It was one of the first spring mornings. Anne could hear the singing of the birds and smell the blossoms growing next to the road to Lover's Lane. She could tell this was nothing but a dream for her hair was free of any braid, floating without restraint in the soft breeze. Anne walked content barefooted in the wet grass, a result of a rainstorm the night before. She was wearing an enchanting blue turquoise dress with the puffiest sleeves in all universe which matched her eyes perfectly. She felt so happy she could fly with the geese searching for her life mate somewhere on the horizon. In fact, she could not wait to see what adventure awaits her as Princess Cordelia, what beast she would have to overcome in the hardest of fights or what melancholy and handsome prince she would find in her castle of dreams in Spain.
She continued exploring her surroundings. Anne had no rush and no destiny so she stopped now and then to smell a new flower or to greet a new tree. Her nonchalant walk came to an end when she saw a tall and mysterious figure on her way. Her heart jumped to her throat in anticipation to see how her prince charming could be. She approached him quietly waiting for him to reveal his face. When she got close enough, he turned to her with a daring grin on his face and familiar hazel eyes.
Anne woke up immediately and almost fell off the bed. This could not be. She could not be dreaming of Gilbert Blythe. Her once rival, now friend but nothing more. No matter what Cole or Diana said, their relationship was completely and surely platonic and she was certain he could never feel for her anything romantic. It was just absurd. What she feared and what she would not even admit to herself was how she kept remembering all the conversations they had in these past months, the stolen stares and the renewal of a friendship which was suspended one year due to his absence. She groaned, falling down to her bed and covering herself again with her white sheets. It was not morning yet and she needed to sleep if she wanted to keep beating Gil- the others at school and remain the best student at Miss Stacy's class.
It was all in vain and she didn't sleep one more minute that night. When she would close her eyes and try to imagine a beautiful story to take her to fall into the world of dreams once more, she couldn't think of anything else but him and his stupid smile.
At breakfast, Anne avoided curious glance from Marilla and Matthew and ate her toast in a surprising silence until it was time to go to school, murmuring "I'm fine" before leaving.
She was in no rush to get there. It won't be easy not to think about last night if the subject of your dream sits right next to you. The worst part was she couldn't speak about this to anyone, who could understand. Even her bosom friend wouldn't be of help for when his name came to conversation, Diana would not so secretly smile at her while making some sarcastic comments, not an appropriate behaviour for such a fine lady as herself.
It was no long before Diana joined her, hugging her tightly as if her embrace could erase all her unpleasant thoughts. "Are you alright, Anne?" her kindred spirit asked as she eyed her from head to toe.
"Yes, I am fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Anne tried her best but not genuine smile and Diana seemed to accept it, at least for now, without questions.
The walk was in silent, something again very strange to Anne which never failed to find a matter to discuss. However, she felt very tired and confused to think about anything else but her dream and that boy. She may be in the process of losing her mind, it was the only explanation and she had to deal with it as if it was a temporary madness. All great and troubled minds went through it and maybe this was it for her.
When she decided to not give it her night one more thought, his voice interrupted her decision. He was standing outside the door to the classroom with a full smile on his lips and a glitter in his eyes Anne couldn't yet decipher. "Good morning Anne. Diana." It had become a sort of a ritual for them since they resumed their cordial relationship: one would wait for the other to arrive at school and together they would walk in, glancing at each other in silence or in an intense conversation about a topic which would be discussed in today's class.
Anne chose to answer him with a cold hello. It was the polite thing to do and she was sure she was unable to form a coherent thought in front of him at this moment.
The day went through with a devastating slowness. She even let Josie Pye shine answering every question and receiving praise from their teacher. Miss Stacy, even if she was always pleased to see new students coming forward to answer her questions, she was very preoccupied with the scenery in front of her. Her two top students were complete at lost today, not even bothering to pretend they were attentive at her class. They kept staring at the windows or to each other while the other wasn't looking between sighs and frowns. She knew they were very competitive but to see this, their disinterest in learning was something worrisome. She couldn't do anything about it now, so she let it slide, praying that whatever argument they had, everything would be settled tomorrow.
Anne couldn't help herself but look at Gilbert. He was not unpleasant to look at. She would even dare to call him handsome with his hazel eyes and his chocolate brown curls. Her eyes analysed his face for a few seconds more until it was time to look away for fear he may catch her stare. Gilbert was writing something on his slate until he stopped and erased whatever mistake he had made, clenching his jaw. Anne imagined, with a sudden blush in her cheeks, what would be like to travel with her fingers and then perhaps with kisses that jaw which had become so prominent with just a gesture of Gilbert.
At the end of this dreadful day, Anne made her quick goodbyes with Diana and exited the schoolhouse with a fresh goal in her mind. The rest of the afternoon would be spent in the glorious fields next to The White Wave of Delight and there she surely would find a purpose and her sanity.
It was between growing lilies and roses she was finally at peace. She talked to the trees she had grown to know since she moved to Green Gables while creating crowns of flowers to adorn her hair. The sun was starting to set on the horizon and she stared blissfully at the different colours the sky created. Dusk was her favourite part of the day.
Anne was so distracted she didn't notice steps approaching her slowly to not startle her.
"Anne?" A voice she would recognize anywhere asked with trembling doubt. She turned to him and it was as if her dream had come alive. There it was her prince charming but not really for he had no sword in his hands or possible wickedness in his eyes, but a certain melancholia was manifested on them.
"Gilbert! What are you doing here?" Anne started to move away to make her way to Green Gables. She was not fit to be around him especially alone while her dream was so vivid in her mind still.
"I was just on my way home and then I saw you…I want to talk to you, Anne." He always said her name so fondly as if it was the most important word to fall in his lips like a long breath after so much time underwater. She nodded weakly for him to continue while she tried not to focus on how the sunset light made his eyes turn green with a few shades of yellow and brown. Anne could write a few lines of poetry about how welcoming and interesting his eyes became depending where the light shone on his face, but it couldn't be right, he was just her friend.
"Have I done anything to offend you?" He asked her while playing with his hands, this way avoiding her blue eyes which tended to affect his ability to form coherent words.
"No, Gil, you have done nothing wrong." Gilbert seemed to relax immediately even letting a shy smile form on his lips. Anne didn't want to hurt him or lose this friendship. The truth was she was scared, and she needed time to deal with these new feelings which were nothing like in the books she had read. She was swimming in unknown waters this time and Anne only wanted to prevent hurting someone by her actions, which had already happened a couple of times on her short life.
"What happened then? You were not yourself today." He frowned in concern and chose to diminish the distance between them.
"I had a dream last night." She blurted without thinking. Anne couldn't possibly tell him about what she had dreamt. She really had a way to talk, no mind the consequences. She could feel a redness forming in her face while she tried to avoid tell him any details.
"Was it a bad dream?" He questioned with a curious glance at her agitation. She started to gather the crowns she had formed and head to home while he tried to catch her fast rhythm.
"No, it was just – surprising." Surprising indeed. After all, she had even fallen from her bed.
It was the first time his face appeared in her unconscious thoughts but if she was truly honest, in the last months, after he came back, her dreams started to feature a tall and curly-haired prince who never showed his face. It was so overcoming, Anne had begun to write stories about this unknown knight, earning knowing stares from Diana who with a mischief smile didn't fail to compare this prince with a certain schoolmate. Anne discredited such ideas, it was just a coincidence, nothing more.
Anne was not so sure now.
"It was just a dream, Anne. Don't let it bother you," he said with such fondness in his eyes, Anne looked away immediately. There were times she wanted nothing more but stay there under his constant stare for a few moments or eternity. However, she knew better. They were friends after all and even if they weren't, she had to think of Ruby. Poor Ruby.
"I'm just scared. I don't want things to change. Why we must grow up and change?" Anne stopped her rambling for a few moments to breathe and stop herself from letting the tears formed in her eyes fall. "Miss Stacy is organizing a class to prepare for Queen's and Diana is not going. This is my chance to follow my dream, to become a teacher but all I can think is how terrible it will be to leave Matthew, Marilla and my dear bosom friend. I feel as if a part of my life is finished and then a new and terrifying chapter begins."
"Don't worry about it yet, Anne. We still have one year to prepare and exams to do. And when we go to Queen's, there will always be Fridays to come home and letters to write and receive. Ruby and Jane are going with you and I'm sure you will waste no time to find new kindred spirits." Gilbert placed softly a hand on her shoulder for her to look at him again. He smiled, and Anne tried to remain calm with their sudden closeness. She could even count those tiny freckles next to his nose and she had to stop herself to not take one of his curls in her fingers as she had daydreamed just this morning.
"Change is good. And no matter where we go: Queen's, Redmond or medical school, I want you to know: I'm with you. You will always have me to listen when you need to ramble about a test or just to laugh with over one of our childhood stories." A single tear dropped in her pale cheek. Anne had been so afraid of changes, but they had already happened, and she couldn't do anything to control it. Their relationship was no longer just a distanced friendship, it was so much more. He was one of her closest friends now, but friend was not the right word anymore. She found herself reminding her conversation with Matthew about her new perspective on marriage. Perhaps, she didn't need to look anywhere but in front of her to find her life mate. A partner, an equal, her eternal companion to accomplish goals and find new ones.
The sudden realization made her quiet for the rest of their journey to Green Gables. A veil had been lifted and she was so certain of everything and so doubtful at the same time. She had time still to understand what was happening, to prepare herself for a future but for now, she was thankful to have Gilbert at her side.
"Thank you, Gil." She said as they arrived next to the gate. They exchanged schedules to prepare for the new class, they would study together at Green Gables or at Gilbert's house where a most delicious dish awaited her every Friday night. Their families had grown so close these past months, holidays were always spent together and plans for harvest discussed at lunch after Sunday church.
Anne had to go inside where Marilla surely was waiting for her to help prepare dinner, but a strange pull kept her close to him, not wanting to say her goodbyes and hold on this lovely end of the afternoon.
She then impulsively kissed his soft cheek, surprising not just her for her daring act but Gilbert whom couldn't hide the pink blush on his face. Anne ran to the house without looking back and when she was inside, her heart was beating fast as if she had run miles and miles.
When night came, Anne was not afraid to have the dream which had haunted her all day. It was with childish anticipation she closed her eyes and waited for her imagination to fill her mind with colourful and enchanting thoughts. This dusk had given a lot of scope for imagination.
The nights which followed, she dreamt of adventures and princesses who fought dragons and trolls which had a startling resemblance to Billy Andrews and a knight always battling along her side, ready for any challenges. She also dreamt of simple afternoon picnics where a laugh was her favourite sound, hands were intertwined in perfect union and kisses were given and taken with blissful adoration.
One day, perhaps in Charlottetown or Kingsport, her dreams would become reality. For now, it was enough to hold stares and discuss ardently geometry problems she would never understand without his logical mind and poems he would never interpret without her imaginative intellect. They would go through all these trials, but Anne was sure now at the bend in every road he would always be there waiting and she couldn't ask for a better partner.