Anne was met in Kingsport by Priscilla late that evening, they were to board together. After a casual goodbye to Gilbert and Charlie with the promise they would see each other tomorrow at registration, Anne and Priscilla headed off.

"Gilbert Blythe has grown up some." Priscilla remarked. "He was only a schoolboy when I taught in Carmody."

"Yes, but we probably have all grown up quite a deal." Anne replied.

"Charlie Sloane hasn't." giggled Priscilla. "He looks the same as he did at seventeen, and he'll look the same at eighty! Gilbert has got awfully handsome though." she continued, with a sidewards glance at Anne.

Anne's face remained impassive. She knew Priscilla was fishing for information but there was an unspoken agreement between Gilbert and herself that they never talked about their relationship no matter who it was asked.

Settled in her not unpleasant boarding house, Anne had a restless night, homesickness merged with apprehension about this new chapter in her life. She was just an insignificant freshman and had visions of her being, metaphorically speaking, trampled over by classmates and sophmores alike. Would she fit in? Could she keep up with the others? Would anyone like her? Would Green Gables and Avonlea be the same when she returned - would she be the same? Was Gilbert the one for her... All these thoughts filtered through her weary mind until sleep finally claimed her.

In the light of the morning the optimistic Anne returned. Buoyed in spirit she set off for registration with Priscilla at her side, knowing that at least there would be two other familiar faces in the crowd, she was not a stranger after all.

The registration hall was full of eager, bright eyed freshmen all nervously surveying the classmates they would spend the next four years with. Anne queued up behind the others in a line that seemed so impossibly long it would take forever to reach the destination - it didn't however and soon business was concluded for the day. As she waited, Anne glanced around the hall to see if Gilbert or Charlie were there. Her eyes were drawn over to a corner where she could see Gilbert's back. He was talking animatedly to a rather striking looking girl who seemed to be laughing flirtaciously at everything he said. She had the beautiful nut brown hair that Anne had coveted for years, a slender figure expensively dressed, but yes, a out of proportion nose. That all too frequent feeling of jealousy appeared again. She stomped off in temper to find Priscilla.

"Shall we go?" Anne demanded of a confused Priscilla when she found her.

"Do you not want to wait for the boys?" Priscilla asked.

"The boys are perfectly capable of sorting themselves out." Anne snapped, taking Priscilla's arm and walking out. "Shall we walk back through the graveyard?"

"If you like, and then maybe you can explain to me what had put you in such a fowl mood."

Reading the inscriptions on the headstones in memory of brave and heroic men helped sooth Anne's frayed temper but no matter how Priscilla probed Anne could never explain her feelings towards Gilbert, especially the jealousy part, she couldn't even explain that to herself! It was such an out of character emotion for her, for even when she lived in the orphanage she was never jealous of the other children, envious perhaps, but never this feeling she had whenever she saw Gilbert in the vicinity of a pretty woman. It was all so confusing - Gilbert didn't help matters with all his flirting! (Although it must be said, that to a rational, casual observer Gilbert was merely being polite and talking to these ladies!)

As Anne and Priscilla sauntered happily along Priscilla noticed a figure standing in the shadows of the trees watching them.

"Look over there, Anne. Its that girl we saw talking to Gilbert."

So Priscilla had noticed it too...

"Oh, is it." Anne said, casually.

"Yes. She's coming over." Priscilla grabbed Anne's hand.

"Hello, I'm Phillipa Gordon. I've been standing over there trying to make up my mind whether or not to come over and introduce myself. I saw you two ladies at registration and wanted to meet you but you'd already left by the time I'd made up my mind."

"I'm sure you weren't short of company." Anne said, frostily.

Priscilla shot her an inquisitive look - it was unlike Anne to be so unfriendly.

"Oh no, I had lots of admirers." Phillipa continued gaily, either unaware of Anne's tone, or choosing to ignore it. "But did you ever see such an unatractive bunch? There was only one worth looking at... Gilbert Blythe, he said his name was. Very nice, I wonder if he's rich."

"Why should that matter?" Priscilla asked, with a slight chuckle when she saw Anne's outraged expression.

"I could only ever marry a rich man." Phillipa said, honestly. "I am quite high maintenance you know."

"I could imagine." Anne said dryly, powers of speech recovered.

"Anyway, much as I love talking about me, tell me about yourselves, what are your names, where are you from?"


Anne was very tired that night as she prepared for bed. It had been a long day, but the afternoon spent with Phillipa and Priscilla had been most pleasant. Phillipa Gordon was, for all her faults, a 'kindred spirit' after all. Yawning, Anne crawled under the covers. 'Gilbert Blythe has no business flirting with strange ladies', was her last consious thought before sleep claimed her.