Anne and Diana like to gossip about boys. Specifically, Diana liked to talk about Fred, and Anne about how sick she was of all the boys - except Gilbert - and how she wanted to find her dream man - who also wasn't Gilbert. However, this was in an oddly contrary way, as if she was crying out that she liked Gilbert by pointing out all the qualities he didn't have. Yet when Diana would pick up on this, she would immediately vehemently deny any liking for him.

When Anne told Diana about Midsummer, she decided that the best policy was part of the truth, given in such a begrudging way that Di would think it was the whole truth. In this way Di would feel satisfied, yet the actual content would still be private.

'Oh - he was just teaching me how to swim, and my dad told us we could go to Queens! And then we went out boating and I pushed him in and I think he was angry, so he ignored me for a while.'

'Is that it? I was expecting something a little more interesting?' Diana asked suspiciously. She knew there was more to that story, but also that Anne didn't say anything until she was certain her convictions were correct - and therefore she would abstain from telling Diana anything further until she was sure of what she felt for Gilbert.

Anne vaguely registers that Diana knows she is not telling her everything, but denial is her natural state - and therefore she goes blithely on denouncing all the boys in their class.

'Have you seen the way Charlie's new glasses make his eyes twice as big as before?'

'Did you hear Ella tied Moody's ears to his head to flatten them out?'

'My ideal man is solemn and respectful of me - certainly not teasing like Gilbert! As if he knows me that well!'

And in response Diana gushes about Fred: 'Today he brought me wildflowers, Anne!'

And also: 'Are you sure you don't like Gil, Anne?'

...

It's autumn; classes have restarted after summer, and today they're doing Shakespeare after school for Queens. It's Alexander's favourite - Much Ado About Nothing. Diana thinks that perhaps even Walter's decided to help Anne realise her feelings.

They divide into two teams: those who think that Hero and Claudio's relationship is Shakespeare's ideal model, and those who think Beatrice and Benedick's is.

Gilbert, unsurprisingly, goes straight to Beatrice and Benedick's side. Anne dithers, before joining Di at Hero and Claudio's table, primarily to antagonise Gilbert. She sticks her tongue out at him.

They arrange the tables into rows facing each other. The teams are Gil, Moody, Jane, and Walter and Josie, who only joined because the other side was full, against Anne, Di, Ruby, and Fred and Charlie who only joined to impress the girls they like.

Jane and Diana are the captains, having decided first. Jane makes an acerbic speech that mainly aims to deride Hero and Claudio, calling his instant abandonment of her a sign of a lack of trust and a placement of his friends' judgement as a higher priority than the girl he loved a sign that he doesn't value her. She calls Claudio timid and Hero weak for forgiving him.

Diana responds in kind, criticising Beatrice and Benedick's swearing of celibacy being a falsehood and therefore Shakespeare must have intended to mock them and undermine their independency, and promote the unity of Hero and Claudio instead. She insists the fact that they only fall for each other due to their own contrariness shows that they do not truly love each other as Hero and Claudio do.

Then the debate is opened up to the classroom, but of course the debate is ultimately hijacked by Anne and Gilbert. Anne goes first.

'Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to present my case for Hero and Claudio being the model of love Shakespeare aspires to. Though they are split up, they unite again and again - after war and after deceit. Their love is pure and adoring, and he waits for her all throughout the war. She is willing to forgive him, Jane, because she loves him so much, and I think that Shakespeare is promoting that love that conquers all. This is shown by the way all the characters in the play support their relationship.'

She sits, pleased with herself for arguing both a perspective that she doesn't fully agree with, and yet still arguing for the love she hopes to have later in life. Of course, she is ultimately the most pleased with having annoyed Gilbert. Once again, she sticks her tongue out at him.

Yet Gilbert is not particularly amused. He argues his point like his life depends upon it: 'Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to present my case for Beatrice and Benedick being the model of love Shakespeare aspires to. Anne's point seems to imply that Beatrice and Benedick are not split up, but it is in fact implied they have been in love or friends before. Therefore the reuniting of love that she says characterises Hero and Claudio also characterises Beatrice and Benedick. Love conquers all for them too. But this is not my primary point of contention with her - Hero is walked on by Claudio. He calls her a 'rotten orange', yet she takes him back. Is this a model of love? Or is it a model of women accepting men who are not good for them? Yet I shall not spend too much of my allotted time criticising Hero and Claudio, but rather promoting Beatrice and Benedick. The presentation of them arguing is actually more realistic and more healthy.' Gilbert looks at Anne (again). 'At least Beatrice talks back to Benedick in a way Hero never does! It allows her to become a more interesting and complex character, and in the very act of defining her specific character traits, and Benedick's as well, it becomes clear that Shakespeare meant to promote their love as the primary focus of the play.' Can she not see? I love her like any of her romantic heroes would - but because I don't moon over her so much, she never sees that it's real.

Gilbert walks Anne home, Walter staying behind to clean up and finish marking some essays. But she seems agitated, aloof, walking fast and slightly ahead through the misty evening. He reaches out to grab her arm and slow her pace.

'Hey, Carrots. Are you alright?'

'Yes. Fine.'

'Are you angry with me?'

'No.'

'Right.' He releases her; she moves away quickly.

He runs up behind her again, holds her hand.

'You are.'

'No! I'm not!'

At least she's showing some emotion now...

'Then what's going on with you?'

'I'm... thinking. I'm thinking.'

'Well, that's never good.'

'Gilbert Blythe, be quiet! Or else I will get angry with you!' But she slows down, walks at his side, holds his hand as they quietly bicker about whether Don Pedro was heartbroken over Beatrice.

'Of course he wasn't,' says Anne, 'because it's a comedy, and it has a happy ending, so all characters should be happy. If Don Pedro was heartbroken it wouldn't be a comedy, now would it?'

'But Beatrice is such a bright and interesting character - how could he not be in love with her?'

'Because Beatrice is meant to end up with Benedick! There shouldn't be any obstacles in the way of that.'

'Aha!' He cries, jubilantly. 'You admit it! They are meant for each other!'

'Yes, I suppose they are. I never denied that. I mostly went for Hero and Claudio to annoy you. But I do think that their kind of pure love is beautiful and aspirational - like my parents or your parents have.'

'Yes. It is beautiful. But I would argue that the couple who actually have that kind of love is Beatrice and Benedick. I don't think Hero and Claudio have it. Your parents aren't like that, are they? Your father doesn't walk all over your mother and excuse it with devotional praise? When will you see that the man doesn't have to be one-dimensional and devoted solely to the girl to have that kind of love?' He himself is agitated and passionate now, looking down at her with his pained gaze.

They have reached her house now. He leans down towards her. She is nervous and yet also very excited.

He kisses her cheek, lingers until he feels her shiver at his warm breath.

'Goodnight, Carrots.'