Anne with an e- a new version of the story

Chapter 40- Always in my heart

Hi, everybody. I hope you enjoy this part. Sorry for Anne mistakes. Comments will be welcomed. Kisses.

ANNE

Anne arrived at school, and the first thing she did was look at Ruby's desk, which was still empty for the second week running. The girl had missed class the last few days, or rather, she had simply not shown up since the ill-fated party, and Anne wondered how Ruby would be.

Diana noticed Anne's look and said to her friend:

- You shouldn't worry about Ruby after everything she put you through at that party.

- I know Daiana. But I can't help but remember that we were good friends for a while, and it breaks my heart to know how far we've come because of my dating Gilbert.

- What's that supposed to mean? You're not gonna tell me you're blaming yourself for you and Gilbert falling in love? - Diana was looking at her outraged friend.

- That's not it, Diana. It's just that things happened in a way I didn't expect. It's true I feel guilty about a lot of things, but not about falling in love with Gilbert. I'd be a hypocrite if I said I wanted things to be different. I don't regret taking my feelings for him, I just wish I'd acted differently with Ruby. If I had told her from the beginning when things between Gilbert and me started to change, maybe we'd still be friends. - Anne was sorry for a moment.

- If you really believe that, you're more naive than I thought.

- Why do you say that, Diana? - Anne asked, bothered by the tone of voice her friend used to say it.

- Ruby would never forgive you, even if she had heard from you that you and Gilbert love each other. She decided from kindergarten that he would be her boyfriend, and always tried to drive away any girl who was interested in him. I got tired of seeing her using tricks so that nobody would go near her object of desire. Ruby has always been selfish, I never believed much in her friendship for me, and we have known each other forever. Maybe she has more regard for Josie Pye than for either of us. Forget Ruby, Anne. She deserves neither your friendship nor your consideration.

Anne tried to follow Diana's advice, but it was hard for her to forget what had happened. She liked Ruby, and though the girl had hurt her, she couldn't hold a grudge. If she showed up and said she wanted to be his friend again, Anne would accept without blinking. She was like that, for her own good or bad she wasn't the kind of person who carried hatred in her heart. She preferred to cultivate good feelings, for she believed that when we plant good seeds we reap wonderful flowers.

She felt someone touch her hair lightly, interrupting the flow of her thoughts, looked back and saw that Gilbert and Muddy had just arrived. He smiled at them both and Gilbert reciprocated with another smile, which warmed his heart. Then he looked at Muddy and asked:

- Have you heard from Ruby? - he noticed Gilbert's disapproving look as he waited for Muddy's answer.

- I've been going to her house every day after class, and we studied all the content applied by Miss Stacy.

- Isn't  she going back to class? - the voice came out sadder than I expected.

- Well, I think she'll come back someday, but right now she's really embarrassed about what happened at the party.

- Do her parents know everything?

- They had no way of not knowing. Her brother's studying here, and he heard all the comments the other students made about Ruby's behavior at Mrs. Blewett's house and ended up telling their parents.