𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 (𝐆.𝐁.) (𝐁.𝐀.)

Twenty-five.

"Do you think that Prissy and Mr. Phillips have kissed?" Ruby asked curiously.

All girls, apart from Josie, were in Anne's room. They wanted to have fun together. It had been a long time since all of them were together.

"Not yet. But soon, I imagine. Prissy's studying for her Queen's Academy entrance exams, and sometimes Mr. Phillips stops by our house to give her extra help."

Lavinia gave Jane a confused look, "Extra help?"

"Prissy is only two years older than us." Tillie frowned.

"I mean to have an official beau by the time I'm 15. I hope Gilbert will be back by then."

This made Lavinia frown. Would he come back by then?

"You think of nothing but beaus, Ruby."

"Well, what's wrong with that?"

"I've never even seen a real kiss before. My parents don't go in for that kind of thing."

"Yeah, mine either."

"I once overheard Mrs. Lynde and her husband share a kiss. It sounded like a cow dragging its hind hoof out of a swamp!"

Jane scrunched her face, making Lavinia bury her head in her hands as she laughed at her friend.

"If someone were to kiss me, I'm afraid I would do something silly, or... forget to do something I should do. What are the rules? Why don't they teach kissing etiquette?"

"We could make a game. To see who could conduct the most romantic courtship. With brave knights, and enchanted princesses, and sorcerers and desperadoes! It'd be great practice. Diana, you can play the gallant young man.

"Oh..."

"Prince Wisteria, wilt thou let fly the Feather of Fortune and choose thy heart-pure maiden?"

"I shall."

"Uh... Oh. What should I do, Diana?"

"Tillie, you shouldn't talk to Prince Wisteria as though he were our friend Diana. It spoils the effect."

"I-I'm waiting for my handsome young prince to come and claim me."

"Ahem. Ahem. Why, who is this fair and noble maiden?"

"Oh!"

Anne gave everyone a confused look, "Why must the girl wait for the boy?"

"What?" Lavinia looked at her, shocked.

"Anne!"

"Are you mad?!" Ruby screeched.

"If I wanted to kiss a boy, couldn't I just... kiss him?"

"But he should be the one to make the first move." Ruby frowned at the thought.

"Not everything has to be initiated by a man, now does it?" Anne looked at the girls, giving them all encouraging smiles.

-

Both Lavinia and Jane were placing their milk on the stream, while Anne talked to Diana, Tillie and Ruby about books.

Suddenly the boys, along with Billy, came up behind the girls.

"Let's get 'em!" He chuckled.

All boys headed for a girl each, heading for the end of their skirts before raising it up. They soon ran away, laughing at their silly antics.

Lavinia merely glared at them. Boys will be boys. So she didn't bother. So did the other girls.

Apart from Anne, who seemed to be fuming, "Keep your hands off!"

"Whoa." Billy raised his hands mockingly.

"You mustn't mind them, Anne. They're just boys being boys. They love to torment our lives out."

"I do mind. I mind a great deal." She glared at each boy individually before continuing, "A skirt is not an invitation!"

Lavinia felt moved by those words. But she would never admit it. This has been a thing for years. It was normalized in Avonlea. She couldn't jeopardize her reputation. Sometimes girls don't have the rights to say things. Which Lavinia loathed. She wanted to speak, yell. Tell everyone how messed up they were. But what would everyone else say about her? The she had gone mad? Probably. And what would her parents do to her? Send her to finishing school in some other country, to lessen the embarrassment.

So she stayed quiet.

"Lav, are you alright?" Diana placed a hand on her shoulder, face filled with concern.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Let's head inside before Mr, Philips yells at us for being late."

-

"I think Diana made a very convincing prince," Anne spoke to the three girls from her seat.

Diana winked cheekily, "I was going for daring, dashing, and a little bit wicked."

"How charming. Who needs boys when you've got prince Wisteria?" Lavinia pretended to swoon, laying on top of Jane.

"What are you talking about?" Nosey Josie asked.

"Anne invited us over for an afternoon of parlor games." Jane spoke up when she noticed no one else was going to speak.

"Oh," Lavinia dragged her words, pretending to feel bad, "You weren't invited."

"All of you?" Josie asked, glaring at Lavinia, "Parlor games? Without boys? Fine for you. I'm far too mature for such childish amusements."

The girls simply ignored Josie, and focused on Mr. Philips who had finally stopped staring at Prissy.

At the end of the day, all the students were gathered at the back in a circle.

Lavinia just wanted to head home and lay in bad all day long, but Jane and Diana had begged her to come with them. She didn't know what was going to happen. But she hoped it was something worth it.

"Whomever the bottle points to... you are permitted to kiss. It needs to be boy, girl, boy, girl."

Lavinia rolled her eyes as she glanced at her two friends, who smiled guiltily at her.

"Where does that leave Cole?" Billy snickered with the rest of the boys.

"Jane, go sit next to your dumb brother. Tillie, you're over there. And, Anne, switch places with Charlie." Josie ordered everyone before turning to cole, "Billy doesn't know anything about anything. I'm glad you're here."

"Didn't have much of a choice."

"Well, that's just embarrassing Josie." Lavinia laughed at the girl.

She merely ignored her, "Who would like to spin first?"

"Diana!"

"Lavinia!"

"Do us the honors, Diana," Lavinia waved her off.

They all watched as the bottle spun, anticipating on who it would land on.

"Moody."

"Me?"

"Now you have to kiss. On the mouth."

"Ahem. Good afternoon, Moody."

"Good afternoon, Diana. I'm going to kiss you now."

Both Lavinia and Jane cooed at their simple yet adorable kiss.

Lavinia wished her turn would be as simple as that. A simple kiss. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Lavinia," Josie smiled smugly at her.

She slowly spun the bottle. Nervous was all she could feel. Was she about to have her first kiss? With one of the boys in her class?

It started slowing down, passing by Moody, Charlie, and cole.

And then it stopped.

Billy...

-