The familiar autumn chill swirled around Jade's bedroom as the sunrise began to stream in through her curtains. The smell of biscuits and eggs slipped underneath the bedroom door and reached the drowsy brunette's nostrils. Jade was sprawled across her bed underneath the covers, hair awry and her gaze zoned out on her open closet door. She was aware she needed to get up soon for school and make sure she met Gilbert in time to walk together. At the thought of Gilbert, Jade's stomach flipped.
She propped herself up on her elbows and looked at the foot of her bed, where the curly-haired boy had been sitting not even 24 hours ago. Pretend to be my date. He had asked.
Jade frowned. When she had imagined the boy asking her to the dance, she didn't imagine him using circumstances of a silly lie to ask her. Yet she had agreed to put on a show. It's only for this week. She reasoned.
She turned and was met with her reflection in the vanity mirror. Her hair was sticking up at all angles and her face showed the exhaustion she felt. But what if I don't want to pretend to like him for just a week?
Groaning, Jade finally peeled back the covers and winced when her bare feet hit the cold hardwood of her room. Thanks to the scenario she was now a part of, Jade had struggled to sleep. At first, she was elated, then her excitement morphed into reasoning which in turn became confusion. Her head swirled with questions as she trudged to her closet and pulled out a lavender day dress to change into.
Why did he blurt her name? Why did they have to pretend to go to the dance together?
Jade slipped out of her nightgown and into the dress, eyeing the boxes that were unopened and sitting in the corner of her room. Her mother was a highly neurotic personality and insisted on starting to gather the things Jade would need for university months before she was set to graduate.
University. The idea of moving out of Avonlea excited yet saddened her. She had been here for such a short amount of time and she had grown to love the little town and the people in it. Jade moved to grab the brush on her vanity when she saw a movement behind her in the mirror.
"Good morning, mother." She sighed. Jade began to pull the brush through the ends of her hair as she watched her mother enter the room, pick her pillows off the floor, and began to do the bed. She had changed into a corduroy skirt and a cream-colored blouse, hair pulled up as elegantly as usual.
"Good morning." She replied. "Breakfast is downstairs and don't forget your brothers are coming home for dinner tonight."
Jade rolled her eyes as she braided her hair. "Let me guess, father won't be coming home for dinner again because he's too busy at the clinic again."
"Jade." Her mother's warning tone made the brunette roll her eyes again. The older woman made her way over to Jade's closet and began to shift through the dresses. "Remind me to purchase a corset for you to try next time we visit Charlottetown."
She wrinkled her nose. "And why would I ever remind you to purchase such a horrid item?"
Her mother turned, hand on hip and eyebrow raised. Oh great, another lecture about becoming a woman. Jade mentally groaned.
"Because whether you like it or not, you've grown and must start to get used to wearing this horrid item." Her mother turned back to her closet. "After all, you must look presentable for all future suitors." She added as an afterthought.
This made Jade choke on air. "Pardon?"
"Oh, don't even begin with this foolishness." Her mother quipped. "I'm no fool, Jade. I'm a married woman and have been around long enough to know when my daughter is infatuated with a boy."
Her ears burned with shame as she avoided her mother's gaze. "Infatuated is a bit strong, don't you believe?"
The woman shrugged. "I don't believe words are the issue here. I believe that you are harboring feelings for a certain Gilbert Blythe and refuse to acknowledge it because of that blasted pride of yours."
Jade fiddled with the end of her braid. She knew her mother was right but she wouldn't let her know.
"And while I'm glad you have not done anything improper or that could be gossiped about with the boy, we need to discuss the proper etiquette for attending a dance with a boy and how to act afterwards."
"Afterwards?"
The woman raised an eyebrow once again. "Jade, a boy asking you to a dance means much more than just the one social outing. If you both harbor feelings for each other, then the topic of courting is discussed."
Jade's mouth went dry and she blinked. "Mother, I'm not sure he likes me in that sense." She stood to grab her school supplies. "And even if he did, it is just one social outing. I will not be courting any sooner than university in order to focus on my studies and graduating with top marks."
Her mother watched as she spoke definitely, biting back a smile. "If you so choose, dear. Now, go downstairs to eat or you'll be late. We'll discuss this further at a later time."
Jade nodded and nearly flew down the stairs. She couldn't wait to get out of this blasted house and away from the topic of courting. She quickly grabbed a biscuit from the table and her basket with lunch. "Goodbye!"
Not wasting any time, the brunette ran out the door, out of the gates, and into the woods where she would meet Gilbert at the fork in the road. She slowed as she reached her point of destination and saw a tall figure already waiting for her. Jade was about to call out Gilbert's name when she saw a head of blonde hair instead of brown curls.
Her heart dropped and she quickly jumped behind a tree before Billy Andrews could notice her. He really needs a leash. She thought sourly. Jade scanned her surroundings. She did not want a repeat of the chasing ordeal that had happened a few months ago.
She heard footsteps and the crunching of leaves got louder until she saw another blonde come into view. Her jaw dropped.
Josie Pye had come into the clearing and was making her way over to Billy, shy smile and all. The boy gave her a smirk and gestured for her to come closer. Jade didn't trust herself to exhale.
The two were now standing in front of each other and were talking in a low tone that Jade couldn't pick up on. She was about to move to a nearer tree to get a catch of the conversation but felt a hand tap her shoulder. Jade gasped and whipped around only to be met with the hazel gaze of Gilbert Blythe and a hand clamped over her mouth.
He smirked down at her and looked around the tree to see what she had been observing. His smirk morphed into an amused smile. Jade rolled her eyes and moved his hand from her mouth but stayed quiet. His hair moved with the breeze and his cheeks were slightly flushed from the morning chill. Her eyes trailed down the plaid sweater he had and Jade realized her head barely reached his shoulder. Focus.
Josie's laughter bounced off the trees, finally making Jade turn around and look around the other side of the tree. Billy was standing too close for Jade's comfort and he was twirling a piece of Josie's hair while she seemed to bat her lashes.
She could have thrown up. Billy and Josie? Didn't he nearly take her eye out not too long ago?
"Yeah, I'm confused too." Gilbert said quietly, reading her mind. Jade turned to look at him and then back at the unlikely couple. Billy offered his arm and to Jade's disgust, Josie seemed to happily take it as they strolled away and no doubt, on their way to the schoolhouse.
She was finally able to breathe when she saw them disappear and stepped back from the tree, only to bump into what she presumed was Gilbert's chest. She sighed and turned around, having to tilt her head upwards to look at him. "No really, why don't you stand closer, Blythe?" she drawled sarcastically.
He smirked, leaning in ever so slightly. "I mean, if you insist, Peyton."
Jade's eyes flickered from his brows to his eyes to his cheekbones to the mess of curls on his head. Who gave this boy the right to be so attractive?
"We're not in public, Blythe. No need to act infatuated with me here." She rolled her eyes, starting down the path to the schoolhouse. Though I wouldn't be opposed. She thought.
Gilbert stayed quiet, making Jade turn around. "We haven't got all morning to get to school, Blythe. Are you going to speed up or not?"
Wordlessly, they fell into step and Jade willed herself to not turn and stare at his side profile.
"What color is your dress?" Gilbert broke the silence. Jade smiled.
"What makes you believe I'm wearing a dress?" She teased. The curly-haired boy laughed, looking her up and down. She bit back a blush when she saw his gaze linger.
"No suit in the world could do you justice, Ms. Peyton." He shot back.
Jade rolled her eyes. "I think you'd look radiant in a dress, Mr. Blythe."
His eyes lit up. "I've always wondered how nice it would be to wake up and put on a single layer of clothing."
"You're more than welcome to take my dresses, Blythe. Lord knows I have enough to spare."
They both dissolved into laughter at the thought of Gilbert in a dress. Jade saw the schoolhouse and felt her heart beat a little louder. The moment she walked through the doors she knew she would have to put up with the girls and their rumors about every prospective couple in Avonlea, herself included.
"It'll be alright." Gilbert eased, noticing the furrow between her brows. "All you have to do is pretend to be head over heels with me. It shouldn't be too difficult."
Jade snorted at his jab and made her up the stairs. Gilbert rushed ahead of her and opened the door. "Ladies first." He winked.
Her cheeks flushed. This is all an act. "Why thank you, Blythe."
They both entered the schoolhouse and Jade could already feel eyes on them as they moved to put up their scarves and hats. She flashed Gilbert one last uneasy smile before slipping into her seat beside Ruby who appeared to be having a staring contest with the board.
Ms. Stacy smiled at the teenagers as she took her place up at the front of the classroom. "I see lots of excited faces for the dance this Saturday." She laughed. Some students cheered and some took this as an opportunity to whisper amongst themselves. Ms. Stacy raised a hand to quiet the students before she lost their focus completely. "I do want to remind you all that the Queen's entrance exams are coming up soon, 2 months' time really, and that you all should not falter in your academics having made it this far. Let's finish the year strong, alright?"
There was a mixture of groans and sighs as Ms. Stacy mentioned the exams. Jade looked down at the notebook that she knew was filled to the margins with little notes and material she needed to practice before the exams. She glanced over at Ruby who was now mindlessly doodling hearts and swirls. She sighed.
This was going to be a long week.
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Lunchtime could not have come quicker. Jade grabbed her lunch and made her way outside with Diana and Jane, the green-eyed girl listening to the two girls gossip about who was going to be wearing what dress to the dance. This wretched dance is going to be the death of me.
"And he said he's going to get a tie matching the color of my dress!" Josie squealed as the girls joined the circle in the grass.
"That's so sweet of him." Tilly sighed, picking at her lunch. Jade raised an eyebrow and made eye contact with Anne, who in turn gave her a strained smile before looking away.
She hid her frown as she bit into her sandwich. Anne had been acting distant and Jade wondered if it had to do with Gilbert. Or herself. She made a mental note to check in with Anne after school.
"Charlie has offered to walk me to the town square for the dance." Diana blushed. The girls gasped and teased the dark-haired girl for the intense blush on her face. Jade looked down at her dress. She wondered how it is to gush over a boy openly and genuinely.
Josie's targeted gaze fell on Jade. "Rumor has it that Gilbert Blythe asked the new girl to the dance."
There were multiple gasps as they all turned to look at Jade, who now had stopped chewing and was trying to meet all of their gazes at once.
"What?" Came the first verbal response from Anne. And just like that, the air became tense.
"You heard me." Josie smirked, crossing her arms. "It seems like Gilbert finally developed a taste in women."
Jade did not receive Josie's backhanded compliment. She carefully set down her sandwich. "I will not sit here and allow you to belittle Anne or I for the sake of gossip or entertainment, Pye."
Steely blue gaze met sharp green. "Excuse me?"
"I believe I made myself very clear." Jade articulated carefully. "Anne is a brilliant young woman who would make any man or suitor the beyond happy with her intelligence and beauty."
Out of her peripheral vision, Jade saw Anne cover her mouth and now the girls were all quietly watching the two girls argue. Josie scoffed. "We can't both be looking at the same girl."
Jade raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I believe we are. But I wouldn't trust your eyesight seeing as you find something worth stomaching in Billy Andrews."
The girls gasped once again as Josie seemed to pale. Jade threw the remainder of her sandwich in her basket and stood. "I'm quite done with your childish behavior and running mouth. Come and find me when you develop a sense of morality and empathy."
And with that, Jade stormed back into the schoolhouse leaving the girls gobsmacked and the boys confused at the ruckus happening on the girls' side of the grass.
Oh, what a long week this was going to be.