I love that we all don't like Roy!
It was early September after the beginning of term that they were out particularly late and they were walking back down Spofford Avenue.
"Its been a lovely night sweetheart." He whispered to her.
"Yes it has." Anne agreed. It had been a lovely night, really. He'd arrived at Patty's place with a beautiful pink and blue orchid, Anne had worn her A-line dress which was knee length and chiffon.
"Darling you look divine! If I were to present your picture in heaven, so many angels will hide their face in shame." He told her.
"Is that where the weeping angels get it from?" she asked smiled.
"Excuse me? Weeping Angels?" he asked.
"Yes, from Doctor Who." She said her face falling when she saw he didn't get the reference "It doesn't matter." She said shaking her head. "It was a lovely compliment." She said with a smile. "Well, goodnight then." He said kissing her lightly on the lips. "Unless of course you've reconsidered?" he asked her.
Anne looked to him seriously for a moment before she said "goodnight Roy." She kissed him on his cheek opened the door to Patty's place and said "thank you for a lovely evening." Before she shut the door.
Anne climbed the stairs of Patty's place not wanting to talk to anyone in particular about Roy.
He'd taken her to the Dress Circle at the theatre and saw the ballet of Swan Lake, it had been an early showing starting at four so it was now about five. He's presented her at a limo when they left and they went in it for half an hour. Ten minutes into the drive Anne looked in anticipation "Its alright sweetheart, I'll have you home by midnight." He murmured to her. He had taken her to Luckett's Vineyard. It was there they wine tasted followed by the five course meal with the chef himself. Roy escorted Anne back to the limo and sat on the backseat with her.
"You know what I like about wine?" he asked her his hand going just above her knee making her jump.
"I…" she hesitated. "Um."
"It makes me feel…" he said the whispered something to her as his hand slid up her leg.
She gasped and pulled back. "Roy." She said shaking her head. "Can we not?" she asked of him.
"But love, you know tonight, is our three-month anniversary. Its time." He whispered to her his hand still on her leg.
"There's not a stop watch is there?" Anne tried lightly but soon knew it wasn't working.
"Call Patty's place…" he whispered. "and tell them you'll be out all night." He continued trying again to gain access.
"Stop!" she tried "please Roy don't." she told him.
He stopped and pulled back looking at her seriously. "You're being serious?" he asked her finally letting go.
Anne swallowed and looked away blushing feeling exposed in her knee length dress all of a sudden. She could feel her cheeks burning.
Roy looked at her seriously and asked "Anne, are you still a virgin?" he asked her. She blushed and looked away not answering the question. "Oh Sweetheart!" he exclaimed taking her in his arms overbearingly "I'm sorry I should have been more sensitive." He said to her. "No one left private school a virgin." He shrugged "I thought it was the same everywhere." He said frankly. "You need more time of course you do." He whispered. "Anne, I'm sorry." He said to her not trying again.
Anne swallowed and tried her best to relax but it just wasn't happening. "Its okay." She said quietly. "you…. I…." she tried.
"No Anne of course we need to go slower, we'll start again yes? We'll work up to that sort of intimacy." He told her.
"Slower." Anne acknowledged her heart racing at the near miss.
She sat on her bed and took a deep sigh of relief.
"Gilbert!" Christine called catching up to him.
"Hey." He said with a smile. "Where's the fire?" he joked.
"You walk fast." She teased him. "I've been chasing you since fifth street."
He laughed. "Sorry old habits, on the island I walked everywhere and a quick mover on the football team."
"Oh Speaking of which, I can make it to the game Friday." She smiled with a flutter of the eyelid.
He nodded "Good I'm glad. You know I'm picking up quite a few hints on managing a football team from Andy I want to take back to Redmond with me." He acknowledged.
"Oh?" she asked. "Are they holding open your captainship until you get back?" she asked.
"Promised me." He smiled. "and I have to keep up my football skills I am scholarship after all."
"Speaking of Redmond…" she smiled "I got my space on the music programme!" she exclaimed.
He gave a wide smile "Congratulations!" he said to her.
"I'm so relieved I'll have someone I know there, and a Sophomore no less, it'll be grand to have a Sophomore on my arm as a freshman."
To which Gilbert laughed "Glad to be of service."
She slipped her arm through his and smiled up at him. "Do you think your friends will like me in Redmond?" she asked him.
He rolled his eyes and looked down at her "You know they will Christine, don't play." He told her.
"Oh you're no fun!" she exclaimed slipping him playfully, where she decided to change the subject. "Are you going home for Christmas?" she asked him.
"Yes, but my flight is on the night before Christmas Eve and I leave the morning after boxing day for Kingsport again, I managed to get my job at the newspaper back."
"Oh Gil, you work too hard." She reprimanded him.
"I work to get through university." He told her.
"And you're so serious." She huffed. "I'm sure there's a playful fella in there, but we never see him unless you're jumping out of something." She looked at him for a few moments before she said "What of that when you get back to Kingsport? Are you just going to drop it?" she asked him.
"No." he said honestly. "I've looked online and I'm lining up some stunts when we get back." He smiled.
"There you are!" she laughed.
"Earth to Gilbert?!" Christine said snapping her fingers in front of him.
"Um?" he asked.
Christine smiled at him as she could see his focus change when he looked back. "Are you alright?" she asked him. She looked to where he'd been looking and saw a rather pretty redhead. "Do you know her?"
"I ur… she um… we went to high school together." He said still dazed.
"Oh." Christine said rather disappointed.
"It's alright," Gilbert told Christine "we.. um… we haven't talked in over a year."
"Oh." Christine said. "Jilted lover?" she asked him, cutting far too close to the bone she saw him flinch which confirmed what she said. "Oh?!"
Anne had thought tonight was going to be an easy night, an appearance at the Gardener's Ball (yes, same Gardener, they had donated a huge amount of money towards the university hence the ball) Roy had also taken Anne to a dressmaker to make a custom dress just for her.
The dress was far too much money Anne felt comfortable in wearing but it was a beautiful dress. She should have known the Lambs would be here. What she didn't know was that, and she was now acutely aware of was that Christine had come back with Gilbert, who was now standing talking with Gilbert. He was stood under the ferns and Anne felt put out. He hadn't even noticed her since he was standing talking to the beauty of Christine. 'I can't just switch off my feelings for you!' he had told her. 'clearly he can' she thought sadly. She sighed sadly. Christine was beautiful it was no wonder he had fallen for her line and sinker. Her hair was a nut brown her eyes were a gorgeous blue she had perfect perky curves, and even in winter a beautiful tan, Anne took a deep breath and ignored the empty and pitiful feeling she had in her stomach.
"Are you alright sweetheart?" she heard the smooth voice beside her.
"Yes." Anne said nodding finally pulling her eyes away from Gilbert forcing her focus to Roy. "everything is fine."
It wasn't long before Roy was doing his rounds in the room, Anne silently following him giving pretty smiles and pretty opinions to 'their' guests (his words not hers) it didn't take long for them to reach Gilbert.
Roy looked up at the name when Gilbert introduced himself. "Then you know Anne already?" He questioned.
"well…" Gilbert started.
"She said you went to high school together." Roy continued almost ignoring Gilbert. "she's already introduced me to Charlie and his charming girlfriend Josie came out to a dance last semester." Roy said all at once. "Charming friends." He smiled genuinely. He looked to Christine "and is this your girlfriend?" Roy asked Gilbert.
"Christine Stuart." She smiled holding her hand out in front of Roy to which he promptly kissed.
It was only then their eyes met. They found themselves unable to speak, the words couldn't come between them. Anne could feel her hand wanting the contour of his against her. He could feel the pull of her eyes begging to be held.
She looked different, her hair had cut in bangs and she was missing the necklace of her parents, she hadn't taken it off since she had put it on back in high school, she'd worn it every day, to everything. Gilbert suddenly felt he had never really known Anne at all.
To them it seemed like an eternity but it couldn't have been more than a few seconds as Roy asked Anne "So that means you haven't met Miss Stuart yet Anne?"
"No." Anne said her mind being pulled from their world into reality. The contrast was so harsh and unfair. "No." she said again.
"Pleasure I'm sure." Christine said and Anne was sure there was some coldness to her voice sad that he didn't know the girl in front of him anymore, voice. Surely Gilbert hadn't told his now girlfriend the story of an old flame? And why should that make her mad now? If they had got together it would have meant that she wouldn't have him as a boyfriend, so really Anne had done her a favour over a year ago. "Fancy a turn on the floor?" Christine said turning her full body to Gilbert and offering her hand. Gilbert's cheeks coloured slightly but took her hand all the same.
"what a splendid idea." Roy said taking Anne by the hand and following suit.
The rest of the night ran smoothly at evenings end Roy suggested leaving a little early which Anne was only too pleased to accommodate, anything to be away from Gilbert's new life.
Roy took them back to his house and offered Anne to sit in the front room with his sister Ailne while he spoke to his mother.
Anne sat awkwardly not a word passed between them for three minutes before his other sister entered the room.
"You must be Anne?" she said with a friendly smile "I'm Doll." She introduced herself.
"Its Dorothy." The other sister corrected severely. "Don't insist on calling yourself by that ridiculous name, you're just like Royal."
"Daddy gave us all nicknames Laina." Doll corrected her sister sweetly.
"And 'father' went and died didn't he?" Aline continued.
"Is that the reason you're not talking to Anne? Because daddy died?" Doll retorted.
"I'm not talking to her because she is beneath me."
"Laina!" Doll exclaimed shocked "Daddy said…"
"Never mind what daddy said." Ailne said obviously upset "look where it got him!" to which she stood up and opened the door.
"She's sleeping in my room!" Roy could be heard shouting "I'm not a teenager anymore mother! I use protection there's no reason why she can't she is my girlfriend."
"I will not have her in the same bed as you!" was heard.
A malevolent smirk could be seen on Ailne's face before she said "Pleasure to meet you." And she closed the door behind her.
Doll cut the tension quickly "Roy is like daddy." She said quickly with a sweet smile to Anne. "He's very attentive and sweet isn't he?"
"Yes." Anne replied almost felt pressed into saying it. Oh, it wasn't that Roy wasn't but there was something about the speed by which he expected their relationship to move. She hadn't known him long and often before they started dating but then once dating he had tried at three months then almost on a weekly basis he made moves towards, an intimacy Anne wasn't ready for. He never forced it but it was creating a void between them.
"Laina is like mummy." She tried to move the conversation on. Anne smiled sweetly at the girl. She could be no older then sixteen, it must be murder for her to live in this house. "You live at Patty's place at the end of the street, don't you?" she asked her. To which Anne nodded. "Oh I love that house, it looks so cosy." She smiled.
Anne looked to the girl "Do you like cosy Doll?" she asked her.
"Oh yes." She said with a sigh. "I have the room at the back even though it's the smallest, well it used to be the guest room and I had what is now the guest room but it was too big just for me. I mean not even my room now is small but I just wanted a room that was mine you know?" she asked.
Anne smiled. "I got adopted at a late age and grew up in dorms when I wasn't with a family. I always felt a little alone in big bedrooms. My room back home is cosy. It is here, my little blue room."
"Can I come and visit you?" Doll asked her.
Anne laughed at her outburst then said "Of course you can." As the door opened and Roy stood on the other side.
"Coming sweetheart?" he asked Anne to which she stood. "Hello Doll." He said with a smile to his sister.
Doll smiled. "I like this one." She told him straight, "she's a keeper."
Roy chuckled sweetly as Anne took his hand. "I know that kid." He agreed with her. "Night little one."
"Night." She smiled.
Roy did indeed take Anne up to his bedroom.
"Does your mother not know you've brought me up here before?" she asked him.
"I don't understand her reaction." He said honestly. "I've brought other girlfriends up here before."
Anne stomach dropped.
"Sorry sweetheart, you don't need to hear about ex-girlfriends."
"Plural?" she asked shocked. "How many girlfriends have you had?" she asked him.
"Oh, um…" he started. "well, three I brought back home."
Her eyes widened. "Have you, I mean did you with all of them?" she asked him.
"Well, yes." He admitted. "Not all here, some were at boarding school." He admitted. Her head spun at the word some. It didn't make her feel any better. "I'm sure once we get started we'll be fine." He said to her holding her in his arms trying to comfort her but it brought none. He kissed her gently at first then held her close to him. "I love you." He whispered before he started kissing down her neck.
"Roy, wait." She whispered. "Please…"
He pulled back sharply and yelled "what is the matter with you!?" he demanded. "We've been together eight months Anne, you're killing me here!"
Anne cheeks coloured and she spoke quietly "It's not a stop watch thing Roy." she said tears filling her eyes "just I don't… I'm not there yet."
"What can I do to make you want me?" he asked her his own cheeks going red.
"Nothing!" Anne exclaimed "Roy, its nothing you're doing or not doing, there's nothing wrong with you." She told him.
"Oh, then I'm not wantable." He said to her. "Just fine whatever. I buy you pretty clothes your hair is straighten chemically with my money…"
"I didn't ask you for these things and I can't be bought Roy!" she exclaimed.
"No you won't be will you?" he stated "Maybe I should find someone who will be, They are a hell of a lot easier to get into bed!"
Anne couldn't believe what she was hearing, then something inside of her snapped to make the old Anne surface for a moment "then maybe you should." She said to him before she grabbed her purse from his desk.
As she reached for the door he said to her "You understand this means we've broken up." He told her.
She chuckled and bit her bottom lip she opened the door and said to him "go get your hooker Royal."
She landed back on her bed at Patty's place tears had been flowing since she left Roy's house but simply out of relief. She took a deep breath and reached into her underwear draw and pulled out the old framed picture of her and Gilbert. They had been hanging out for the day he had an old flat cap on with a shirt and suspenders attached to his trousers. The picture had been a silly one they both had on some of her old reading glasses thick framed her head above his she used her hair as a fake moustache on him. His eyes wide looking at the taker of the picture (Phil) and looking down at him laughing. She ran her hand over his face and started talking. "Hey." She whispered. "Has it been long enough yet?" she asked the image. "I miss you." She said as she started to sob again. "Its not the same though now, is it?" she asked him. "Tell me Gil, tell me something, anything to make this right." She let the air out of her lungs. "This is pathetic." She said her eyes rolling putting the picture back. "Going back to the imagine of the man I rejected because I broke up with someone else." She said closing the draw and wiping her eyes. She got ready for bed brushing her hair she took of the makeup and went to sleep.
"Hey Shirley." He said as she opened her eyes. She was lying under the apple tree in Green Gables orchard in the green dress she had just taken off. He was wearing the clothes he was wearing in the picture she put down just before bed. Anne watched him as he walked his basic shape she had missed before she looked at now, she never supposed men had different body type like women do, Roy was the invert of Gilbert she reflected, Gilbert was more weighted on top his shoulders broad his stomach and hips were small, she could safely admire him for some reason here. She was safe with him. "You look like you could have grown from there." He teased her reaching for an apple above him snapped it off the tree and took a bite.
"Why am I wearing this dress here?" she questioned.
"That's not the question you really wanted answering." He said in his 'I-know-you-Anne-Shirley-tone.' He sat on the white wooden bench which sat in the orchard and continued to eat the apple. "Come sit next to me." He offered.
She stood, looked at him and asked "are we still friends?" she asked him.
"What kind of question is that?" he told her. "we're kindred remember?" he asked her.
Anne took a breath of relief though she didn't know why. "Am I dreaming?" she asked him.
His lips upturned into the teasing smile "Am I your dream guy?" he asked her on the back of it.
"Shut up!" she said play shoving him and he chuckled back.
"If it is a dream you're making me say it, it's your subconscious, not mine." He shrugged "which begs the question, what am I doing here Anne Shirley?"
She sighed "I miss you I suppose, just wanted to talk to you like old times."
His bottom lip protruded and he nodded. "I miss you Shirley." He told her.
"No, you don't." she snapped at him. "Don't make stuff up."
"It's your dream." He reminded her.
"You're in love with someone else." She told him.
"I want your love." He said to her, just as he had all that time ago in the park, which made her gasp.
"Then why are you with her?!" She asked, to which the dream Gilbert looked away over the fence and said nothing.
She finally sat beside him and took his arm putting it around her. "Let's not argue, Phil will be in here any minute waking me from this dream and I just want to feel like its us again." She swallowed "get rid of this pit in my stomach." She whispered.
"Roy." He whispered to her gently "do you love him Anne?" he asked her.
"I…" she started.
"Why is it me here and not him?" he questioned.
"Gil please." She whispered. "Please just let it be us, like old times please?"
"It's your dream." He whispered, then before she knew it he took her hand and they were running through a meadow in Avonlea their hands parted and he ran ahead.
"Keep up Shirley!" he exclaimed as she went faster. "That's my girl!" he laughed as she pulled ahead. She laughed as he fell behind then he broke into a sprint.
"Gilbert Blythe!" she demanded. "Let me win!" she continued. "Even in my dreams, let me win!" she exclaimed.
He stopped suddenly with a boyish grin, she knew what he was about to do she started to run but it was too late "No!" she laughed "No Gilbert Blythe no!" she called laughing in delight he picked her up over his shoulder.
"No such luck Shirley!" he called to her as she laughed her hands right by his backside she started slapping it playfully to which he only laughed more. It was then they were both surprised when he slipped in the ditch and they both went tumbling to the ground where they both burst into laughter, they were a tangled mess on the ground but they shuffled around until she was able to slide her arms around him and she hugged him in close.
"I miss you Blythe." She told him.
"You too Shirley." He told her.