Remains To Be Seen

The Place We First Met

Anne
The trees around us sang with memories. The wind sent a chill up my spine, in a good way. I remember first coming to Avonlea. Each morning just this cold and evenly as memorable. I couldn't ever think of leaving Avonlea. Though I had to. The Queens Academy was very prestigious and it'd be very irrational of me to miss out on the opportunity. Just as it was for Gilbert to throw away the offer from the University of Toronto.
I admired the trees as they passed us by. I remember the mornings before school as I'd walk between these same trunks. Meeting Diana and Ruby at the "Y" as we called it. The place where the paths from our houses all meet. The place we would walk to school together from. But this looked a little different. Familiar but different.
Gilbert then stopped. I did as well wondering what stopped him. I swung around standing slightly diagonal from him. His face had flushed.
"Gilbert? Are you okay?" I asked sliding my hand into his.
"Yeah. I'm just wondering," he paused.
My eyebrows raised waiting for the rest of his sentence. I hated when he did this. I couldn't read his mind.
"Do you know where we are?" Gilbert asked.
I looked around curiously.
"I think so," I said stepping away looking where we were. "It's familiar."
The trees had a different smell then the way to school with Diana. I could always remember the smell of Diana's perfume when I walked that way. Whether she was with me or not. This one was different. A mix of paper and mud. A memory of an argument. Not between me. And then it came to me.
"It's where we first met," I said softly with a smile rising.
I looked over towards a line of bushes remembering him stepping out. Taking time out of his morning stroll to school. He talked Billy and his goons off and helped me off the ground. It was my first day. And conveniently, he saved the day. In his words slayed my dragons. He was basically trying to call himself my knight in shining armor. I remember I refused to give him my name out of pure embarrassment until we got to the schoolhouse. I had felt guilty that after this boy scared away the bullies I wasn't to give him the name of the person whom he saved.
"I remember I wouldn't give you my name for the entire walk to school. You followed me persistently and waited for me to fess it up," I laughed with my back to him.
He was being really quiet behind me. I decided it wasn't a good thing. I turned around slowly worried something was wrong. Maybe he was doubting U of T. Or just the idea of long distance. I was about to start convincing him that it was okay until I saw the scene. The hazey air framing his position as winter was coming to a close. It took a minute to realize what he was doing. I took a step towards him flabbergasted.
"Gilbert I-"
"Anne Shirley-Cuthbert," he began as he was knelt on one knee. "Timing may never be our strong suit, nor being in the same place at once, but I don't want to be from you in anyway besides physical form. You amaze me in ways I could never quite make words for. As you have nearly acquired them all. I don't see a life without you in it. If you'll have me, one day, will you marry me Anne?"
I stepped to him. The answer was already clear to me. I already knew what I wanted. I didn't see the world without Gilbert either. But maybe my silence was telling him different.
"Anne?" he snapped me from my thoughts that I assume were lengthy.
He was getting ready to stand. Looking to the ground as he steadied his foot on the uneven dirt. I then decided it was up to me. I didn't need anyone's approval. Not Diana's or Ruby's or anyone's. It was my choice.
"Yes," I said quickly.
He looked up to me standing before him.
"Really?" he was in disbelief.
"But please stand up. You're my equal," I said pulling him to his feet. "And we will always be equals."
"Fair and square," he smiled.
I laughed and nodded. He lifted my hand silently asking permission to remove my glove. Bobbing my head he peeled my glove off and slid a small metal ring around my finger. I smiled looking down at it.
"It's absolutely beautiful."
"It was my mother's," he softly said as our eyes met.
"To think that just a few years ago, I wasn't even allowed to speak to you," I laughed.
"And in a few days we're going to college," he said sadly.
"Hey, like you said only physically parted."
He nodded bowing his head slightly. I lifted his chin with my now icy fingertips.
"I'm not going anywhere," I said. "Forever promise."
He nodded but still wasn't convinced. What I thought earlier was true. He was still doubting going to U of T. I cupped his cheeks with my hands. Not exactly what you'd imagine your marriage proposal to be like. But it was us. It didn't matter what it was, our emotions were raw and shown. And Gilbert was saddened. Eventually his hands wrapped around my wrists looking for support as I held his warm cheeks. His eyes barely rising to my own. Lifting myself up onto my toes I connected my lips with his delicately. His tense sadness seemed to ease with the gesture.
"I guess you'd like to tell Diana right away," he assumed.
"Diana can wait. I'm with you."
"That's a first...well then, what next?"
"Marilla and Matthew. I know you probably already consulted them about it, but they should know it's really happening now."
"Well it always was."
"Gilbert Blythe," I scolded as I turned a bright red.
"Anne Shirley Blythe," he said.
I wanted to get mad at him. But I liked the ring of it. Anne Shirley Blythe. Though Cuthbert really should be in there.
"You forgot Cuthbert."
"That's a lot of last names Miss Blythe," he joked again.
I tried to glare at him. But he had that smirk on his lips that makes it impossible. Shaking my head I face planted into his chest I laughing. His own chuckle following suit. Finally escaping the negativity of the foreseeable future.
He then got us moving back towards Green Gables. We had passed it on our way to the forest. When I was now engaged. Promised was a better way to put it. Engaged seemed so formal. For me and Gilbert, it was mainly between us. It was a promise of a future together. A reminder of each other.

LATE NIGHT CRACKHEAD HOURS POST. I couldn't hold off any longer. I had to update this story. As I had started another. Also five more parts until the drop of Book 2! Should I spoil the name? Should I not? We will see. Comment and vote! ❤️❤️❤️ every one of you is amazing.
-LM