PHILEO | Shirbert

Ten ~ She Doesn't Love You

"Yes"

Gilbert pulled out his hand for her to grab. They walked to the middle of the dance floor, he gave her a little swirl so he could see her.

"You look very beautiful, Anne" he bent down and said in her ear. The song playing wasn't exactly slow, but it was not fast either, so they were standing as close as they were allowed to.

"You don't look so bad yourself, Gil" she smiled "Gilbert" she corrected herself.

"No, you can call me Gil. I like it"

Anne blushed "Alright, Gil" he spun her around. They were nervous at first, but they quickly relaxed; after all, it's just them. Anne and Gilbert. Gilbert and Anne. They have known each other for years, why would they be nervous? It's not like they like each other... right?

They dance for what it felt like hours, song after song, they did not stop dancing, not even when the band was preparing to play the next song. It was like they were in some sort of trance like their dance was enchanted, it was only them in the room, Anne and Gilbert, the whole world seemed to have disappeared while they danced. After those many dances, Gilbert felt a tap on his shoulder. He stopped and turned to see a tall boy with blonde hair. Anne gasped.

"COLE!" Anne shrieked, freeing herself from Gilbert and launching herself to her friend, pulling him in for a hug.

"I've missed you so much!" they said at the same time.

"What are you doing here?!" she said pulling away from the hug.

"Diana sent me a letter to let me know about the party, I couldn't miss it," Cole said "And I'm really glad I came... I see you're finally listening to your heart, dear" he said, Anne looked at him confused, "Gilbert!"

"Ah...yes, kind of" she blushed "Wait, where is he?"

"I don't know, maybe you should go see where he is" Cole said.

"Oh no, it's ok. I'm sure he's fine. I don't want to leave you now, I haven't seen you in months!" she hugged him again.

Gilbert left when they were hugging, both too distracted with each other to notice him leaving. He went outside to the porch, his heart aching. He had just seen the girl he loves jump into the arms of another man, right in front of him, like she did not even care about hurting his feelings.

Feelings, feelings, feelings...

His pulse quickened when he thought about her, those thoughts were not beautiful as usual, this time, he was replaying in his head over and over again how she had jumped into Cole's arms. She did not have a boyfriend, she could not have, not that she is not beautiful enough -of course, it is not that- but she would have told him, they are best friends. If Anne was dating someone, he would have known... right?

If the music had a lower volume, you could have heard the sobs coming from the porch. Gilbert's poor heart was shattered you could hear it in his sobs; you could see it in his face; you could see it in his eyes, which had lost its light; you could see it in his posture, he was sitting on a chair with his hands hiding his face from the world. He lifted his head from a moment and looked inside the house through the window, Anne and Cole were dancing, not the way Anne and he danced though, they were not lost in each other's eyes, they were not slow dancing even, just dancing. Despite these little hints, he could not bear the sight and hid his face again, not wanting to see them together.

"COLE!"

"I've missed you so much!"

'Don't'

"COLE!"

"I've missed you so much!"

'Stop'

"COLE!"

"I've missed you so much!"

'Please stop'

"COLE!"

"I've missed you so much!"

"STOP! STOP! STOP!" Gilbert stood up, his eyes were closed and his hands went to cover his ears.

"COLE!"

"I've missed you so much!"

He fell on the ground, he stopped covering his ears, it was not helping much either way.

"She doesn't love you, Gilbert. Accept it" he said to himself.

"I have to disagree" the voice startled him, it was raspy. It was a boy, a particular boy who Gilbert did not want to see at the moment. The boy approached him, extending his hand to help him get up from the ground, "Come on, Gilbert. You're ruining your suit"

Gilbert stood up on its own, "What are you doing here, Cole?" he asked, "Shouldn't you be with Anne, inside?"

"As much as I'd love that, she's dancing with her friends now" he replied kindly, "I went out of the dance floor to let them dance freely, and I ended up standing next to a window and I heard someone begging something to stop. When I looked through the window, I saw this boy, I'm sure you know him, letting himself fall onto the ground, so I had to come and check on him" Cole raised a brow "I think he's hallucinating. He said the stupidest thing ever when I came out"

"You of all people should know that I'm right"

"Why?" he stepped closer.

"Because she likes you, she loves you!" Gilbert breathed.

"Wait," Cole shook his head "Who are we talking about?"

"Are you trying to torture me or something? You came to laugh right at my face?" Gilbert spat.

"Gilbert! What are you talking about?!" Cole exclaimed, waving his hands in desperation.

"ANNE!" Gilbert yelled.

"I don't understand" he said confused.

"What don't you understand?" he rolled his eyes.

"Why are you saying this? Anne doesn't like me!" he said.

"What?" he said, barely above a whisper, his voice breaking.

"Anne doesn't like me, Gilbert. She's just my best friend" he explained, lowering his voice.

"But- but- I saw you two! She jumped into your arms; you kissed her once while playing spin the bottle, she told me!"

"First, she's my best friend and we hadn't seen each other in months, of course she jumped to hug me" he started, "Second, she kissed me and it was a kiss on the cheek, did she not tell you that?" Gilbert nodded, admitting she did tell him. "Third... I don't like Anne. I love her, I do, but not in the way you love her"

"What?"

AN: So, I posted this chapter before chapter nine bc I'm dumb, so sorry if you read it out of order 😞🧡