𝐷𝐸𝐿𝐼𝐶𝐴𝑇𝐸 | 𝙜𝙞𝙡𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙩 𝙗𝙡𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙚

| ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɴɪɴᴇ

{ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇᴅ }

| Lily |

"Marilla will have a fit when she finds out I missed school," I tell Gilbert as we trudge through the snow on the way to his house, where I'm supposed to meet Bash and Gilbert and I will "catch up". This whole situation feels weird, one moment I'm trying to get Anne to go to school and the next Gilbert is holding me and telling me that he's sorry. Little over a week ago I was heartbroken, struggling to move on, forcing myself to forget him, and now he's back.

"Now I understand why you're living with the Cuthbert's," he interrupts my thoughts, "I was stupid not to ask you."

"No you weren't, you need to stop beating yourself up," I firmly say, I catch him looking at me in the corner of my eye and meet his gaze, but he quickly turns away, as if he was trying to hide what his eyes were saying. Before long, we reach the end of the woods, his house resting peacefully in the distance, I feel my breathing come to a stop, the memories flooding back into my mind.

You're sick!

I remember looking down at the snow, and noticing the contrast of my blood on the soft white surface, I had never been so terrified.

I'm pulled out of my trance as we near the house, Gilbert opening his front door and leading me inside. This is weird. I feel his hands on my shoulders and shudder at his touch as he removes my coat.

"Thank you," I practically whisper, an odd shyness suddenly overcoming me. I turn towards him and have to lift my head up to meet his eyes. There's no denying that we've changed. I can't help but think that less than an hour ago we stood in front of the school house, holding each other tight, and crying profusely. Less than an hour ago, I finally told him the truth of my so-called "illness". What now?

"Oh, here he is," he speaks up, smiling. I hear footsteps behind me and turn to meet who I presume to be Bash.

"Bash," Gilbert greets, a sense of uneasy eagerness underlying his tone, "this is Lily." I smile sheepishly at him as realization dons his features and I internally question why Gilbert added an emphasis to his words.

"Lily!" He exclaims with a kind smile, taking my hand, "it's great to finally meet you! Gilbert has-"

"Sure is great to see her after all this time," Gilbert cuts him off before Bash can embarrass him. He comes up behind me, placing his hand in the small of my back, which takes me by surprise, but I don't show it. "I can't wait to catch up," Gilbert forces out, causing Bash to send him a devilish grin before he gives us a curt nod and retreats into another room.

"That was interesting," I tease as Gilbert leads me to the kitchen, "afraid he's going to embarrass you?" I take a seat at the table, craning my neck to get a glance at his face, but his back is to me. I watch as he takes a deep breath before turning to face me.