Broken (Gilbert Blythe)

chapter 10

-Later in Class-

History class started, Mr. Phillips walked around the classroom.

"Which districts comprise the Prairies? Gilbert?" Nova's ears perked up to Gilbert's name and looked over at him. He got up, "Um... The districts of Athabasca, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Assiniboia." Nova looks back down at her book and smirks. Mr. Phillips nods towards Gilbert, "That is a clever student." Mr. Phillips looks to Anne, who is sitting in front of Nova.

"Anne, which provinces comprise the Atlantic Maritimes?"

Nova wasn't paying attention, she was doodling in her journal around the edges. A shout came across the classroom, "Was I not speaking loudly enough?" Nova glances up from her journal to see Anne stammering over her words. Mr. Phillips yells at Anne again, "The Atlantic Maritimes!"

The classroom chuckles at the scene. Nova looks over to Gilbert and sees him looking at Anne and Mr. Phillips with furrowed eyebrows.

Anne finally answered the question and the school day finally finished. Nova gathers her things and walks to go get her coat and things. Anne and Diana stand beside her, "Worst day ever!" The red head says with anger in her voice. Gilbert walks and grabs his jacket and hat, "Nice boys never say people eat insects." Nova looks over to him, confused. Diana spoke up before she did, "I beg your pardon?"

Gilbert puts his jacket on, "It's a mnemonic device. It helps you remember things, right? That's, uh, the Maritimes." He says, matter of factly. "New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI. "Nice boys--" He gets cut off by Anne getting snippy, being passive aggressive. She looks at Diana and Nova, "Diana, Nova, could you guys please tell Gilbert Blythe that I don't need his help?" Nova looks over to Gilbert and he smirks at her. She blushed and they both looked over to Anne. He scrunched his eyebrows together, "Why don't you tell me yourself? I'm right here." Anne rolls her eyes and turns to him, "I suppose I just did." Nova shakes her head with a small smile on her face, she knows what he's doing, he's just doing to push her buttons. He puts his hat on with a smirk. 

"Mnemonics is spelled with "M". Not that you need my help or anything. Have a good weekend." He said with a chuckle. Anne rolls her eyes once again, grabbing her things. Diana smiles at Gilbert, "You too." Nova let out a chuckle, "I need some fresh air." She said, not being able to hold in her laughter. Nova walks outside and shakes her head, finally stops laughing. There were footsteps behind her, "Hey." Nova turns to see the witty boy. She smiles, "Hi." She looks forward to where she's going, so she doesn't trip over snow. "Would you mind if I walked with you?" She looks at him, Nova shakes her head. "No, I don't mind." She says, trying to not get too excited. 

They walked a few paces before Nova spoke up, "That was funny. Back there with Anne. You don't have to push her buttons like that even if it may be quite the entertainment." She giggles. "You like her or something?" Nova said, then she widens her eyes, realizing what she just said. Gilbert laughs, "No, I just thought it would be funny to see her fiery temper." Nova nods, "Well, she does have that." She giggles again. 

Gilbert looks over to Nova, "I like your laugh." Nova looks at Gilbert, not knowing what to say back. "Thank you." She blushes and looks forward. Then she feels something hit her back that's icy cold. Nova turned around and sees Gilbert a few steps back with a shocked look on his face. "Did you just throw snow at me?" She says, looking serious with an eyebrow raised; then she laughs, grabbing some snow and making it into a ball. Gilbert looks around then back at her. "Maybe." He says with a smile. Nova threw the snowball at him.

Gilbert and Nova start having a snowball fight. Nova threw another snowball at Gilbert and it hit his chest, "You're gonna regret that." He laughs and starts running after her, she sprints and trips, by Gilbert tackling her. They fall down, he lands on top of Nova. She starts laughing. He looks at her, her smile being perfect, the snow in her hair, the way she laughs. It just made her so gorgeous. Nova looks at Gilbert, "Get off me, you goof." She laughs again, pushing him off. Gilbert lays beside Nova, they stay laying down, despite the cold snow making their clothes rather wet. Nova looks at Gilbert, to see him already admiring her.

At such a young age, you wouldn't expect yourself to fall in love with someone. People call it puppy love, because of their age. Nova wasn't afraid of falling for Gilbert because she thought he wasn't the one for her. But she was terrified because she knew that he was the one, the person she could go to if things went wrong, someone who would be there when things are good and when things are bad. She knew if she would ever gain the courage to tell Gilbert the feelings that she is having, she would probably get rejected like everyone else does.

Nova didn't know what to do, so she did what she always does. She sat up and looked at the snow. "I have to head home. My mother is probably wondering where I am." She said, nervously. Gilbert sits up, looking at her. "Why don't tell her you came over to my house for tea?" She looked over to the boy in the red jacket. She shook her head, "She'll have a conniption." Nova paused. "I'm sorry." Her eyes saddened. "Maybe I could sneak out or something." She rolled her eyes playfully and laughed. He laughed, "Let's get you home."

Their walk home was a comfortable silence with the snow crunching underneath their feet. They made it to the Andrew's residence and Nova turned to look at Gilbert. She gives him a grin, "Thank you for walking me home." He smiles back, "It's no problem. I had fun." Nova nods, "Me too." She looks towards the house. "I better get inside before my mother sees me in these clothes." Nova looks down to her outfit that now soaked, her hair being soaked as well. Gilbert chuckles, "I'll see you later." She watched him walk a few feet before calling for him, "Gilbert!" Nova ran and gave him a kiss on the cheek, then looks up at him. Nova was shocked by her own actions. "Thank you for today." She smiles again and walks inside her house. Gilbert turned around and touched his cheek, where her lips had just been. He smiles to himself.