Anne stuck her head against the window of the steamy car and sighed. She didn't want to start at this new school, she never did like starting at new schools, but that wasn't why she disliked it before even seeing it.
The reason was because it was a boarding school. Yes, Matthew had gotten a job somewhere in Europe and Marilla being the over-protective sister that she was, she obviously had to accompany him, so it was logical for her to go. But she couldn't help but feel sad about it.
Anne looked over to her right at her brother whom she was adopted with. Cole was asleep as always. He had his head perched on the window, with his hands between his thighs and his neck buried in his scarf.
They shared a birthday, which Anne has mixed feelings about. Yes, it mean she could pretend to be twins with Cole; she actually liked the idea of that as it made her feel less alone. But she also disliked them sharing a birthday as it took away from the day being dedicated to just her as selfish as that sounded. But since she was an orphan, she had an excuse.
Anne and Cole were both adopted at the same age on the same day by the same people from the same place. It was a Monday, a day of sorrow for most other people, but that was the day which exited Matthew and Marilla the most as it was the day they were to pick up the two wide-eyed, one quiet and un-noticeable, one bubbly and extremely talkative, three-year-olds from Charlotte Town Asylum.
No, this wasn't an asylum where people with psychopathic tendencies or were insane lived, this was an orphanage labelled as an asylum. Though, from her memory, it looked every bit like a mental institution.
Anne couldn't remember much from her time at the Asylum, only the long hallways Jessica Cromwell said we're haunted, the winding stair cases which led to nowhere, the forbidden rooms where students would be beaten for misbehaving, the rows of beds lined up against the walls like something out of a military camp, the vast array of books which Anne spent the majority of her time looking through and studying.
You see, Anne was unlike most three year olds her age. She could read. Not just the odd words or the odd sentence, but whole novels and stories which some adults year olds would find challenging. But that was something only Anne herself and Cole knew about since Anne was the one who taught him to read.
Anne looked away from her brother (she didn't care if Cole wasn't blood, they were still just as related as any siblings born to the same parents were in her eyes) and back out her window which had already steamed back up.
She brought her hand up to it, wiped away some of the condensation, then stared aimlessly out at the houses and the people occupying the sidewalk. They seemed to know exactly where they were going, whereas Anne did not.
She did physically, she was going to a boarding school which she didn't care to learn the name of. But she didn't metaphorically. She had no clue where she was headed in life, who she'd meet along the way, and even worse, who she'd marry.
Anne sighed and decided to look behind her to where her other brother (yet again adopted but what did that matter to her) Jerry sat.
Marilla and Matthew didn't adopt him at the same time as they did with Cole and Anne since at the time he wasn't even in the same country as the pair. He was in France.
Once Anne and Cole turned 8, Marilla and Matthew had a conversation with the pair which went something like this;
"How would you two feel about us adopting another brother for you? Would you like that?" Matthew asked the 'twins' who eagerly nodded. Of course they wanted another brother, how exiting it would be to have another sibling!
"Good, I'm glad you two like the idea because we were thinking about doing just that."
"Oh really aunt Marilla? You mean it!?" Anne swooned, smiling from ear to ear.
"Yes, why would we tell tall tales? Now, we have already spoken to the owner of the orphanage and they've got a boy one year younger than you two who needs a home. He's French and unfortunately doesn't know much English but I'm sure since Anne is so smart you can help him out, can't you Anne?"
"Of course! I cannot wait!"
"Hey, what about me? Am I not smart?" Cole stuck out his bottom lip like a stroppy child, but replaced it with a laugh once Marilla gave him a 'oh be quiet' look.
"Dear you're smart enough too."
Anne smiled at Jerry who smiled back. She'd done just as Marilla had said, she'd taught him how to speak English and not only that, but how to read and write it too. Although she didn't know what profession she would go into when she was older, she had an idea that could be teaching.
"Anne, Cole, Jerry, wake up! We're here!" Marilla sang out, causing all three children to jump.
