Rewrites and Needed Changes Chapter 3: Just My Imagination, an anne with an e fanfic

A week later, I was finally well enough to venture outdoors. Marilla insisted that I stay close to the house, so I settled in a chair off the side of the house under a sweet tree with Jane Eyre. Diane had special permission from her parents to bring my schoolwork every day, so at least I got to see her face and talk a few minutes each weekday with her. She would be coming by any minute now, so every once in a while, I stopped reading to check. Mr. Rochester had just proclaimed his love for Jane when I heard someone whistling. I look up and it's no other than Gilbert Blythe. I squint my eyes and grumble to myself, "Now what does he want?" He notices me sitting under the tree and waves. I fight the urge to roll my eyes and wave back instead.

"Hello, Anne. You look like you are feeling much better. Diana was not in school today, so I offered to bring by your school work. I hope that's okay." I notice he has a bruise on his cheek. "What happened there?" I ask, pointing at the bruise. He smiles slightly and shrugs. "Oh, it's nothing really. Just got into a little scuffle with one of the other boys at school. He looks worse." I chewed on my bottom lip, worrying because I had a feeling who the other boy was. "Well, I don't think that's anything to brag about. What was the fight over anyway." I ask out of pure curiosity. He looked around then knelt down in front of me. "Well, you see, the other boy thought he should take your things to you. It didn't make much sense because I live closer to Green Gables than him. So, I started walking, and he followed me then tried prying your work from my arms. So I pushed him away, and he punched at me, hitting me in my cheek. Then I placed your work and my bag on the ground just in case he came at me again, which he did so I hit him in the jaw and knocked him down. It was the only way, you see." He was blushing slightly and looked ashamed. "Well, I am certainly nothing to figure that over. You should have just given the boy my things." I huff.

Gilbert looks at me for a few moments then says, "Anne? Are you and Billy, you know?" I arch my eyebrows waiting for him to finish his question. When he looks at me for a response I tell him, "Are we what?" He sighs, "Is Billy Andrews your boyfriend?" I turn beet red, and he can see the shock in my face. "Billy and I are clearly just friends. I don't know where you would get that idea from, Gilbert Blythe, but I assure you that is not true." He smile then chuckled a bit. "Well, I think you need to tell him that. He's the boy I fought off. When I started walking away from him, he said, 'You have no right! We kissed. We're together! Anne and I love each other.' I mean, I didn't believe it, but I thought you should know." I felt nauseous. He had told Gilbert that we kissed. He stole that kiss! Oh, I wanted to scream!

I get up on wobbly legs and fall into him, so I ask Gilbert to assist me back into the house. "Anne, are you alright?" I hear Marilla shout from the chicken coop. "Miss Cuthbert, she is just a bit dizzy. I am going to help her into the house." Gilbert yells out to her. When he gets me settled on the loveseat in the parlor, I ask him to fetch me a glass of cold water. While he's gone, I start to feel hot tears stream from my eyes. How could he? I trusted Billy not to say anything about that kiss. I didn't even want it. He forced it on me. I begin choking out sobs as Gilbert returns with the water. "Anne! What's wrong?" he says as he comforts me with an arm around my shaking form. "Hush now. You're okay." He rubs my back soothingly and offers me the handkerchief from his pocket. I wipe my tears away and begin to calm down after a few minutes.

He sits there, rubbing my back until I finally speak. "That day in the woods, the day we first met?" He nods his head as I continue, "Billy had been yelling at me because of things I said about Prissy. He kept getting closer and closer and I tripped and fell. He fell on top of me and pinned my arms down. He was calling me names and taunting me, and then he, oh." I begin to cry again, but Gilbert urges me to finish. "He, what? What did he do to you?" I calm myself again and finish. "His demeanor suddenly changed. He look at me and caressed my face then kissed me. He stole my first kiss from me. I was saving it, and Billy Andrews took it." Gilbert looked shocked, and I felt ashamed. "I'll kill him." he said as he began to turn red. I took his hand and continued. "Then he found me alone that night and apologized profusely for his actions. I forgave him and told him we could be friends. He said he would not say anything about that kiss. He lied." I resolve to write him a letter for Gilbert to deliver the next day. "Do you mind very much if I write him a letter for you to give him?" He agrees and goes out to let Marilla know that I am okay.

I grab a sheet of paper and write:

Billy,

I have it on good authority that you have betrayed my trust. I take promises very seriously. I thought we had agreed to be friends. Only friends! Whatever fantasy you have thought up in your head, forget it. We will be acquaintences from here on out. You have broken my trust and my heart. I thought you were a changed man, but I have been fooled. Please, do not attempt to fix this. You have wounded me greatly, Mister Andrews.

Sincerely,

Anne Shirley-Cuthbert

of Green Gables

Billy's POV

Saint Gilbert. That bastard ruins everything. Here I am, staring from a far because he wouldn't just let me bring Anne her things. What the Hell is he up to? He better not tell her what I said! I didn't mean to. He just made me so damn angry! Anne is getting up now. Did she just fall into his arms? Are they hugging? Okay, so maybe she's still weak from the pneumonia. He's walking her into the house. Now I can't see them anymore. Maybe I will wait for a little while, just wait for him to leave.

A few minutes later, I see him come out of the house and talk to The Cuthbert's. He must be weaseling his way into their good graces as well. What does everyone see in him. Mr. Goody-two-shoes. God, I cannot stand him! I want to scream! I continue to watch as he turns and goes back in the house with the Cuthbert's following shortly after. What the Hell is he doing in there? I start to walk closer, but Blythe suddenly comes strutting out of Anne's house, heading towards his property. I hide, then once he is gone, I head towards Anne's. If I can just see her and tell her, tell her. Oh Hell! What do I tell her? 'Oh, hey Anne. What? This? Well, I just fought Gilbert Blythe because I wanted to bring you your school work because I am madly in love with you is all.' I laugh to myself at the ridiculous fake conversation in my head.

I walk up the front steps and knock on the front door. Miss Cuthbert answers. "Oh, hello Billy. We were just getting ready to have some dinner. Did you need something?" I shake my head. "No, ma'am. Just wanted to stop by before going home myself to say hi to Anne." Marilla looked at me grimly. "I will let her know. She over did it today, I think. She's resting in the parlor." I just wish I could see her, but I don't want to push it so I say goodbye and head home.

That night, I cannot sleep. I am plagued with thoughts of red hair, freckles and an infectious smile. When I do finally doze off, I see them together. Gibert, friggin, Blythe and my Anne sitting together under the tree in her yard, the one outside her bedroom window that I used to get into her room the night I confessed my feelings for her. They're holding hands and laughing together. I walk closer and hear him, "Anne, my love, you've made me so happy. Are you sure you don't want to reconsider? What about Billy Andrews?" She laughs, "That dolt? You really think I could ever love him? After the way he treated me? Anyways, I much prefer the way I feel in your arms. Kiss me, Gilbert. You cannot have my first kiss because he took that from me without permission, but I want you to be the last kids I ever have." I watch as he takes her into his arms and kisses her with heated passion. I yell causing myself to awaken, heart pounding fast and in a cold sweat.

The next morning, I eat my breakfast and get ready like any other day, then I begin walking to school with Prissy and Jane. "Billy, are you well? You don't look so good." Jane states as Prissy looks me over. "I'm fine. Just didn't sleep well." I grumble as we continue our walk. The air is getting colder, with the threat of winter coming nearer. As we get closer to the schoolhouse, we see Blythe walking with a smug grin on his face. I feel the swell of anger growing in my chest and ball my fists ready to pound him into oblivion. "Good morning Prissy, Jane? Hey, Billy. Could I talk to you a minute?" Prissy and Jane look at me for an answer. "Go, I will see you in a few minutes." I say to them as I turn to face him. "What the Hell do you want?" He walks up with that smug look still. "I had a chat with Anne yesterday. Very illuminating, I must say. She asked about my bruise, so I told her what happened." I scoff, "Oh and I bet you couldn't wait to tell her it was me, huh? You know what, Blythe? You might have everybody fooled into thinking you are this perfect saint, but I know you better." He put his hand up and cut me off. "I didn't tell her actually. She guessed but that is beside the point. Afterwards, I told her what I heard you say as I was walking away. She was very upset, so I helped her into the house. She's still very weak from her illness. I went to get her a glass of water and when I came back, she was sobbing. She told me what you did to her that day in the woods, you bastard!"

I could feel my heart pounding through my ears, nausea took over, and I nearly fell over if not for the tree I used to hold myself up. "She, she told me forgave me though. We're friends." I say it out loud but mostly to myself. He reaches into his satchel and hands me an envelope with my name written on the front. I look at him in confusion. "She, um, she asked me to give this to you." I open the letter and begin to read it:

Billy,

Sincerely,

Anne Shirley-Cuthbert

of Green Gables

I can feel the wetness on my face being frozen by the cold air. I have lost her. The first girl I ever loved. Gone because I couldn't just shut my mouth. No, not just that. Gone because of him. If Blythe would have just given me the damn school work in the first place, I wouldn't have spoken out of anger. I would have kept my promise. Damn him! I almost forget he is still standing there until I hear him speak again. "Stay away from her. You've hurt her for the last time, do you understand me? Anne is special, and you cannot treat her like a possession. She's a person, Billy. You don't own her, nobody ever could." Then he walked away leaving me.

I don't know what comes over me, but I start to run. I run away from school and don't stop until I am at Green Gables. She's not outside today. I look in the front window and see Marilla scrubbing the floor, so I climb the tree outside Anne's bedroom window. I get to the window and can see her curled up form sleeping in bed. The window is unlocked so I open it and enter, closing it behind me. She is softly snoring as I walk closer. I kneel next her bed and put my head in my hands. I softly whisper her name, and she begins to wake. When she sees it is me, her eyes widen, and she looks as if she may scream so I cover her mouth with my hand. "Please don't scream, Anne. I had to come see you. I need to explain, please, for the love of God, listen to me." She nods and I uncover her mouth. "You're hands are cold." she says in a raspy voice. Still sick. "Sorry, I have been outside. After I read your letter, I just started running until I reached Green Gables. Winter is drawing nearer, so it's very cold today. Anne, I spoke out if anger. You need to know that I never intended to say anything. Blythe, well, he just goaded it out of me. He thinks he's hot stuff. Thinks he can have you to himself. I love you, Anne. You need to know that. You're the sweetest girl I ever met. You're kind, funny, smart, and you have the best imagination of anyone ever. I cannot lose you. I feel like I would die if you weren't in my life. Please." It is at this point of my speech that I fall apart. I turn into a sobbing, blubbering mess, and I don't care that she sees it.

She hands me a hankie so I wipe that snot off my face and try to stop crying. She is staring at me,but I cannot read her emotions. She sighs then sits up. The strap of her nightdress falls off her shoulder so I look away blushing as she adjusts it. "Billy. You hurt me. My heart shattered when Gilbert told me what you said. He didn't believe it, and I should have just left it at that, but I couldn't hold my feelings in. Everything that happened came spilling out. You kissed me. I did not kiss you. You were holding me down, against my will, and kissed me. Why?" I swallow hard at the lump in my throat and tell her. "Anne, as I held you down, I wanted to do more that just kiss you to be honest. I had to fight myself not to do more than that. As I stared down at you, I suddenly realized how uncommonly beautiful and unique you are. I felt things, emotions stirring in me. I needed to feel your lips against mine. I know now how wrong it was. Thoughts of doing things to you that only married couples should do. It's not right of me." When I look at her, her face is crimson, her eyes are wide, and her mouth slightly agape.

I stay quiet while I wait for her to speak. It's so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. "You wanted me they way a husband wants a wife?" was what she finally said. "But your only fifteen, Billy. How can you have those kinds of feelings already?" I smile at her pureness. "Anne, I am a teenage boy. Believe me, we all have those thoughts, even your precious Gilbert." She looked mad when I said that last bit do I apologized. "You know, you can't just say sorry every time you talk like that and expect me to forgive you. You need to learn some self-control, Billy Andrews." Self-control? What the Hell did she think I used that day in the woods. I wanted to tear her tights off right there on the forest floor and take our virginity. She touches my hand and it feels as if electricity is coursing through my veins. "Billy. Come up here. Sit on my bed." I shake my head. "Not a good idea, Anne. To be honest, it is taking everything in me now not to kiss you silly." She lets a small, "Oh" escape her mouth. "Then maybe you should leave. Just to be safe." I agree and turn to climb back out of her window, but she catches my hand. I turn and she is up on her knees in bed. "Billy, I will allow you one free kiss before we part." I walk closer until my knees touch the bed frame. I take her head between my hands and softly kiss her lips. I linger there watching her closed eyes flutter open. "That was much nicer than the first time." she says with a smile. "So, does this mean we are dating?" I ask hopeful. Her smile falters. "No, but it does mean I forgive you. You can still be my friend. I just wanted a new "first kiss" memory. One where I gave you permission."

That's all for this chapter folks. Leave a review! :-)