Thanks for all your reviews, faves, and follows! I'm so happy you're enjoying this. Now for the party...
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"Welcome!"
As soon as Anne touched the doorbell, Ruby flung open the door to Phil Gordon's second story apartment where the din of a party and jazzy swing music met hers and Diana's ears. Behind Ruby's brightly lit eyes and outstretched arms, Phil's place looked less like a college dwelling and more like a wedding venue; twinkling lights cascaded across the ceiling around a glittery, crystal chandelier in the center, casting the room with a romantic peach light. Vases of white feather plumes were set about the place, and furniture had been moved out of the way and replaced with small, lace covered tables that held champagne glasses and other delicate hors d'oeuvres. But most impressive was that the other guests, who filled the room, had taken the 1920s theme very seriously-girls with red stained lips and pinned back wavy hair, adorned with jeweled bandeaus, robed in flowing flapper dresses of jewel tones. Even the guys didn't disappoint with sharp suits and ties.
"Wow," Diana breathed.
"Isn't it amazing?" said Ruby, looking quite model-esque in a gold sequined dress that made her hair look more silky and shiny than ever. "I can't believe you've never been to one of these. Phil seriously has the best parties. Basically all the juniors and seniors come."
Anne stared captivated at the delicate lights above them. She wasn't much of a college party goer-more of curled up by the student's lounge fireplace with a good book and a hot mug of tea-but the ones she had been to were nothing like this. "Where's all the cheese puffs and crappy beer in red solo cups and weird smelling couches?"
Ruby laughed, "You obviously haven't met Phil! She literally throws out anyone who doesn't come in costume. That's what I'm supposed to do at the door. But really I like to check out everyone's outfits."
"And say hi to all the guys," Diana teased.
"Well, duh!" she said, running surprisingly fast in impressively high heels as the door rang. Anne and Diana made their way over to the dainty tables stacked high with food-little tea sandwiches, crab cakes, shrimp cocktails, pastel macaroons-as a regal looking blonde haired man carrying a silver tray loitered over to them and offered a flute of champagne.
"Is that a servant?" Diana hissed as he waltzed away.
Anne shrugged. She would believe just about anything at this point. "He looks a bit like Justin Timberlake," she said, eyeing his fedora.
"But actually classy," Diana pointed out. "Oh my God, this is real champagne! Can you believe that?" Diana said.
Anne took a sip of the bubbly drink, feeling almost royal herself in such an elegant environment, when she felt a warm hand clench her arm and a hot peppermint breath in her ear.
"I am SO glad you came. I can't tell you how much I've been DYING to meet you both. I always see you two across campus with your heads together and arms hooked, whispering about something, and it just makes me want to be friends with you so bad so I can know all the things you're talking about. Isn't it the best feeling to have someone to whisper with? After seeing you I usually grab the first person I see and whisper something in their ear. It's usually something boring, like about the weather, but I just HAVE to do it."
Anne felt taken a back and stared at Phil Gordon's pretty done up brown eyes, not quite sure how to respond. She was, hand's down, the most spectacularly dressed in the room, perfectly flaunting a furred wrap that covered her shoulders, her glossy hair tight back in an elegant knot that held a peacock's feather and complimented her deep green gown. Instead of giving off a haughty air with all the glitziness she possessed, her face was warm and welcoming and Anne sensed already she was a kindred spirit of sorts.
Diana found her voice a little quicker, "You just whisper to someone you don't know?"
"Oh yes," said Phil emphatically, "I know it sounds weird, but who doesn't love feeling like they're sharing in a secret? EVERYONE loves that, so I don't worry." She took both of their hands in hers. "Oh PLEASE let me be your friend? I don't think I could survive if you said no."
Anne laughed. Yes, Phil was indeed a character. "Of course!"
"Oh that is just the most perfect news!" Phil trilled, raising their enclasped hands above their heads in victory. Then, she dropped her hands quickly, pulled them close, and whispered seriously, "Now that we're friends, I need to ask you something." The girls looked concerned, leaning in. "Ok, you see those two guys carrying around the trays?" They nodded, serious as ever. "Well, the brown haired one is Alec, and the blonde-the one that looks like J.T.-is Alonzo. If you have to be stuck on an island and live the rest of your life with one of them, which would you choose? Just going off first impressions and base animal instincts."
Anne laughed again, more accustomed to Phil's silliness by now. Diana glanced around at the two men who looked very much like hired waiting staff. "Hmm...maybe the brown haired one? Alec? I'm a girl who loves a dark haired guy."
"Oh me too, they are DELICIOUS." She turned towards Anne, serious again, "What do you think?"
Anne, still smiling at the ridiculousness of the conversation, answered with another laugh, "Neither! I'd rather fend for myself!"
Phil stared at her like she had said the most profound thing. "Oh, but this is BAD," she breathed after a moment. "I already have such a hard time making decisions, and I just can't figure out which one to date. They both are totally whipped into doing whatever I want, which is great, and they are totally rich, also completely necessary, obviously. But neither of them? And so start all over again?" She shook her head looking like someone had told her war had commenced. "Although, if Gilbert Blythe had any money at all I would totally go after him."
They all laughed together, knowing just how expensive a lifestyle Philippa Gordon led.
Phil stopped abruptly, eyes wide, hands shooting to her face dramatically, "But I don't even know your NAMES! I'm such a terrible friend!" she cried.
"I'm Anne Shirley," she said with a kind smile, admiring Phil's perfect puppy eyes.
"And I'm Diana Barry."
Phil gave one excited hop, "You're Diana Barry! ALL the guys talk about you, I swear, they are completely insane about fighting over you. That black hair and sweet eyes mashup has got them RAVENOUS," at this Phil formed her hands into claws and mimicked a cat's growl.
"Really?" Diana said with a deep flush.
"Oh yes, either they're fighting over me or you. It used to be Ruby Gillis too, but the boys have given up on her since her and Herb got really serious. That's why I don't think I'll ever date seriously-I just HAVE to have a ton of guys chasing after me. Can you imagine only having one? SO boring."
Diana was in a daze, thinking of all the possibilities of boys who could be going crazy over her.
"Anyways, I'm Philippa, Phil for short, and please don't call me Philippa unless I'm being a COMPLETE idiot, because then I'll know. Sometimes I can miss these things." She nodded gravely, lips pursed. "Oh I just love you two!" She squeezed both their cheeks, followed with a kiss each, and ran off.
Anne and Diana turned to stare at one another, then burst out laughing.
"Oh, Diana, I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard! Phil is absolutely hilarious, and the best thing is she isn't even trying! Her whole soul pours out through her mouth and it's like a river of delicious sparkly pink," Anne clutched at her side, trying to stable her laughs with an arm on Diana's shoulder.
Diana looked flabbergasted. "Do you think she was really serious the whole time? I mean, I just couldn't tell if she was just joking around or kinda, like...crazy."
Anne could not help but laugh once more. "I think she is just perfectly Phil, and says whatever is on her dear little heart. Oh, I am so glad we came, if only to meet her. I feel so alive!" At that moment, she felt a stern two taps on her shoulder, and turned around, alarmed.
"Madam," a very serious looking boy with bulging eyes stated, "Would you do me the greatest honor and give me this dance?" He held out his arm with chivalry.
Madam? Anne looked around at the few other people dancing haphazardly across the close quarters of the apartment, mostly in a joking, semi-drunk way.
"Uh, sure?" Anne conceded, still high from Phil's presence to be too critical. Perhaps this was another interesting character she would have the pleasure of meeting tonight.
However, Anne was sadly mistaken. As soon as she gripped one of his clammy, sweaty hands and felt the other stiff against her waist, she found herself dancing in an awkward, off beat, and continual rock step. She didn't know where to look after staying in such an aching position for so long-she was finding it hard to stay fascinated with the parquet floor.
Finally, he gave a gulp and cleared his throat to say something. Anne glanced up and moved her head back in alarm. Somehow, his eyes were even larger in close proximity. "You are as radiant as the stars," he blurted out suddenly, breath smelling of guacamole.
Anne recoiled and decided that was definitely a comment she was going to ignore, and focused instead at the problem at hand: being aggravatingly off beat. In a vain attempt to steer their steps, she tripped over his feet and fell against his arm.
"It's ok, I mess up when I'm nervous, too," he said in a low voice, serious eyes bulging out even further.
Anne gathered herself up and stared at him, mouth agape, "What? No-I-" she said, her mind flitted about in frustrated tantrum. She concluded through clenched teeth with a muffled "Nguh!"
"Shh, you don't have to explain your feelings." He leaned closer, and Anne strained her head so far away she could feel a double chin forming. "I can see it in your star-struck eyes." He said in a nervous flirty whisper.
Anne blinked at him, astonished, feeling a snappy retort forming on her tongue that she could say about HIS eyes. She caught a glimpse of Diana over the shoulder of Clam Hands, her hand over her mouth, hiding her giggles as she watched Anne's painful predicament. Priscilla stood beside her, wiping her eyes from laughing so hard.
Feeling humiliated, Anne opened her mouth to escape the possessive grasp and scrutiny of such bugged eyes, but was quickly silenced when he abruptly brought her into a violently low dip as the song came to an end, whipping her back up again just as abruptly.
Good Lord, she thought, stumbling to her feet and suffering minor whiplash. Her face was hot and she tried to fix her disheveled hair and off center skirt, looking around to see if anyone noticed that hideous excuse for dancing.
Anne distractedly looked back to her partner as he made a very low bow in front of her, while she stared at him incredulously. She was startled from her astonishment as a familiar voice sounded in her ear. "Charlie, my man, excellent dancing."
Anne slowly turned with a grimace, realizing just who had approached them. "I hope you won't mind if I steal your partner from you." he said to Charlie. "What do you say, Anne with an 'E'?"
...
Hmm, I wonder who it is? ;P
Would love to hear your thoughts!
