The Garden [G.BLYTHE]

[07] NICE FOR A CHANGE

Saturday of the next weekend: Wrote the full letter and lost it in the flower patch after it rained early in the evening.

Sunday, now, or more possibly Monday due to the hour: She couldn't manage to even think up any words. She could barely speak to Gilbert in person, but she figured writing to him should have been much easier. It was not.

Was she supposed to tell him the news and simply leave it there? Was that worth the long time it would take for the letter to reach him wherever he was or would she have to make conversation? She hoped she wouldn't. She didn't expect to make a pen pal out of him.

She didn't miss Gilbert Blythe enough to want to write to him frequently. She didn't. She didn't even miss him at all. Not. One. Bit. Aurelie groaned, leaning her head down on the table. It bothered her that something so stupid kept her up so late.

School was starting in the morning, and she had to get her sleep. Though she wasn't the least bit tired, Aurelie reluctantly got into bed, pulling over the covers. She spared a glance at the new blank page on her desk, and as she had done every night that week, decided to leave it for tomorrow.

Tomorrow was an eternity away.

***

"...Answered Lancelot, the chief of knights: 'And with what face, after my pretext made, shall I appear, O Queen, at Camelot, I before a king who honours his word.."

Aurelie hadn't gotten any sleep whatsoever the night prior. It was very difficult to hide her lack of energy that she usually had every morning, from her mother. Listening to Mr. Phillips recite a poem so unenthusiastically certainly did not help.

"as if the word--"

"I think the entire poem is shameful." Spoke Josie Pye out of turn. The class turned to face the opinionated girl. Mr. Phillips looked at her with disappointment. "They should be tarred and feathered." Stated the blonde.

"Josie?" Mr. Phillips scolded.

 "Guinevere is married to the king, not Lancelot." Josie added judgmentally. 

"Oh, Mr. Phillips, can't you skip to the part where Elaine's pure and true love turns most tragical?" Anne requested passionately.

"No." Refused the man. "Do not interrupt me again." He motioned between Josie and Anne. "And I would greatly appreciate it if Ms. Thompson would not sleep during my class." The man raised his voice, causing the tired girl to quickly look up in embarrassment. She rubbed her eyes, glancing at Moody, who shrugged.

Mr. Phillips sighed. "Yea,' said the Queen, 'A moral child without the craft to rule, else he had not lost me...'"

Suddenly, there was a commotion around where Cole, a student that joined last year, sat. It seemed that something had tipped his ink bottle over his notebook. It was clear that Billy Andrews was the cause. Cole swore under his breath.

"Cole?" Mr. Phillips gasped. Cole clenched his jaw, standing awkwardly by his desk. "What have you got there?" Asked the professor with an intimidating tone. Cole turned to look at the smirking Billy behind him. "Cole!" Shouted Mr. Phillips.

"My apologies, Mr. Phillips. I'll clean it up." Mumbled the boy. "Are you doodling...while I'm tirelessly dedicating my life to your education?" The man continued to stress Cole. After Josie and Anne, followed by Aurelie sleeping, Cole was not particularly lucky to be in this situation. Mr. Phillips was already aggravated.