The Garden [G.BLYTHE]

[25] STUPID AND CARELESS

 "Here we go." Aurelie mumbled under her breath.

"It started with Billy Andrews disrespecting Josie Pye." Gilbert stated.

 "Anne should've let well enough alone." Tillie argued. Moody agreed.

 "Anne stood up for a person who suffered a cruelty." Defended Gilbert. "That person could've easily been you."

Gilbert took a copy of Anne's paper. "'Women matter on their own, not in relation to a man.'" He read. "Whom here disagrees?" He questioned. No one spoke.

Aurelie slowly raised her hand, causing everyone to look to her in shock. Gilbert nodded in her direction. 

"Excuse me, Mr. Blythe, but with all due respect, what do you know about being a woman?" She questioned, leaning back in her seat. Gilbert didn't respond, unsure of how to. "What you're saying is true, but do you even understand?" She crossed her arms.

 There was, yet again, no response. "I don't think you do. You see, it's boys and men like you who think they can solve every problem. You don't know everything. You can't fix everything. You can't defend everyone." She looked around the room to analyze everyone's reactions.

"I say the only ones who should be speaking on this matter, if it is not regarding the entirety of the newspaper, should be one of the girls." She concluded. The class went silent. Gilbert nodded slowly. "Well, you seem to know a lot. Why don't you take over?" He suggested.

"Gladly." Aurelie stood up from her seat while Gilbert took a step back. She reached out for Anne's paper. Gilbert handed it to her. 

"'We all deserve the right to bodily autonomy and to be treated with respect and dignity.'" Aurelie read. "'To say 'stop' and be heard; instead of pushed, derided, and told that a man knows more about our basic rights and desires than we do.'" She finished, looking to Gilbert. He pursed his lips.

"What do you think, Gilbert?" She raised her eyebrows. "I agree wholeheartedly." He replied. Aurelie hummed. She turned to Moody. "Moody?"

The boy looked up from the floor. "Any thoughts?" She inquired. Moody remained silent. "Do you know more about the contents of Ruby's mind than she does?" Aurelie asked.

"I...barely know one thing." Moody denied.

 "I certainly know more than that!" Stated Ruby. Aurelie looked back to the paper. "'Women are not made whole by men. Women are made whole the moment they enter this world.'" She looked back up to the class.

"You know she'd stand up for any one of you. Even in spite of what you're saying about her, she'd do what was right. That's who she is." As soon as Aurelie was finished, Anne entered, holding a bunch of wooden planks. One fell to the ground, catching everyone's attention.

They all stared at her, shocked. "I know I'm not your favorite person right now--" She began, but was quickly interrupted by everyone running to hug her and welcome her back.

Anne smiled ahead to Aurelie, who nodded. "Well, I came to say I, uh..." Anne trailed off. "I have enough of these for everybody." She referred to the planks of wood. "I have a plan."

"Oh, good, because Miss Stacy's plan is terrible." Ruby sighed in relief. Aurelie chuckled stepping up beside Moody, who still sat up on the desk. She set her elbow on his shoulder. He looked to her, smiling proudly.

After Anne told everyone her plan, they all decided to meet again tomorrow in her barn. For the meantime, they all went back home.

Aurelie expected Gilbert to take a detour or wait until she was farther away before he would start walking home. That's what he normally did. However, that afternoon, he walked behind her in silence. Aurelie could feel his eyes on the back of her head, which made her nervous.

Once they reached the forest, Gilbert sped up his walking, getting closer to the girl. By now, they were walking side by side, but said nothing.

"Do you have a problem with me?" Gilbert spoke up. 

"I have many problems with you." Aurelie muttered. 

"Why?" He questioned. Aurelie kept her gaze forward, while Gilbert looked to her in frustration. She did not respond.

Gilbert sighed, stepping in front of her, blocking her way. "Why?" He repeated. Aurelie looked to the grass, clenching her jaw. She still remained silent, searching for an answer.

"Why are you like this!" Gilbert shouted. "I don't understand you! One minute we're getting along, another you're angry at me, then you apologize, and now you're angry with me again. I don't understand why. Just tell me why." He pleaded.

Aurelie pursed her lips. She looked up towards the boy, her eyes tearing up. Gilbert didn't look angry. He seemed more worried. "I, uh..." Aurelie trailed off. "I'm sorry." She moved around him, continuing to walk.

She stared up at the cloudy sky, noticing a few small rain drops land on her skin. She sped up her walking. "No. I can not accept an apology that I know won't matter later. I want answers." Gilbert stepped in front of her again.

"I don't have answers, Gilbert!" Aurelie blurted. "It just makes me angry how you think you can fix every single problem! It's not just about Anne. It's about everything! You're stupid and carelesss. You don't accept help from other people, you don't even want to hear them, you hide your emotions, you--"

"Oh, give me a break!" Gilbert interrupted. 

"No, you give me a break, because--!" Aurelie countered. Aurelie and Gilbert began to argue their points over one another as the rain began to fall down more harshly. They stood in the wet grass, facing each other, pointing their fingers.

Suddenly, they both spoke the same words in unison; "Because I actually care about how you feel!" The two of them paused in confusion. There was a loud crack of thunder, and rain poured down harder than before.

They stood in place, their clothes and hair soaked. Their mouths hung open slightly, unsure of what else to say. In the heat of the moment, Aurelie jumped forward, wrapping her arms around the boy and pulled him into an embrace.

Gilbert took a moment to react, and slowly set his hands down on her waist. Aurelie dug her face into his shoulder. She didn't care about the rain anymore.