If Diana wasn't confused before she was now. Anne was going to the Christmas concert with Charlie and Gilbert was going with Josie? What was going on? She had to confront her friends over this. She had known three months now and they were a bit too good at hiding it. That was until today. She'd seen Anne come outside she was almost on her tail but there was no sign of her in the yard. Then she saw Gilbert get up walked whistling past her and everyone else so nonchalantly she wouldn't have even noticed if she wasn't looking to him to find Anne, instead of going inside she noticed he walked round the back of the building. She decided to follow him.

It wasn't until she had rounded the corner after him she found Anne. Right there pressed between Gilbert's arms and the wall behind them, caught somewhere between a sweet murmuring and a hug she wasn't surprised but still found herself blushing as she building announced.

"so how are you going to convince me you're just friends this time?" She said with a smile. Folding her arms.

They jumped back from each other's arms, Gilbert's cheeks almost as red as Anne's.

"Diana..." Anne started but didn't really know how to finish it. Diana took some steps towards them.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

Anne's eyes were filling with tears, Gilbert saw it and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, there was no point in hiding it now.

"we were keeping it a secret." Gilbert told her "no one else knows." He added.

"but why?" Diana asked.

"Marilla found us hugging one night and sent Gilbert away for 3 months." Anne cried quietly.

"we can't risk it getting back to Marilla we're together, she'll separate us." Gilbert added.

"Gilbert stopped me from dying my hair Diana, I was crying over the smashed bottle and Gilbert was comforting me... well we were hugging and Marilla caught us." Anne continued.

"she sent me away Diana, those three months we didn't speak it was because Marilla told me not to come back." Gilbert told Diana.

Diana mulled over it in her head. "but you've been friends again for over a year..."

"one year and four months." Anne confirmed. "and we've not just been friends ever since."

"you've been together a year and a half!?" Diana gasped.

Anne nodded. "yes ever since the day we played the Lilly Maid on the lake of shining water, Gilbert didn't just rescue me that day... he... well we kissed."

Diana's head was reeling! This had been going on longer then even she thought. She sat down her back to the building. Anne sat next to her.

Gilbert stood back "I'll just be round the corner." He said round it but stayed there sitting on the floor himself. Oh how could they have been so careless? But he listened to the conversation taking place round the corner.

"he kissed you then?" Diana asked.

"yes. When he gave me the blanket from the boat. I wanted to tell you Diana, I swear it but the more people know..."

"the more likely Marilla will find out. Yes I can see the logic." She dismissed it. Anne didn't ask for it but Diana continued "of course you are forgiven dearest Anne, just two things I want to know?"

"anything" Anne said.

"no more secrets ok, I mean I'll keep this a secret for you but don't keep any secrets from me ok?" Diana said.

"absolutely." Anne agreed. "what's the second thing?" Anne asked.

"Is Gilbert a good kisser?" Diana asked. Both Gilbert's cheeks round the corner and Anne's cheeks flushed pink. Although Gilbert was very interested in the answer.

Anne started to giggle. "how would I know if he's not? He's my first kiss." He smiled, oh he'd always hoped he had been the first one on those lips but he hasn't known if Anne had experimented with anyone before him. Its not as if he hadn't been offered kisses before, mostly from Josie which had turned him off the idea altogether, but Anne had been his first kiss too.

"oh I don't know, don't you just know?" Diana said. "it's Gilbert Blythe!" she exclaimed

" I know." Anne replied dreamily. There was a pause where Gilbert allowed himself to grin, Anne being dreamy over him. "he's perfect." Anne sighed as Gilbert blushed a little round the corner... "and yes. He's a very good kisser." He heard Anne whisper to Diana as they giggled, this turned his blush to a deep red.