I have been updating these stories weekly bases and Fanficton has had some problems of late, just go through the last few chapters make sure you've read them.
I really enjoyed writing this chapter, I can't tell you why, but I think I like how Gilbert is worming his way into Anne's affections without her necessarily recognising it.
Gilbert swallowed as he watched Anne walk down into the danceroom with Charlie. He had to admit he was jealous of Charlie, very very jealous.
After Charlie had invited Anne to the winter formal he really had no choice in the matter but to ask Josie. Right now she was standing with him, watching as the two ascended into the room.
Josie was wearing strapless dress which was hot pink with beads across the bust. It tightly fell round the trunk of her body then poofed out to a tutu style skirt, which was only 17 inches, or so she said to Gilbert. The dress was finished off with a hot pink bow. Her hair was all plaited up and back in some style Gilbert had no idea how to describe. He didn't find it attractive, nor unattractive, he suspected had it been someone else it might have looked good.
But the vision which came down the steps, his eyes were glued to her. The dress was a knee length and puffed out a little. It was dark purple. The waist was adorned with tiny crystals which looked like flowers and leaves the top was sheer hiding her chest and collarbone from view. She had around her arms what looked like a crocheted cardigan, the same colour as the dress, the cardigan likewise in a flower motif. Anne's hair had been curled was left loose down her back only a small section was up keeping her hair from her face. But then, something Gilbert couldn't help but see.
She wasn't wearing her glasses.
And her eyes were actually that big. Those big grey eyes, (which he could now confirm definitely had specks of green in them) were not made bigger by the glasses.
His heart stomped in his chest as Josie spoke. "Well Anne, I almost didn't recognise you there!" She exclaimed. "Where are your glasses?" she asked her.
"Oh, I… don't actually need to wear them." Anne admitted. "They are reading glasses, but I figure when I'm about school and me being me I'm always reading so I never take them off."
"So you wear them to look smarter then you already are?" Josie asked confused.
Gilbert grinned "Some people don't need to Josie." Gilbert teased lightly.
"Well if you're taking them on and off all day it must get tiring." Charlie admitted.
"I sometimes forget that they are there." Anne said to the group.
"You shouldn't hide behind them." Gilbert said and Anne looked at him her eyes wide at his outspokenness.
"Hiding?" she questioned. "Can you ever really hide who you are behind glasses? " she asked him.
He grinned slightly "Clark Kent did." He said biting his bottom lip to hide the stupid grin that was forming on his lips.
Anne lips played a smile before she said "I'm not a superhero Mr Blythe."
"I'm just saying he hid who he was." Gilbert shrugged.
"And everyone would have accepted him for being an alien would they?" she asked him.
"Some of us might." He shrugged, "he should trust us." He said as he looked at her meaningfully.
"Its just a comic book…" Josie tried.
"Maybe Kal-El understands that a lot of the time human being can't see past their preconceptions."
"Challenge your preconceptions, or they will challenge you." Gilbert counted
Anne looked at him surprised, "That's the wrong fandom."
"It proves my point." He said with a smile he only suppressed by biting into his cheek.
"Do you challenge yours?" she asked him.
"I try." He told her straight. "But if everyone is intent on hiding differences how are we ever supposed to move past them." He said with a glint in his eye.
"They're only glasses!" Josie exclaimed. "Honestly you two!" she said a false sweet tone coming back to her voice "Always making something out of nothing." She said patting down Gilbert's arm.
Gilbert took a breath then looked up into Anne's eyes "what I mean to say you shouldn't hide behind those glasses, you're very…pulchritudinous." He told her.
Anne swallowed with a pink glow coming to her cheek.
"isn't that some kind of disease?" Josie asked him, which made Gilbert laugh for a moment.
"it means he thinks Anne looks pretty." Charlie answered.
'Not just pretty' Gilbert thought to himself. 'Breathtaking, heartbreakingly beautiful.'
"I have to agree with him." Charlie said looking at Anne in a way Gilbert wished he could.
"Well thank you Charlie." Anne said to Charlie making Gilbert wish he hadn't said it.
"I do like the colour of your dress Josie." Anne admitted. "I'll admit; I never could pull off hot pink."
"Well what redhead could." She said her nose upturned.
"Josie!" Gilbert said in a hushed whisper. Gilbert looked up the stairs then did a double take. Was that Fred with Diana?! "Fred!" he exclaimed. "You didn't say you were bringing Diana." He said with a smile to her. "As lovely as ever" he charmed Diana who wore a deep blue cap sleeve dress (where the designer had adored with sparkle with a sweetheart neckline which fell to the ground, you could only just see Diana's black shoes peaking from beneath it. Her hair like Anne's wasn't complicated but looked the same colour as chocolate as it waved just above her shoulders.
"Well I only managed to pluck up the nerve a week ago." He said to Gilbert as they greeted. Anne and Diana started talking among themselves comparing the dresses and hairstyles Josie looking particularly put out by it all. "Truth was I've wanted to ask her out since junior high but, I wasn't sure where we stood with asking girls out who were in a different group to us." He admitted swallowing. "Then I figured, Charlie asked Anne and she's almost kind of one of us and Anne is Diana's best friend."
"That's some lateral thinking there Fred." Gilbert said with a chuckle. "But you never needed to worry about asking any girl out, we'd accept her into our social group because she'd be awesome, you know that." Gilbert said looking confused at his friend.
Fred looked to Gilbert surprised. "Maybe to you." Fred admitted. "But to some of the others, there would always be outsiders. People who didn't belong."
"That's a ridiculous way of thinking." Gilbert objected to Fred.
Fred chuckled and slapped Gilbert on the back. "This is high school buddy."
He took Diana by the arm. "Would you like a drink?" Fred asked Diana.
"Sure." She said taking his arm.
"Anne?" he asked her.
"Um Sure." Anne said with a smile as Fred's arm came out.
"If that's okay with your escort?" Fred said with a smile to Charlie.
"Oh, by all means!" Charlie exclaimed rather pompously.
Anne took Fred's other arm and the three went off to find the drinks.
Charlie smiled at Gilbert "I'm going to ask Anne to go steady tonight. In the sweetheart's dance." He told Gilbert.
"Oh?" Gilbert asked. "So soon?"
Charlie smirked "I've known her since September buddy."
Gilbert took a sigh, had it really only been a month since he met Anne? "Its still rather fast."
"We live in a fast world Gilbert." Charlie said with a nose in the air. "Get your seat beat on and get in the fast lane." He whispered before he walked away from Gilbert. Gilbert shook his head and walked towards the drinks too, leaving a rather stunned and forgotten about Josie by the staircase.
"The time has come girls and guys to find that special someone, for the sweethearts dance, coming up next…" Gilbert immediately felt Josie at his arm. "To commemorate you guys and the year you were born I've picked a song from that year…." Gilbert felt Josie's arm reach round the back of his neck readying for the dance. "…A classic…"
Gilbert's eyes widened and he pulled away from Josie. He knew the song without the DJ needing to say anymore. Because he had YouTubed it the moment he had got home that night of their chemistry homework, he had listened to it time and time again imagining a loving mothers voice in the melody, so he would know it like Anne did. Charlie was about to do something really really stupid. He had to get to her to just be there for her, to let her know she wasn't alone, in her very isolated moments, she could still trust him. Gilbert walked away from Josie searching the crowd for them he vaguely heard Josie calling his name in temper and he foot striking the ground but he didn't care. He searched the room, unwilling to believe all of these people really came from his school, there wasn't normally so many of them!
He final spotted them at the other side of the room, Charlie had his arms around Anne, who was clearly uncomfortable, her shoulders were tense and she looked as though she wanted to curl up in a corner. He quickly found his way next to them and just in the nick of time.
"Say Anne I was wondering…" he had started.
"Ahem." Gilbert interrupted. "May I cut in?" he asked politely.
Charlie looked to Gilbert incredulously.
"Yes pleas…" Anne started.
"No." Charlie interrupted. "Let me handle this sweetheart." He breathed to Anne. Whose brows knitted together she was so uncomfortable. "You know which dance this is?" Charlie asked Gilbert.
"Yes I do." Gilbert said panicking Anne would break down and cry where she stood.
"Pick another dance to dance with her." Charlie almost demanded.
"I can't." Gilbert said to him, "its this song or no song." Gilbert said boldly. He looked away from Charlie whose face was slowly turning red, starting at his ears.
"I suppose I should have seen it." Charlie said looking between the two.
"Its not like that Charlie." Gilbert exclaimed.
"Really?!" Charlie said sarcastically. "Anne, come here and finish this dance with me." He almost demanded from Anne.
Anne had no words, instead when Charlie looked her way his eyes wide in shock she shook her head silently.
He turned and looked at Gilbert "We'll sort this later." He hissed at him then he turned on foot and went into the crowds.
Gilbert took one glance at Anne, he quickly put his arms around her to hide the tears which was now flowing down her face. He held her close so no one could tell he was holding her up and he shushed her quietly as he heard her gasps as she cried, her nose was buried into his shirt and he could feel the layers get damp as she cried there by his heart. "Its alright." He whispered to her. "Its okay." It was quite some time later he assured her again "No one knows you're crying, they all think we're dancing its fine." He whispered. "Whenever you are ready you can let go." He continued.
"I…" she started. "I don't want them to see I've been crying." She whispered as the song came to an end.
"Okay." He told her. "Stay in my arms we'll part dance the next one then when no one is looking we can slip out the door, you can go to the rest room and freshen up."
At first it was difficult to slip out, very few people had noticed them dancing in the sweetheart's song together but more people noticed when the fast beat came on and the two were still slow dance close together, yet they eventually looked away. Gilbert took her by the hand and they slipped out of the room to the hallway which sloped round to the toilets. He watched her as she walked away making sure she slipped inside the nearest restroom before anyone saw her.
"What the hell was that all about!?" Charlie exclaimed coming out into the corridor shouting up it to Gilbert. "You ruined my changes with Anne I was about to ask her."
"I didn't ruin anything." Gilbert defended.
"I was about to ask her." Charlie said shoving Gilbert.
"You're kidding right?" he asked Charlie, Gilbert six foot three strong wide frame dwarfed Charlie at five foot nine. "You don't want to take me on Charles."
Charlie shoved at Gilbert again. Gilbert took a sigh before Charlie grabbed at his shirt and action Gilbert followed. "I will challenge you Gilbert and win, everyone knows you're just popular because we say so…" he exclaimed.
"Like I care about being popular!" Gilbert said shoving him far enough back that Charlie was against a wall. "I care about her!" he exclaimed.
"Now we're getting to it!" Charlie exclaimed. "You're hot for her! You want her so bad you can't let anyone else have her. I have news for you mate! She's not interested in the mighty Gilbert Blythe, she hates you!" Charlie exclaimed as he pushed back far enough that it was now Gilbert against the wall.
"You idiot!" Gilbert shouting pushing him back. "This isn't about me!" Gilbert pinned Charlie against the wall his feet now clear off the ground. "That song meant something to her, she told me about it and the moment I heard it I knew she would be uncomfortable!" Gilbert exclaimed. "I ruined nothing between you!" he told Charlie putting him back on the ground. "I possibly stopped you from being rejected." He pushed a little as he let go of Charlie "You can thank me later." Gilbert said walking away down the hall. Charlie heard the door open a few seconds later. Gilbert had clearly needed to cool off. It was a few seconds after that Anne emerged from the restrooms.
"Anne?" he called greeting her part way back.
"Oh, Charlie." Anne said quietly "Sorry about that." She told him.
"You don't need to apologise sweetheart and I sorted things with Gilbert."
"What?" Anne asked. "I don't understand." She said confused
"You don't need to." Charlie said to her as if to hush her, Anne looked up at him even more greatly confused. "Know this, as long as we are together, he will not come near you."
"Excuse me?!" Anne said to him standing back. "Together?!"
Charlie shook his head, "That's right so much has happened I haven't even asked you." He said.
"And I suppose you think now I will say yes?" Anne asked. "First off, I don't care if its Gilbert Blythe or the milkman!" She exclaimed, "You never under any circumstances have any right to tell me who will and won't come near me!" she continued without provocation "secondly you sorted things with Gilbert? How exactly?"
"I told him you weren't interested in him." Charlie said his confidence now wavering.
"How dare you!" she exclaimed. "Even if we were together you have no right to speak on my behalf without my consent!"
"But it's the truth, you don't like him."
"I don't care if its true!" Anne proclaimed. "And lastly, this is hardly the way to entice me to say yes!" she told him. "Gilbert came to me to help me as a friend when he knew I would need it." She told Charlie straight. "How dare you try and reprimand him for such a kind deed."
"He's not even your friend!" Charlie shouted in her face "You hate him…Fine!" Charlie exclaimed. "Honestly the pair of you!" Charlie exclaimed to her as he was walking away "two peas in a pod!"
Matthew may have a soft spot for Anne, or maybe he saw a need which needed to be fulfilled. All the other kids had one, He didn't quite understand Marilla's objection to the devices. They were good, had games on, had messaging on so she could keep in touch, a camera so she could keep her good memories fresh, it would mean she had a tie to them too. It didn't need to be a big fancy one, That Blythe boy who had stayed the night a month ago said he worked for his, paid for it out of his own money. Maybe Anne could work for hers too. He didn't want to make it a big deal and the latest models were out of the question, but maybe something like his?
"Ah Matthew!" Jennifer Harris said as he entered the shop. "What can I get for you?"
"Well you see…" he started. "I'd like a cell phone." He said to her. "One of these nice new ones you can get the internet on." He said.
"You mean a smartphone?" Jennifer asked surprised.
"A myphone4?" he questioned remembering the one the boy had.
"Well we don't stock that one anymore Mr Cuthbert, but if you want a nice one the myphone7 is just the same but has more memory on it and the camera is so much better."
Matthew nodded. "Well what difference does that make?" he asked.
"Well if the memory is bigger you can store more things on it." Jennifer explained.
"More memory keeping." He said with a nod. "Yes, I'll take one."
So come Christmas morning Anne squealed in delight as she opened her present from Matthew, a loud tut coming from Marilla
"EkkkK!" she exclaimed. "Oh Matthew the myphone7 thank you thank you!" she exclaimed. "Oh its beautiful! I'm going skype Diana off it and surprise her with my new number!" she exclaimed jumping up.
Marilla looked wordlessly to Matthew who defended. "All the young uns have one now Marilla, Diana and Ruby, Josie and Gilbert, they all have one, I figured its not fair for Anne to be the odd one out. So I thought she might like it."
"You'll spoil her." Marilla stated.
"Maybe." Matthew said. "But you should have seen her that night Diana Barry came in here asking for help. You'd see, she deserves the little things. And that Blythe boy has a phone, he works for it I heard him say, I figured Anne would be able to do the same."
"A cell phone." Marilla said shaking her head standing up, "What will it be next year a new car?"
Gilbert knew how to talk.
Anne gave him that.
They had just come back from the Christmas holidays, their chemistry project had been a success. Much to the look of disgust on Mr Phillips face, he soon had them paired in different partnership, apparently, no one had ever got 100 per cent before, and the success of the two had burnt a hole in Mr Phillips desire to humiliate Anne, and so moved her to be next to Jane Andrews and Gilbert with Charlie.
Their temporary alliance over Anne went back to not speaking to Gilbert, although even she admitted he was the smartest boy she had ever met.
Not to mention that Christmas ball. Anne cringed at the very memory of it. Anne had just be grateful it had been on the night they started their Christmas break, her mini breakdown had been long forgotten.
Of course there had been the dance. Of all the people in the room to know about that song, it was Gilbert Blythe. Of course, he had been a gentleman, coming to her rescue like that! Holding her long enough that no one knew she was crying in his arms and simply escorted her out the room walked away and didn't expect anything in return, it had almost been enough for her to forgive him.
Charlie hadn't talked to her since, she did know Charlie and Gilbert had got into some argument at the Christmas ball, over her, after Gilbert had stolen 'their moment' from Anne and Charlie. Charlie had soon forgiven Gilbert, telling him 'bro's before hoe's' within earshot of Anne and she was furious with Gilbert for having forgiven Charlie using such terminology. Nothing else could be expected from Charlie, but Gil was a self-proclaimed feminist, no feminist would withstand such a sexist term., Charlie didn't seek forgiveness from Anne, he simply ignored her, which was fine by her.
Right now, still in detention, Gilbert still being the one who was talking, Anne wondered how he could fill his head with so many useless facts and still be so smart.
Todays useless fact seemed to really have him going.
Ugly people are more likely to get harsher prison sentences as opposed to attractive people.
He had started quite logically about it but had soon spiralled on a trail of thought that only Anne could understand.
"I mean maybe its evolutionary." He said his eyes glazing over "you know the 'superior' attractive human race trying to supress and lessen the chances of the 'ugly' humans reproducing." He sighed. "Not that two ugly parents always make an ugly child, isn't that something…" he sighed "Not that a pretty face is the be all and end all." He continued "Personally I would think in the laws of evolution you'd want the smartest not the prettiest to survive in the race… but then I think there is something to be said for…"
"don't you ever shut up?!" Anne exclaimed. After three months of him endlessly nattering about nothing at all she had enough. She glared at him, "You've talked none stop for 15 minutes every day about nothing!"
"The rules state one of us has to be talking, you never say anything so I have to."
"Maybe if you shut up long enough I might get a word in edgeways!" she exclaimed.
"Fine then, you talk." He said.
Anne looked at him mad for a moment before she muttered quietly "I don't have anything to say." There was a marked silence between them
"Where are your glasses?" Gilbert asked her, for this first time having and excuse to look into her eyes. he'd noticed the second he'd seen her that morning, but only now in the safety of annoying her did he find the courage to ask.
"I figured..." she started "it was maybe time to stop hiding behind them." She said quietly. "why?" she asked him almost accusingly.
"Just wondering..." he said quietly to her. He wondered if what he had said had made a difference, could she not be wearing them as a sign she trusted him.
Anne sighed. "what were you saying?"
"… I was talking about how I thought it didn't matter how pretty someone was in the laws of evolution."
"Right." Anne said then looked at him. "continue…" she told him.
"There's something to be said for the intelligence of a person, you know in that study, People who are physically attractive are assumed to be clever, successful and have more friends…"