✔️Hazy [anne with an e]

| BEFORE IT ALL FELL APART

chapter eight: before it all fell apart

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THE TWINS SEEMED to be stuck in an endless silence, looking anywhere but each other as they sat across from one another at the table. Without Mrs. Kincannon here, it all felt awkward, considering they hadn't spoken to one another since Gilbert had pushed her away. He looked at her first, taking in her face which looked as if it had sadness permanently etched into it's features. Gilbert knew he shouldn't have shut her out, but he didn't know what else to do. He had felt an overwhelming sadness, which then transformed into anger when he realized she wasn't crying too. It had felt  as if she didn't care.

Anne was the one who told him about what had happened to her in the bedroom, and, to be quite blunt, it had broke his heart. He remembered the first time he had seen his sister cry. She had just caught a ladybug, she had even named it too, and, being the annoying twin brother he was, he squashed it. However, when she had started to cry, Gilbert panicked. That was the day he decided that he didn't like to see her sad, in fact, he hated it.

Then, there was the second time she cried in front of him. They were nine years old and playing outside with Billy, Ruby and Prissy at the Andrews house. It was autumn and leaf piles were built up all around Avonlea, thanks to the many children living in the area. Billy and Gilbert were somewhat friendly back then, while Ruby and Caroline were already great friends. He could still remember it clear as day.

Billy had convinced him to help him play a joke on the girls while they were busy tossing leaves at one another and running around laughing. So, the boys went and found their own leaf pile to throw, but, before they threw it towards them, the boys mixed in some sticks and rocks. When they had sent the leaves flying, it was a disaster of epic proportions. A rock hit Ruby straight in the nose, causing her to burst into tears while a larger stick had smacked Prissy's bottom lip.

Caroline had gone to playfully attack her brother back, but he blocked her tackle attempt, flipping her to the left. This, however, went wrong too, as she smacked her head on a log which had fallen out of the stack of firewood beside them. She was bleeding steadily from above her left brow and he could see the tears pooling in her eyes. Gilbert had gasped and ran to her side, picking her up then running her back to their father. That was one of the first times that he felt as if guilt was tearing his insides away slowly.

This, was another time he felt that way, so, he decided to speak first.

"I'm sorry.", his voice was weak, a sense of shame carrying itself through every word he said.

His sister looked up at him, but her eyes did not hold any sign of anger or resentment, instead, they looked kind and understanding.