𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 (𝐆.𝐁.) (𝐁.𝐀.)

Twenty.

"Is that Cole? He looks different." Questioned Anne, making the other three girls look at him.

He was sat all alone on the grass, drawing something peacefully.

Lavinia smiled slightly at the boy, "He looks positively mature. Not at all like he did before harvest."

"Hey, Cole, throw the ball back, bud." Billy startled the boy, who was caught off guard and didn't throw the ball back.

Billy continued yelling from far away, "Hey, sissy! Yeah, you!"

"Oh." Cole finally understood what Billy meant, throwing the ball quickly before focusing on his drawing.

"Nice arm, Rembrandt. Wanna play?"

"No... I wouldn't. Thank you, though." He shook his head making Billy scoff.

Billy turned around back to his friends, not before glancing at Lavinia who was chatting with her two best friends.

The way the wind blew her hair, the way she leaned onto her friends when she laughed, the way she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear every now and then.

"You're staring." Moody startled him.

This caused the blonde to scoff, "No I'm not."

"Just admit you have a crush on Lavinia," Charlie spoke up, "We all do."

"What did you say?" Billy glared at him, making the boy quickly mutter a 'nothing.'

-

"answer'd 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 honors his word, as if the word... '"

Lavinia never found English lessons fun. She didn't like it and neither was she wasn't good at it. Which is why she was dozing off, a worried Jane covering her with their shared reader so Mr. Philips doesn't see her.

"I think the entire poem is shameful. They should be tarred and feathered." Josie announced loudly, making Lavinia stir slightly. She looked back at Jane who rolled her eyes.

"Don't sleep again because I'm not going to cover for you. My arms are sore."

"This is why I love you, Jane." The girl winked at the brunette, causing her to roll her eyes once again.

Mr. Phillips looked at her confused, "Josie?"

"Guinevere is married to the king, not Lancelot."

Lavinia nodded her head, wanting to seem like she understood what they were talking about.

Anne stood up from her seat, "Oh, Mr. Phillips, can't you skip to the part where Elaine's pure and true love turns most tragical?"

"No. Do not interrupt me again. 'Yea, ' said the Queen, 'A moral child without the craft to rule, else he had not lost me... '"

Lavinia was about to doze off, until Mr. Philips yelled again, "Cole? What have you got there? Cole!"

The boy had just dropped his ink on his drawing book, causing Billy behind him to snicker with his friends.

Lavinia rolled her eyes, looking back as she muttered 'Your brother is something else.' to Jane.

"My apologies, Mr. Philips. I'll clean it up."

"Are you doodling... while I'm tirelessly dedicating my life to your education? Blackboard! Now!"

This made Lavinia chuckle quite loudly, making Mr. Philips glare at her, "Is something funny, Lavinia?"

She chuckled once again, Jane nudging her lightly to stop her, "No, Mr. Philips."

Mr. Philips rolled his eyes before looking back at Cole, "You like to draw? Draw that. Make sure it's legible."

The teacher turned back to class after he demanded Cole to write on the board as his punishment, "Back to your readers!"

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

Lavinia admired Cole's handwriting, while Mr. Philips merely chuckled, "Less flourish. You're gonna need room for 50 of those."

-

"I miss Gilbert." Ruby frowned as she leaned onto Tillie.

"He'd come home soon enough if he knew there was gold on his farm."

"Lavinia is writing him a letter, aren't you, Lavinia?

The redhead interrupted before Lavinia could reply, "He looks so awfully lonely."

"I think he's more sad and handsome than lonely."

"Josie's dead gone over Cole." Tillie chuckled.

"I am not. I'm simply observant."

"There is no boy more sad and handsome than Gilbert Blythe."

Lavinia stopped herself from nodding at Ruby's statement. Not wanting the girl to cry again.

"I know just how he feels." Anne sighed as she stared at Cole.

Lavinia decided to go over and talk to Cole, because she felt like annoying Josie, "Your drawing was exquisite. It brought Camelot to life. And plus, Billy Andrews is a barbarian."

Jane, Diana, and Anne soon joined. With Diana offering tarts, "I have strawberry tarts to share. May we join you?"

"Awesome. I brought pie." Lavinia smiled cheekily as she handed everyone some of the pie.

"You and your pie obsession," Anne shook her head.

Diana looked back at the rest of the girls, "Aren't you girls coming over?"

"Lavinia brought pie and Diana has strawberry tarts." Ruby headed to them, taking a seat beside Anne.

Tillie frowned at her friend, "Sorry, Josie, but pie's my favorite."

"Thank you." Cole thanked Lavinia as she handed him some pie.

"Would you like a tart?"

"I'd love some."

Josie looked at the open window, feigning happiness, "Why, of course, Prissy, I'd love to join you and the older girls for lunch."

The group continued offering each other food, getting to know Cole and befriending him.

"Would anyone like a cookie?"

"That looks exquisite!"

-