When Ruby told her parents that night that she would be attending the town dance with Jerry Baynard she expected them to be embarrassed — ashamed, even. But it was quite the contrary. The Gillis's were kind people and they held no disdain towards Jerry for being a hired boy. Mrs. Gillis immediately began discussing what Ruby would like to wear to the event.
"Mothers been meaning to make me a new dress anyway since I'm outgrowing the ones I already own," Ruby told the other girls at lunch. "She has a lovely white fabric with little white flowers on it, and pink for a sash!"
"Will it have puffed sleeves?" asked Anne dreamily.
"The puffiest!" said Ruby with a giggle. "I am so excited! I can't wait to go to the dance!"
Through Ruby's chatter, Josie had been chewing slowly while scrutinizing her friend. "Ruby, who are you going with?"
All the girls turned to stare at Ruby. Anne and Diana tensed, for they knew who Ruby was going with and were uncertain how Ruby would handle this situation.
"Wh-what?" stammered Ruby, suddenly flushed.
"Who are you going to the dance with," repeated Josie. "Surely you aren't going alone!"
"Well, no —"
"Then who?" asked Tillie eagerly.
Ruby glanced desperately at Anne and Diana.
"Tell her, Ruby," said Anne, nudging the girl.
"Jerry," said Ruby, looking at the floor. "I'm going with Jerry Baynard."
There was complete silence except for the sound of students playing out in the schoolyard.
"You have got to be joking," said Josie in a quiet voice, staring at her friend.
Ruby shook her head miserably.
"But what will he wear?" demanded Josie. "He probably only owns one pair of clothing!"
Ruby looked up quickly. "I'm sure he'll look handsome enough in what he usually wears." Realizing what she'd said, Ruby blushed harder than she'd ever blushed in her life. "What I mean," she amended quickly. "Is that—"
"Ruby's right," said Anne. "Jerry will look just fine as he is. I myself will help him get ready—"
Josie snorted. "The orphan getting the hired boy ready for a dance — this is something I have to see!" She turned to Ruby and shook her head. "I really can't believe you like a hired boy! Aaron Gray clearly likes you! Why aren't you going with him?"
"H-he never asked," stammered Ruby.
The bell rang signaling the end of the lunch. The girls hastened to collect their things and head back to their seats. As they went, Ruby caught Aaron Gray's eye. He grinned at her. Ruby looked away quickly. What if he did ask her to the dance? Ruby couldn't say yes. She didn't want to say yes.
Ruby took her seat next to Josie. The other girl scooted several inches away. Ruby stared at Josie with a betrayed and hurt expression, but Josie only ignored her. Ruby always considered Josie to be one of her best friends, but now it seemed the other girl was turning on her. Ruby felt tears gathering in her eyes and tried to blink them away.
When lessons had finished and Ruby was on her way home, she was accosted by Aaron Gray asking if he might walk her home.
Images of him asking her to the dance and her having to refuse him flashed through her mind. She opened her mouth to say no, not wanting to lead him on, but then saw Josie staring at them from across the schoolyard. Ruby swallowed. Maybe if she walked with Aaron, Josie would forget all about her and Jerry until the dance. This could be the perfect cover up. "Yes. Thank you, Mr. Gray."
When Anne saw Ruby walking away with Aaron Gray, she was furious. "What does she think she is doing? We have to go stop her!" Anne made to move, but Diana grabbed her arm.
"Anne, don't," she said firmly.
"Why not?" demanded Anne. "Just because Jerry isn't able to walk home with her today she thinks it's acceptable to walk home with another boy?"
"Anne, we have to let Ruby make mistakes otherwise she's never going to learn," insisted Diana. "Ruby is a good person. We have to have faith in her and know she'll do the right thing."
"But her and Jerry are supposed to go to the dance together! I thought she cared for him!"
"Oh I'm certain she does," said Diana wisely. "I think that's the exact reason she's walking with Aaron. She's confused about liking Jerry, confused about Josie, that spiteful girl, not liking her because she likes Jerry — she's just confused and trying to make things right with everyone. If she doesn't come around by our picnic on Saturday, we will speak to her about it, alright?"
Anne nodded but felt uneasy about it. Every time she saw Jerry (who'd been in a good mood ever since Ruby said yes to him) she felt like she was lying about him. She felt so guilty about it that she ended up offering to make him a new shirt to wear to the dance. Jerry was surprised, but eagerly accepted the kind offer.
Ruby felt equally guilty about walking home with Aaron, and she hadn't enjoyed it one bit. There was just something off-putting about the boy's demeanor. As they walked Ruby found herself missing Jerry's little jokes and cheerful conversation. All Aaron wanted to talk about was how pretty she was. While Ruby had always dreamed about being called pretty by a boy, the novelty certainly wore off.
Ruby tried to push away the guilt. Tried to tell herself it was the right thing to do after Josie said next day, "I saw you walk home with Aaron yesterday. I hope that you choose him over that hired boy."
So when Aaron asked if he may walk Ruby home that afternoon, she once again said yes.
Ruby was not the only one who made a very big mistake that same afternoon. Though he was usually attentive, observant and rarely said stupid things, Gilbert was about to make a blunder which would cost two people their friendship.
After Anne refused his invitation to the dance, Gilbert was rather depressed for the next few days. Thoughts of leaving Avonlea again wandered through his head. Sometimes it felt like there was nothing for him in Avonlea. But Gilbert was not one to give up easily. After his initial disappointment had subsided, he decided to give it another try.
He knew, how ever much Anne refused to believe it, that they would be wonderful together. At this point Gilbert only wanted Anne's friendship. It wasn't that anything more than friends hadn't crossed his mind, but they were still very young and, what with the way Anne behaved around him, friends was hard enough to achieve.
Gilbert was halfway home Thursday evening when he decided he would go to Green Gables and reason with Anne. He wasn't going to pressure her into going to the dance with him —the dance wasn't even of much importance to him — he just wanted to her stop getting angry at him all the time and to realize his intentions were only good. Anne seemed to think everything he did was to humiliate and anger her, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Gilbert just wanted Anne to understand that.
As he walked up the drive to Green Gables, he was very nervous. There was a possibility, you might even call it a probability, that Anne would not be happy to him coming to Green Gables, and could overreact.
Gilbert was so focused on his goal that he didn't notice Jerry until the boy called to him. "Gilbert!"
Gilbert looked around and saw the boy unloading potato crops from the Cuthbert's wagon. Jerry put down a crate of potatoes, then came over to say hello.
The boys shook hands. Gilbert had helped the Cuthbert's a few times with their fields, and both Mathew and Jerry had helped him start his farm back up when he returned from his travels. Through helping each other and the various community events such as house raisings and tree fellings Gilbert and Jerry had got to know each other pretty well.
"I see you're bringing in the potatoes," said Gilbert, half glad for a reason to postpone his conversation with Anne.
"That's the last of them." Jerry looked at Gilbert curiously. "What brings you here?"
"I came to talk to Anne," said Gilbert.
Jerry grinned. "That is brave of you."
Gilbert shook his head. "I don't know how this misunderstanding between us happened, but I want to set it right for once and for all."
"Heard she said no when you asked to the dance. Sorry about that," said Jerry, patting Gilbert on the shoulder.
"It didn't exactly come as a surprise," Gilbert admitted, "it was just the way she said it . . . "
"I would have liked to see you there. At the dance, I mean." Jerry's nervousness for the event showed on his sun-browned face.
"I'll be there anyway. You can stick around with me and Charlie," offered Gilbert.
"Thanks," said Jerry. "Who's Charlie going with?"
Gilbert gave a small laugh, half sympathetic and mildly amused. "He's still trying to get up the courage to ask Diana."
"He should just ask her. I was scared to ask Ruby. But in the end it was worth it."
Gilbert stared at Jerry. Then he shifted his position and gestured at Jerry. "Wait you are going with Ruby?"
"Yes?" said Jerry slowly, eyeing Gilbert. "Why do you sound so surprised?"
"I thought she was going with that new fellow who just came to town, Aaron," said Gilbert.
Jerry paused, and looked at Gilbert suspiciously. "Why would you think that?"
Gilbert hesitated. He looked around the farm yard, and then back at Jerry. Gilbert was not one to spread rumors, or get caught up in drama that did not involve himself, but he had the feeling that he had just blundered unknowingly into a very personal situation. And now that he was started, he had to finish.
"They — they walked home together yesterday and today," said Gilbert. He felt a stab of guilt as Jerry's expression fell. "I'm sure there's a reason for it. Aaron was probably just, er, going to borrow something for one of his parents from the Gillis'!"
But the damage was done.
"Yeah. Maybe," said Jerry, though he sounded disbelieving. "Look I have to finish working, and Anne just came from the house so I will not keep you. Au revoir."
After saying goodbye, Jerry turned and walked away back to the wagon of potatoes. Gilbert watched him pull a crate off the wagon with unnecessary force.
"What are you doing here?"
Gilbert looked around and saw that Anne had approached. She had her arms crossed over her chest and looked much less than enthused at the sight of him.
"I think I just made a big mistake," said Gilbert.
"I'll admit coming here was not the smartest thing you've ever done—" started Anne.
"No, not that," said Gilbert. "I just told Jerry that Ruby has been walking home with Aaron Gray."
"You did what?" cried Anne.
The two teenagers stared at each other, Anne's eyes wide in horror.
"Come with me."
To Gilbert's great surprise, Anne grabbed his hand and pulled him behind Green Gables. She quickly let go as soon as they were well out of sight of Jerry.
"Tell me exactly what you said."