understand it either, but whatever you did really messed her up."

Billy had a proud gleam in his eye.

Jane felt incredibly sad. She couldn't help Anne and she couldn't change Billy.