Remains To Be Seen

Confessions

Gilbert
It was days after the last dinner with Anne. It had been a bit less lively at my home. But Bash and Mary were still good company. Mary had noticed my change in mood. She requested me to her. I went to her summoning. She grabbed my hand and pulled me to sit by her side.
"Gilbert, if you truly love this girl. You tell her. And if you choose to marry, marry for love and only love."
"I will Mary," I said hopefully.
"Go see if you could walk with her to school."
I smiled and left out the door waving to bash across the farm. He waved in return and I went jogging towards Green Gables and school.
And now I sit here on Anne's bed with her hands in mine. A paper with my name on it was fallen to the floor as Anne took a deep breath. It was my time. Mary said I should tell her. If I loved her. I know I did. I have since she slapped the slate across my cheek.
"Anne I must confess that I have an affinity for you and your fiery temper. You flaming hair and ocean eyes engulf my every thought. Your well being is mine and your thoughts surprise me everyday," I said.
"Gil.."
"You don't have to feel the same. Though I hope one day you will. Since your slate broke across my face I have had this draw to you and your beautiful mind Anne. But I feel this towards you and only you Anne Shirley Cuthbert."
Anne let out a breath and a smile. She looked down at the bedding and I grabbed her hands. She had to know this was true. There was not a lie or fib in place.
"How come you were able to put it into such beautiful words?" Anne said.
"What?"
"With all my vocabulary I expected to be able to put how I felt into words."
"Anne do you?"
"Feel the same? I uhhh...yeah in a way. But I need to put it into my own words before anything. That's what the letter was for."
"So put it to words," I urged hopefully.
"I can't. I need to write it down. I don't want to forget it."
My heart was filled yet still broken. But I was hopeful. I had to be.
"What about school today?" I asked.
"Is it more disrespectful to show up late or not at all?" she asked.
"Probably not at all when we have the means to," I said.
"Okay. Can you ummm-wait downstairs?" Anne requested.
"Of course Princess," I squeezed her hands as I left toward the door.
"Not a Princess," she hummer as I shut the door.
"You are to me," I said through the thin door.
I waited downstairs sitting anxiously on the couch. I think the anxiety made time go slower. It felt like forever for her to get ready. She then trampled down the stairs with her books in her arms. I saw an extra book among her arms. Huckleberry Finn. She was close to finishing as it was pressed open to the last few pages. Her eyes on the words as she hurried down the stairs. She looked over to me folding the corner of the page closing the literature.
"Sorry I took a bit longer than anticipated," she said.
Her hair was different. She let them out of her normal plaits and let the curls overcome her hair. The softness of each wave framing her face full of freckles. I could count each dot on her face for years.
  "You look beautiful," I awed.
"Oh shush. Let's get going!" she said eagerly.
She had a bounce in her step as she escaped the confines of the Cuthbert home. She danced in the crisp air like it was telling her too. She fell out of her spinning seeing me stare from a distance.
"It's the chilling crispness of the air so refreshing?" she asked.
"Sure is Princess," I smiled.
She turned pink.
"Stop with the nicknames Gil."
"Glad I've gained one too," I winked to her.
She growled trying to look angry. But a smile creeped up on her lips firing a light giggle. The school came into view and I had this sudden urge to grab her hand. It was probably the intensity of the feelings I felt.
She stopped suddenly in front of the school. And there everyone was at the windows gasping and giggling at Anne. Diana was included. I stepped up to stand beside her. I grabbed her hand and pulled her behind me as I pushed the door open. Miss Stacey was yelling at everyone to get back in their seats.
"Gilbert, Anne, hurry on and put your things away. You are both sitting at the desk for being tardy," she instructed.
We both nodded. She pulled herself away hanging her coat and hat up. Clutching her books to her chest as she walked with her head down. I followed behind her closely as we went to Miss Stacey's desk. Everyone was snickering and whispering about her. About the both of us. Miss Stacey had put an equation on the board that no one was doing.
I set my things down and stepped to the center of the building.
"What is so funny everyone? You all seem capable of sharing it with each other. What is it?" I barked.
Miss Stacey nodded looking to the other kids in the room. I expected Diana or even Charlie to stand and explain. I even predicted Josie to stir up a storm. But little Ruby stood brushing her dress off. Anne still had covered herself in her arms on the desk.
"There is a rumor that I don't believe is true, about Anne," she clarified sitting.
"Care to explain further?" Miss Stacey asked them. "I do not tolerate gossip in my classroom and we will not resume class until it is explained."
"We mustn't speak of it if it's just a rumor. That means it's a fib," Jane said. "Right?"
"Anne? Do you know of this rumor?"
  "What could I possibly know about a rumor that's about me? If it's about you, you usually don't know it," Anne snapped picking up her books.
"Anne don't leave," I pled.
"Stop it Gilbert!" she violently yanked herself away from me. "I'm sorry Miss Stacey but I need to go home."
And she left. No coat or hat. Just out the door. Miss Stacey looked sad for a moment before she had disappointment in her eyes.
"Miss Berry," Diana stood at the call of her name. "Please explain what it is that this rumor entails about your dear classmate."
She looked around and everyone went silent.
"Word has spread that Anne has scars amongst her back from recurring.... disciplining," Diana said softly as she carefully crafter her words.
Anger rose in my chest. I couldn't be here any longer. This was disgusting. How could the ones she called her friends spread such a thing about her and the Cuthberts. I looked to Diana and pointed at her hastily.
"You are not a true friend to believe and laugh at a rumor about Anne," I hissed.
"Gilbert I..." Diana was at a loss for words.
"I'm leaving as well Miss Stacey. I'm going to fix this."

A/N: are you surprised that I can't keep myself to a publishing schedule...nahhh I just get too excited and write six chapters ahead. So take another chapter my lovelies... also like a total filler chapter cause I wanted to stir up the D-R-A-M-A #saveawae