frick frack | anne with an E

if you really want to

"What do I say?" Diana asked, as her phone was being passed around the table. Cole and Ruby reading the short message. Cole looked up, staring at Diana not knowing what to say. His mouth slightly agape.

"Do you want to talk to her?" Ruby asked, looking down at the phone. Diana paused, debating if she did.

One side of her was still hurt for Anne deceiving her, for god knows how long. She couldn't help but think of what else she had lied about. Just so Diana wouldn't be suspicious. Diana knew this wasn't just something that just happened out of nowhere- Anne would never let that happen again. She knew it was a process. Anne wasn't just going to admit to her feelings that quickly. Diana was hurt and she wanted to know the truth but she didn't know how soon. If she was ready to find out everything that has been hidden from her.

On the other hand, she wanted to be Anne's best friend. Gush about relationships. She wanted to be there for Anne's date, wanted to be able to send off her best friend on a date, like a mom sending her daughter away to college.

She wanted to be happy for Anne.

Tease her about her relationship. She didn't want to be mad at Anne. Wanted Anne to tell her all the things that are happening, what stupid things Gilbert says. She wanted sleepovers with Anne where they would just stay up and talk about Gilbert and Ruby-

Ruby.

Diana has never said anything to Anne about Ruby. That has been her little secret for years now. Her growing crush on Ruby. Which only seemed to grow more and more these days. Diana has never told Anne about all the things she thinks too. Would I be a hypocrite for getting mad at Anne when I've been doing the same thing? Diana thought to herself. This question pulling her back to the question Ruby had asked her just moments before.

"Yes." Diana quietly said, "Yes, yes I do." She repeated as she grabbed her phone, typing a quick response.

-

Anne and Gilbert sat in the living room, on the floor behind the coffee table. In front of them laid photo albums of various occasions. The afternoon light crashing on to the table, lighting up the pages. Gilbert finally getting Anne to get out of bed, only with the promise of baby pictures. Going through the albums, pictures of his mom, siblings and him were shown. Gilbert would briefly explain who was who. Not going into any details. Anne noticed how his demeanor would change when his mom would be smiling next to him. How his voice would go a little quiet, how he would slightly tense up.

"This is my 4th birthday, it was Thomas the Train themed. Very nice would say so myself, even though I don't remember it." Gilbert said pointing to a picture of a 4-year-old Gilbert, in front of him a blue cake straight from the local supermarket, a plastic toy Thomas sitting on top, and in crappy red cursive "Happy 4th Birthday Gibert". Tying the whole thing together. Anne sat biting back a smile, not knowing if she should laugh or not.

"You look cute, don't get me wrong. But Gil, they misspelled your name!" She said finally bursting into laughter.

"Wait they did?!" He said in shock, looking back down to the picture he intensively looked at the image again. "Oh my god, they did!" He confirmed bursting into laughter with her.

The two continued to go through the photo albums. The pages continuing on with Gilbert's birthdays. Anne recognizing her friends in the background of the photos now. In shock of how small they used to be. Moody, Charlie, and Billy started showing in the background the 8th birthday. Years later the girls were in the back, all near each other. All of those photos being in various public birthday party settings- bowling, arcades, roller skating. And through the years they all morphed into the faces Anne remembered seeing on her first day of school in Avonlea.