Play the Love Away

Josephine Barry's Party

Gilbert walked Elise to school on the shining cold day. Currently, Elise was trying to sway Gilbert into coming to Mrs. Barry's party with her, which had been the talk of her and Anne throughout school for the past week.

"Please, Gilbert, it would be so fun. You could spend the whole weekend with me."

Gilbert huffed, that was something he wanted to do more than anything, but alas, he declined. "I wish I could, you know that. But, I have to help Bash with the farm and you have to help me ask Mr. Phillips about extra tutoring."

Elise groaned, earning a laugh from Gilbert. "He'll just retort and be selfish as always." "It's worth a try, cmon." And so they entered the schoolhouse together with the boy dragging the girl.

~~~

"I have a strong work ethic, sir, and I've chosen my vocation. Medical school, sir. I know it's for me." Gilbert was now standing in front of Mr. Phillips' desk, pleading his case to their schoolteacher in hopes that he would have some good in his heart.

"Riveting," he replied, in a bored and dull voice.

Even while arguing, Gilbert looked attractive. Elise would never admit it but he had started to become a lot more toned since working on the farm and the steam ship, and sometimes Elise liked to observe.

She stood next to him as he began again, "So I was hoping you could offer me some extra help outside of class, so that I can catch up, make up for the time that I missed.

It could also be an opportunity to prove wrong all those who think you don't care all that much about your teaching. I'm only asking for a small portion of your time, sir."

Mr. Phillips got up out of his chair, slamming his book closed, meeting face to face with Gilbert, "Is that all? My time? Tell me, should your father simply give his crops away because someone wants them? Feels he deserves them? Hmm? Hmm? He should not. Time is money, Mr. Blythe."

Elise was boiling with rage. She almost pushed Gilbert to the side. "Excuse me, Mr. Phillips but John Blythe is dead. I think maybe you should focus on fixing your attitude and mustache more than you do on a certain female student and pretending that you don't hate yourself to your rotten core."

She pulled Gilbert's arm and placed him back into his seat, huffing and sitting down at her desk where Gilbert sent her a loving smile. Gilbert felt like he was swooning. That girl was something. She did something to make his heart fold in and feel so warm and make his lips turn up without him thinking about it. Even while she scowled at her desk, she still looked beautiful.

~~~

"Maybe you should just stay home."

Gilbert sat on Elise's countertop, reading as she put another loaf of bread into the oven, moving onto the vegetables that needed cutting for stew.

She giggled, "You could have come, I invited you as my plus one. But apparently, Dr. Blythe needs to study more." He rolled his eyes playfully at her teasing and laughed. It was the day before she was going to travel with Anne, Diana, and Cole to Mrs. Barry's spring party, where she was going to be performing.

Gilbert had spent all day with her, just like the past few weeks. It always switched between their houses. They would cook or study together, possibly ride Elise's horses while they were at Elise's house while at Gilbert's, they would practice piano, cook more, and converse with Bash. And sometimes they would just walk and talk. Just talking was enough for both of them. They were inseparable.

"Hey, Gilbert." Charlie studded a smile at the boy who he gotten used to seeing Gilbert in his house and saying frequent goodbyes to his daughter when she left home for the Blythe house. He was so happy that she had found her flow, her person that she could lean on.