A/N

Thanks for the reviews! I actually thought about scratching the story, but then I got some really nice comments :)

TW: Slight description of dissociation episode and panic attacks.


Anne leaned against the door, crossing her arms thoughtfully. Admittedly, she didn't know Gilbert very well, and while he did seem immature, he didn't look like a liar. She rubbed her right temple gently as if massaging it would help her process this new information. One thing was for sure, that damn fragrance of apples that Gilbert left wasn't helping her make a decision. After waiting for what seemed like enough time, Anne entered the cafeteria. No one noticed that her and Gilbert's conversation, which was a good thing. Ruby herself was harmless, but Anne had a feeling that her friend, Josie, has been looking for an excuse to go after her. Diana sat alone, scrolling through her phone aimlessly. When Anne sat at the table, she lifted her gaze, grinning teasingly.

"Wow, such a strange coincidence that both you and Gilbert were late for lunch." She rested her chin on her hand, head tilted slightly.

Damn.

"Hey, where are the rest of the girls?" Anne changed the subject, and turned her head, scanning for the others.

"Ruby likes to go after Gilbert, so he would notice her when she enters." She gestured towards the door, as Ruby walked pass Gilbert slowly. Josie, Tilly, and Jane behind her, rolling their eyes. They sat next to Gilbert's table, instead of Anne's and Diana's table.

"Why they didn't join us?" Anne wondered out loud as she moved her peas around the tray. She tried to grab the attention of the girls, but it seemed like they didn't notice her.

"Hey speaking of joining, I don't understand why you're so stubborn. You need to join a club, and he just handed you an opportunity." Diana, of course, had a point. She should join the Academic Team, and one could interpret Gilbert's suggestion as kind, but something felt strange to Anne. It could be because she never much experience with friendly strangers, or was the peculiar, mysterious aura that shrouded him?

"Anything interesting on the Instagram today?" Anne asked, ignoring the question.

"It's just Instagram. The 'the' is unnecessary." Diana shook her head, scoffing. Anne looked away, slightly embarrassed. The only cellphone she ever had was this knock-off brand that was used mainly to contact her social worker, but that thing was more brick than a connected device. Hell, she couldn't even text from it, just accept calls. On more than one occasion, she was made fun because of it, but Anne saw no point in replacing it. First of all, they were quite expensive, but if she was honest with herself, the price was minor to another disturbing fact: Anne never had someone that cared about her. If she had a fancy phone like everyone else, it would become abundantly clear how lonely she truly is. When she came to Avonlea high, she was scared that people would notice her absence on the internet, luckily for Anne, it was "on brand" for her not to like social media, so no one questioned it.

"Hey, did I hit a nerve or something?" Diana studied Anne's every facial feature. Anne paused for a moment before shaking her head.

"N-no. I'm fine." Her mouth felt incredibly dry, and getting out syllable was next to torture. Diana scanned Anne from head to toe yet again, squinting her eyes. After what felt like forever, she sighed, gently pressing on the upper bridge of her nose.

"I am an asshole." She declared. "I should've known that you never..."

"It's fine." Anne leaned forward to hold Diana's hand. "I would surely be corrupted by its power and become completely insufferable. My imagination would perish, and I would have nothing but my fading memories to remind me of my lost creativity." Anne talked rapidly, trying her best to cheer up her friend.

"And texts."

"Yes. Fading memories and texts," Anne agreed.

"Well, if you want, I have more than a few old devices back home," Diana suggested, trying to sound as casual as possible like she wasn't offering her a costly gift. Anne barely contained a chuckle.

"You're very kind," Anne assured her. "But I'm afraid that my darned, Irish pride could never let me accept your generous gift." She placed the back of her hand on her forehead, tilting her head dramatically.

"Are you Irish?" Diana crooked an eyebrow, chortling doubtfully.

"Well, I don't know. Everyone always told me that my hair looks Irish, so..." Anne shrugged. "Besides, I would much rather earn my keep. It would also look good on my college application." Diana narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips into a fine line. She then turned to her phone to text someone, every once in awhile peeking at the confused Anne. After a few moments, she received a text that made her grin.

"Well, I might not be able to help you get into a club, but as for a job... I might have an idea."


When the day ended, Anne tried to say goodbye to Josie, who sat in front of her, but instead, she scoffed, rolling her eyes. She wanted to ask her if everything was alright when Diana rushed her to go home.

"Do you have any idea why Josie has been weird to me?" Anne asked when they were both in the car. Diana gave her half a shrug, waving her hand in a dismissive matter.

"She's probably just in a bad mood. Ignore her." Diana drove Anne to a secret location, refusing to tell her where they were going.

"Wait, we're in my neighborhood." Anne gasped as she pressed her face to the window. Diana smiled mysteriously.

"What a strange coincidence."

Diana parked near a small coffee house. As they entered, a wave of freshly roasted beans greeted them. It was a lovely place, made out of mahogany wood, filled with comfortable looking chairs. The café was almost empty, besides a few costumers, most of them sat alone, reading or tapping on their laptop.

Diana took off her jacket and rushed over to the counter. There was a tall, lanky boy with dark hair that fell across his face. The moment he noticed Diana, his eyes lit up.

"Diana!" He called in a slight French accent. Anne took off her jacket, approaching the counter with caution.

"Anne! I want you to meet my friend, Jerry!" Diana pulled Jerry from his collar for Anne to see. Poor Jerry waved Anne awkwardly, glancing towards Diana.

"Nice to meet you, Jerry." Anne smiled politely, reaching her hand. After Jerry was released for Diana's grip, he examined her, when a sudden realization hit him.

"Diana! Is that the friend you've been telling me about?" he beamed, covering his mouth with hands. Diana nodded, pulling Anne to a sideways hug.

"Yes, she is. But I'm afraid there is something that I failed to mention about her." Diana paused for a dramatic effect. Anne gawked her, only to receive a playful wink. "She is extremely passionate about coffee."

That was a lie. Anne hated coffee; it was too bitter for her. She would much rather have a nice cup of tea. Or an energy drink, if she really needed caffeine.

"Is that so?" Jerry sneered, leaning back against the coffee machine, only to lose balance and slightly trip. Anne laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Yes. I adore it. The smell... the...ah... "Anne stared at Diana, begging to be saved, yet Diana seemed more invested with exchanging amused looks with Jerry. "The ones that are fair trade!" She called out.

"How about the taste of it?"

"Well..." Anne lingered on the word, trying to come up with something that wasn't quite a lie but also wasn't rude. "You can appreciate an art piece without putting it in your mouth. And coffee is nothing but a form of art." When Anne was nervous, she began to babble. She was sure that she blew her chance, but to her surprise, Jerry laughed.

"This is just a coffee place. The only qualification needed is a will to work here. Do you want to work here?"

"Very much so."

"Congrats. You're hired!" He threw at hair an apron that was covered with coffee stains. Just as Anne was about to thank him for the opportunity, a young man quickly approached them, seemingly very stressed.

"Jerry! Why are you throwing things at costumers?!" He called in a panic. "That's why you are not allowed to leave the kitchen! DO YOU KNOW HOW YELP CAN RUIN LIVES?! No customer should ever face...oh, hey Diana." The moment he spotted her, he calmed down. Jerry poured him a glass of water, shaking his head in amusement. He grabbed the water glass, slouching down a nearby armchair.

"Cole, this is Anne, our newest hire." Cole narrowed his eyes, drinking suspiciously for his glass.

"You are NOT allowed to hire anyone! The ONLY thing you are allowed to manage is the dough." He muttered angrily to Jerry. Then, Cole turned to head, tilting his head to the side.

"Please forget what my friend just told you, let's start over." He snatched the apron from Anne's hands, gesturing her to sit down. Anne gave Diana a frighten glance while sitting in front of Cole.

Cole looked at her for a few more moments, narrowing his eyes.

"Do you want to work here?" He asked, sounding intense. Anne nodded bewildered.

"Congrats! you're hired!" He called, throwing the apron at Anne yet again. His expression suddenly changed; a kind smile rested on his lips. "I'm Cole. It's lovely to meet you, Anne. I'm usually in charge of making the coffee-"

"He isn't the manager, by the way." Jerry cut him off, pushing his head above the counter

"I AM THE ASSISTANT TO-" Diana rolled her eyes and pushed Jerry's head from whence he came

"Cole does the best drawing with steamed milk," Diana said, quickly disposing of the situation. Her words made Cole's expression shift immediately from anger to pleasure, making Cole slightly blush.

"You're too kind to me, Diana." he covered his face with his hand, concealing a smile. "We're looking for a waitress. It's really easy because, as you can see, we don't have lots of tables, and we don't have lots of items on the menu. Just asked Diana, she figured everything by her first shift." Diana's body immediately tensed, and suddenly she became very preoccupied with the view from the window.

"You... have a job?' Anne asked slowly, squinting her eyes. Diana bit the inside of her mouth and rubbed her upper arm.

"Surprise?" her voice was a bit higher than usual like she was caught red-handed. Anne shifted her gaze back and forth from Diana to Cole to Jerry.

"Why?" Anne blurted out without thinking. Diana snorted to Anne's bluntness, amused. Anne was aware she might have come off as rude, but it was unusual. Diana was rich, she didn't need the money, and even if she did want to work, she could always score something more prestigious. To Anne Diana was practically a real-life princess, working, let alone in a coffee shop, seemed below her.

"Is she always so forward?" Cole asked.

"Only when she's speaking." Diana joked. Anne raised her eyebrow. "Sometimes, even when she's not." She added, letting her out tongue out in a playful matter.

"I'm sorry if I've hurt your feelings, it's just... well..." Anne thought carefully, trying to build a proper sentence in her mind.

"Don't worry. You being direct is one of my favorite things about you." Diana assured Anne, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "As for working here..." Diana lingered for a bit, taking a deep breath. "Well, I'm used to having every aspect of my life being controlled. My parents already know which college I'm going to attend what career I'll pursue. Hell, they probably already figured out who's going to be my future husband." Diana puffed her cheeks, letting the air out loudly. "I know it sounds cliché, and I know it's a tiny problem to have nowadays. But it's this or therapy."

"Diana… I think your story is tragically beautiful. It could have made for a great novel." Anne stood up, grabbing Diana's hands. "A beautiful socialite grows tired of the mundane life of money and fortune, disguises herself to be a commoner to find freedom…"

"And minimum wage," Diana added, giggling to Anne's words.

"This is why we're calling her princess Di here." Jerry nudged his head over the counter yet again, only to be forced back by Diana.

"It started as a joke, and now it's on my name tag." Diana's eyebrows were drawn in a frown.

"You are very majestic." Cole flattered, flashing Diana a bright smile. As her three new co-workers talked amongst them, about which one was responsible for Diana's name tag, when should Anne start working and sharing stories about horrible costumers, Anne felt like another piece from Diana was uncovered. With all her mystery, each time she got to know her better, she only loved her more.

When Anne returned to the house, it was dark outside. Time flew quickly at the cafe, and it was nice, not to have the weight of her entire future on her shoulder. She entered the place quietly since she wasn't sure if Marilla was awake or not. However, She found Marilla in the kitchen, stirring a bowl loudly. Around her were all kinds of baked goods, enough to feed an entire colony. Anne assumed there was some kind of event that kept Marilla busy enough to regard her. Anne gently tapped on the kitchen door, causing Marilla to jump slightly.

"Dear Lord, don't startle me like that!" Marilla called while grabbing a towel to wipe off the flour she spilled. Anne rushed to her aid, grabbing it from the tall cabinet.

"Sorry, I tried to be quiet." She apologized, offering the towel as a token of her remorse. Marilla grabbed it, narrowing her eyes to a thin line.

"Where you've been? You should have been back here more than two hours ago!" her voice broke down like she was fighting to keep her composure. Anne cocked an eyebrow, trying to understand why she was so mad.

"I got a job. I could help you with the bills, and I know that I'm a both-"

"That's not an excuse! You've got me worried sick!" Marilla yelled in a fury. Anne stood silent, not saying a word. She could always slip in and out of her previous homes. She could've disappeared for hours, days even, without being noticed. She recalled a time when she hid in the closet, waiting for someone to look out for her. It was cold and damp in that place, but she was willing to suffer to find proof, any proof, that someone out there cared for her. She remembered the joy she felt when the door finally opened, and the crushing disappointment when she realized her foster parent was looking for a coat. He didn't ask any questions and shut the door after grabbing what he needed.

"Anne, I should always know where you are at all times. Got it?!" Anne's lower lip trembled as she dropped her bag on the floor and wrapped her arms tightly around the surprised woman.

"W-what… What are you doing?" Marilla mumbled, her body was stiff but not rejecting. Anne buried her face in Marilla's bosom, as she felt arms gently unfolding around her. The moment was delicate, Anne was afraid that if she moved if she said anything, it would break, but then she felt a hand reaching out, stroking the back of her head in slow, soothing motions. It was the first time anyone has ever done that. And even though the fire was out, and weather outside was cold, Anne felt warmth.


The next day, Anne woke up feeling determined. It was the kind of motivation you get when you feel validated and cared for, and yesterday filled Anne with newfound strength. After discussing the matter with Marilla, she decided to accept Gilbert's offer and join the academic team. It was the right thing to do in the first place. It was just hard to hear it from Gilbert's lips. She still had no idea why he agreed to let her into the group, or why it irritated her when he did, but she had no choice anyway.

When she arrived at school, she scanned the class, searching for Gilbert, when Josie suddenly popped in front of her. Anne blinked a few times; her head jerked back from surprise.

"Hey, can I help you?" Anne talked slowly, trying to remain polite with caution. Josie was fickle being. She could be sweet, one instance, and cruel the very next. Talking to her was like flipping a coin; you would never know which side you'd get.

"The real question is, can you help yourself ?" Josie's tone indicated clearly the side that she landed on this morning. Anne's eyes shifted left and right, and she was trying to understand the reason behind her behavior.

"Are you looking for Gilbert? He's not here yet." Josie said in a mocking voice.

"I didn't think you were that kind of girl, Anne." Ruby cried from somewhere. Anne peeked over Josie's shoulder and found the short blonde girl, sobbing loudly. Behind her, Jane and Tilly held her, shifting comforting smiles and scolding glared between the two of them.

"What?" Anne asked, her eyebrows drawn in confusion.

"I saw you two yesterday." Josie crossed her arms, moving closer to Anne. "You seemed really close. He caressed your disgusting face, and I saw the whole thing." Anne tried to remember the specific event, but she had no idea what Josie was talking about.

"You knew Ruby was in love with him. Why would do that to her?" Jane said while hugging Ruby tenderly.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Anne called, trying to defend herself. She wasn't interested in Gilbert, and he didn't care for her, so this whole thing seemed like a lousy excuse to bully her.

"LAIR!" Ruby yelled as she buried her face in her table.

Anne hugged herself as she tried to take deep breaths. She never thought of herself as popular, but she did believe that being friends with the beloved Diana would protect her from those girls. Was it too much to ask, not to be picked on of just one damn day? Not to be brayed for some made-up crime she never committed?

"I didn't do anything!" Anne cried in desperation.

Josie smiled viciously as she pulled out her phone and shoved it in Anne's face. "Then, how to do you explain this?!" her voice indicated victory. Anne's eyes moved down, looking at a faded picture of Gilbert and herself, in what seemed like an intimate situation. Anne remembered when Gilbert covered her mouth with his hand, but from that angle, it looked like he was holding her cheek. It was strange to see herself in that light. It was so ridiculous that a snort escaped Anne's lips.

"Excuse me, skank?" Josie snickered.

"Do you find the complete betrayal you've made funny?" Jane said horrified. Anne could see the joy behind Josie's beautiful sea-glass eyes. Seeing Anne cornered and Ruby weeping gave her twisted satisfaction. Was she sadistic or plain bored?

"You're a horrible person, and I can't believe you have the nerves to steal another girl's guy and just laugh it off!" Tilly shook her head in disdain.

"No, I just find this whole thing absurd." Anne pushed her long braid behind her, flipping it sideways. "Gilbert was silencing me; it was hardly romantic, and more like a rude gesture." Ruby's head peeked, as she gazed at Anne, hopefully. Josie turned to the girls, appearing a bit disoriented.

"Anne, why did he silence you?" Tilly asked quietly. Josie lifted her chin, thankful for the unexpected save. Anne bit lower lip, glancing towards Gilbert and Diana, who walked into the room together. She could've told them everything about her and Billy's fight, but she had a strong feeling they couldn't be fully trusted.

"He just offered me to join the academic team. I need a club if I want to qualify to be an honorary student. I said no, but he hushed me and told me to think about it." Anne glanced toward Gilbert, who's eyebrows were arched in amusement. Josie's nose twitched in disgust, as Ruby sighed with relief.

"If I had any other club, I would join. I don't think we would get along very well." Anne added quickly, jumping on the opportunity. Ruby clapped her hands together as she moved towards Anne.

"I can get you into my club! It's the cinema club. We mostly watch movies, and we're supposed to discuss them, but..." She looked around secretively. "We don't. We skip school early!"

Anne chewed on her lower lip. Though Ruby sounded excited to have her join, and it was tempting to think that her offer was due to deep admiration towards her, Anne wondered why she didn't suggest the club earlier, before she knew about Gilbert's proposal.

"What are you guys talking about?" Diana asked, giving Anne a questioning look.

"Anne's going to join our cinema club!" Ruby smiled widely. Diana's eye squinted in suspicion.

"I thought it was closed." Her expression indicated that she wasn't pleased with Ruby.

"Moody is pretty much obsessed with our Ruby. I bet she could do something about it." Tilly laughed heartily as she jostled Ruby.

"Also, it would prove that you don't have any interest in Gilbert." Josie followed, chuckling darkly. "Because if you'd sell out Ruby, who made you a very kind offer, who's to say that Diana won't be next?" Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard; it made Anne's spine shiver. She turned to Diana as to promise that never happen; however Diana snorted as if the whole matter was ridiculous.

"Good point." Jane agreed. "People act in patterns. It will leave a horrible impression on everyone if you reject Ruby for a guy."

"Oh, don't make it sound so dramatic! Think about, will you?" Ruby grinned, unaware of the hidden tension beneath the surface.


Don't be an idiot. Join Gilbert

Anne received a note from Diana during the class. She tossed it aside, as she continued to copy the words from the board.

Anne, I am serious.

Anne, do not ignore me. I am serious, join the club.

Anne rolled her eyes as she grabbed her pen, cut off a piece of paper, and began to write.

Well, I just need a club, does it matter which one? Diana glared at her, and Anne could tell from her writing she was quite annoyed.

Sure! I bet winning nationals and watching sharknado would leave the exact same impression!

Anne buried a laugh, shaking her head. Diana was a true friend, no doubt, but a thought crept into Anne's mind, one that Josie has planted meticulously. If she'd join Gilbert's club, that would anger the girls, which means Anne would become an outcast. She and Diana were close friends, which could also place Diana in the crossing fire, making her lose her social status. Sure, they were close, but would they still be if it meant Diana needed to make that sacrifice?

And even if she was willing to, how could Anne ask her to do?

Another note reached Anne's desk. She chuckled, glancing towards Diana, who, to her surprise, shrugged. Anne opened the note slowly, scanning the classroom. Her gaze froze on Gilbert.

I need an answer.


"So… have you made a decision yet?" Gilbert stood next to Anne's desk, blocking her way. "I did send you a note, but turn our post system here is terrible." Anne peeked behind over his shoulder to Ruby, who gave her a pitiful look. Anne decided the best could do to make things clear, was to act indifferent. She continued to flip through her book, shrugging nonchalantly.

"What? Scared that you might find someone smarter than you?" He teased. Anne's hand clenched in her book.

"Statistically, I'm not the smartest person in the world." She said, shoving her notebook into her bag. "Factually, however, I'm certain that I am smarter than you." Gilbert's lips crawled down in a pout as he lowered himself to face her.

"Come one, strawberry shortcake!"

"Wow, you guys have pet names for each other? That's not suspicious." Josie flashed her teeth.

"She calls me idiot." Gilbert grinned at Josie. Anne buried her face on the desk, utterly frustrated. Each time that he talked to her, he only made her look more guilty.

"Come on. Join." Anne didn't answer. She couldn't think of a sentence that would sentence her to social pariah. Suddenly she felt his body heat next to her. Her breath stopped, and she didn't dare to lift her head.

"Fine, suits yourself." He patted her head, playfully pulling her braid. That was a big mistake on his side. His actions, of course, on their own, weren't so bad. However, what Gilbert has failed to realize that Anne, like anyone, had her soft spots. The moment his hands grabbed her braid, she felt as she was pulled back to her foster home, surrounded by hungry and cruel children. Her breath became shallow, her palms became sweaty, and her body began to tremble. Memories of the past flashed across her mind. She could almost hear them taunting her, chasing her across the house, as she desperately looked for a place to hide. While she knew it wasn't the same situation, her body reacted differently. Out of sheer instinct, Anne grabbed the nearest book and slammed it across Gilbert's head.

"LET GO OF ME!" Anne yelled loudly. Gilbert wobbled for a bit before landing on the floor.

The whole class went silence.

"GILBERT!" Ruby cried in panic, as she hurried to his side. Gilbert sat quickly, with an unreadable expression. Diana, in response, rushed to hold Anne. Until she felt Diana's grip, she didn't even realize she was shaking.

"Breath," Diana ordered as she tightened her grip on Anne. Anne swallowed her spit, nodding. She wanted to reach out and help Gilbert stand up, but her body refused to move even a step closer to Gilbert.

"Anne. Answer-" Anne couldn't understand the words that came out of Diana's mouth. It was like trying to hear someone underwater. She gave Diana a blank look, too tired to ask her to repeat. Diana gestured to a surprised Mrs. Philps, who gawked at Anne.

"I said, Anne Shirley, what is the matter with you?!" he spoke quietly, in a low and authoritative voice. Anne's shoulder slouched as she clenched her fists, completely helpless. She glanced towards Gilbert, who used Moody to pull himself up. She wanted to explain herself, to apologizes, but most of all, she wanted to rip Gilbert apart for pushing her buttons. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to salvage an explanation from the chaos inside her head, but before she could, she felt a light press her back.

"I'm fine, sir," Gilbert said shortly, using his other hand to cover the bruise. "She tried to pack her books. I got in the way. It was an accident." Gilbert lied without hesitation. It was a bad lie, completely unrealistic, but he sounded confident, and sometimes that is more than enough. Gilbert hugged Anne's shoulder, as to show they were on good terms. Anne clenched her jaw, nodding without saying anything. She knew that she wouldn't be able to talk calmly.

"I saw the whole thing! Anne was distracted; she didn't mean to do it!" Diana chimed, her voice slightly too high.

"And I'm sure that dear old Anne is agonizing over this misunderstanding. The very least I could do is allow her to escort me to the nurse." He flashed a charming smile to the gathering crowd as he leaned on Anne.

observed the room as Diana and Gilbert tried to concoct a web of lies, using their charm and grace to bait the audience. Even Ruby seemed convinced that this whole thing was just a misunderstanding. Anne admitted to herself that both of them had a natural way of drawing people. Though Anne had a vast imagination, she was never a good liar and had always worn her heart on her sleeve, and right now, she was furious. She prayed that her teacher wouldn't ask for her version, because she knew it would turn out well.

"I've had enough of this mess. Anne Shirley, take some responsibilities for your action, and take Mr. Blyth to the nurse right now!" He gestured toward the door at the end of his tether. Anne nodded quietly, trying to make her way to the door seethingly, with Gilbert on her shoulder.