Butterflies~~ Shirbert

Chapter thirteen: You are unequivocally my Best Friend

"You all may go to lunch," Ms Stacy said standing up from her chair and walking to the supply closet to fetch her own meal.
Every student stood up eager to go to lunch,
Except Anne.
She looked over at Gilbert who was already walking over to her desk. She looked down at her hands and folded them together. She quickly looked over to see if Diana was there, her bosom friend had left her, she glanced back at the coat room and found that all the students were out of the classroom. Anne looked over at Gilbert who had sat on the bench in front of her, once they locked eyes it was so intense Anne forced herself to look away.
"I don't need your help," she stuck her chin up in the air and looked at the chalk board in front of the room.
"Anne you do, it's not something you can choose to control, you can't walk, and I'm under strict orders to make sure you don't try to without help."
Anne groaned slightly then moved her head to face him trying to keep her intimidating face on.
"Well Since in order to move I'd have to except your help, I will stay right where I am."
Gilbert leaned forward and crossed his hands placing them on her desk. His hands were almost touching hers.
"Okay," he stood up and walked away.
Anne looked forward shocked, he just walked away. She suddenly regretted her stubbornness and wanted to call out for him to come back but her mind stopped her telling her that she was relived her intimidation worked. Her face how ever showed how upset she was, so once Gilbert began walking back over and saw that. He couldn't help but be a little happy that she didn't want him to go.
He sat back down in his spot and placed her lunch basket on her desk then opened his own and began pulling out his food, acting as if nothing had happened.
Anne's face read confusing as she glanced from her basket to Gilbert.
"Uhh, what are you doing," she tried to remove the relief from her voice that was from him returning but failed. Her heart sped up as she realized he was eating lunch with her.
"We're eating lunch together," he said it trying to remove any nervousness from his voice.
Anne tried to look annoyed and crossed her arms on her chest.
"Oh well if you what I can go," he began to stand up teasing her.
Without thinking she said grabbing onto his forearm.
"What, no."
He looked down at where her hand was holding onto him, hi heart beating faster and faster. He gulped then sat back down. Gilbert tried to regain his cool, but it was very difficult considering she had just showed that she wanted him to stay, and she had touched his arm.
She had touched his arm.
He cleared his throat trying to shake it from his mind so he could prevent himself from blushing in front of her. Of course he failed, but she too was blushing as he looked up to see her face again. That made him happy, that she seemed to at least feel somewhat the way he did.
What way did he feel?
He was so confused, but in this moment he let his mind have a break and he just lived.
"So you let the pie burn," Gilbert said in between laughs.
"I was having a most exquisite day dream, in my mind I wasn't even at green gables, I was in an extravagant palace, it's roof sprinkled with angel kisses." She said this in a dreamy voice still looking at Gilbert in the eye. Her leg was propped up next to were Gilbert was sitting in the bench, every once and a while while Anne was flailing herself around enthusiastically describing figments of her imaginations her leg would touch his thigh and both of them would freeze just for a second, then act like nothing happened. Both of them were laughing hysterically when everyone began to file in from lunch. Gilbert heard the door opening and began to stand up and collect him and Anne's things but before walking away he bent down and leaned over her desk and asked.
"Can I walk you home," his face was merely less than a foot away. Anne's face flushed, and she said breathlessly.
"Yeah," her voice wasn't stubborn like it usually was it sounded hopeful, excited and very nervous.
"Okay," Gilbert smiled standing back up trying to catch his breath. He shocked himself by being so bold. His voice hadn't even wavered.
"Okay," Anne breathed looking at him with an expression that Gilbert wanted to savor forever. Gilbert looked back with a similar face, that didn't change until Diana sat down next to Anne and he realized that he needed to go back to his seat before Ms Stacy questioned why they were eating inside, alone.
Everyone began whispering about Anne and Gilbert once again. The rest of the day went by very slowly for Gilbert and Anne, both anticipating their walk home.
Finally and Ms Stacy dismissed class.
"Anne will you walk with me," Diana said not thinking about Anne's injury, the only thing she was thinking about was how she had to talk to Anne about Gilbert.
"Oh, Diana I'm so sorry, Gilbert's actually walking with me today."
Diana's eyebrows shot up and her smile widened, little did Anne know she did not mind one but that Anne was walking with Gilbert instead.
Anne noticed the way Diana's eyebrow was quirked, so she couldn't help but say.
"Diana, don't look at me like that."
"Like what," Diana said innocently.
"Diana there is nothing romantical between me and Gilbert."
"Oh really."
"Yes really Diana."
Diana was going to press further and mention that every action between them today said otherwise but she didn't, mostly because of the curly haired boy across the isle was obviously eavesdropping whilst pretending to read his book.
"He likes you Anne." Diana was being bold and she knew it, she also knew Gilbert was heading everything she was saying.
"And I know you secretly love him too."
Anne gasped,
"Love, Diana, now that is to far."
"So like is better, okay baby steps, you like Gilbert."
"Well of course I like Gilbert,"
Diana gasped,
"No not in that way, I like him as a friend is all Diana."
But Diana was already making her way out of the room and Anne turned back to her desk huffing in frustration. Gilbert suddenly looked up from the book he was "reading" and closed it without putting in a bookmark. He grabbed his stuff and Anne's walked over to her desk.
"Here," Gilbert said in a tender low voice. He was referring to helping her into her coat. Which he held behind her, she stretched out her arms and put them through the holes, whilst blushing most vibrantly.
Anne cleared her throat the grabbed her basket and pulled on her hat. Gilbert grabbed onto her under her arms then once she was standing laced his arm around her back, steadying her so she wouldn't fall. They began stepping out of the school, before turning around facing the sound of Ms Stacy clearing her throat at the front of the classroom.
"I thought you both should know that the first after school class I was telling you both about, will be on Monday."
The teacher was rather intrigued yet the students sudden closeness, both physically and relationship wise.
"Well I'll be there, unless, well," she turned to face Gilbert, her designated "crutches", "do you think my ankle will be healed by then."
"You will be able to get around somewhat, but you won't be able to walk to school for probably another two weeks."
Anne nodded then said rather boldly,
"Well then can you walk me to and from school until then."
It's true most of that request was out of necessity, and part of Anne was annoyed that she wouldn't be healed for so long, but another part of her was jumping for joy at the fact that her and Gilbert would be spending so much time together.
"Of course," Gilbert said without an ounce of hesitation.
"Okay," Anne turned her face to Ms Stacy wearing a very wide smile. One she had tried to contain but was obviously desperately unsuccessful.
"Well in that case yes I'll be there, as long as Gilbert's okay with going too," She said questioning the boy next to her. 
"Yup, we will both be there," said Gilbert smiling at the word we, he liked the sound of that.
Ms Stacy grinned at the two children, she loved them both so dearly and it seemed it was about time they became friends and made up.
"I'll be looking forward to it, okay now get on going."
She smiled as the two walked away thinking, they would make a extraordinary couple.
~
Anne and Gilbert has just turned the way to Green gables when Anne broke the awkward silence that had filled the air around them.
"Wait," she stopped walking.
Gilbert stopped too looking down at her, with a concerned and confused expression.
"I don't want to go to home." She said looking straight forward.
"What," Gilbert was very confused, "why not."
"I Uhh," she she reached up and scratched her forehead, then continued nervously.
"Marilla is going to question me and she will probably tell you to go home and I just don't want," she cut herself off before she admitted that she didn't want him to go. The true that was she knew that Marilla would undertake dthat she needed help walking home, but she also knew Marilla would be raising her eyebrows and smirking her lips and she just wanted to not deal with all of the suspicions from everyone. She just wanted to be around Gilbert, and be free from the paranoia that people thought she liked he, which she did not.
Gilbert's heart took a flip when he registered the words, she will probably tell you to go home and I just don't want, she had abruptly stopped talking. Was she going to say she didn't want him to go home, for a second he thought that was the answer but then his doubts got in the way and he convinced himself not entirely, that she probably just lost her train of thought. Then he thought about the first part of her sentence, Marilla is going to question me.
"Why would Marilla question you." He asked biting his lip hoping it was for the reasons he suspected.
Anne laughed softly, ducking her head trying to act nonchalant.
"She thinks, well she. I don't know, she thinks we Umm," she tried to recollect herself and figure out how to explain it.
"She doesn't understand that we are merely best friends."
Gilbert's heart took a whirl.
"Best friends?" He asked hopefully.
"Well uhh I mean if you don't consider me your best friend I understand, to me your my best friend, I mean Diana is my bosom friend but you really are a kindred spirit, i Lena I care for you more than I care for anyone, actually you know what never mind." Anne rambled on not looking into his eyes. She blushed from embarrassment.
"Anne," Gilbert stopped walking and put his hand on her shoulder so she would face him. Both of them felt the spark that flew in between them at their touch.
He titled his head down to look at her, his expression was serious, as he said in a strong genuine voice.
"Anne, your my best friend, don't ever doubt that, you mean more to me than anyone."
Gilbert said this utterly unequivocally.
Anne felt his hands on her shoulders, his hold was strong, safe, tender, it made her feel like she was being filled up. Anne was breathless, she was blushing profusely, biting her lip. It felt as if time had frozen, as if both of them where in their own world, and no one could disturb them from it.
Then Anne registered what he said, and a big sweet smile grew in her face.
"So best friends?" She asked.
"Best friends," Gilbert smiled back.
They them resumed their previous position, both smiling blissfully, both feeling safe and whole.
"Oh wait, so you want to go back to green gables," Gilbert said suddenly remembering what she had said earlier.
They were still walking but Anne slowed their pace, she didn't what to leave him, so even though she knew that going home wouldn't be that bad she said.
"Not really," She looked up at him with hopeful eyes.
Gilbert looked down to meet her gaze, smiling, he didn't want to leave her either, he had a feeling that's why she didn't what to go back home. So he said as if he didn't know what she was doing.
"Well we can go to my house if you want," he tried to sound nonchalant, but of course it didn't come across as that considering his voice was filled with nervousness.
"That would be phenomenal," Anne said.
gilbert smiled at her choice of words.

They turned around and began walked the way to Gilbert's house.
In all of Anne's years of years of living in Avonlea, she had only walked this way on the path a couple of times.

That would change very soon.

;);;));) i hope you liked this chapter. Ah I loved it, I love best friend Anne and gil so much. Get excited for Bash and Mary in the next chapter, they know what's up;) okay new chapter tomorrow! I love you all❤️❤️❤️

Published aug 23 19