Broken (Gilbert Blythe)

chapter 8

-Later That Day-

There was a knock on the Andrews' front door. Mrs. Andrews answered the door just to see a fiery redhead. "Hi Mrs. Andrews. I have never had the chance to introduce myself personally. I'm Anne Shirley-Cuthbert." She held out her hand for the older woman to shake. Mrs. Andrews looked at her hand and took it hesitantly, "Hi Anne." She said with a tight smile.

Anne smiled, "I was wondering if Nova could walk with Diana, Ruby and I? I would be so utterly happy if Nova could join us on our adventure." Anne says with her smile getting bigger and bigger. Mrs. Andrews tried her best to not show how uncomfortable she was. She gives Anne another tight smile and sees Diana and Ruby talking among themselves. "I'll go get Nova." Mrs. Andrews walks to the stairs and yells for her daughter. Nova hears her mother call for her. She closes the book she was reading and walks downstairs. "There are friends here for you." Mrs. Andrews points towards the door, while she walks away.

Nova walks over to the door and sees Anne. "Anne, what a marvelous surprise to see you." Anne smiles, "Ruby, Diana and I were wanting to see if you would like to join us on our adventure?" Nova squints her eyes a little, "What kind of adventure?" Anne thinks for a minute. "A writing adventure. So if you would like to come, I would suggest bringing a pen with you." Nova smiles, "Of course. I'll be right back." Nova runs up the stairs and goes into her bedroom, grabbing her fountain pen and her journal. She runs back down the stairs, making it halfway down before her mother yells, "Nova! Stop running on the stairs! You're going to hurt yourself!" Nova stops and starts walking slowly, "Sorry, mother. Is it alright if I go out for a little bit?" Her mother nods. Nova grabs her jacket and hat, puts them on.

Anne squeals and grabs Nova's arm as soon as she sees her. They start walking to the woods. Nova looks around at the nature that was oh so beautiful. The cold weather making her nose chilled and red. The leaves and branches crunching underneath her feet. "Where are we going?" Nova asks.

Anne points ahead, "This way. We're almost there." They make it to a clubhouse made of wood. Nova looks at it, everyone starts going in. Anne looks to Nova, "Come on." She waves for her to come. Nova gets inside and sits down beside Diana and Ruby. Anne gives them all a crown made of leaves. Nova puts hers on her head, feeling like a princess.

Anne smiles, "The inaugural meeting of the Avonlea Story Club is now in session!" They all laugh, "Oh, Anne, this is so...so..." Diana says without being able to find words to describe how she feels. Anne bumps in, "Deliciously secret and scrumptiously exciting?" Nova laughs, "Anne, you have such a way with words." She says, while opening her journal and turning to a fresh page. Ruby shrugs her shoulders and smiles, "I hardly know what you're saying half of the time." They laugh at her.

"Thank you. Now before we begin cultivating our imaginations each of us should pick our nom de plume." Ruby looks at Anne then glances to Nova and Diana, "See! It's happened again!" Nova giggles, she looks over to Anne then back to Ruby and Diana. "Nom de plume means a pen name. You can use this name instead of your original name." Nova says, looking down at her journal. Anne looks at Nova, smiling and nodding her head. "I shall write under the name of Rosamond Montmorency." Diana gets excited, "Oh, that gives me such a thrill!" Nova smiles.

Anne looks to all the girls, "Once a week, we'll read our completed stories aloud to each other and talk them over thoughtfully." They all nod, showing they understand. Nova opens her journal to the next page that is blank. Ruby looks around nervously, "I can't think of anything!" Anne looks up to her, "I've got heaps of ideas if you need a little prompting." She smiles. Nova looks over to Anne to see her thinking of an idea, "How about a tale of romance most divine and tragical?" They all laugh and start writing, dipping their pens into the ink.

When they were finally done, all of them went their separate ways. Nova made it home. She got ready for bed and laid down. Nova couldn't help herself but think about Gilbert. His smile. His eyes when he looked at her. His kind, generous ways. The little things. Nova shook head and turned to her side, and tried to fall asleep. When slumber finally took over Nova, she couldn't help but dream of the boy.

-School's Back In-

Nova was walking to school, not ready to see everyone after a week. She makes it inside, all of the kids gossiping. Nova takes off her jacket and hat, and walks to her seat, pulling out her journal.

'What is the definition of happiness?

Happiness can mean loads of things.

Happiness is a type of harmony you have within, where everything is just right.

Happiness is a place between too little and too much.'

Mr. Phillips was writing on the board, "Settle down." Nova looks up, lets the ink dry and closes her book. "Don't make me ask you again. Open your readers to chapter 12." Nova looks over to Gilbert and sees him opening his book, she looks away to open her own. There was a stir of whispers behind her. Nova looks back and notices Anne standing there. "When I turn around, you best have your readers open." Mr. Phillips says, still writing on the board. Nova smiles, before she could say anything, Diana gets excited. "It's Anne!" She smiles and the class gasps. "She's here!"

Nova gets up and runs to Anne to give her a hug. "I'm so glad your back! It's been miserable without you." Nova laughs. Diana and Ruby get up as well, they lead her to her seat. "Anne Shirley-Cuthbert, take your seat." Mr. Phillips says. Nova goes back to her seat and smiles that her friend is finally back. Little did Nova know, Gilbert was admiring her from his seat with a small smile on his face.

authors note

thank you guys for reading this story! it means so much to me! make sure to leave a vote and comment down below!

~ mack :b