Close Proximity -Anne With An E-

Chapter 4| she's oblivious.

The next morning, the sun shines right in through the bedroom window. Anne groans at the light disturbing her sleep. Even with her eyes closed, the bright light is heavy on her eyelids.

Finally mustering up the energy to push aside the blankets to get out of bed, Anne gets dressed in a morning daze. She pulls her short hair into two braids.

After getting into her day dress, she sits on her bed and pulls the blanket around her shoulders. She just watches out the window, fascinated by the visible rays of light shining into the room. She watches as the light dances through the shadows, bringing it's glow into the darkness. An unfair battle, she thinks, for darkness can never win in a fight against light.

"Anne?" Mary calls, her voice drifting up the staircase and into Anne's borrowed room. "I've made breakfast, if you would like some."

Anne ambles down to the kitchen. She sits with Mary at the table and eating her delicious breakfast, along with a cup of tea. "So, Anne, tell me about yourself. I mean, I've heard a lot about you, but I would like to hear it from you."

Anne's eyebrow creases at this, "Bash talks about me?"

Mary laughs, in a way that says, "Oh, you are so cute." Mary sips her tea before saying, "Not Bash."

Anne sits for a second, before it dawns on her, "Don't believe what Gilbert has to say about me, I'm sure none of it is true."

"So, you're not a cute orphaned girl? And you're not one of the smartest kids at the schoolhouse? And you're not one of the most beautiful minded people Gilbert has ever met?"

Anne sits speechless, this is what Gilbert says about her behind her back? Beautiful minded, he had said. A small smile dances across Anne's lips, which she covers up with a sip of her tea.

"I am not a cute orphaned girl, I've been adopted. And I am the smartest at the schoolhouse. But, I don't know whether or not that last one is true." She says, quietly.

Mary looks at her, smiling. Bash walks in, "Hello, my love, miss Anne. How are you two ladies this fine morning?"

The two women smile at him and reply that they are well. Anne stands up and washes her dishes quickly, "I'm sorry, I must walk to Green Gables and make sure Jerry hasn't burned down the barn, or forgotten to feed the horses."

Gilbert steps into the kitchen, "Anne, you're leaving? I can walk you."

Anne looks up at him, fighting down a blush, "No, no, I can make it just fine on my own, thank you." and pushes past him, out the door.

Once Anne and Gilbert had both left the kitchen, Mary hugs Bash and whispers to him, "You were right about those two."

----

Instead of heading straight to Green Gables, Anne heads to the clearing, where her old clubhouse used to dwell.

After a few minutes of being there, she hears someone running through the forest, toward the clearing.

She starts when Ruby comes crashing through the trees. "Ruby! What are you doing here?" at the same time Ruby says, "Anne! I was hoping I would find you here!"

Anne, surprised, asks, "Are you okay? Do you need something?"

Ruby shakes her head, catching her breath, "I just- I just heard- that you're- you're staying with Gilbert for a week." She bends over a little to allow air to flow better into her lungs, "Is it true?"

Anne rolls her eyes, and groans out a, "Yes." but is taken aback when Ruby squeals. "Since you'll be spending so much time with him, do you think you could find a time to ask him about me?"

Anne stands there for a second, hands on her hips, squinting at the blonde girl, trying to piece together what she had just said.

"I mean..." she says, "I guess so?" Ruby squeals once more, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" hugging Anne and jumping up and down.

"Ok, I have to go, I'll see you, Anne." Ruby says, and runs in the opposite direction.

Anne pushes a large amount of air out of her lungs, "Okay, then."

Then turns and heads toward Green Gables. The snow sticks to her stalkings, making them cold and wet.

Finally, she reaches her beloved home, the cold air grating her lungs with every breath, her fingers no longer feel like her own limbs, and her head aches because of the cold air circulating through her body.

She sees movement in the shed, and runs toward it. "Hey, Jerry!" She says, "Anne! What are you doing here?"

Anne shrugs, "Just making sure you haven't killed any of the horses." she says, petting Belle softly. Jerry glares at her, "Ha ha, very funny." he says, then mumbles, "Tu ne me pas confiance. Je doit dire, je suis offencé."

Anne just looks at him, confused. "Have you gotten the eggs?"

Jerry nods toward a basket, "They're in there. My family won't be able to pay for all of them, do you think you could take some with you when you leave?"

Anne picks up the basket and counts out half of them, "Of course I can, I'm sure Mary will love to have some extra eggs. Anyway, I guess I should get back to Gilbert's."

Jerry smiles, wiggling his eyebrows, "Oh, la la."

Anne just glares and walks off toward her borrowed home.