Disclaimer: I do own Anne of Green Gables, unfortunately.

Chapter 2

Anne's first class, English, was at 9:30 a.m. She got up at 8 and opened her window, delighting in the fragrant morning breeze that caressed her face in greeting. "Good morning, Green Gables." She sang joyfully. Anne loved mornings. It was the newest and freshest part of the day, with no mistakes in it yet. Today was even more special than usual. Today was the day Anne might get her first glimpse of the mysterious Gilbert Blythe.

Anne showered and dressed in her prettiest sundress and paired it with a pair of floral print Vans. She did her hair in a half up, half down style that Diana said flattered her well. She even applied makeup, something she seldom ever felt the need to do. Mascara and natural looking pink lipstick and just the tiniest bit of concealer to cover those seven pesky freckles on her small, slender nose. A spritz of perfume and Anne was ready. She looked at her reflection with satisfaction and gathered her books before skipping down to the kitchen in a carefree manner.

"Good morning, Marilla! Isn't it a pretty day in Avonlea, South Carolina?" She sang out in her soft southern accent. Marilla bustled around the kitchen, business like as usual.

"I've seen many mornings in my time, Anne Shirley, and this one is much like the rest of them. Of course I thank the good Lord for another day of living." She said.

"That's a pretty thought." Anne sighed dreamily, picking up her piece of bacon and biting into it without tasting.

"You'll be pretty late if you don't hurry up, girl." Marilla said, only half serious. An indulgent smile played around her thin lips.

Anne looked at the clock on the wall.

"Oh shoot! I'm gonna be late!" She cried, cramming some bacon and eggs into her mouth and forcing it down with her orange juice. She jumped up and collected her books only to remember she had left her phone upstairs. She huffed and rushed to grab it, then flew back downstairs and through the front door, calling a hasty goodbye to Marilla and Matthew, who was coming in the door as she left out. A few unruly curls of red hair escaped their pins.

By the time Anne had chained her bike to the bike rack and collected her belongings from her basket, she had only a minute to get to class. She literally ran all the way and collided with someone just as she rounded the corner to the classroom. Her books dropped and scattered on the floor. "For crying out loud!" She grumbled, stooping to collect them without looking to see who she had bumped into.

"Sorry about that. Let me help you." Said an unfamiliar voice that lacked the southern accent that almost everyone at Avonlea High School had. Anne stopped in the middle of gathering her books, her heart beginning to race. A man knelt to the floor in front of her and began gathering up her books and she looked up slowly. He stood up with her books in his arms and she rose as well. "Thank you." Anne said softly looking up into the eyes of this stranger and taking the books from him. Tall and handsome and unfamiliar, this must be Gilbert Blythe. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, the bell rang. He opened the door for Anne and she rushed inside and to her seat, her heart hammering in her chest.

"Ah, you must be Mr. Blythe." Said the English teacher, Mrs. Worden.

"That's me." Gilbert replied, holding out his hand to the middle aged woman and giving her an enthusiastic handshake. Anne stared at Gilbert from her desk with wide eyes, her heart sinking in her chest.

"You don't mind introducing yourself do you? We so seldom have newcomers here in Avonlea." Mrs. Worden said. Gilbert turned to face the class with an easygoing smile.

He was far from the melancholy stranger Anne had imagined and she was sorely disappointed.

"I'm Gilbert Blythe. I'm from an area called Kingsport in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. I transferred here from Redmond Academy. I want to be a doctor with a minor in English. I'll be living with my aunt Sarah Blythe, who is the librarian here as most of you may know. It's nice to meet you all."

The class clapped with appreciation. Anne looked around and saw that most of the girls were looking at Gilbert with dreamy looks in their eyes. Anne rolled her own eyes. Typical.

Anne was forgetting that not even an hour ago she was thinking about Gilbert Blythe with the same look in her own starry eyes.

The teacher thanked Gilbert Blythe and he took the only available seat in the room, a seat right beside Anne's. He looked over and smiled and Anne nodded politely and looked to the front of the room where the teacher was beginning her lecture.

'Gilbert Blythe is cute, I'll admit. But he's nothing like imagined.' Anne thought with bitterness. She snuck a peek out of the corner of her eye. He brushed a curly brown lock off of his forehead as he wrote his notes. Anne felt sorely disappointed.

Near the end of class Anne found herself nodding off to sleep, which was unlike her and probably the result of a night spent tossing and turning at the prospect of meeting the melancholy and distinguished Gilbert she had imagined.

Gilbert noticed the pretty girl he had bumped into was falling asleep. He wondered what her name was. He found himself staring at her, wondering where she lived, what she liked to do, how old she was... He found himself marveling at the coppery red curls flowing down her back and at the ivory delicacy of her skin, and at the small, slender, and very perfect nose she had. She was delicate and sophisticated with an air of breezy confidence in her loose hair and flowy dress. She was unearthly. He had to get her attention, he had to know her.

"Psst."

She didn't stir.

"Hey." He whispered, glancing towards the teacher to see if she noticed him. She was staring intently at her laptop while the class finished their notes. He turned back to the red headed girl beside him.

"Hey. Hey, Carrots!" He whispered with more volume, thinking of the nickname on the quick and thinking himself very clever.

Anne, who was studiously ignoring him, opened her eyes with a snap. 'Carrots!' She thought furiously. Who did this jerk think he was. Anne turned her head very slowly towards Gilbert.

"What did you just call me?" She said softly through gritted teeth.

Gilbert's eyes widened at her obvious anger and also at what the sound of her soft Southern accent did to his heart. "Carrots. You know, like your hair. Red." He stammered, transfixed by the storminess in the girl's gray eyes.

Anne's eyes hardened into gray slate. "For your information, my name is Anne Shirley. Not Carrots." Anne's voice was escalating by the word. People were staring and beginning to murmur among themselves.

"I'm sorry... Anne." Gilbert said softly. Anne turned her head sharply and stuck her nose in the air. The bell rang and she rose to her feet with an air of anger.

She strode out of the room and Gilbert sat, dumbfounded and confused.

Anne sat through her next class barely listening to the lesson. Who the hell did Gilbert Blythe think he was? He didn't even know her and he had no right to tease her. Anne decided right then and there that she did not like Gilbert Blythe. He wasn't the tall, dark, and handsome stranger she had hoped. He was a silly boyish man with roguish hazel eyes and silly curls and deep dimples and a friendly disposition... Anne shook herself. 'Hey! None of that!' She chided herself. With steely resolve she took back her prayer that she would one day be friends with Gilbert Blythe.

Gilbert Blythe could go to hell.

Thanks for reading! I'm really enjoying writing this story and don't worry about me quitting; I'm on a roll! Please review and let me know what you think!

- Charlotte Miles