It had been weeks since the storm and everything had gone back to normal. Well almost everything... The parents of the children did not let them go out in even an inch of snow, The children when asked if they wanted to do another bake sale years after would absolutely refuse, and mothers would go up to the Sloane's shed and thank God for His mercy upon their children.
Anne walked toward the school one Monday morning. She had managed to avoid contact with Gilbert since they were rescued (much to her relief). Both by avoiding him on purpose and by accidentally contracting pneumonia soon after.
"Anne!" Called someone from behind.
She turned around to behold Gilbert Blythe himself. "Mr. Blythe." She said nodding.
"Where have you been? I heard you got over your pneumonia and I looked around for you all weekend, but you were no where to be found." He said.
"For you information Mr. Blythe I was at home helping Marilla with some sewing." She said stoutly.
"Ah so we're back to that are we?" He said a bit of humor and sadness in his tone.
"Back to what?" She said quizzically.
"Back to the way it was before. You point that pretty little nose of yours up in the air and barely acknowledge my presence." He stated seriously.
"I do not do that!" She said forgetting herself.
"Oh but you do. Ever since I called you carrots you have been that way." He said.
"You hurt my feelings excruciatingly." She said defensively.
"Well apparently no all so excruciatingly since you let me kiss you." He whispered in her ear.
She looked horrified. "If you tell anyone about that, I don't care if it isn't lady like, I will drag you over to the Lake and dump you in." She threatened in a whispered.
"No need for that Anne." He said throwing his hands up in the air in mock surrender.
"There better not be, but just so we are clear I have no qualms about pushing you in the Lake of Shining Waters or as you unimaginative people call it Barry's Pond."
She joked before she remembered herself and brushed past him disdainfully. "Have a nice day Mr. Blythe." She said before entering the schoolhouse.
The rest of the day dragged by slowly. Usually he was animate In Ms. Stacey's lessons, but he had to talk to Anne and get some answers. He had to know why she joked with him one moment and scorned him the next. "Couldn't she just pick one?" He thought.
"Now can anyone tell me why Elizabeth hates Mr. Darcy from their first meeting. Gilbert? How about you?" He heard Ms. Stacy ask.
He stood up and glanced at Anne. "I believe she hates him because of one small thing he said. 'She isn't pretty enough to tempt.' That dislike is further fueled by Wickham who gets the whole neighborhood to believe Darcy is a bad person. Ignoring the facts surrounding her, she continues to be prejudiced toward him. Despite his numerous attempts to make it up to her." He finished with a significant look at Anne and sat down.
"How about we get this from a girl's perspective too, Anne?" Anne tore her gaze from Gilbert and stood.
"She has every right to hate him. He said 'She isn't pretty enough to tempt.' Why that is just a nice way to say she's ugly. Sure Wickham lied to everyone, but she didn't know and he was so much nicer to Elizabeth than Mr. Darcy was. Darcy did try to make it up to her, but imagine if the man who called you ugly tried to make it up to you. Why, you would think he was lying through his teeth. Especially since the first thing that ever came out of his mouth regarding you was as hateful as she is not pretty enough to tempt!" Anne exclaimed, her cheeks pink with passion.
"Well, that is intresting. How do you two relate to the characters?" Ms. Stacey questioned them both.
Anne answered first.
"Gilbert insulted me in a similar way. 'Being smart is better than pretty.' That is one of the most hateful thing anyone has ever said to me... Besides 'CARROTS!'"She glared over at Gilbert. "He doesn't even mean it when he apologizes."
That was it! He would set her straight. He had tried not to jump out of his seat during her episode, but could do it no longer. "Well, Anne took my sentiments about her wrong as well. We barely knew each other and I wanted her attention. Though I pretended I didn't care. She never looked at me once. Yes I called her carrots, but she was ignoring me. I meant it when I apologized. I did say that being smart is better than pretty but that was in front of Charlie and Moody. I could very well say 'I think Anne is the smartest and prettiest girl in school.' Did I just say that? Oh God." He started to walk out of the school house.
He stopped at the front door. "I thought you forgave me Anne Shirley." He turned the knob and left.