As the rooster cries were heard from outside, Marilla Cuthbert got out of bed and began her day. After getting dressed and fixing her hair, she walked down the wooden stairs and into the kitchen. She started a fire on the stove, took the kettle and started pumping water from the sink into the metal basin. As the water was boiling for a morning cup of tea, the woman put toast and eggs on the stove. Three of each. She then began setting the table, just in time, as she heard footsteps come from the stairs. Matthew Cuthbert appeared in the dining room and took his seat. As if on cue, Marilla placed a cup of hot tea in front of him. Another set of footsteps was heard and seconds later a groggy looking Jerry stumbled into the dining room. He sat down at the table, adjacent to Matthew. All of them were still not used to Jerry lodging at Green Gables and Anne not being there, although it didn't take long for Jerry to find out that meals were always quite awkward. Marilla placed a cup of tea in front of Jerry.
"Thank you, Miss Cuthbert." She nodded in reply and disappeared into the kitchen once more.
"We ought to fix that fence today." Matthew mumbled in Jerry's direction. Jerry nodded. Marilla walked back into the dining room and placed the food in front of them. They all began eating. Sounds of chewing and cutlery clanging against each other rose in the dining room.
"How do you think Anne is doing?" Jerry asked. He learned that when he brings up Anne, the Cuthberts start talking.
"Just fine, I reckon." Matthew said.
"Yes, of course. She's a smart one. And she's got her friends, Diana and the other girls." Marilla added. Jerry's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Diana. He still thought about her all the time. Even though she was awful to him last year. Even though her parents would never approve. Even though she told him she was waiting for college to end their courtship. He couldn't get her out of his head.
It was Wednesday afternoon. Diana and Anne were just finishing their homework when Anne noticed that Diana was acting odd. She seemed sorrowful, preoccupied, like there was something on her mind.
"Is anything the matter Diana?" Anne wanted to know.
"Not really." Diana answered. To Anne, not really meant yes. And she wasn't going to let Diana's face be held captive by the gloomy expression.
"Not really means that there's something, so we're not leaving this room until you tell me what's bothering you." Anne said sternly. Diana didn't know what to say. She knew exactly what was bothering her, or more accurately, who was bothering her, but could she tell Anne? Last time they had a talk about Jerry and Diana it ended in a fight that almost ended their friendship. Was she willing to risk it? Would Anne take her side? Or would she stand by Jerry, who's like her brother? All these thoughts made Diana dizzy, especially since she thought their friendship was already in rough seas because of Stella. Anne, of course, was completely unaware of Diana's views on her new friend.
"Diana" Anne said in an animated voice. "What are bosom friends for, if not to help each other sort their lives out?" Diana decided that not telling Anne, although it was definitely the easier choice, would be equivalent to betraying their friendship. After all, Anne was right, that's what bosom friends are for. And Diana did not want to lose the one she had.
"It's Jerry." The girl said hesitantly, trying to read her friend's expression as she went on. "I know I was truly awful to him and he shall never forgive me, and even if by some means he comes to forgive me, my parents won't have it. But he simply won't leave my conscience." Silence filled the air. 'I've left Anne speechless, nice job' Diana was enraged with herself. But Anne was not speechless, she just didn't want to say what was on her mind. Jerry had told her what Diana said to him, and Diana herself admitted to those things, so why now is she suddenly all consumed with thoughts of him?
"Why did you say all those things to him, Diana? You hurt him." Anne was trying to control her temper which was threatening to erupt on account of the urge she felt to right the wrongs that have been done to him.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean those things, I was afraid. And I would say that to him, if I could" Diana pleaded, her eyes glossy with tears.
"Afraid of what?"
"Of possibility. I was scared to spread my wings and soar. I was afraid of all the things you told me to do when I got into queens and was scared to tell my parents. Everything you said then, applies to this as well, and it is my biggest regret that I hadn't spoken to him before I left Avonlea." Claimed the raven haired beauty, tears now flowing freely down her rosy cheeks. Anne could see the regret in Diana's eyes. She also knew how influenced she used to be by her parents. But moreover, she saw her bosom friend, crying, broken. And whatever anger she was feeling could wait, because no matter what happened, when Diana's in need Anne will be there, as she knows Diana will too. She walked over and embraced the crying girl into her loving arms. Love is not all heart-eyes and flowers, they both learned that the hard way.
"Diana, you have to write to him." Anne said to the bundle of sobs and black curls in her arms.
"But he's fit to never want to hear from me again." Diana wept.
"Perhaps that's true, but he also has the right to know you're immensely sorry, that the words you said to him were not meant to harm him as they did. He deserves that, don't you think?" Anne saw the head of curls bounce up and down in agreement. "And maybe, just maybe he will write you back. What have you got to lose?" Diana slowly lifted herself from Anne's embrace and looked meaningfully into her eyes.
"Thank you, for helping me even though I was terrible. Thank you for showing me the error of my ways and not trying to paint me as a saint no matter what, like my parents had done all my life. Thank you for not taking sides even though you wanted to stand up for Jerry. I'll never have a friend that compares to you in the slightest." And with that, they embraced into another long hug. This time a hug of friendship and possibility.
The next day after school, Anne and Stella decided to go study in the Queens college library. They slowly walked over from where the class had taken place to the other side of campus where the library was located. As they walked in, they realised they were the only people there. 'That's odd' Anne thought but brushed it off. They sat down at a table and took out their work. Slowly but surely, Anne was seeing improvement in Stella's work. She felt accomplished, like she could be a good teacher after all. To Stella, who was also happy to be improving, it seemed as though with every question she managed to answer, she and Anne were becoming better friends. She would never admit it, but Anne was her first real friend. The poor girl had a rough, lonely childhood. Even though Stella was tremendously jealous of her tutor, for managing to escape the orphan life and find a family, there was something in Anne that made Stella feel like they were meant to be friends. Anne, who was much less desperate for friends, still found that talking to Stella about certain things was much easier than talking to Matthew or Marilla and even Diana and Gilbert. Stella solved a problem correctly, and both girls were over the moon.
"Well done, Stella!" Anne cried much louder than anyone should in a library. But as she recalled they were alone. Or so she thought.
"Did you hear that?" Stella asked, clearly troubled by a sound that was heard in between the bookshelves. Anne nodded and held her finger to her lips signifying to stay quiet. She then stood up and motioned for Stella to join her. Anne, being the imaginative person that she was, let her head run wild with the worst possible explanations. She had decided that the noises they heard were book thieves, who had come to rid the library of many of its treasured books, and that they were the library's only hope of being saved. Or perhaps, the noises they heard were the Queen's espionage troops coming to falsely accuse them of a crime. Or maybe a magi-
"It's just some students using the library as well, right?" Stella became nervous after she saw Anne's face turn serious and her breath quickening. Anne was pulled out of her imagination.
"Oh, of course." She said, sounding slightly disappointed.
Quietly, the two girls tip-toed across the library. As they got closer, they heard people. Stella was right in a way, but not even Anne's overactive imagination could have prepared her for what she saw.
"Is that-?" Stella whispered to the shocked girl beside her.
"Josie Pye!?" Anne said loudly, startling the blonde girl who was previously kissing a boy. Josie Pye! With a boy, unchaperoned, KISSING! It was so very unladylike. Something Josie would scold the other girl on. The frightened girl's face turned a vibrant shade of pink.
"Anne, listen to me, this is not what it looks like." Josie said.
"It looks like you were kissing that man." Anne said plainly.
"Okay, maybe it's a little bit what it looks like," Josie admitted. "But you can't tell anyone." Anne gave her a questioning look. "I don't want them to know I'm engaged in such unladylike affairs." Josie explained as if it were completely obvious.
"But couldn't you two just go courting?" Anne asked. Slowly starting to recognise the young man.
"We are, but I'd still prefer if you kept this on the sly." Josie said, urgency oozing from her voice. "Oh and you too" She added nodding in Stella's direction, who nodded nervously and uncomfortably.
"I know where I know you from!" Anne suddenly said excitedly, shifting the entire mood of the room. "You're Louis Brown, you helped us on our first day. Oh, we all knew you had eyes for each other, how splendid!" Josie looked irritated, although the young man next to her was looking at her with such admiration. The blonde girl pulled Anne and Stella away from Louis and into a different aisle of the library.
"I really like him, Anne please don't ruin this for me." Josie begged, she didn't mean to offend Anne but she was never too good at politeness. "And you, I don't know you but if you tell anybody,-"
"Josie, sometimes a kind approach is the right approach. Stella and I won't say anything" Anne cut the girl off before her words would bring Anne back to a time in which Josie was a terrible person to Anne. Specifically, because she was an orphan. Josie nodded, she was fond of Anne now. Although she would never say it out loud.
"We should get back to studying, and you I suppose, should find a less public place to engage in such affairs." Anne said and started to walk away, secretly happy she had a secret with Josie Pye. A way to become closer friends. That girl had strong walls up around her heart that Anne has been determined to break down ever since the incident with Billy Andrews at the fair last year. And she just made the first step.
A/N: An eventful chapter!
Any theories to what will happen next?
please vote and comment I really appreciate feedback.
Thanks for reading :)