Chapter 4
"Queen Anne!" Phillipa Gordon, the pretty junior, called with a laugh upon spotting her where she waited outside the dinning hall, and then seeing Gilbert in the same group she cried out, "Gilbert Blythe as I live and breath! So you made it back here after all! Congratulations! I take it that means your father is doing better?"
"The test last week confirmed it," Gilbert said with an easy smile, realizing that the Phil, Anne had mentioned wasn't a he, but rather his friend Jonas' girlfriend.
The two girls hugged hello and then Anne quickly introduced her to the others in the group, except Gilbert.
"So how do you know everyone, Gil?" Phillipa asked curiously.
"For the most part, from Avonlea High," Gilbert said with a grin."except Anne, Pris and Stella."
"That's right, your an islander like Anne! She's from Charlotte!" Phillipa said excitedly. "You Islanders like to stick together. You won't believe what happened to poor Anne today! Some arrogant, unfeeling, neanderthal jerk with a brain the size of a pea, sorry for the vegetable reference Anne love, pulled her hair and called her carrots! Can you believe it? What type of idiot does that to a stranger?"
Gilbert flushed red and glanced at Anne, who glared at him. Phillipa looked between the two and then eyes wideing and rounding on Gilbert, said, "You're the dunce head with mush for brains that did that? What on earth were you thinking Gilbert Blythe? Your twenty one! School boys with muddy elbows and scraped knees pull girl's hair on the playground! Not fully grown men! Why would you do something so childish and asinine?"
"I wanted to say hi," Gilbert said with a grin, his eyes darting to Anne.
Phil upon seeing that said, eyes widening, "Oh no, no, no. Don't you dare, Gilbert Blythe. Don't you dare." To the rest of the group she quickly said, "Gilbert and I need to have a quick word. We'll join you inside," grabbing Gilbert's wrist and dragging him away.
Once away from the rest of the group she hissed at him, "Don't you dare. Anne isn't going to be another one of your one night stands. You stay away from her. She isn't the type to sleep around or be another notch on some guys bedpost. Anne isn't like that."
"Of course she isn't," Gilbert hissed back. "I don't want to just hook up with her. And you know I haven't slept with the majority of the females that claim they've slept with me."
"No, but you have still had more than your share of one night stands your freshman year. You didn't exactly say no when a pretty girl decided to get handsy on you," Phillipa said rolling her eyes. "And I'm sure now that your dad is better and your back, you're all to eager to fall back into your old ways. I've heard all about your freshman year, remember Gilbert Blythe."
"I know," Gilbert said groaning. "I've always said if they were offering why should I say no, but now I have a reason to say no this year. I, Anne, she-"
"Oh my God. You like her," Phillipa said in disbelief. "You actually like her. No wonder you pulled her hair and called her a name, you like her. You who has never had to chase a girl, naturally reacted like a 13 year old boy to get a girl's attention. You never had to learn and evolve like most boys and therefore reacted like any little boy with his first crush. This is hysterical. Jo is going to die laughing when he hears this. The great Gilbert Blythe, who women flock to, didn't know how to get a girl he liked's attention, so he pulled her hair. Like a school boy."
"I don't just like her Phil. She, I , ahhhh," Gilbert groaned in frustration. "I've wanted to meet her since my dad was diagnosed with cancer. The day he was diagnosed and every day after, I listened to a girl in a nearby room talk to whoever was with her every chance I could. I probably spent hours listening to her conversations. Most of them were with this older guy, I figured it was her grandpa or something. I never once heard her name, but I did catch a glimpse of her one time. Her hair was, well it was so alive and I never forgot it. Or her laugh. She had the most amazing laugh. I wanted to meet her and one morning I heard her singing and we talked for a few minutes, through the curtian and then I had to go and when I came back, she was gone. She'd left behind a note and signed it with a C-"
"Cordelia," Phillipa said laughing, knowing Anne liked the name.
"None of the hospital staff would tell me who she was. Confidential. Unable to divulge, the usual. So every time we took my dad to Charlotte, I checked out what seemed like a spot teenagers might hangout at, but never found her."
"Oh God, Gil, honey," Phillipa said laughing, "You're practically a stalker. You're lucky the hospital didn't report you. Anne, she well, it's really her story and considering everything I'm not surprised the hospital refused to give you even her first name."
"I can assure you Phil, you don't have to protect Anne from me. I don't want to just hook up with her. I want to date her, take it slow, get to know her and then someday marry her."
"You what?" Phillipa gasped.
"She's the one. I know it. I'm going to fall in love with Anne Shirely-someday-to-be-Blythe. Hell, I might all ready be in love with her if you believe in love at first sight. When I saw her again it felt like I'd been punched in the gut and hit over the head. She was pretty before, but now, now she's gorgeous."
…
Inside the dinning hall, Gilbert frowned to see Charlie in the seat on one side of Anne and Diana on her other as he walked toward the table with his hastily selected food. Seeing the seat across from her was open, he slid into it and grinned across the table at Anne and winked.
When Anne ignored Gilbert's flirtatious overture, Phil rolled her eyes and slid into the open seat next to Priscilla. She couldn't make up her mind what she thought of Gilbert's interest in Anne. Her first thought had been absolutely not, knowing his history of one night stands in college, but she had to admit, if he really wanted to get to know Anne, she couldn't help but think the two had quite a bit in common. And when she thought of it, if Gilbert didn't have such a history of non relationships when he was in college before, she might have considered trying to set them up.
She knew he hadn't slept around while taking care of his family's farm, but she had assumed it was more so the lack of opportunity back in his small hometown than anything else. On his infrequent visits to Jonas, they hadn't gone to parties, but just hung out the three of them, and occasionally some of his frat brothers or football friends, no parties though, meaning there was no chance for Gilbert to meet anyone for a one night stand. He had joked that he didn't have the temperament or time for a girlfriend and the girls in Avonlea where to clingy for a hook up and the gossips even worse. She had assummed he would resume his previous life style again and fall back into hooking up whenever he felt like it now that he was able to return to the life of a college student.
She'd always suspected that for the right girl, Gilbert would change his ways and she had to admit, despite his one night stands, which she knew were significantly less than rumored, he was always a gentleman. The question was, was Anne the right girl? With Anne's history, Gilbert would have to work hard to convince her to give him a chance and that was even without his rocky start. She eyed the way Gilbert was smiling at Anne and suspected if Anne really was the one for Gilbert, he wasn't going to be put off by Anne's cool attitude. If nothing else, it would certainly be amusing to watch Gilbert blunder around, she thought as she heard Gilbert once again attempt to flirt with Anne and Anne cooly respond to him before turning back to Ruby, her personality once again bubbling and happy when speaking to everyone but Gilbert.
Gilbert after being rebuffed by Anne yet again, sat back and studied her as she talked with animation to Ruby. An unwelcome simper and the hand roving over his chest had him sitting up and casualy moving away from the Pye cousins that had greeted him. "Josie, Gertie," he said greeting them back with less enthusiasm than they had greeted him.
"It's soooo good to see you," Gertie said quickly taking the empty seat next to him and running her fingers along his arm.
"Where are you staying, Gilbert? I'd love to see your room," Josie said plopping herself down on his lap and drapping herself over him.
Gilbert avoiding Josie's face as she leaned toward him, her intent clear, his eyes met Anne's and he was surprised to see amusement in them and distracted by it for just enough time for Josie to pounce. He felt Josie's mouth on his suddenly and he quickly pulled away and said, "My room looks just like any other, no need to see it."
"But I'm sure it must be lonely," Gertie said leaning toward him.
Seeing Anne rise, and hearing her say to Diana, "I'm going to run by the computer lab, I need to print a few things off. I'll catch up later." Gilbert promptly started to rise, dumping Joise from his lap and grabbed his tray following in her direction to deposit it. Catching up to her he said, "I've got to go to the computer lab too. I can carry your papers for you after you print them."
"And will your fan club be joining you?" Anne asked raising an eyebrow.
"What can I say, women love me," Gilbert said flashing her a grin.
"Yes, you rather do seem to think yourself to be God's gift to women," Anne said dryly. "Good luck with that," she added walking away.
"Well you know if the hat fits," Gilbert said with a grin following her.
Stopping Anne said, "I don't like you. I don't want to be your friend. Your rude, arrogant, full of yourself and you seem to think you should flex your muscles every opportunity that you get-"
"So you noticed," Gilbert said with a pleased grin.
"I think everyone in a five mile radius noticed. Let me put this in a language you can understand. Anne no like you. We no be friends. Was that to complicated for your caveman self to understand?" Anne said tossing her braid and walking away.
"My neanderthal brain says, Gil like. Gil no be just friends. Gil take Anne out for a date tomorrow?" Gilbert said catching up to her.
"No," Anne said without looking at him.
"Okay what about the next night?" he said easily.
"No."
"The next-"
"No."
"I'm just gonna keep asking until you say yes," Gilbert said undeterred.
"I'll save you the time tonight and tell you I'm just going to say no," Anne said gritting her teeth.
"Then I'll just ask you tomorrow," Gilbert said with a shrug. "Eventually you'll say yes."
"You don't deal well with rejection do you? " Anne asked.
"Most girls don't reject me. This would actually be a first for me," Gilbert said grinning at her. "Besides I like you."
"You don't know me," Anne said pointedly.
"Yet," Gilbert pointed out grabbing the computer lab door and holding it open for her. "But I want to know you better. I bet I know you better than you think."
"Doubtful," Anne said with narrowed eyes, before entering the computer lab and finding a seat. She quickly logged in and printed a new copy of her class schedule, her previous one having suffered the fate of her anger as she jabbed her pen at it scribbling blindly to keep herself from screaming.
Gilbert who had been lounging agaisnt the wall next to the printer while Anne was on the computer grabbed it as soon as it printed. Seeing Anne was printing something else as well, he quickly glanced at it and grinned to see they would have geometry together the next day. Looking up he met Anne's irritaited gaze. "Didn't you have something you needed to do in here," Anne snapped at him.
"I did. Walk with you here. And when your done I'm gonna walk you to wherever you are going next," Gilbert said grinning.
Before Anne could object, the door opened and two girls came in. Both checked Gilbert out and gave him flirtatious smiles. Gilbert out of habit smiled back and winked and then turned his attention back to Anne who was rolling her eyes.
Anne decided the quickest way to be rid of him would be to finish printing her things and leave. When she stood up to leave Gilbert was right with her and he cheerfully smiled at her. Anne snatched her papers from his hands and with determined strides made for the stairwell, assumming he would not want to walk up six flights of stairs, which would be nothing for her. Upon reaching her floor she was disgruntled to see that he wasn't even winded and was whistling happily, stopping to grin at her when she met his eyes. Unlocking her door she quickly slipped inside and closed it in his face.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Anne," Gilbert called cheerfully through the closed doorway. Unbeknownst to him Anne was standing with her back against it, facing a giggling Diana, Ruby and Jane.
"I think Gilbert really likes you," Diana whispered.
"I think he really likes himself more than anything, " Anne said rolling her eyes. "I'm not interested in the likes of him."
"I don't think I've ever seen him show off for a girl before," Ruby said with a dreamy sigh. "Those muscles-"
"The idiot actually flexed his biceps before eating," Anne said scathingly remembering how when Phillipa had teased him he had enough food on his plate for two people he had flexed his arms and said he needed to eat his carbs with a wink at Anne.
"It was dinner and a show," Jane said with a sigh. "It was so adorable when he said he thought you were sweeter than anything they had out for dessert, Anne."
"I liked when he ask Anne if she had a map because he could get lost in her eyes," Diana said with a sigh.
"No, when he gave her his apple muffin because Charlie spilt his soda on Anne's and Moody had taken the last one so she ouldn't get a new one. That was so sweet," Ruby said. "I can't believe you didn't eat it after being upset that Charlie ruined yours, Anne."
….
As Gilbert approached his room he was surprised to see Phillipa leaning against the wall next to his door. "You do beat all," she said by way of greeting when he got there. "I cannot believe you not only pulled her hair, flexed your muscles, used cheesy pick up lines-
"Well nothing was working," Gilbert protested.
"It was going a bit far when you ask if she really intended to hold the carrots statement agaisnt you and when she said yes, you ask her if you said she had a beautiful body, would she hold it against you too. You are absolutely unbelievable."
"I thought that one was pretty good," Gilbert said with a grin.
"Have you heard of coming on to strong?" Phillipa said smirking.
"Coming on to strong would be taking a move out of Josie's play book. Though I wouldn't be opposed to pulling Anne into my lap and kissing her," Gilbert said cheekily.
"As hilarious as it would be to see Anne drop you, don't do that. Please do not do that. That would be a very very very bad idea," Phillipa said seriously.
"You know I'm not going to do that," Gilbert said rolling his eyes.
"Well there was a time I would have assumed you wouldn't pull a girl's hair at your age, but as witnessed at dinner, you were like a bull in a china shop, so I don't think I should make to many assumptions," Phillipa said. "None of what you were trying was actually going to work."
"Well I'll try again tomorrow. We have Geometry together," Gilbert said.
"Anne hates geometry. I think the only thing that could make geometry worse for her is you being in her class. Why are you taking a Geometry class any way?"
"I never sat my exam for it my last term freshman year, so my professor failed me. I have to retake it and a few others to get off academic probation" Gilbeet said with a shrug. "If Anne isn't any good at it, I could offer to tutor her," he added eagerly.
"Offer, yes. Have her accept, no," Phillipa said with a laugh. "She was so mad at you for calling her carrots, Gil. She killed her poor schedule scribbling on it violently."
"How was I supposed to know it would make her mad," he protested.
"Becuase at your age you should know better than to pull a girl's hair!" Phillipa exclaimed.
"Okay so it wasn't my finest moment. I just, I just wanted-"
"Anne's attention? Well I guess you could say you certianly got it, just not in the expected way," she said smirking.
"What can you tell me about Anne?"
"I'm not sure I should tell you anything about Anne," Phillipa countered. "Consorting with the enemy and all that."
"I'm not the enemy," Gilbert said crossly. "We just didn't get off to the best start."
"I know. I can't wait to tell Jo about it," she said grinning at him.
"Yea, how does Anne know Jo? And why is he in a prom picture with her?" Gilbert asked remembering the photos in Anne's room.
"Because he was her prom date. And he met Anne the same way he met you, Gil."
"The hospital?" Gilbert asked quietly.
"Yea. Around the same time I think," Phillipa said and added, "and don't ask me why, because it really isn't my place to share it. It's Anne's."
