Someone Will Remember Us | Diana Barry & Anne Shirley

Chapter Five | Ruby Acts Cupid

It was a beautiful day in the town of Avonlea. The sun stood high on a baby blue sky, not a single cloud troubling it to distribute its light. Although Diana, who sat by the small river beside the school building, seemed to have her head lost in a stormy, grey cloud. They were worried for her, Diana knew it. Ms Stacy had talked to her parents and her parents had complained about their concerned to other parents of Diana's classmates. Mrs. and Mr. Barry explained how she didn't speak to them anymore, how she'd lost her appetite and how she spent most of her time by herself locked in her room. Other parents simply smiled and said that it sounded like they described the regular teenager, and suggested that Diana had finally reached her rebellious stage. But Diana's parents were not convinced. They claimed that they knew Diana and that Diana simply wasn't herself anymore, she had lost her spirit. They were right, Diana thought. But if they knew who Diana was, they would be happy knowing that Diana was trying to figure out how to not be herself, how to shut down feelings. It seemed impossible.

"Hi."
Diana looked up and saw Charlie Sloane of all people. He was weighing himself on his toes back and forth, his hands pocketed in his pants. He seemed nervous, and keen to avoid Diana's eyes. However, she didn't take any notice of that.
"Oh," she said, noticeably surprised.
Charlie and Diana seldom spoke to one another outside the classroom, and when they did speak to each other they were always in their groups - the girls and the boys. Diana didn't recall the two of them ever being alone with each other, therefore she was surprised by Charlie's approach.
"Hi Charlie."
"Can I sit?"
"Sure, go ahead."
Diana returned her sight to the river, following its movement, as Charlie sat down on the grass beside her.
"What, what are you doing?" Charlie asked. Diana didn't know he stammered. She looked over at him, but he was studying his feet.
"Uhm, not anything really I suppose. Just sitting here, watching the river."
"Cool." He replied.
Diana noticed that he seemed tense. She peeked at him to see if she could figure out why, and he was apparently staring at her, for their eyes met. Charlie smiled at her, and Diana returned a weak smile (anything else would be rude, after all - Diana tried to stay polite in her state of sorrow).
He leaned in then, and before she knew it Diana felt Charlie's lips on hers. She raised her eyebrows, surprised. It was an innocent kiss, his lips were soft against hers. For a moment Diana forgot herself, and simply let it happen.

Suddenly reality caught up with her. Diana felt confused and uncomfortable, and she pushed away Charlie; harder than she had intended to. She saw how he fell down to the hard ground in slow motion, watched as his head hit a stone by the river.
"Ouch!" Charlie exclaimed, as he rubbed his head where the stone had hit him.
"Sorry!" Diana's hands flew up to cover her mouth. "Ih Charlie, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"
"Yeah..." Charlie said slowly, still rubbing his head. "I'm okay, no worries."
He got up, and Diana noticed his clothes were dirty.
"Oh no, you're all dirty!" Diana noted, and without really thinking she got up and started brushing his clothes off. When she realised what she was doing, Diana turned pink and immediately stopped. She remembered then what Charlie had done.
"What were you doing!" Diana suddenly screamed, surprising herself.
"What?" Charlie asked, confused.
"You, you tried to, well—" Diana felt her cheeks grow hot. "You kissed me!" She finally said.
Charlie turned red too.
"Well, yeah."
Diana opened her mouth, but found no words.
"But, but why?" Diana asked.
"Because I like you!" Charlie said, more to the ground than to Diana. She wondered if he sounded more mad or embarrassed.
A silence grew between them. They stood there for a while, neither knowing what to say, before Charlie mumbled:
"Frankly, I'd heard that you liked me too."
Diana was taken aback.
"Who told you that?" She exclaimed in surprise.
Charlie kicked a stone into the river and said nothing, but he didn't have too. For Diana had finally noticed the girls — Ruby, Josie, Jane and Glenna — in the window, excitedly following the drama outside. Of course, Diana thought. She buried her face in her hands. Diana quickly apologised once more to Charlie, before she ran away.

After wandering around in the forest for some time (Diana didn't know where to go) she decided it was time to go home. In the hallway she found her parents waiting for her.
"Diana!" Mrs. Barry said, sounding upset. "Where have you been?"
"School." Diana said. After all, it wasn't a lie.
Mr. Barry sighed. "Diana, your teacher was here. She's concerned you know. She told us that you had run away from school, after you got into a fight with a boy?"
"I didn't get into a fight." Diana assured.
"That's what the students told your teacher."
"Do you believe it?" Diana tested her parents.
Her mother sighed, and out her hands on Diana's shoulders.
"Honey, we don't want to believe it, but we don't know what to believe with you anymore!"
"You're not yourself lately", her father agreed. "We're just worried Diana."
"If inly I wasn't like me." Diana mumbled under her breath.
"What's that?" Mrs. Barry asked.
"Nothing!" Diana sang, seizing the opportunity and running up the stairs to her room. As she slammed the door behind her, she sank down to the floor, closing her eyes. She wondered if she sat still enough, and if she held her breath, would the world stop spinning just for a little while?
Birds sang outside the window. If only she was a bird, Diana thought to herself. Then she could jump out the window, and fly far, far away. Diana smiled to herself. That's something she could imagine Anne dreaming about.