sunflower

sixteen

you pull back the curtain, and the sun burns into your eyes.

anne wasn't sure how to act around gilbert now she had figured out her feelings. he seemed to really like ruby, so she thought she would just get over it.

"afternoon, shirley." said gilbert as he sat beside her in english. she turned to face him, smiling widely.

"afternoon. how'd your date with ruby go?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows. okay, shirley, you're doing pretty good at acting as friends. anne thought to herself.

"it was good. she's really nice, and she's funny too. obviously you know this, you are her best friend." said gilbert. he meant what he said about ruby, but he just didn't know what he thought about dating her.

"i'm glad. ruby's had a crush on you since you started here. i'm sure she's happy." said anne with a smile. it was true, though.

after class, anne and gilbert walked together to go meet their friends. they decided they were going to the park after school.

"gil!" ruby said as she ran up to him, a wide smile on her face. anne didn't like it when others called gilbert gil. that was her thing.

"hey ruby!" gilbert said. he tried to sound enthusiastic, but all he wanted to do was talk to anne. ruby grabbed gilbert's arm, giggling away as she took him towards the swings at the park. gilbert mouthed an 'i'm sorry' to anne as he was dragged away, but anne only smiled in response.

"hey, anne. you okay?" asked diana as the two girls sat underneath the slide. anne shrugged her shoulders, biting her lip. "you can talk to me."

"it's just, ever since i realised my feelings for him i don't know how to act. i'm trying to act like best friends do, but then i see him with ruby and all i want to do is scream. how do you stop liking someone?" anne rambled, nervously twirling her hair around her finger. diana smiled softly, putting her hand on anne's arm comfortingly.

"oh anne, you don't just stop liking someone. it takes time. but i think he likes you too, even if he is completely oblivious." said diana, letting out a soft giggle.

"he would never like me back. i mean, have you seen him? how could someone who looks like him ever like someone who looks like me?" anne said, glancing at gilbert pushing ruby on a swing.

"shut up anne! you're so beautiful. i'm not just saying that because you're my best friend, you truly are beautiful. i wish you'd believe that." diana said with a sad smile. she hated when anne talked so low about herself.

"gilbert called me pretty once." said anne, realising she had never actually told diana about that.

"he what?! when was this?!" diana almost yelled, her eyes growing wide.

"when we both had free period on the field. he said i was pretty. i didn't believe him, though. he was definitely just saying that to make me feel better." anne said with a shrug. diana was about to protest, but they were interrupted.

"oh, sorry. i was just wondering if you wanted to come play on the swings with me because i'm a child?" said gilbert, looking at anne as he laughed.

"where's ruby?" asked anne, looking around and not seeing her.

"she's talking to jane and tillie. come on. i'll push you first!" he said, grinning widely.