Butterflies~~ Shirbert

Chapter twenty-four: Blessings

  After lunch Anne returned inside green gables while Gilbert worked outside with Mathew and jerry. Even though Ms.Stacy hadn't announced an exam to come soon. Anne spent a large portion of her weekends studying and reviewing every subject. She reluctantly spent most of her time on geometry, the bane of her existence. Still, she pushed onward and perserviered through her bewilderment regarding negative exponents. These hours were the cost of being a honorary student and surpassingly adequate in knowledge for her age. Her motivation was the drive and longing to be at the top of the class when queens academy entrance exams came. The thing was, she could care less for her numerical position on the list, for as long as she beat Gilbert Blythe she would be almost entirely content. Key word, almost, for Anne was an eager learner and she would never be entirely content when it came to knowledge. Not even a victory over gilbert blythe could change that. Although she would feel accomplished.

Finally after hours of attentive, hard work. Anne arose from her vanity chair and made her way down the stairs. After her argument with Marilla she didn't bother asking if she could help Mathew on the farm. She only held her head up high and smoothed her shoulders down whilst walking purposefully  by Marilla.

-

Whilst making her way to the barn she spotted Gilbert and Mathew working on the fence surrounding green gables. She readjusted her path to the gate, without a second thought.

Stay calm.

Gilbert reminded himself as he spotted anne walking towards where he worked. Him and Mathew were just finishing up repairing. He was hammering in the last nail when anne approached them.

"Can I help you Mathew."

Anne continued, not addressing nor acknowledging the boy who kept his eyes strictly focused on the nail he was inserting.

"Geometry has once again proven itself to be wretched, why its only cruel to me? I couldn't say. Anyways I plan to ask Ms. Stacy for assistance afterschool tomorrow."

Gilbert looked up then, with a smug playful grin dancing on his face. He was very tempted to tease her but his better conscience and judgement, thwarted him otherwise, and he remained silent. Only laughing once at the glare Anne sent upon him.

"Anyways, I don't wish to speak or think of geometry more than necessary, so if you please, save me from my own mathematical stresses. What do you have for me to do?"

Mathew, then, opened his mouth to speak, for the first time in this exchange.

"Well, me and Gilbert have just finished repairing this, I suppose while were at it we might as well lather a fresh coat of paint on it while the wood is fresh."

"I'm on it."

Then anne ran to the barn bounding as fast she could, paying no mind to exponents, instead her brain consumed itself with the image of the boy she just encountered.

Gilbert watched anne as she ran off. He rested his head on his arms which folded on top of the gate, sighing quietly. some may say it was a cry of lovesickness. Some may say otherwise still, those "some" being Anne and Gilbert themselves in all their stubborn glory.

Mathew watched the boy, a discreet, yet meaningful smile on his face. He only hoped he could get the chance to mention the reasoning for Gilberts stance and sighs, that day.

Anne returned, holding out a paint brush to Gilbert and Mathew. She unscrewed the lid from the rusty pain can and placed it carefully on the grass. she then grabbed a stick three steps away from her and doused it into the can stirring efficiently and carefully. After a moment she let the excess paint drip of the wood then threw it as hard as she could across the field. She had failed to recodnize that even if she allowed some paint to drip off the twig the fervent manor in which she threw it, would still cause white paint to spray askew. Gilbert Blythe just so happened to be the target of annes thorough work tactics for, by the end of her throwing the stick he was painted almost as much as the gate would soon be.