These chapters are getting longer then I expected them to be... oh well never mind!
"I've got to go boys." Gilbert told them a few nights later.
"Oh she's got you well whipped." Charlie said with a smile teasingly.
"What are you on about?" Gilbert blushed.
"drop it Charlie." Fred interjected.
"Aaaanne." Charlie teased.
"whipped?" Gilbert questioned.
"yeah, she says 'jump' and you say 'how high'." Andrew Pye taunted.
"I do what I want." Gilbert said.
"then stay we're just getting started." Andrew grinned.
Gilbert sighed. Truth was by making the choice he was about to he wasn't doing what he wanted.
Anne sat quietly on a tree trunk. It must be at least half an hour since he said he would be there. Wiping the tears from her eyes. She wasn't expecting the other presence when it came into the clearing.
"Anne!" She exclaimed sitting beside her putting her arm around her. "Oh Anne, whatever is the matter?" She asked.
"oh Diana..." She said quietly, "Its nothing honestly." She whispered trying to compose herself.
"it can't be nothing if it's left you in such distress."
"just..." She sighed. "he's my best friend in the whole world and he's..." she sighed.
"choosing to be with the other boys." Diana finished. "Oh Anne I'm sorry."
"I don't understand, what is it I've done wrong. Every time I ask him he says it's nothing..."
"this isn't the first time it's happened?" Diana asked her.
"the last six months, since he came back from his papa being sick. He told me he missed me but..." She broke down crying again.
"oh Anne!" Diana exclaimed "there there dear." She soothed her.
"what do I do?" Anne whispered. "I don't fit in anywhere."
" that's not true." Diana said sweetly even though she knew Anne wasn't 'fitting in' anywhere she hated to see anyone so upset. "come on, I was just going back home but we can do whatever you like."
"Th- Thank you Diana." Anne smiled "can we go back to my house. I don't feel much like playing outside."
Diana nodded as they stood up they walked back to Anne's house.
"Anne you're home early did you and Gilbert not want to..." Mrs Shirley started as Anne came in the house she then looked up to see who was with Anne. "... Oh Diana." Bertha smiled. "you're not Gilbert."
"Gilbert didn't..." Anne trailed she sighed a moment as her mother observed in her eyes a moment a sadness she had seen all too often to her daughter the last six months. It was there for a few moments before her grey eyes turned green and her nose point upwards slightly "it doesn't matter." She looked back to her mother "is it okay if we go up to my room?" Anne asked her mother.
"of course sweetheart? Would you and Diana like some milk and cookies for a snack?" She asked.
"yes please." Anne said with a kiss on the cheek to her mother as they went up stairs.
Diana looked wide eyed As she entered Anne's bedroom. "Wow!" She exclaimed looking at the books on her bookshelf "you read a lot!"
Anne laughed sweetly "yes, I suppose I do."
"oh!" Diana explained "was this the book your papa mentioned in school last week.? The one about the pirates?"
Anne laughed "yes it is. Why don't you borrow it?"
"I... oh I can't do that?!" Diana exclaimed.
"Oh nonsense books are suppose to be read and I finished it just the other day." Anne smiled. "honestly it's fine."
"Leave me alone Charlie!" Gilbert shouted as he tried to go home again. The other boys had long departed it seemed Charlie and Andrew was intent on keeping Gilbert as long as possible.
"your girlfriend will still be there..." Charlie started.
"she's not my girlfriend!" he retorted hotly. He could feel his face flush. He was hot and tired it was a late April afternoon and he was so hot after playing football for so long his shirt (along with all the other boys shirts) was off. He turned to walk away when he felt something rough and stick like whip him hard across his back which jolted him to the ground.
"Andrew!" Charlie exclaimed "what are you doing?!"
"he's a sissy!" Andrew sneered. "you said it yourself!" Andrew struck Gilbert again as he tried to get up.
"he's bleeding!" Charlie shouted at Andrew. "stop it now! he doesn't deserve a whipping for hanging around with a girl!"
"no...?" Andrew sneered. "maybe I'll take it out of his girlfriend then." He turned to walk away.
"no!" Gilbert exclaimed struggling up. Charlie stood beside him supporting him. "not Anne."
Andrew came back and looked Gilbert in the eye. "then stop being a sissy. Stand up and be a man. Play house with the girl again..." Andrew turned threw the stick afar and walked off.
Charlie looked to Gilbert in shock. "Gil, I... I'm sorry... I know I teased but I would never..."
"forget it Charlie." Gilbert said quietly. "just get me to that stream help me clean out the wound before it becomes infected."
The two boys cleared out the wound before Charlie spoke again. "He threatened Anne." He said quietly.
"I know." Gilbert said quietly.
"What are you going to do?" Charlie asked him.
Gilbert stayed quiet for a moment before he sighed and said "protect her."
Charlie looked to Gilbert "You love her, I mean really really love her don't you?"
Gilbert couldn't speak just swallowed.
He climbed through her bedroom window later then he should. she was sitting on her bed reading as she looked up as he stood in her room and looked at her.
"is everything okay?" she asked him quietly.
"yeah," he replied feeling guilty, here he was the guilty party and SHE'S the one asking him if everything is okay? "... I lost track of time." He told her.
"oh." She said with a nod. "okay." There was a heavy pause between them. "Its just you haven't been around much lately." She said.
"no." He acknowledged. Getting agitated not with her but with himself for not being able to give her any decent answers she deserved.
"and You've been really quiet lately." She observed.
" have I?" He asked.
"so is everything okay?" She asked again.
"yeah." He lied. "everything is fine."
She sighed. "you're lying I can tell. What is it?" she asked.
He could feel the mark on his back still burning in to his skin... he and Charlie had managed to stop the bleeding and covered it but it stung. "nothing." He said quietly.
"Gil..." She started.
"I SAID IT WAS NOTHING OKAY?" He shouted suddenly.
Anne looked to him a little shocked. She had never known him to shout in temper before. It's not he didn't have a temper but it was a quiet (and sometimes resentful) one not an angry one. "okay." She said quietly feeling her own bottom lip trembling.
Gilbert felt the lump in his throat as she looked away with tears in her eyes. This wasn't her fault. What was he thinking? He moved to the side of her bed sitting on it with her he put his arm tenderly around her "Nan I'm sorry." He said quietly. "I shouldn't have lost my temper like that."
He felt her arms wrap around his neck. His breath didn't catch for a moment with the sudden lightweight of Anne by his side "I didn't mean to pry Gilbert, honestly I'm just worried." His eyes squeezed close as he felt the warmth of Anne's breath on his neck. "Come on..." She said gently "shall we read this chapter together?" She asked him.
She didn't notice how his eyes clung to her watching her every move, his ears memorizing the melody of her voice. When it was time to go he held her a little longer and closer then normal, taking in her sweet scent one last time. Still in the hug he whispered gently to her "I'm going to miss you."
Anne pulled back unaware of Gilbert's pain "I'll see you tomorrow." She said with a smile. He took a deep breath and tried to smile before he shimmered again down the drainpipe.
