AHEAD BY A CENTURY - ANNE WITH AN E

21. To give her everything

Gilbert Blythe handed over Ruby's wicker basket, he squeezed her small hand ever so gently and whispered, "see you." Before walking back out through the cloakroom. Ruby practically skipped into the room with her basket and sat merrily down in between Josie and Jane.
"So..." Josie started, her resting judgemental face subsiding, "you and Gilbert Blythe!?" She smiled at ruby, her glossy white teeth showing, "Oh ruby, it's great. Now we both have sweethearts." Josie embraced ruby in a hug, her soft, blonde curls spreading over her shoulders.
Ruby had barely formed a sentence as Josie was so ecstatic about their common ground.
To Josie, Anne had stolen ruby away, Josie's pet and now, she was taking her back.
"Ruby. Would you like to have a slumber party at my house tonight?" She spoke, over-pronouncing the word slumber with a mature voice to sound more appealing to the easily influenced ruby.
"Why, of course Josie." Ruby and Josie linked their puffed sleeved arms in a girlish fashion and took themselves and their luncheon baskets elsewhere.
"What just happened?" Jane Andrews asked, taking a bite out of a crimson strawberry tart.
"Josie is reclaiming her throne." Anne said, her imagination thriving but her heart aching.
"She's rebuilding her army." Diana continued, a terrified look in her doe-eyes.
The girls chatted in their lunch circle for a while, about Ruby, about Josie and about Gilbert. Diana and Anne shared mournful looks but remained silent through most.

After the school day had concluded, Anne could barely control herself. She wanted to scream. She wanted to shout. But instead, she ran into the woods in desperate attempt to calm herself.
Faint giggles and chuckles emerged from the trees, followed by a pale dress, sleeves frilled elegantly at the elbows, an assortment of the most fashionable lace patterns appearing throughout the design. The sun shone behind the dress, revealing a rosy, satin bow. Another bow, similar, if not the same, sat there, at the end of a thick, curly, blonde braid.
A muscular hand playfully grabbed at the shoulder of the dress, sleeves rolled right up to the elbows, a knitted sweater vest coming into view.
Anne turned to face the two in the trees. Her eyes swimming in tears. The tip of her nose a rose colour and her under eyes to match.
"So sorry, Anne." Giggled the voice belonging to Ruby Gillis. "I had no idea that me and Gilbert were in someone else's company." Ruby interlocked her fingers into Gilbert's, but his hand lay dead, emotionless as he made no attempt to contribute to the hand holding.
Gilbert, nor Anne, made any sound, they stared into each others lifeless eyes, with the same passion as they once did.
"Come along Gilbert. Anne is in one of her moods again. You don't want to end up with another slate through your head do you now?!" Ruby chuckled at her words, as though it was the most comical thing said in history.
Gilbert made no argument and allowed Ruby to lead him away. He looked back several times, Anne having no knowledge of this, hoping she would say something "please be with me instead of her" he imagined she'd say.

As the sun descended, and the stars formed great patterns, Anne found herself at the Blythe residence. With great hesitation, Anne's nimble fingers lay upon the door knocker.
A surprised Gilbert opened up his front door, "A-anne." Gilbert stuttered. Oh how Gilbert had imagined this moment a hundred times since Anne rejected him just weeks prior. He imagined that she begged him to be with her for all eternity, but that Anne, she wasn't the real Anne. Anne had too much pride to ever. Ever. Ask Gilbert for his love.
But Gilbert was willing to give her it. Even if she didn't love him.
"Anne." Gilbert repeated. "Are "Is everything alright?" Anne didn't answer, unsure if she was going to burst in to tears or a fit of laughter, Gilbert rephrased, "Are you alright?"
No. Anne wanted to say. But could she??
"I'm sorry." She cried, "I was in a bad place, and although that is never an excuse to misuse someone. Although I am sure you hate me. Please don't be with ruby, and get married and have 4 adorable children that you'll love more than anyone in the whole entire world."
"Anne."
"I know it's a lot right now for you and for me too with queens entrance exams coming up and all but please try not to hate me."
"ANNE." Gilbert called out louder than before, grabbing her shaking hand.
"I don't hate you." He said softly, "I could never hate you."

A/N
Hi. So here's an update, I'll try to update more regularly but we all know I'm not good at sticking to promises to write. Not that it's an excuse but I do a lot of writing at school and like by the time I get home it's like I never want to see another word again.