i walk with gilbert through the dark night in search of anne. we see a group of people crowding around someone as they tell a few jokes. that one person being anne. "why does it take a pirate so long to learn the alphabet?"
"why?" everyone yells enthusiastically. "because he spends years at c."
everyone erupts in a fit of laughter as we near the crowd. "what's the difference a hungry pirate and a drunken pirate?" again everyone erupts, "tell us."
"one has a rumbling tummy, and the others a tumbling rummy!" we now are close enough to see anne's face lit by the fire and dimmed by the night sky.
her silhouette dancing carelessly as her red hair flows through the wind. i look to gilbert and see love in his eyes. he's about to tell her, he's told me that much.
he catches me looking at him staring and looks away in embarrassment. "go tell her." i say encouragingly pushing him towards the girl. as i see him walk up to her. the cheering getting louder by the second, as i too am tempted to let loose and forget about my problems. to just enjoy life.
i soon join the drunken teenagers in their fun. noticing one face in the crowd, one i didn't want to see. charlie. i drink my sorrows away not giving a care in the world, and definitely not giving him the time of day, as i hang around diana and the girls while gilbert is talking to anne. before i know it i'm just as crazy and drunk as the rest i don't realize i'm dancing with charlie. "you look really beautiful." he says whispering into my ear as the cheers from the boys get louder. seeing as all the girls except diana and i went to go fetch anne for something. i simply laugh not in the right mind to respond. "i'm sorry, i really am." i go to leave as i recall why he's apologizing, when i feel his arms around my waist keeping me in place.
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"y/n i'm really sorry."
"why, whats wrong?" i ask diana as she stands before me while i'm reading the article over gilbert's shoulder. she turns to face anne as the red head gives her a questioning look, confused as am i. "anne. you're on the board, charlie noticed you." she says it in a small voice almost afraid if it were any louder i would burst in tears, but i hear it.
i feel the lingering eyes of everyone in the room as i stand up and head out to look at the notice board. surely enough in his handwriting there it is:
anne shirley-cuthbert-sloane
i walk back in the small room where i can see ms. stacy and gilbert, diana and anne nowhere to be seen. everyone knew of mine and charlie's relationship. we were basically inseparable. or at least i thought.
the room is filled in silence, sharing a couple words here and there. until i've had enough and leave, knowing if i stayed any longer the silence would break me, almost as much as he has. no one stops me not even the teacher as i leave the schoolhouse avoiding any possible interaction with anyone. i leave for my house.
i approach the steps as i open the knob turning it to walk in. i head upstairs to my room, the quietness only indicating no one is home. as i collapse on the floor of my room the tears i've held come down and my sobs erupting, breaking the thick atmosphere of silence.
thoughts clouding my mind of why he would betray me. break me. lie to me.
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i come back to school as if nothing had happened. everyone looking at me in shock, knowing the whole situation between me and charlie. he hadn't even bothered to hide his feelings for anne, hadn't even bothered to tell me about them himself, i had to be the last one to find out.
