A/N: Not really sure how good this one is but I thought I'd throw it up on here as an apology for not having posted anything in a while. This is just a small blurb that came to mind the other night and wouldn't leave my head until I wrote it. Ends rather abruptly but I found it a good stopping point. Thanks to moo for being the best friend anyone could ever want.
I don't own Anne of Green Gables or any characters you recognize from it.
Anne knew many facts about the world, having been raised by a schoolteacher for a father and her mother also formerly having been a teacher meant the girl could often be found with her face in a book or mind turned inwards on some imaginary adventure of her mind's own making. From the small yellow walled house in Halifax to the shack in Sparta it had been her upbeat attitude and positive disposition that kept her happy as time went on. Nearly every year the small family found themselves moving on over and over until the red headed girl finally gave up on bothering with friends – for there was really no point in making friends when one would have to leave them far behind in the near future – instead she began to imagine the characters of her books were her friends. The train ride from Ontario where her father had been teaching in a small village school to Prince Edward Island had been maddening for the young girl.
"Father, why are the roads here red?" Anne asked, staring curiously out the window where the roads had swiftly turned from different shades of brown to an odd rusty red.
"Well Anne that will make an excellent subject for science study won't it? Why I expect you'll be able to explain the mechanics of it to your Mother and I soon enough." Walter told his daughter with a soft smile.
"Darling don't you think the trees here are absolutely lovely? I nearly feel as if I am home again." Bertha Shirley sighed dreamily, holding tightly to her husbands arm. "I do hope we might stay in this place a while."
"Oh Mother just look at that cherry tree there! All white like a bride prepared to walk down the aisle!" Anne gasped out as they passed the tree that had captured her attention.
The train stopped, Bright River Station announced.
Anne picked up her small suitcase then took her mother's offered hand. Together the Shirleys stepped down onto the Bright River Station's platform and quickly made their way over to one of the small benches.
"I'll go inside and make arrangements for our luggage, Anne you mind your manners or you'll have to sit in the Lady's waiting room. Bertha you recall that the man's name is-"
His wife cut off his frantic speech. "John. Calm down Walter everything will be fine. Anne and I will wait out here for the Gentleman and you'll have nothing more to worry."
The man nodded his head before kissing his wife gently and patting his daughter's head affectionately. By the time he'd glanced back from the station door his daughter was already engrossed in a novel next to her mother on the bench bringing a small grin to his face. When he at last made it back outside after ten minutes of lines and discussions he found young Anne still engrossed in whatever tale she'd been taken to but his wife speaking to a well dressed gentleman with brown hair who had a young teen-aged boy by his side that looked decidedly similar to the former.
"Oh here he is now, Walter darling this is John Blythe and his son Gilbert." Bertha introduced excitedly. "Gilbert here will be one of your students."
Walter shook hands with both. "It's lovely to meet you. You've been introduced to my wife and daughter already I suppose."
"Well we've met your wife but your daughter won't put her silly book down." Gilbert piped up with a smirk. "Thought schoolteacher's children would be better mannered than that."
"It is through elementary good breeding that I've nodded to you and I will acknowledge such horrid behaviour no further. Imagine having the gaul to wink at a strange girl!" Anne muttered without glancing away from the pages that seemed to have captured her. "I must say I'd rather read of Camelot and heartbreak than bother with such a blatant disregard for manners thank you ever so much."
There was a momentary pause before Walter Shirley met the eye of John Blythe then both men burst into laughter.
"Perhaps Miss. Shirley would prefer to ride in the front of the carriage with myself then." John offered.
"That would be infinitely more preferable thank you." Anne answered in a tone of annoyance.
"My Anne can be a bit hardheaded. Once she sets her mind to anything not even Atlas would have the strength to move her."
"What does a book of maps have to do with moving anything?" Gilbert asked, his face filled with confusion.
Instead of answering him Walter simply laughed and patted him on the shoulder.
"Atlas is a character from mythology Mr. Blythe not a book of maps." The red headed girl answered as she returned her book to its place in her case and stood. "Perhaps Avonlea truthfully does need someone like you Father. Imagine not knowing something as basic as lore and mythology."
"Now Anne, not all children have the benefit of a schoolteacher for a parent. Please try to be more understanding of those with less chances than you've had. Kindness and?" He stared down into his daughter's eyes seriously.
"Charity towards all others." She finished with a sigh. Turning towards the older boy she spoke again."I'm sorry for insulting you Mr. Blythe. Please accept my sincerest apologies for my insensitive words."
"Well Miss. Shirley I suppose I must accept – and may I invite you over to our home for tea this afternoon after you've settled?" Gilbert smirked as he spoke, watching the girl's face turn white then red as anger filled her features.
"Of course. I'd be happy to accept." She ground out before swiftly walking away towards the cart they had come from.
John laughed heartily at his son. "That boy! I'm sure the wife'll expect I invite the two of you along too. Won't do to let young Anne go visitin' a stranger's house alone."
Bertha smiled at the man. "I'm sure it won't take us long at all to unpack. Thank you."
The two families piled into the cart along with the Shirley's things and were soon on the well worn road back to Avonlea.
Anne's anger soon melted away as she stared ravenously at the world around her. It didn't seem to matter how many trees or flowers she saw the girl still found herself taken with the romance and beauty of nature.