OCEANS | shirbert

IV. The Rivals

CHAPTER IV

The Rivals

in which two long-time rivals reunite after a whole summer

Anne Shirley-Cuthbert was usually what you would call a morning person. She loved waking up early, and stare at the gracious cherry tree from her bed, still wrapped in her blanket. She could stare at it for hours while different possible stories ran her mind. Maybe this cherry tree could belong to a princess's property land! Could she be Princess Cordelia, maybe? Or, wait, no, even better! The tree could actually be alive. She could have a name! What would be the appropiate name for a tree?

However, that was not one of those mornings. The red-haired girl had stayed awake until so late that Marilla Cuthbert would have found it scandalous if she knew. She had been revising and practising spelling under the dim light of a candle because she knew what being back to school meant. A "back-to-school" spelling bee. How could I f possibly forget! I'm sure that Gilbert has remembered it too.

When she heard Marilla call for her name from downstairs, she knew that she had overslept. She got out of bed with a groan, and started doing her usual distinct plaids right after choosing her pastel yellow dress to wear today. It was one that Marilla had sewed for her last spring. And it had puffed sleeves! First day back at school, I need to cause a decent impression. Her mind went back to her friends as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Ruby and Diana, with beautiful faces, marvellous hair and pretty dresses. She could never compete with that.

"Anne!"

Marilla's voice startled her. "Oh, my dear Marilla, I'm sorry that you have to bear with my laziness and my homely appearance at the same time! It must be horrenduous" Anne came down and sat in one of the kitchen's chairs. Matthew was in front of her, quietly sipping his tea. "Good morning, Matthew!"

"My god, child, what are you talking about this fine morning?" the woman said as she placed her breakfast in front of Anne, who eagerly smelt her toast as a sign of her typical morning hunger. "Now please, stop rambling non-sense and eat quickly! You must get to school."

Marilla Cuthbert was a stern, very strict woman. Everyone in Avonlea knew that, and would have probably used those adjectives to describe her personality. However, few people knew that Marilla regretted terribly ever considering sending Anne back to the orphanage. This girl is a talkative, imaginative, terrible mess. But... she watched Anne as the red-head leaned over the table to give Matthew a peck on the cheek before leaving for school. But she has brought such light to our lives that we did not know we needed so much.

Anne was beyond excited to meet Diana on her way to school. She was waiting at the exact same spot they always met mid-way to the schoolhouse. Last time she saw Diana was five weeks ago. Oh! How I've missed my bosom friend Diana Barry! Diana wrote her a letter two weeks after she left for vacation. However, Anne did not write an answer since she did not know what to write about. With Ruby being out of town for the summer and Cole living in Charlottetown, apart from the Cuthberts and sometimes Jerry, her only company had been Gilbert Blythe.

Anne knew that if she told Diana about her summer being spent with the Gilbert Blythe, she would be teasing her about it all day when she returned to Avonlea, so the best option seemed to leave her friend without a reply.

"Anne!" the girl turned around at the sound of her name "Anne Shirley-Cuthbert!" before she was able to answer, Diana had already pulled her into a tight embrace. "You silly! You did not write to me! I was worried!" She was not mad at her, though. "Oh, Diana! You look even more ravishing after the summer! How is that even possible?" Anne looked at her friend in awe, meaning every word.