Chapter Twenty-Six:
"That dress looks really pretty on you, Josie." Mabel complimented, smiling shyly up at her as she rubbed the fabric in between her fingers. "This color suits you incredibly well.:
Josie rolled her eyes teasingly, her cheeks pinkening a shade as she looped her arm with Mabel's. "Thank you, Mabel."
Mabel grinned at her, looking at the barn ahead of them. "You gonna dance with Billy tonight?"
Josie shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not.. I do have so many other eligible bachelors lining up just.. begging for my hand in marriage."
Mabel laughed, shaking her head. She was more than glad that she and Josie had grown much closer after her ice skating incident.
"You'll save me a dance, yes?" Mabel asked. She knew there was no chance with Anne. The girk was clearly dead gone over Gilbert Blythe. It hurt Mabel's heart, and she refused to pine after a girl who would never return her feelings for the rest of her days. She refused to fall victim to heartbreak anymore than she already has. She wanted to move on. She needed to move on.
Josie gasped, "Mabel! People will surely talk if two girls are dancing together."
Mabel bit her lip, "Let them talk."
~~
Mabel giggled joyfully as she connected her hands with her partners and began circling left.
Anne looped her arm with Mabel's as she spun her around. "Flying high in a balloon makes you realize that we are but the teeniest drops in an enormous bucket."
Mabel's heart skipped a beat and she sighed, realizing that there is no way she's getting over Anne anytime soon. Diana laughed, shaking her head. "If you say so."
"My problems suddenly feel insignificant." Anne cried, shaking her head. Mabel nodded in agreement, winking at Josie as she passed her. The man shouted The dance moves as Mabel raised her hands and walked forward. Her breath caught in her throat when Anne grinned brightly at her as she ducked under her arms.
Mabel blushed as Winifred commenced their hands and moved on to Winifred. Anne stared at Winifred, narrowing her eyes in jealousy as Mabel laughed nervously and ran over to the girls when the music stopped.
"Gilbert has a secret sweetheart!" Jane gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Mabel, Anne, you both were dancing with them.. Who is she?"
"Her names Winifred." Mabel answered, giggling as Tillie leaned in.
"She's so pretty!" Mabel hummed in agreement, nodding her head along with Tillie.
"She's at least Prissy's age, if not older." Jane continued, crossing her arms and grinning as her eyes trailed over Winifred. Anne huffed, pursing her lips and looking down at her feet.
"A true lady."
"Wealthy, too." Josie nodded to herself, crossing her arms. "She must be from Charlottetown."
"Maybe she was his patient!" Ruby gasped, excitedly clapping her hands together. "Did he make her well?"
Mabel gasped, covering her mouth with her hands as her face reddened. "Ruby! You can't say things like that!"
"Uh, I need some fresh air." Josie excused herself, turning and walking away from the girls. Mabel sighed, zoning out as her friends continued to excitedly gossip about Winifred and Gilbert being together.
"I'm sort of hungry." Ruby said, patting her stomach. "Would you girls like to join me?"
M
abel blinked as she turned her attention from Anne to Ruby. "That sounds quite nice, come along, Anne."
Anne slipped her hand into Mabel's, her heart skipping a beat as she ran with them to the table with food.
"So.." Jane started, looking over at Ruby. "Let me get this straight.. You don't love Gilbert anymore?"
"That's what she just said."
"Oh, Josie! Hi." Mabel greeted, excitedly waving to her. "How was the air? Is it cold?"
"Where have you been? Moody looked in my direction and you missed it!" Ruby spoke excitedly, her eyes filling with warmth and happiness.
"I-I've been talking to a friend... from White Plains. You don't know her." Josie stammered put. clearing her throat. "You don't know her."
"Are you okay, Josie?" Mabel whispered, her eyes filled with concern. The blonde girl swallowed thickly, looking up from her boots and over to Mabel.
"Hm? Oh, oh yes. I'm okay. Just a bit tired, is all." Josie smiled nervously, glancing at Billy. Mabel hummed, scanning Josie's face. She didn't buy it. She recognized that look immediately. Mabel rose her eyebrows, putting her hands on her hips, showing Josie that she knew that she wasn't okay.
"Uh-"
"Oh, your bow." Anne pointed to Josie's bow, that had become uneven. "Here, just let me.."
"Moody's going to write a song about me.. Isn't that romantic?"
Mabel nodded quickly, turning her eyes towards Anne. "I wish someone would write a song about me."
"It was my idea." Ruby continued with a giggle, "He says he's never written a song before. I could be Ruby Spurgeon.. Moody and Ruby almost rhyme."
"Josie, are you sure you're okay?" Mabel asked quietly, glancing over at Charlie as he approached Anne. Jealousy flared up in her heart as Anne excitedly pulled Charlie along with her, happily chatting with him.
Josie gave a slight shake of her head. "I-I.."
Mabel frowned, reaching her hand up and brushing the dirt from Josie's sleeve. "You can come stay the night with me tonight, if you'd like?"
The lively music didn't match Josie's clearly devastated mood. Mabel didn't know what happened, but when she saw her nervously glancing at Billy repeatedly, he had a pretty good idea.
Josie shrugged, furrowing her eyebrows as Anne sat beside her quickly. "Josie, are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Josie dismissed, glancing over at Mabel who held a worried expression for her.
"Are you sure? The boys are saying things about you and Billy." Anne said slowly, knitting her eyebrows in concern. Mabel's heart dropped as her suspicions were confirmed.
"What are they saying?" Tears swelled up in Josie's eyes as her mouth fell open.
Mabel's eyes fell upon Billy and anger flooded her veins. She slowly stood up, glancing at Anne as she did the same.
"Mabel, Anne.. what are you doing?"
"It'll be okay, Josie." Mabel dismissed, angrily walking towards Billy with Anne.
"What in God's name is wrong with you?" Mabel glared, crossing her arms.
"How dare you?"
"Come to beg for a kiss too?" Billy said smugly.
"No one wants to kiss you! You look like a cow!" Mabel hissed, raising her hands and shoving him back.
"Beg?" Anne gasped. "That's not what happened and you know it."
"Do you not know basic vocabulary? You stupid, stupid boy!"
"How dare you spread nasty rumors about our friend?"
"If I were a boy, believe me, you'd be six feet under!" Mabel glared, raising her fist as an example. "And you still might be."
"Neither of you were there, you don't know what you're talking about."
"Believe me, I certainly do." Mabel hissed, shaking her head in anger, resisting the urge to beat him to a pulp with her bare hands.
"I have eyes! I can see that she is clearly devastated."
"Who wouldn't be if they had to look at you every day.."
"You shouldn't have touched her, Billy."
"Well.. I guess she regrets having loose morals."
Mabel's eye twitched as she slowly raised her foot and pulled off her boot as Anne continued to yell at him.
"Anne, back up." Anne turned her head, taking a step back just in time to see Mabel's boot connect with Billy's cheekbone. "That's for Josie."
"Mabel!" Her mothers voice boomed throughout the farm. Mabel's body became rigid as she reeled her arm back and hit him one more time.
"And that's for me."
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
{ Word Count: 1302 }
{ A/n: the thats for me at the end is representing her uncle btw }
{ Edited: No }