Josie was simply fed up of being so out of the loop with Gilbert Blythe. This was their last year together at Avonlea school and she was determined by the end of it she would be Gilbert's beau and it was very nearly the end of October already. If she could only get his head out of those books long enough he would soon loose interest in that brain box Anne Shirley, she was nothing special. But she Josie was, she was far more beautiful and had far more important things to discuss with Gilbert. She found him walking to school with her and Diana, time to get her plan in motion. She linked arms with Gilbert and placed herself unnaturally close to him.
"Hello Gilbert." she fluttered. He looked down at her then stepped away from her putting some distance between them. he looked to Anne on the other side of him who was hiding a grin shaking her head. Gee thanks a lot Anne. he thought. "Oh these books are so heavy why don't you be a gent and take them." She said thrusting her books into his other hand. Well he had little chance but to take the books. Josie deliberately quicken their pace away from. Gilbert turned back and looked at Anne sorrowfully only to see an amused expression on her face. Was this amusing her?
Diana looked to Gilbert then to Anne. "How rude." Diana remarked. "Here we were the three of us quite happily walking along and she comes and interrupts us. " She looks at Anne. "Don't you think its rude?"
"Yes very." Anne said smirking. Oh of all the people it had to be Josie didn't it? She could see how uncomfortable Gilbert was, she was accustom to seeing him very relaxed in her presence. They'd been best friends for so long, she couldn't remember a time he was ever uncomfortable around her. His shoulder were tense and his normal relax expressions in movement, in speech and in actions had tensed to the point of anxiety. Oh she didn't like to see Gilbert like that honestly she didn't but it was funny to see every once in a while, the normally confident to the point of cocky Gilbert Blythe being put in such a juxtapose position.
Diana didn't fail to notice her friends eyes lingering on Gilbert. Though why she seemed so amused by the whole thing escaped her completely. Should Anne not be getting jealous? Diana probed a little. "You're not jealous are you?" She asked Anne.
This snapped Anne back into play. "Me? Jealous? Of Josie Pye?" she said dryly.
"She does have Gilbert's attention." Diana said.
Anne could feel her probing her. It was quite uncomfortable. Did Diana really suspect the truth? No, that wasn't right. there was no reason to... Anne smiled and looked at her friend. "I don't think he had much choice in the matter do you?"
When Anne entered the school room Gilbert already sitting in place, his eyes trying to avoid looking forward where Josie was attempting to make eye contact his hand uncomfortably in the back of his hair.
Anne sat down next to Gilbert with a straight poker face not even Gilbert could read, her nose slightly in the air. The rest of the class still in the commotion of settling into the class he felt it was safe to speak
"Anne?" He said nervously.
She looked at him she knew she was trying to hide back a smile but apparently Gilbert couldn't read her at that point. "Why Mr Blythe, you would give any girl a reason to be jealous, imagine if your beau saw you like that with another girl?" She teased him.
His heart rate increased. "Anne, I did nothing... she just came and... I would never encourage..." His sentences were as disjoined from him as his actions were when he was seized upon by Josie. A giggle escaped Anne's lips as she looked into his eyes.
"Oh Gil!" She exclaimed quietly.
He could finally read her. His jaw dropped at the same time as a low laugh escaped him. "Why you little tease!" He whispered to her, he said smiling more freely.
"well..." she said between the giggles "I learnt from the best." she said looking directly at him. His jaw slightly ajar.
"Whatever do you mean?" he asked her as they got their books out.
"I guess I'll have to settle with being the best at swimming for certain." She replied reminding him of his summer antics to get her into the water with him.
"Touché" He whispered to her. They both now had their books on the table in front of them, they looked at each other and laughed.
Miss Stacy came in and settled the class. They turned their attentions back to their studies with smiles on their faces.
Josie Pye turned in her chair to the front and scowled. She hadn't heard the conversation between the two, but what on earth did they have to laugh about? How could Anne raise such a smile in Gilbert when all she got was a nervous twitch. She needed to put a wedge in their friendship once and for all.