The door was slammed open, and I jumped, sighing and putting the bookmark in my book.
"Anne? Is everything ok?" I asked.
"YES! Everything is more than ok! The new teacher is a woman! She wears pants! She rides a motorbike!" She gushed. I raised an eyebrow, smiling.
"Oh? So I take it she's better than Mr. Phillips?" I joked. Anne completely missed the joke, per usual.
"OF COURSE SHES BETTER THAN HIM! I mean, anybody is better than him but oh god never in a million years did I dream it would be someone like her," she said, hugging herself.
"Well, I'm excited to meet this new teacher then," I said, hoping she'd hurry up and go home already.
"She is who I aspire to be, and I'm going to everything and anything to make her like me," she said, sitting on my bed, a determined tone.
'Jeez, that'll go great' I thought to myself.
"Mm, well could you please let me study? Go tell Gilbert or something, I'm sure he'd love to hear," I mumbled. She laughed, shaking her head.
"Oh, please, as if. By the way, do you know if Cole's coming back?" She asked.
I shot out of my chair.
Cole.
I immediately grabbed my sweater, running downstairs.
"(Y/N)? What's wrong?" She asked, following after me.
"Go home, Anne. There's something I've got to do. Tell Marilla I say hi, ok?" I said. She nodded, standing there alone as I ran.
"(Y/N)? (Y/N) what's wrong?" Gil asked, running next to me. I slowed down.
"I need to- talk to Cole. By the way... Anne's here if you wanna go say hi," I said, catching my breath. He nodded, patting my back and heading towards the house.
I continued to run, finally making it to the Mackenzie farm and seeing him outside, plowing.
"Cole!"
He looked up, looking around before joining me.
"What? It's a Sunday, what do you need?" He asked.
"The new teacher- there's a new teacher, and it's a woman. Anne was gushing all about her. Please tell me you'll come back now?" I said, cupping his cheek.
"I- I can't (Y/N), I'm sorry," he said softly.
"Please Cole I beg you," I said softly, a tear slipping down my cheek.
"I- I'll think about it," he said softly. I squealed, hugging him as he laughed.
"Now go, if my folks see me slacking off I'm dead," he said, and I laughed, waving and heading back.
Hopefully, whoever this new mystery woman was, would convince Cole to come back.
Mystery woman indeed.
—————
"Are you excited to meet the new teacher?" Gil asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Not really, but I'm sure Anne is," I said, and he laughed.
"Why not? Isn't it exciting that we're going to get a female teacher?" He said. I shrugged.
"I mean yeah it's nice and all, but teachers are teachers. We're probably just going to do the same thing we've always done, read books and do math," I said, shrugging. He laughed, and we walked up to the building.
We headed inside, removing our coats and heading to our seats.
Anne was gushing to Diana, and I rolled my eyes, not surprised at all.
"Here's a recipe for disaster, show up an hour late, dressed like a man, to tea with the progressive mothers," Prissy said, shaking her head. I only assumed they were talking about the new teacher, who'd I learned was named Miss Stacy.
"Don't disparage someone we don't even know," Anne said.
I rolled my eyes. I wish she'd stop being such a kiss ass for once.
"You guys care? It'll be the same old same old, read, do math, who cares what she's like. She's just going to be boring," I said, shrugging and getting out my supplies.
"You don't know that," Anne said.
"Gosh, would you relax a little. You haven't even met the woman," I said, sighing.
"Still, I plan on being her very favorite student."
'Of course you do, Anne Shirley' I thought to myself.
I got up, going over to Cole's desk because I knew he'd left some spare ink in there.
"That fox is dead meat," I heard Billy say. I rolled my eyes.
"Fox? What fox?" Anne said, looking back.
"The one with the dark tail," Moody said.
Gil sighed.
"Well, there's no fox here so how about you put the gun away. I'd like to live to meet the new teacher," Gilbert said, raising an eyebrow. Billy moved back, rolling his eyes.
Just as he did, the door opened. The whole class turned, seeing a woman carrying countless things.
A globe rolled on the floor, landing at my feet.
She smiled at me.
"I just laid the world at your feet, didn't I?" She beamed. I felt my heart pound in my chest.
She had blonde hair that was done up underneath her hat, and a pair of beautiful blue-green eyes.
She looked like she was in her early 30s, just a bit older than Mr. Phillips was.
Billy reached for the globe, handing it back to her.
"Here you go little lady," he said. I swallowed as she finally removed her eyes from me, turning to glance at him.
"My name is Miss Stacy, and please take that gun outside, this classroom is no place for a weapon," she said. He swallowed, nodding.
"Yeah, I was just about to do that," he said, taking it to the cloak room. She paused in front of me.
"Is this where you sit?" She asked, looking at Cole's empty desk.
"N-No! Uh, my friend sits here. I just- I uh- I needed some extra ink for my pen," I explained.
"Where is he?" She asked.
"Absent. He uh- he's sick I think," I lied, not wanting her to know the truth.
She nodded, and I promptly moved back to my seat, embarrassed. Anne didn't even remove her eyes from her.
"Oh such a pretty room, so many windows, I love to see green," she thought out loud, placing all her stuff down.
"Alright, let's get to know each other. Please stand up," she instructed.
We all did so, and she removed her coat and hat. I fully took her in, admiring the floral print on her shirt.
"She's not wearing a corset," Josie whispered. My lips parted. Josie was right, she wasn't wearing one. Despite what I'd been told a woman should be, part of me admired it.
"Alright, please move the desks to the side of the room, we're going to sit on the floor," she explained.
"The floor?" Josie Pye complained.
"Yes, the floor. Form a circle, we'll introduce ourselves," she said with a smile.
We all did as she asked, sitting down and waiting for her to further explain.
"You'll use two words, using the first letters of your given name and surname, I'll start," she said, glancing at Anne, who was sitting next to her and naturally wouldn't stop staring at her.
"Muriel Stacy, mischievous, scholastic," she said. Muriel. Her name was Muriel.
I smiled softly to myself.
Of course, I exchanged a glance with Gilbert as she made a strange comment about being separated at birth.
Miss Stacy ignored her, and I tried to hold back a laugh, biting my lip. Sometimes, in my eyes at least, Anne needed a small taste of social reality.
"Ruby Gillis," she read off the paper.
"Romantic... girl?" She said, glancing at Gilbert, he sighed, and the whole class laughed.
"She has a crush on-," Anne started, just as Miss Stacy called out Gilbert's name.
"Global-"
"He traveled the world for a year."
"And bookish."
"Everyone thinks he's the smartest student."
I glared at Anne. Did she plan on telling Miss Stacy everyone's whole life story?
"Oh, another Blythe. (Y/N)? Siblings I suppose?" She said as I stood up. I nodded, my cheeks going red in embarrassment.
"*insert word* benevolent. (Y/N) Blythe," I said, sitting back down.
"I would've said beautiful," Billy whispered to me. I shifted uncomfortably.
"Hm, students, please be silent while your peers are talking," Miss Stacy said, glancing at him. He swallowed, fixing himself.
"Prissy Andrews?"
"Pragmatic... actualized," she said.
"She left our former teacher at the altar."
The whole room shifted, gazing at Anne, in shock by what she'd said. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't exactly necessary.
Miss Stacy turned to her.
"Perhaps you'd like to share your comment with the class," she suggested, seemingly also a bit disturbed by the comment.
"Oh! Well it's no secret that Prissy was affianced to our former teacher, but justifiably fled the wedding," she said, as if she were proud to be saying it. I furrowed my eyebrows, quite literally disgusted by how she was behaving.
Anne had made mistakes before, but there was no reason for this. Gilbert frowned, as If also disappointed in her.
"I'll be happy to fill you in on everybody in Avonlea," she told Miss Stacy sweetly.
"No need to provide me with gossip, I don't condone it," she said,
"But nothing I said is a secret," Anne said, as if trying to justify it.
"If someone needs me to know something, they'll tell me," she responded.
"How about you take your turn. What's your name?"
"Anne... Shirley-Cuthbert..."
She didn't list any, and there was slight laughing.
"I'm sure you'll think of some later, why don't you see me after class," Miss Stacy said, and she nodded sitting back down.
The class continued, and it seemed Miss Stacy's mature approach had silenced Anne. I felt bad for Anne, but at that, she needed to learn to respect people. I can only imagine what she might've said about other people.
—————
"So, I'm hoping that you wouldn't mind tutoring me. I'm very serious about medicine as my vocation and I'm worried that I'm behind, and the same goes for my sister. We both took a year off to travel with our father before he uh... before he died," he explained, motioning to me. Her eyes glanced back at me, and she nodded.
"Of course. My husband accelerated his studies and got early entrance into college," she said.
I felt my heart drop. Of course she was married, that wasn't surprising to me, so I wondered what this feeling was. Maybe I was just surprised. She goes by Miss Stacy and not Misses, perhaps that was why.
"Husband?" Anne questioned, as if upset. Maybe I'd have to tell Cole he was right after all.
"I'm widowed, actually," she corrected, sighing.
"Oh how tragical," Anne said, sighing as if in a daydream. Gilbert and I exchanged a puzzled look.
"Anyways, if you work hard you could get in a year early," she said.
"I'll do whatever it takes, I-"
"Gil, you promised Bash," I said, recalling the agreement they'd made. I placed a hand on his shoulder, and he looked down.
"I- I'm sure he'll understand. What do you need from me?" He asked, turning his attention back to Miss Stacy.
"Nothing! Just your time, I'll see you in the mornings before class. And bring your sister, I don't want her at home alone. (Y/N) was it?" She confirmed. I nodded, looking down.
"Great, thank you so much. Also she wouldn't be home alone, a friend a met during my travels stays with us, but I figure it wouldn't do her any harm to have some extra study time," he said, ruffling my hair.
"I'm going to call you the name if you don't stop," I said, smacking his hand away.
"Oh don't you dare."
"What are you gonna do about it.. Gilby?" He moved to grab me but I squealed, running out of the schoolhouse.
He shook his head at me, waving to Miss Stacy with a time confirmation and grabbing both of our coats and bags.
"Here, take it doofus," he said, throwing me my coat. I laughed, putting it on.
"What do you think of her?" I asked.
"She's amazing. I'm glad she actually dedicates herself. Unlike some ugly man with a mustache I happen to know," he said, and we both burst out laughing, racing each other home.
—————
I awoke to arguing downstairs.
"Your future? What about mine?"
That was Sebastian's voice.
I sighed, getting up and looking for a dress.
I picked out a simple one, but liked it for the flowers on its collar.
I slipped on my boots, tying the laces and going downstairs. They were still arguing.
"Gilbert- Bash- I- let's continue this when we get home ok?" I compromised. Bash sighed, nodding and kissing my forehead as we left.
Gilbert and I walked to school, and I sighed.
"Can't believe you're making me get up early for this," I groaned. He chuckled, patting my back as we went in. It was the quietest I'd ever seen the schoolhouse. Miss Stacy was sitting at her desk, and she smiled and welcomed us in.
"Gilbert! (Y/N), welcome. Sit wherever, and let me know what you need help with," she said, smiling at us. I nodded, sitting down at one of the desks pushed to the side of the class.
I got out my book on American history, resuming on the page I'd been reading the other day.
I heard Gilbert and Miss Stacy quietly discussing the material, and I sighed, wishing I could've spent this time sleeping instead.
"Whatcha reading?" She asked, sitting down besides me.
"I uh- it's- uh-" I showed her the cover, and she smiled.
"American history? Do you like it?" She asked, resting her cheek in her hand.
"I do," I said softly. She smiled.
"You're awfully shy you know, unlike your brother," she said, and I smiled back.
"Surprisingly, he considers himself less social than me. I hope you don't interpret my behavior as cold, I merely take a bit of time to adjust with new people. In a month you're going to ask me to stop disrupting your class," I said softly. She laughed, raising an eyebrow.
"How old are you and Gilbert?" She asked, folding her hands together on the table.
"I'm 16, he's 17. He'll be turning 18 in June, and I'll be 17 in August," I said, and she nodded.
"Do you know what you want to do?" She asked, and I shrugged.
"I'd like to live in a secluded farm, paint all day and read books all night, something of the sort," I said, softly laughing.
"A life like that is why I accepted this position. The country is nice, and there are so many empty roads to ride my motorbike on," she said, smiling.
"That's right, I heard about that. You have a... motorbike? I'd love to see it someday," I said, and she smiled, getting up from the bench.
"I'm currently tinkering with it, trying to fix it, but you'll see her soon enough," she said, brushing off her skirt. I nodded, smiling.
Soon more students began arriving, and I wasn't paying attention to anything besides my book until I noticed Anne walk up to my brother.
"I hope you weren't eavesdropping," she spat.
"I'm trying to study," he said, ignoring her tone.
"I'm going to need Miss Stacy's help with my vocation soon too," she said, as if trying to one up him.
"Do whatever you want," he said, annoyed by her.
"What is your problem," she said, as if not the one who'd instigated it.
"Anne, when you're done harassing my brother maybe you'll want to come look at what I'm reading? I think you'll find the civil war truly interesting," I said, giving her the fakest genuine smile I possibly could.
"Hmph. Carry on with your goals," she mocked, rolling her eyes and taking her seat. Gil and I exchanged eye contact, wondering what in dear gods name was making her behave the way she had been the last few days.
Of course, the answer was Miss Stacy, but it confused me. I'd never known my mother, seen as she died giving birth to me. She'd had complications with Gilbert, and when she got pregnant again it took too much of her.
Anne hadn't known her parents, but at the very least now she had Matthew and Marilla. For as long as I can remember it was just me and Gil taking care of our father.
It seemed Anne latched on to Miss Stacy in hopes of a mother like figure, which I could understand of course.
What I couldn't understand is why she was letting it get to her head.
—————
"Does anybody know what electricity is?" Miss Stacy asked.
"Light," Anne said, and I mentally sighed.
"Yes, and?"
"A form of energy," Gil and I said in unison. He chuckled, and I smiled, shaking my head at him.
Miss Stacy nodded, setting up some potatoes. I suddenly realized what she was doing. I'd recalled hearing about this in newspapers. A way to make your own electricity.
"If you've ever watched a storm, the lightning that comes down from the sky is electricity. Powerful stuff," she said, continuing to explain electricity, along with atoms and matter.
I watched as she tied the copper around the nail, and connected it all. She twisted the lightbulb, and it lit. Everyone clapped, and I smiled, looking at her and beaming. She smiled at all of us, and I noticed the "progressive" mothers enter the room.
"Good day ladies, would you like to join us?" She asked, presenting the lightbulb.
She went to approach them. And I moved to her spot to get a better look.
"Does it taste like chocolate cake..?" Moody muttered. By the time I realized what he was doing it was too late.
"MOODY NO!"
He shocked himself, dropping the potatoes. I tried to reach to grab them, but the lightbulb shattered, and in doing so the glass cut my palm.
I hissed out, grabbing my wrist and stepping back. Moody's mother began exclaiming out, and Miss Stacy hurried over.
"Logic dictates that there is no glass under your feet, I'd like to keep it that way. I'll go fetch a broom," she said, running to the closet to grab one.
I stepped back, feeling lightheaded as I observed how deep the cut was. I wouldn't have thought glass could cut so deep. Apparently I was wrong.
"Gilby..." I whispered, and he was about to go off on me before he noticed my hand.
"Oh my god, (Y/N), come on," he hurried me over to the chair in the corner.
"That's gonna cause an infection if we don't disinfect it. Uhhh, gosh," he looked around, sighing.
Miss Stacy came back out, sweeping the glass and checking with Moody, sighing when he said he was ok.
"Just wrap my hand, I'm sure Bash has something, we'll get home," I said, getting up. He sighed, nodding and wrapping my palm, and we headed out in the middle of an argument between Miss Stacy and the women. I overheard them question her abilities as a teacher.
"Uh, excuse me but I believe Miss Stacy to be a dedicated, wonderful teacher. I've learned more today than I think I did the whole time Mr. Phillips was our teacher," I said, briefly meeting her eyes before leaving.
Gil and I rushed home, and as soon as we got there he unwrapped the hand, and I hissed as he poured the alcohol on it.
"Gilbert!" I groaned, trying to pull my hand away.
"It's this or an infection, and this is certainly much better," he said, dabbing at the wound before wrapping it with a clean cloth. I sighed.
"Will I be able to paint with this?" I asked, annoyed with how the bulky bandage felt.
"I don't see why not. It'll heal quickly, trust me. I know it's annoying but you've got a bit more lucky than Cole," he said, sighing and patting my shoulder.
That was right. Cole.
I'd decided it might be nice to go see him tomorrow. I'd stop by early, walk with him to the story club house and talk for a little bit.
Yes, I decided, that was exactly what I would do.