A Winter's Ball

Chapter Three: Secret Admirer

"That is correct, good job Anne." Gilbert smiled, which Anne only ignored.

"Billy, step forward please. Spell, Beauteous." Gilbert said, again giving Anne a quick glance, but she did not notice.

"B-E-...." Billy said trailing off. He pushed his loose, blonde hair back and thought for a second. "U..."

"I'm sorry, Billy but that's incorrect. Anne Shirley Cuthbert, you are the spelling bee champion. Congratulations." Gilbert smiled.
This earned dissatisfied groans from the boys and excited 'yes-es' from the girls.

Anne grinned proudly and was about to return to her seat when Billy took her hand and shook it.

"Congratulations, Anne. Well done." He said and immediately walked back to his seat. Anne stood there, quite surprised for a while then returned to her seat with her friends. She found it extremely odd that Billy had congratulated her . She was expecting a more violent reaction but paid no mind to it. Maybe he's having a good day? She thought to herself.

****

No matter how much Anne enjoyed getting her education, lunch break will always be her favorite subject. She and her friends, Jane Andrews, Tillie Boulter, Ruby Gillis, Josie Pye and her dearest Diana Barry had made a fort in the corner of the classroom out of picnic cloths and chairs and are joyously sharing snacks and stories. The six girls sat laughing on the wooden floor surrounded by blankets and lunch baskets.

"I hear," Tillie started, taking a big bite of her apple before continuing. "That Fred Myers is asking Lily James to tomorrow night's ball!"

This got collective giggles from the girls. "Ooh, I'm so nervous! What if I dislike the boy that asks me? Do I say no then? What if I say no and no one else asks me? Oh, there are so many joys to being a woman but, surely this is not one of them." Diana said, her voice becoming higher in pitch with each word.

"Or worse, what if no one at all asks me?" Diana asked to no one in particular, her eyes wide and staring into the distance.

"We've been over this, Diana." Anne calmly said, placing a hand on her friend's back. "There will be lots of boys waiting to ask you. And if ever the slightest chance of no one asking you occurs, you can always go with me!" Anne smiled, making Diana laugh in relief.

"Ooh, I sure hope Gilbert asks me!" Ruby Gillis excitedly squealed. Anne tensed at the mention of his name, and she didn't know why.

"It would be a dream to dance with Gilbert Blythe! I can only imagine; our fingers, gently entertwined, oh! I would surely fall unconscious." Ruby dreamily said.
The girls all laughed, except Josie Pye who seemed ludicrously bored.

"Josie, you seem awfully calm about this whole ordeal. What's wrong?" Jane Andrews asked concerned.

"Nothing. In fact, I've nothing to woe me quite further."

"Why is that?" Diana asked.

"Michael Jones already asked me so I don't have to worry anymore." She replied nonchalantly as if it was not a big deal.

"What?!" All the girls happily exclaimed, asking their questions all at once .

"All right all right, girls. Calm yourselves. I'll satisfy your queries one by one." Josie proudly smiled, rolling her eyes.

"When did he ask you?" Tillie asked, grinning ear to ear as if she were the one with the beau.

"Two days ago."

"How did he ask you?" Ruby implored.

"Was it romantic? Did he ask you timid yet charmingly in the effervescent moonlight? Did you dance to nothing but the musical rhythm of your synchronized heartbeats and lovely, cool night breeze, gently brushing past your skin? That would be the highest of ideals, don't you think?" Anne asked, getting lost in her daydreams once more. Suddenly, the scene she painted herself reminded her of the night Gilbert escorted her home from the lake. She hastily pushed the thought aside, feeling foolish of even thinking about him. She was growing increasingly confused with the amount of times Gilbert has popped in her mind but paid no mind to it.