constellations [DISCONTINUED]

cetus

"You're really pretty, you know?"

My brain didn't process it the first time it heard the words dripping with his accent, it sounded like waves breaking in my ears: the sound was smooth but the salty and sudden crash of the words sent a comforting cold into my spine.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I said you're really pretty, Anne." He smiled. His smile was white, was friendly, made me want to jump from a cliff into the ocean with him.

"I-I... Thank you, you too bad yourself!" I laughed uncomfortably and he looked at me funny, which made me realize the mistake "I mean, you're not too bad yourself! Jesus, sorry!" Then he laughed, but not uncomfortably, it was raspy and made the necklaces in his chest shake.

"Thanks." He said "So Anne, besides coffee and brownies, what else do you like?"

"Oh, you know, plenty!" I tried playing it cool, it didn't sound like it was working to me.

"Tell me about the plenty."

"I like reading, I like... imagining stories, I like listening to music especially rock... Okay, maybe there isn't plenty, but there's quite a few." I chuckled and breathed in recomposing myself "I also like talking, having conversations is one of my favorite things, but often people tell me I talk too much, and that I talk to myself too much, I don't know I guess it's true."

"I can see that, I don't think it's a problem though."

"You don't talk too much, do you?"

"Not really, I like to listen."

"And what else?"

"Oh well, besides you..." I blushed profusely, he said that kind of stuff like he was saying good morning "I like surfing, I like sailing, and I like taking pictures. Not plenty either, but it's something."

"I like the sea too, it gives me great inspiration. Plus, the smell makes me feel something I can't even describe."

"That's the sea, Anne. It makes you feel things you can't even explain, it's so primal and natural to be close to water that we don't have the words for it. That's... that's why I like the pictures. They portray the things words cannot fully capture sometimes."

I looked at him amazed, he was an artist. Truly, an artist. He felt things that needed to be felt and made them into beauty.

"Can I see any pictures that you've taken?" The question popped out of my mouth, no thought involved.

He smile and nodded, opening his phone. There were pictures of waves, all the colors imaginable in them, from white, silky, smooth foam to pink waters reflecting the aurora boreal. There were pictures of boats and canoes, people on them wrestling the water or making peace with it. Surfers flying and drowning in their own spirit, I could almost smell the salt with his photographs.

"Gabs this is... this is amazing. You're really talented."

"If you want to ever show me something you think it's worth it, I'll be there anytime."

I smiled. He smiled. We drank our coffee and ate, heading back to school. A couple of times his hand brushed on mine in the way back. I felt something. It didn't know what it was but it was different.

...

"Anne!" I heard Gilbert shout. The feeling of Gabriel's hand touching mine appeared again, this time from Gilbert's voice.

"Hey Blythe."

"Can I walk you home today?" He looked nervous, but I agreed "Thanks."

"Something wrong...?"

"Oh no, not at all."

"Okay..." I whispered. We spent a couple of seconds in silence, when he took my shoulder and stopped us. Another feeling took over my body, not the same as the one I felt with Gabriel, this time it was more intense.

"May I ask... who's that guy?"

"Guy?"

"Yes, guy. The one beside you in Photography? You had lunch with him today? He's like Portuguese or something?"

"First of all, Blythe, Brazilian. Second, his name's Gabriel." I tried to mimic Gabs' way of saying it "And he likes me, I think."

"Oh he likes you then." Gilbert's tone was not as friendly anymore "And do you like him?"

"I don't know, maybe."

"Maybe?!" He asked, not in his usual kind self, but in an egoistical hierarchical way, one that did not suit him

"Yes maybe!" I turned to him, this time I wasn't friendly either "And what do you have to do with it? Any problems with that?"

He looked like he was about to say something, but he shook his head and bit his lip instead "No problems. You can be with whatever dudes you like. See you tomorrow."

"Have a nice date with Ruby today, in case you haven't forgotten about the girl you're seeing!"

He left stomping away from Green Gables. Such an absurd! He was not allowed to be mad at me, he had been seeing Ruby for weeks now, they were a thing! Gilbert Blythe wasn't going to stop me from finding love, I thought.