VIII
Author's note: Long time no write, eh? Okay, I'm SORRY. When you have the fate of two school publication resting (partially--okay, very partially) on your shoulders, in addition to soccer practice and mounds upon mounds of homework ::sob, sob:: ... Well, anyway, I'll try to be more, um, timely ::cough:: with writing the rest of my story. This part is very short--more is forthcoming. Enjoy.
Anne shut the door to her east gable room, collapsed on her bed, and sighed, letting out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. Still engulfed in fury, she had thankfully escaped Marilla's concerned glances and Mrs. Lynde's curious stares, and now had time to think.
What had happened? One minute she had been ambling along, convinced-yes, convinced, Anne thought ruefully-that Gilbert Blythe was still in love with her, and the next, what? Of one thing she was certain, that Gilbert Blythe had never liked Josie Pye. So why on earth would he ask her to the banquet?
Then it hit her. She had acted like such a fool at dinner yesterday-why, even Miss Lavender had implied that she'd made herself ridiculous. So it must have been obvious to Gilbert-oh, no. Clearly he had become aware of her feelings, and asking Josie to the banquet was his way of subtly hinting his disinterest.
Anne sat up suddenly, and put her head in her hands. Her anger rose again, but this time it was directed toward herself. Oh, goodness, what an idiot she had been, and in front of Josie, at that! How much satisfaction she must have gotten! Not only had Anne shown that she was hurt, but with the subsequent flare of her temper…oh, this was utterly awful!
How could she have been so mistaken? Again!? Well, she was done with love-and Gilbert. Not that he would ever talk to her again after the demeaning insults she flung at him.
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Gilbert, after a very confused parting from Josie, walked up the path toward his house, slightly dazed. He tried to go over the incidents of the last five minutes, but his head started to hurt. All he knew was that he had somehow been roped into attending the banquet with Josie, and was not entirely pleased at that fact.
And Anne-he was furious with Anne. How could she say those-those utter lies? In no way had he begged. She was completely out of line, and why? Why would she even think that, let alone say it aloud with a witness?
Then it dawned upon him. Of course, how stupid could he be? It was looking him right in the face. He had undoubtedly made a brassbound fool of himself at Miss Lavender's house over her-why, even stoic Steven Irving had noticed. Anne had evidently noticed too, and was annoyed-rightly so, she had already refused him once. Well he would not pursue her-he would not. Goodness, hadn't he already told himself that? Well, this time he meant it-even if it meant he had to be nice to Josie at the banquet.
A little flicker of doubt still existed in Gilbert's heart, however, when he recalled the expression of unmistakable pain that had flashed across Anne's face when she came upon him and Josie. What had that meant-NO, he was done with her. He wouldn't think on it anymore.
Author's note: Long time no write, eh? Okay, I'm SORRY. When you have the fate of two school publication resting (partially--okay, very partially) on your shoulders, in addition to soccer practice and mounds upon mounds of homework ::sob, sob:: ... Well, anyway, I'll try to be more, um, timely ::cough:: with writing the rest of my story. This part is very short--more is forthcoming. Enjoy.
Anne shut the door to her east gable room, collapsed on her bed, and sighed, letting out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. Still engulfed in fury, she had thankfully escaped Marilla's concerned glances and Mrs. Lynde's curious stares, and now had time to think.
What had happened? One minute she had been ambling along, convinced-yes, convinced, Anne thought ruefully-that Gilbert Blythe was still in love with her, and the next, what? Of one thing she was certain, that Gilbert Blythe had never liked Josie Pye. So why on earth would he ask her to the banquet?
Then it hit her. She had acted like such a fool at dinner yesterday-why, even Miss Lavender had implied that she'd made herself ridiculous. So it must have been obvious to Gilbert-oh, no. Clearly he had become aware of her feelings, and asking Josie to the banquet was his way of subtly hinting his disinterest.
Anne sat up suddenly, and put her head in her hands. Her anger rose again, but this time it was directed toward herself. Oh, goodness, what an idiot she had been, and in front of Josie, at that! How much satisfaction she must have gotten! Not only had Anne shown that she was hurt, but with the subsequent flare of her temper…oh, this was utterly awful!
How could she have been so mistaken? Again!? Well, she was done with love-and Gilbert. Not that he would ever talk to her again after the demeaning insults she flung at him.
***********************************************************************
Gilbert, after a very confused parting from Josie, walked up the path toward his house, slightly dazed. He tried to go over the incidents of the last five minutes, but his head started to hurt. All he knew was that he had somehow been roped into attending the banquet with Josie, and was not entirely pleased at that fact.
And Anne-he was furious with Anne. How could she say those-those utter lies? In no way had he begged. She was completely out of line, and why? Why would she even think that, let alone say it aloud with a witness?
Then it dawned upon him. Of course, how stupid could he be? It was looking him right in the face. He had undoubtedly made a brassbound fool of himself at Miss Lavender's house over her-why, even stoic Steven Irving had noticed. Anne had evidently noticed too, and was annoyed-rightly so, she had already refused him once. Well he would not pursue her-he would not. Goodness, hadn't he already told himself that? Well, this time he meant it-even if it meant he had to be nice to Josie at the banquet.
A little flicker of doubt still existed in Gilbert's heart, however, when he recalled the expression of unmistakable pain that had flashed across Anne's face when she came upon him and Josie. What had that meant-NO, he was done with her. He wouldn't think on it anymore.