friday, 5:36 p.m.
anne sat next in the passenger seat of diana's car, staring out the wet window. it was raining in avonlea on this fall day. ruby and jane fought about which song to put on next as anne got lost in her thoughts. gilbert hasn't texted anne in a month. she was getting worried about so many things. is he okay? did she do something wrong? does he hate her? her thoughts consumed her, almost letting a tear fall. "hey anne, we're here." she looked around the parking lot, seeing ruby and jane running to the mall entrance. "listen, you will have fun! plus, we are getting food so that's even better!" anne gave diana a reassuring smile and got out of the car.
anne sat on her phone while the girls were trying on their clothes. ruby walked out in a pink top that really made her eyes pop. "everything okay?" anne nodded. jane and diana walked out and nodded to ruby. "hey, i have to go to primark. do you want to come? i already asked jane and diana but they refused to." ruby smiled a bright smile and laid her hand on hands. she got up and nodded to ruby! "yay! let me get changed!" anne walked out of the dressing room. "are you sure he's down there?" jane showed ruby the text. "okay, don't stand too close behind me. she may notice." the girls nodded and hugged each other.
"okay, i am trying these on but can you look around for this shirt in pink? i swear i saw it!" anne muttered a "sure" and ruby ran off. anne walked around the store aimlessly, looking at anything that was pink really. she didn't want to be here, she wanted to be at home in her bed. alone. she couldn't get gilbert out of her head. his laughter rang through her head as she thought about one of her many calls with him.
"anne, i'm being serious!" he could barely get the words out because he was laughing too hard. tears were coming out of both of their eyes. "jerry said those exact words to me at lunch today!" gilbert was telling anne about how jerry thought william shakespeare was some guy on an infomercial.
"man, jerry is on something i swear! aren't you guys reading shakespeare now?" gilbert nodded and laughed some more causing anne to do the same. "i have to talk to this kid more!" a comfortable silence fell between the two. gilbert stared at anne through his computer. "what?" he shook his head. "gilbert, what?"
"you're beautiful." she rolled her eyes at him. "anne, i'm being serious! you are one of the most gorgeous girls i've ever met." she knew he was lying. he was just being nice. "when can we meet? i seriously need to see you!"
"i told you gil, sooner or later. it'll take a little bit of time but it will happen. i promise."
"pinky promise?" he held his pinky out.
"pinky promise." she put hers out on the screen.
"where the hell is this pink shirt?" she mumbled. "ruby, i swear-" she saw a worker. "excuse me sir, can you help me. my friend asked me to-" the worker turned around but it wasn't a worker, it was gilbert. anne didn't know what to do, everything froze up. "i-i-i-gilbert?" he just stared at her. "w-what-" she ran out of the store, dropping everything in her hands. she took a seat in front of the water fountain, out of breath. "my phone. where is my p-"
"looking for this?" he was right there, holding her phone. on this day, she saw the actual gilbert blythe. not some boy on a phone. "before you stutter anything out, i am here with my aunt to visit my grandmother." she bit her lip and nodded. "anne, look" he sat next to her. "i'm sorry about ignoring you for what seems like forever. i was...hurt. when you told me that guy asked you out on a date, i was upset. upset because it wasn't me. i wasn't the one to take you out to eat, or the one to hold your hand, or the one to kiss you goodnight. i just wanted it to be me so bad. i understand if you are mad or-" she put her hand on his cheek, staring into his eyes. gilbert swore his breath was taken away when he looked into her blue eyes. she hugged him, something she needed. something he needed. they sat for a few minutes in each others arms.
