Chapter Fifteen:
The Nutcracker
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
"I'm so, so, so, so terribly sorry!" Anne cried. "I-I didn't mean to bring him up! I-I truly didn't think it would hurt you! I'm.. I'm so, so, so sorry!"
Anne's words had hurt Mabel a great deal, and as much as Mabel wanted to show her that she just couldn't blurt things like that out, to teach her a lesson, to make Anne work just a bit harder for Mabel's forgiveness.. she didn't.
If Anne were to accompany her to the Nutcracker tonight, it would be terribly awkward if Mabel didn't accept her apologies.
Mabel sighed, shaking her head. "It's alright, Anne.. j-just.. just, please don't.. do it again, please?"
"I-I won't! I promise!" Anne shook her head, pulling Mabel into her arms and hugged her tightly. "I love you dearly, I never meant to hurt you! And I never will again! Ever!"
Mabel sighed, wrapping her arms around her. "I love you, too, Anne."
If only Anne knew just how much she meant those words.
Anne gasped, pulling away suddenly, startling Mabel. "Oh, sorry.. But I can't believe I forgot!"
"What is it?" Mabel asked, putting a hand on her chest from Anne's sudden outburst. "Do you have extra sch-"
"Marilla's allowing me to join you!" Anne clapped her hands together, "Only if I will be back by Christmas Eve."
Mabel squealed, "Really? That's wonderful!"
"Yes!" Anne spun Mabel around the room excitedly again. "This is going to be so much fun!"
Mabel laughed joyfully, her red dress swishing from the wind. "You're going to enjoy Charlottetown all decorated for Christmas! Trust me."
"Who else is joing us?"
"W-Well, actually.. it'll just be us.. Josie's mother declined our invatation.. And my family, of course, I'd avoid Catherine, if I were you.. she gets meaner around.. well.. her time." Mabel warned.. "But don't worry! You'll be fine, it'll be amazing!"
"I do believe so!"
"Seeing the Nutcracker is like.. a time honored family tradition!" Mabel sighed in content, "I'm excited to share it with you tonight!"
Mabel continued to ramble excitedly as she moved her hands around for emphasis. Mabel moved her to sit on the bed as she stood above her making hand gestures to go along with what she was saying. Though, Anne wasn't listening to her.. she was focused on something else entirely.
Anne smiled, briefly glancing down at the girl's lips. They looked so.. so perfect. So.. luscious.. kissable, even.
The way they curved when Mabel spoke or smiled. Anne liked the way Mabel's lips moved when she talked.
"Anne? Anne, have you been listening to me?" Mabel deadpanned, crossing her arms. "At all?"
Anne startled out of her thoughts as she looked up at Mabel.
"Uh.. not.. not exactly, no." Anne cringed, looking down. "Not.. not at all, actually.."
"Anne!" Mabel groaned, moving and falling back onto the bed. "I've been talking for five minutes!"
"I'm sorry! You just looked so.. wonderfully pretty in the sunlight, I must have gotten distracted!" Anne turned on her side, resting her head on her hand. "I-I mean, I-"
"Oh.. W-well, thank you." Mabel blushed, covering her face with her hands as she grinned to herself, her heartbeat increasing as the words played repeatedly in her head.
She thinks I'm pretty..
~~
"Oh, I'm so, so, so excited!" Anne whispered, practically bouncing in the seat beside Mabel.
Mabel chuckled, "I think you'll love it. I certainly do."
Edward sat beside Mabel, watching as her smile brightemed as she spoke to Anne.
He was happy for her, that she found such a close friend that could make her happy after her uncle took that away.
He wished she'd told mother and father about it.. but she wasn't ready. He respected that, but he certainly wished he could do something about it.
"Oh! Oh, it's starting!" Catherine said, excitedly. She hushed Anne and Mabel who sat beside her.
James and Mary sat a few rows in front of the kids, claiming they wanted their "alone" time.
As the lights dimmed in the theater and the familiar tune of the opening song played, Anne's eyes lit up with joy.
Mabel's arm rested on the arm wrest beside Anne's, causing her heartbeat to increase. Her face deepened a red shade, and she was barely able to focus on the recital she was watching.
The grin never left Anne's face as each of the dances continued on and on, the music increasing in drama with each musical number.
Mabel's heart skipped a beat as her pinkie finger brushed against Anne's.
Oh, how she longed to hold Anne's hand.. To walk down the street with her, smiling and laughing her day away.
She longed for Anne.. all of her. Her perfections, her "imperfections" that she always pointed out about herself.
Mabel simply couldn't see those flaws that Anne talked about so much.
She loved her hair.. it reminded her of winter days spent by the fire as it slowly faded into embers.
Her eyes were like.. oceans of water she could only dream about until she sees it herself.
Anne's freckles reminded her of the constellations lighting up the night's sky, brightening the world.
Mabel glanced over at Anne as she felt her hook their pinkies together.
Mabel sucked in a harsh breath, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to control her nerves.
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Br- Just do it! Breathe and do it. What could go wrong? Do it!
As the tune of the dance of the sugarplum fairy began to play, Mabel pulled Anne's hand closer, interlocking their fingers completely.
Anne didn't look away from the dancers, but her smile brightened as she moved their arms from the arm rest to wrest on the velvet seats.
Mabel grinned to herself as she watched, though she was unable to focus on the show.
No, her thoughts were somewhere else entirely.
She liked how Anne's hand felt in hers. It felt.. right. Anne's hand fit into Mabel's perfectly.. Like this was how it was supposed to be.
For eternity.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
{ Word Count: 1040 }
{ A/n: MERRY, MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS! and HAPPY HOLIDAYS! also I'm sO soft for these girlfriends }
{ Edited: Nah }