this week was stressful for anne. she had to write a paper on mozart, film a cover for this week, 3 tests, and had to write a song for one of her many classes. anne sat in her music class when a message popped up on her screen.
gil:): ik u r in class but this is URGENT, carrots! well not really but.. hope ur not doing anything tonight bc my good friend, cole, is having a concert and i scored an extra ticket for you:) u cannot say no bc it is friday and ik that school lets you stay out till 12 on fridays!
she smiled and shot a quick response back. anne saw gilbert every weekend and sometimes on the weekdays. they spent a lot of time together. filming or just watching movies. though, she still hasn't sung him that song.
as her last class ended, she ran to her dorm to get change for this concert. when diana called her, she dropped everything. it has been a month since she left and anne has cried at least twice a week.
"CURLY SHIRLEY!" diana screamed, all smiley. it was already getting dark in avonlea. the 3 hour time difference. her eyes caught anne doing her makeup. "oooou, where are you heading?
"well, gilbert invited me to his friend's concert. cole mackenzie? his song v-" she saw the look on her friend's face. "do not give me that look! he has a girlfriend, di! i think she hates me though but that's beside the point! what i am trying to say is we can never happen!"
diana smirked. "just because he has a girlfriend does not mean you can't have a crush on him." she blushed and diana laughed. "HA HA HA! i knew it! you totally like him! and it is so obvious he likes you too!"
did she like him? i mean who didn't like gilbert? he is one of the sweetest guys ever and he has the kindest eyes and-
"anne! hello?" she dazed out, thinking about gilbert, and diana knew it. "i'll let you get ready and finish thinking about gilbert! byeee!" this girl knew everything about anne without even being there.
✵
7:45, gilbert picked anne up.
she hopped into the back seat with autumn as willow and gilbert sat in the front. she thought about how awkward the tension in this car felt.
"willow, you look gorgeous tonight!" willow wore a pink sweater dress and high boots with her hair in a slick ponytail. she just gave a slight smile and nod, which made gilbert frustrated. "as do you autumn!" her blue floral dress complimented her slightly faded pink hair.
autumn smiled her red painted lips and touched the girl's knee. making sure willow saw. "thank you ,anne! god, you are so stunning! just wanted to say how beautiful your voice is! i love your videos! do you-"
"oh my gosh! i love this song! autumn, don't you just LOVE this song?" she turned the radio up all the way causing gilbert to turn it down. willow was angry and trying her best to hide it, she was failing. while autumn smirked knowing she got to her.
"babe, are you okay?" gilbert squeezed her hand in his. she just nodded and stared out the window. autumn began to talk to anne and gilbert, completely leaving willow out.
gilbert handed anne her VIP pass and they all walked into the concert. people screaming their names. cole started off on gilbert's vlogs before he began to sing. he helped launch his career. "hi guys! enjoy the concert!" the fans yelled as willow clutched onto his side. anne heard her name yelled a few times too and she smiled.
"here hold my hand. i always get lost going into these things because of all the people." she intertwined their fingers as willow gave her a cold stare. "you are actually the sweetest human being!"
the four were led backstage where a few friends stood. ruby and jerry were all over each other, like they usually are. jane talked to josie and ethan, trying to distract josie from clark. clark stood with xavier and another boy who anne couldn't see. anne gave big hugs to all of her friends. "clarky! xavie!" she gave nicknames to both of the boys. she pulled away and saw the boy that looked like a younger version of clark with darker hair.
"oh, annie, this is my brother, sawyer! the one who told me about the music school!" she shook hands with the mysterious boy. he flashed a smile and anne felt butterflies in her stomach. like the ones she felt when she kissed justin llyod in freshman year. or when she met gilbert. "he is also a musician! this kid saw one of your videos and would not stop talking about you for a week!" anne's cheeks turned pink.
he rolled his eyes and laughed. "yeah, i saw your videos! you are really great, anne! i play the piano, guitar, and drums but never got around to the ukulele. how are you liking hollywood arts?"
"i love it! everyone there is so welcoming! i am so glad you told your brother about that school or else i wouldn't be here!" she lightly hugged clark.
"yeah, i'm glad too." he winked. gilbert greeted sawyer with a swift handshake and he hugged willow. "hey, you have to meet cole! he wants to meet you so bad!" he put his hand on anne's back and guided her through the crowd.
gilbert took a sip of his water bottle. "all he does is talk about her and how cute she is! man, sawyer wants to get with anne so bad! i think tonight's their night!" he choked. water came out of his mouth and his nose. "woah, dude, new shoes! are you good?"
"g-g-get with her?" he wiped his mouth as he coughed out the water. willow rolled her eyes, a natural thing for her do to do whenever gilbert brought her up.
"i can totally see them getting together! they would be so cute with their-uh-music skills?" she high fived clark and kissed gilbert's cheek.
✵
cole's dressing room was beautiful. a gay flag hung proudly on the corner and polaroids decorated the mirror. "ANNE SHIRLEY-CUTHBERT! I LOVE YOU!"
"COLE MACKENZIE, YOU ARE SO TALENTED!" they hugged like they knew each other for years. "i cannot believe i am here! my first time backstage!" sawyer's arm somehow snaked around her waist and she didn't mind.
"well, you are now my good luck charm because of that! well, sawyer, let's go do this! sawyer here, is my opening act!" he walked out and quickly hugged everyone. he stopped and smirked at clark, whispering something in his ear before heading to get his mic.
"well, wish me luck!" sawyer offered his fist up to anne and they fist pumped. he grabbed his guitar and began to strum. "you may know this song! you may not! but this is for a special someone!" he quickly glanced at anne who was watching from backstage. the crowd "oou" and "awwed" for the boy.
"i don't know if we should be alone together. i still got a crush, that's obvious. if nobody's around, what's stopping us? everywhere i go you show, whatever. i don't ever mind sharing oxygen. i just wanna get lost in your lungs." single by the neighbourhood. she lightly hummed along.
she saw gilbert a few feet away from her, holding willow in his arms. anne gave him a thumbs up with a huge smile and he did the same, except his smile was forced. he didn't want anne to go out with sawyer. he wanted her to go out with him. willow's eyes went to autumn who was flirting with one of the bandmates of cole. she just wanted to finish the moment they shared a few weeks ago. gilbert looked down at willow and connected their lips, both unsatisfied.
sawyer got off stage and was attacked with a hug from anne. "that was amazing! you are amazing!" she stayed in his arms for a few more seconds and broke away. for the rest of the show, they stood next to each other. whispering random things into each other's ears and laughing. mostly vines. sawyer put his arm around her waist again and enjoyed the show. gilbert grunted angrily and left with willow following after him, both pushing through people.
"what the hell is wrong with you?" she slammed cole's dressing room door shut. "we are here supporting our friend and all you can think about is that anne girl? you shouldn't have brought her out to l.a! you shouldn't have promoted her! our lives would have been way normal without her! you are MINE not hers!"
"and you are MINE not autumn's! i never see you anymore! it's always 'i have to do this with autumn' or 'autumn and i want to hang alone'. god forbid i want a friend to spend time with! you are a jealous bitch!" he bit his lip as those words left his mouth.
"and you are a psychotic motherfucker! these fucking videos take over your life and leave you so stressed out! to the point where you don't even want to leave the house! i am done with you and these videos! done with you and your friends! done with you and anne! news flash, she doesn't like you like that so stop trying! you have a girlfriend, dickhead! you may forget but i am always here! watching you fall in love with some other girl who is a nobody! she will never love you! you are just some friend to her. while you are my boyfriend! or have you forgotten because i'm some jealous bitch?" he was sorry after he saw her breakdown. he tried to come up and hug her but she pushed him away. "no, don't touch me! i am leaving without you! do not text me or call!" she ran out, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
willow ran out, ran into the parking lot and sobbed. "willow, what's wrong?" autumn. the girl she longed to be with. but she couldn't. her parents would never accept her. her fans. "did you guys b-"
"AUTUMN, WHY CAN'T YOU JUST FUCK OFF AND LEAVE ME ALONE! I DO NOT LIKE YOU LIKE THAT AND I NEVER WILL, FREAK! WHY ARE YOU SO OBSESSED WITH ME, LESBO?" autumn walked up and slapped willow. it shocked both of them to say the most
"i know you are only saying those things to try and convince yourself you don't like me. but guess what, you do! i see the way you look at me, willow. i know you like me just as much as i like you but you are too scared to admit that. too scared to admit that you want me over a boy. too scared to accept yourself as bisex-" she kissed her. willow kissed autumn. something they both wanted. autumn's hands cupped her cheeks, being light on the cheek she just slapped her on. both had tears in their eyes. willow finally accepted herself for who she is and autumn got the girl.
willow pulled away. "oh my god, what did i just do? i just cheated on gilbert! i'm sorry, i can't do this right now." and she ran. she just ran. didn't know where she was going and she didn't care. she just wanted to run away from all her problems. but she couldn't. all she could do was run away from the girl she wanted to be with and the boy she cheated on.
✵
the concert ended. everyone bombarded cole with hugs and congratulations. gilbert stood quietly. "i am going home but i have a few videos if you want them. great job, man." he hugged his best friend. he went up to anne, the only face he really wanted to see. "i am leaving now. still need a ride?" he hoped she would say yes but she didn't.
"actually, sawyer is giving me a ride! thanks though!" she gave him a huge hug, something he needed. "i'll see you soon! please text me when you get home." sawyer came up behind anne and picked her up.
"ready?" she nodded. "alright, bye gilbert. clark, let's go!" and there she went. in sawyer's arms even though she should be in his.
he walked back to his car and put his head down on the wheel. everything willow said playing in his head. she will never love you! you are just some friend to her. he hit the steering wheel as he screamed. "i am psychotic." he broke down in tears. how could one human hurt another so bad without even knowing? without even knowing they are slowly killing them.
WOOOOOW THAT IS A LOT! this is a very important chapter! but thank you all for your sweet comments! love you all<3