constellations [DISCONTINUED]

cygnus

Diana and Anne. Anne and Diana. We were inseparable, kindred spirits, soulmates if you may. We were so caught up in our own happiness sometimes that we wouldn't even notice the mess of the world around us. Not only the mess of the world but the people in it too; there would be times we would be in our mental refuge and people would just not cross it for me.

That's how I didn't notice the presence.

When Mrs. Stacy arrived, me and Diana would already be seated down and talking as fast as we possibly could — as always.

"Alright class, everyone please quiet down. I'm Mrs. Stacy, English teacher and a forever tinkerer down in the metal shop" Mrs. Stacy talked loudly, but in a leader-like manner, not an authoritarian one. She seemed very nice. "Okay people, I'll Start with attendance and for the first day, since I don't know any of you, I'd like you to quote something you like, it can be a movie, a book, whatever! I'll be doing it by your first names so, firstly... Anne Shirley-Cuthbert!"

I stood up, wide-smiled, breathed deeply and recited firmly.

"'If all the world hated you, and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved you, and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends.' Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brönte"

Names went on, Diana quoted Harry Potter — 'Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light' — some girl quoted The Perks of Being a Wallflower — 'And in that moment, I swear we were infinite' — and a couple more which I didn't pay much attention, before it got to a Tolstoy quote which came from a familiar voice, a familiar name.

"Gilbert Blythe, please stand." Mrs. Stacy called the name, one I hadn't dared myself to say for a while.

"What? That's not..." I whispered to Diana, she looked at me with a childish grin in her face, then proceeded to turn to the back of the classroom, where brown curls laid over furrowed brows, that perfectly recited War and Peace, shortly but with such impact.

"Nothing is so necessary for a young man as the company of intelligent women."

Shortly after he quoted it, he glanced at me — though I don't think anyone else noticed it, maybe Diana.

More and more names went on, but none of them stroke me as Gilbert's. What was he doing here? I had not seen him since ninth grade and now he comes back with no warning? It was baffling, and honestly quite infuriating.

"Thank you, everyone! Now, you will have two projects, one midterm and a final essay for this course. The first one will be an analysis from a classic Canadian work from your choice and an assigned partner of mine, and the second one a poem from my choice and a partner of your choosing. We will talk about the midterms and final essay later on."

The outline of the evaluations interested me,

"Anne"

it interested me so much that my brain was already navigating through the sea of books stored in it.

"Anne"

So many possibilities,

"Anne"

I could never choose!

"Anne!" I was so deep sunken in my own ideas that I didn't even notice Mrs. Stacy calling my name, repeatedly.

"Pardon me Mrs. Stacy, what were you saying?"

"I was just saying that I'll start choosing pairs, and I'd like to have your attention if you don't mind."

I blushed profusely, Mrs. Stacey had called me out in front of the whole class — which included Gilbert Blythe.

"I'm sorry."

"That's okay. Now, remember, the work of fiction is your choice but you have to come to me so I can understand what I'm getting into, okay?"

The class nodded collectively, and Mrs. Stacey started looking at her clipboard for the pairs, I suppose, and for a minute, my mind crossed a thought, a very minimal but intruding thought.

'What if she pairs you and Gilbert?'

Not that I hated him, but I kind of did, so I could only hope to be chosen to work with Diana, but I'd settle with anyone mildly interested in the subject. Working with Gilbert would be something straight out of a lazily written TV Show or a light hearted romance book, I couldn't even...

"Anne Shirley-Cuthbert and Gilbert Blythe."

"What?!" I exclaimed, louder than I wished to have done.

"Nothing is so necessary for a young man." Blythe murmured, not setting an eye on me.

"Yes Mrs. Shirley-Cuthbert, you and Mr. Blythe. Is there any problem?"

"N-no! No, no, no, absolutely no problem Mrs. Stacey."

"Good. Now for Bianca Rivers..."

I abstracted from Mrs. Stacey's words from there on, just to see Gilbert Blythe mouth — once again — "Nothing is so necessary." in my direction.

oh how I love this! is so cliche but it's so insanely adorable! i don't intend on having a schedule for writing chapters down so just keep on tuned lmao