Anne wasted no time in getting ready for the school day. The long-awaited package sat forgotten and untouched, temporarily abandoned near the door. One of Anne's braids was already coming loose, and her slate lay forgotten on the bedroom dresser. In fact, she arrived at the schoolhouse an entire nine minutes before the substitute teacher, Mrs. Lynde herself.
"Why, Anne! You're here early this morning!" Her breath left puffy clouds in the frosty morning air. "Hold this for me while I unlocked the door."
Anne rose from her cold seat on the front stoop to hold the large, heavy satchel as Mrs. Lynde jiggled the key in the lock. They stepped inside the schoolhouse coatroom, a small room lined with benches and pegs, and removed their thick winter coats.
"I'll start writing the lesson out, if you would be so kind as to rekindle the fire, Anne." Mrs. Lynde said as she unwound her scarf.
Nodding, Anne absentmindedly set the carpetbag on the nearest bench with a loud thunk. She pulled off her soft wool mittens and knelt down in front of the potbellied woodstove. The door opened with a creak, and sent small grey ashes into the air. A long breath blown inside reawakened the sleeping embers, turning them into blazingly vivid shades of red and orange. Anne quickly placed paper and twigs on top before the coals died. Soon, small flames licking at the edge of the newspapers, blackening the edges. A thin wisp of smoke began to rise from the sticks, and she carefully shut the stove door.
Anne turned around to find her teacher almost finished jotting the day's lesson down on the blackboard. She groaned loudly. Algebra, again?
Mrs. Lynde chuckled as she adjusted the small, half-moon reading glasses perched on her nose.
"You'll catch onto it soon, Anne. Maybe even before your new teacher arrives. Just keep working at it."
Her speech was met with an unsure gaze.
"You are the top student, you know," she tapped on the names written high on the board. "Well, right next to, let's see here. Oh yes, Mr. Gilbert Blythe. You wouldn't want to let him get the better of you, right?" She stared at Anne with a pointed look over the glasses, doing her best to hide a mischievous smile.
"I'll try." Anne said with growing resolution, and an expression of determination on her face.
Mrs. Lynde turned back to the lesson, smiling to herself. She knew strong-willed Anne would rise to the challenge.
YOU ARE READING
The Orphan's Home
FanfictionAnne (with an 'E', mind you) is an orphan, new to Avonlea. Her past was never beautiful, but her dream of being adopted is finally coming true. It's never been easy for her to be accepted. Is Avonlea going to be any different? Spoiler Alert: We all...
