{3772 words}

«2 Years Later»

[Y/n's POV]
Hello, it's been a while. The boys are playing ice hockey, Ruby is supposed to be covering the game but her eyes are fixed on Gilbert. Ruby stopped being upset with me but she still hasn't let go of her crush on Gilbert, though I don't mind. Also, I've become closer to Anne and Diana.

Everyone is shouting out constantly so it's hard to tell who is talking each time.

"Come on. Over here, over here!"
"Faster!"
"Go, Billy!"
"I can't move. Nice shot!"
"I'm open. I'm open!"
"I got it!"
"Go, Gilbert!"
"Come on!"
"Nice. Take it, go!"
"Yes!"
"Stop!"
"Keep going!"
"Well done, Gilbert!"
"Pass it to Moody!"
"Moody. Come on! Come on."

"Hello!" Anne says as she walks over to us.
"Hi, Anne."
"Hi, Anne."

"Charlie, come on, save that!"
"Look at the score!"

We all look at Ruby and notice the play book just sitting in her hands. Anne grabs the book and flips through the blank pages confused, "Ruby, you're supposed to be covering the game."

"Gilbert, come on. Pass!"

"Where are the highlights? Do you even know the score?" Anne says frustrated.

"It's just a school newspaper, Anne,
not The Daily Telegraph. We don't even need an article about the game. We're all here." Ruby tells Anne. I'm standing up front with Ruby, Anne, and Prissy while Tillie, Diana, and Jane stand a little further behind.

"She's busy ogling you know who!" Tillie says. Just as Billy comes up and swerves snow in our direction, the girls found it amusing but I don't like snow in. H hair, it melts and then becomes very cold.

"Josie, you've really caught Billy's eye."

"Oh, I'm trying to make my peace with it." Josie says back.

"With what?" I hear Tillie ask Diana as I walk over.

"That Josie may become her sister." Diana says.

"In-law. Sister-in-law!" Jane says in response. I don't know what their talking about so I walk back to Anne and them.

"Alright. I'll write the article. Who are the team captains this week?" Anne asks.

"Gilbert." Ruby says gazing at Gilbert smiling.

"And?" Anne asks frustrated as she rolls her eyes.

"Whoever." Ruby says.

"Nice shot."
"Thanks."

Gilbert come over to where we're standing and Ruby immediately straightens her posture up and just smiles at him.

"Isn't... Ruby covering the game?" Gilbert asks confused, he looks at me and I just shrug.

"Ruby's very preoccupied. With a certain someone." Tillie says from behind.

As Gilbert skates back, Ruby turns to Anne, Diana, and me.

"He noticed me. He looked right at me and smiled."

"You're delusional. Ruby Blythe." Anne says.

I hear Moody say "He's here!" And then say something else to Billy as he walks over to a man I see in the distance. I see a girl standing behind him, she looks kind of.. scared? Mother says not to go near the Indians because we don't know what kind of people they are but I think that's what makes them interesting. I see Anne looking at them too and assume she gets the same idea, I turn and start walking towards them, just as I do I see Gilbert walk up to the man.

"Hello. Good afternoon. I'd like to order a stick, if I may. Uh, I brought money."

"Yes. We make for you. We bring when ready."

"So, when might I expect it?"

"When ready."

"Hello there." I say as Anne and I approach them.

"I'd love to write an article about you and...
and how you make your splendid sticks." Anne says. I forgot to mention we have a Newspaper now, we wrote and publish articles and people read it in the morning as they grab one on their way to church.

"Would that be possible?" I ask.

"What is "article"?" The girl says.

"I would ask you questions, learn about you, your work and write it down for people to read. Like this."

Him and who I assume is his daughter both talk to each other in a language I don't quite understand but it sounds beautiful. "Yes." The man answers.

"May I come visit your home later? To begin, so I-I can-" Anne says before she's interrupted by Billy.

"Hey. Make me a stick. I'll trade you for it." He says as he throws down a small red pouch.

"Billy that's now how you speak to people! Do you not have any human decency for people? I know your not that smart but c'mon it's common sense.

"Don't try to act smart, They're barely even human-" Billy starts saying until Ka'kwet throws it back at him. I have to put a hand over my mouth to stop myself from laughing.

"Ka'kwet" I hear him say before he speaks in his naive language again.

"Watch your step, redskin." Billy says as he walks away, he's such a jerk. "Savages." I hear him say as he walks away.

"I'm sorry. Billy isn't a very person." I tell them.

"Yes, He's very rude. Is it alright if I still visit you later?"

"It is a long way and not easy." Ka'Kwet says.

"Anything that's worth having
is some trouble." Anne answers back.

"That way. Past all fences. Go away from the ocean, to the dead tree. Find the thin water that moves travel upstream, until all around you is green trees. Walk with the water the way the sun goes down until the land goes flat and open. Our home is there." Ka'Kwet explains.

"It sounds like a poetic paradise." Anne says. We both say goodbye as Ka'Kwet and her father make their way home.

"Hey, um can you cover the story? My mother is expecting me home to help her go into Charlotte Town, it does sound very magical though so do be sure to take good notes so I can read them later!"

"Oh Yeah no problem! I'll go over to cover for the school newspaper and you can help your mother."

"Okay, thanks for understanding! Have fun."

"Bye" Anne says as she waves bye to me and I wave back.

I make my way to Gilbert as he prepares his stuff while talking to Moody. I stand a little back and kneel down to play with the snow. I make a mini snowman before it's crushed by someone's shoe, I look up and see Billy. He just smiles.

"Next time you try to be smart with me, this snowman will be you." Billy says smirking. Everyone is convinced Billy is a changed man, better now, but I know he isn't, he's still the same jerk he's always been.

"Don't go making threats Billy, we all remember what happened last time you and me went head to head." Gilbert says from behind Billy. I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing.

"Well- whatever." Billy says stuttering.

I look behind him and see Jane and Prissy waiting for him. "Better get going, don't wanna keep the ladies waiting, huh?" I tell Billy as I fix my snowman.
Billy walks off and makes his way to Jane and Prissy.

The only people here now are Moody, Gilbert, and Me. Moody usually takes a second to gather all his stuff.

Gilbert kneels down next to me to look at my snowman.

"He's cute right?" I say as I add a small pebble for eyes.

"I like him, he looks nice, what should his name be?"

"Haven't thought about that.. how about umm"

"Beau?" I look at him with a confused expression, what kind of name is that, "in French it means handsome, so why not." Gilbert says.

"Okay then, Beau it is, until we see you again my little Beau." I say as Gilbert gets up and stretches his hand out to me. I grab his arm as he helps me get up, "alright let's go! My mother is expecting me straight away remember"

"Yes, yes I remember!" Gilbert says as I grab his hand and start running, dragging him with me.

[The next morning, At the Blythe House]

[Gilbert's POV]
"Bring that straight here, Sebastian,
unless you want your eggs raw." Mary says as she cooks us breakfast.

"Ah, shades of our sea-faring life, eh, Bash? 'Feed the lady, Trinidad!' Remember that?" Bash asks me laughing.

"Been hopin' to forget." I tell Bash.

"How are you this morning, my pretty, pretty, pretty girl? How's every little thingy-wingy? There she is. There's Daddy's itty-bitty pretty baby." Bash says as I take a seat to start eating.

"Breaky-wakey time for Gilby-goo. Huh, baby?" Bash tells Delfin, it's like he's barely talking in English.

"Have a good day, Delfin." I say as I give her a kiss on her forehead. "Bash, maybe you should try
speaking English to her. Maybe, someday, she'll actually learn some." I tell Bash before walking towards the door and leaving to head to Y/n's house to walk to school.

[At Avonlea school]

[Y/n's POV]
We're all looking at some sort of.. what does Josie call it...? Oh! The 'Take notice board' it seems pretty lousy to me, nothing romantic about putting a claim on someone and writing it down for everyone to see, it's kind of weird. Just as I turn my head I see Diana and Anne, thank God, these girls were suffocating me with their take notice board.

"Diana! Anne! Come see!" I shout to them gesturing for them to come over.

"Someone has resurrected the take-notice board with a post about me." Josie says smirking.

- "This is so exciting!"
- "Isn't that scandalous?"

"The scandal will be when folks find out it was you. You're a sly one, Jane, since I'm sure it was you who put this up."

"Who else might have seen me
strolling home with Billy?"

"Everyone will know now!"

"Oh, dear."

"Then again, I supposed it's a good thing since we should all stake our claim on our paramours. The clock is ticking. At this age, we should all be promised to someone! Wouldn't want to wind up an old maid."

"Can that run in a family?"

"I'm so confused!"

"We're of age now, but Gilbert hasn't made any advances yet." Ruby says upset.

"Think of all the fresh eye-catching talent
that will be at Queens next year."

"But I'm only going to Queens to be near Gilbert!" Ruby says crying, I just kinda stand there.

"Hello, Anne." Charlie Sloane says as Anne walks in.

"Hi." Anne says plainly before continuing to walk past him as Diana and me walk behind her chuckling. Before Moody stands in front of Diana.

"Diana, your dress is very blue. A good blue. I-I mean, I... I like it." Moody says as Diana just smiles and walks past him.

"Moody, too close to the sun." Josie says as she sits down.

I walk to my desk before noticing Anne walking up to Gilbert, I stand next to Ruby as we both watch the conversation.

"Good morning." Gilbert says to Anne.

"Morning. I'm not sure if you're aware but the old take-notice board is active again." Anne says knowingly as Gilbert sets his book down before looking back at her.

"Take-notice?" Gilbert asks confused with his eyebrows furrowed.

"Uh, yes, of someone. As in, you post on the board when you wanna let someone know that you've taken notice. It's a way to make a casual declaration quiet attention."

"To someone you like?" He asks confused.

"Yes. Not so pointed as to be alarming and not so vague as to not be understood."

"A post in advance of a proper advance?"

"Exactly. Because all these little notices matter
when you wanna let someone know that you're thinking ahead."

"To a future together?"

"Yes."

"So, you're suggesting... I post?" He asks staring at her confused.

Anne just stares at him before blurting out, "If you're interested in Ruby you should let her know before someone else stakes their claim." When Anne says this I notice Gilbert looks kind of.. disappointed? By her answer.

"Thank you for the suggestion. But I'm not exactly
a take-notice kind of guy. And, you know,
when the right person comes along someday, whenever that is, I'll know." Gilbert says before Anne walks back to Ruby to report what happened as I walk away and take a seat at my desk.

"Did you see his face?" Ruby asks, they're standing by my desk so I can still hear them, I assume she's smiling by her tone.

"I'm sorry, he's not going..." Anne says before she's interrupted.

"Did you see his face when you were talking about me? His eyes were so full of romance. I almost died happy right there and then."

"His eyes?" I say turning around to look at Ruby.

"I firmly believe that his reluctance to post is a sign that he has true feelings for me and is waiting for a much more romantic way to approach me than that." Ruby says as she continues and I just turn back around, his eyes- how could I be so dumb!

He doesn't look at me the same way he looks at Anne. In the past 3 years we have been together, I have just noticed the way his pupils don't dilate as he looks at me, they dilate when he looks at Anne. Everyone knows peoples pupils dilate when they look at someone they either are strongly romantically attracted to or strongly hate.

He doesn't hate Anne so- How could I be such an idiot! It takes everything in me to stop the tears from falling my eyes but I can't help it. I sit at the front of the class so if I turn my head facing the window a little nobody should be able to see me.

"Good morning, everyone. Perhaps we should begin with algebra today. Not very romantic, I know, but... maybe that's a good thing." Miss Stacey says as she starts class before looking at me. "Oh! Y/n are you alright dear?" She says as she walks up to my desk.

"Yeah I'm good, can we just start class" I say wiping my eyes and paying attention. She nods and continues class, glancing at me every little while with concerned eyes.

[Later, still at Avonlea School]

We had a project to find out about our ancestors history.

"And I can trace my grandfather's family line back to 1303 when my ancestor, Lord Pembroke, negotiated a famous peace treaty with Scotland
on behalf of England. His daughter, Lady Charlotte,
went on to wed the Earl of Canterbury. So, I have some very distant cousins in Kensington Palace." Diana explains.

People murmur some stuff, I can only make out some of it.
- "That's it."
- "No wonder."

"Well done, Diana. No notes." Gilbert says.

"None for me either. Besides to say that your lineage sounds like a fairy tale. There's so much scope for the imagination and yet it's real? What's wrong?" Anne asks Diana.

"My ancestry is keeping me from Queens, from you, everything." Diana explains upset."

"Anne, I've just proofed your article on the Mi'kmaq Indians, and it's excellent. Now that our circulation is growing outside the confines of our school I'm sure everyone will be riveted."

"But Anne's so wordy."

"It's the price you pay for your beautiful penmanship. But, take heart, I have some good news. I've got a line on a printing press. It's broken, but fingers crossed, I'll be able to repair it. Soon we'll be more than a school paper, We'll be publishing for all of Avonlea. Isn't that exciting?Let's see who's next on the getting-to-know-you beat!" Miss Stacey says.

"Y/n Y/m/n Y/l/n"

"Well sorry to disappoint but there's not much to say about my ancestry, my family doesn't get along with each other much, never have. I always thought it strange until my Mother told me that there was some conflict between my Father and her and how they didn't approve of my father so they cut my mother off when she was only 16. My parents both came to Avonlea for a fresh start when they were pregnant with me and we have been here ever since. My father.. he passed away before he could tell us about his family and my mother doesn't know much about his family either except that he had 4 brothers and 2 loving parents who sadly all passed away when he was 14 so my father was an orphan from that age and on I guess. Oh! And I have this!" I say pulling out my fathers pocket watch. "My father gave this to me on Christmas, the day he passed, he said it was from his father and his father's father and so on, so I've cherished it forever. Traditionally it was supposed to go to my brother Tyler but he said traditions don't always have to stay the same. It's like he always said 'Things change, people change, but it's life'. But that is all for my ancestry!" I finish before looking at everyone as they all stare at me blank faced. I stand there awkwardly before returning to where I was sitting and taking a seat.

"What a extravagant love story, Y/n! Your parents must have loved each other so dearly. And when your mother lost her one true soulmate, it must have been such a tragical romance. I hope to have a love like your parents. I can only hope someone will wed me. That would be nice"

"Tragical Romance? You cannot be serious. My parents loving each other so much they lost there whole family because of it and then my father dies and all you say is it's a 'tragical romance' and you want a love like theirs!? What kind of person says that! Oh, I know, little miss boyfriend stealer." I hear gasps from the room as I cover my mouth with my hand, I don't even realize that I stood up. But at this point I'm furious already.

"Y/n, calm down" Gilbert says. I turn around to face him and noticed he's concerned.

"Calm down? Yeah let me calm down it's not like my friend and my boyfriend are secretly in love with each other! I see the way you look at her, Gilbert, you have never looked at me like that. I don't blame you for not being in love with me, I really don't, people change and so do feelings, I understand that but I do blame you for leading me on into thinking we had something special when really all it was, was an unrequited love!" I pause to catch my breath before turning to Miss Stacey and smiling. "Excuse me Miss, Stacey please continue on with your lesson, sorry!" I turn around and sit down like nothing happened.

Miss Stacey stares at me with her mouth slightly open as if she's going to say something but is at a loss for words so she just closes her mouth and pauses for a second before continuing on with class.

[After School]

I forgot we had this study group that my mother told me is mandatory. Woohoo, fun.

"Alright. Queens study group stays,
everyone else, have a nice weekend." Miss Stacey says as she dismisses class.

"Bye, Diana." I hear Anne tell Diana.

When the study group has started, I notice Gilbert throwing small pieces of rolled up paper at my desk. I choose to ignore it until he gives it up.

A while later, I notice Tillie rip out a half sheet of paper from next to me, it has small writing on it but I can't see it.

[After study group]

Once study group is over everyone goes outside to see the take notice board so I decide to tag along.

"Oh, Tillie!" I say as I look at the board.

"My, my! Tillie has been noticed twice. Who are you gonna walk home with first? Tillie! " Josie says as the girls me start laughing. I realize I left my coat inside so I walk up to the door and notice it's open still so I look inside to see who's inside and see Gilbert grabbing his coat and Anne grabbing her stuff. I decide to just peak my head slightly over the door to see.

Anne walks up to Gilbert and clears her throat causing Gilbert to turn around. Their faces are weirdly close. It looks like she's directly staring at his eyes? Kind of leaning closer but only looking into his eyes. Creepy.

"Did you forget what you wanted to say?" Gilbert asks confused.

"Eyes... I... I!" Anne says immediately stuttering. Anne usually doesn't stutter.

He looks at her still confused and says "See you" before turning to walk away so I walk away from the door a little and go around the corner of the school and wait until they both leave to go inside and grab my coat.

That was rather strange...

[The next Day]

The girls invited me to Diana's house for Anne's birthday yesterday. But I decided not to go, I would probably get too upset and ruin it so I'm just at home in the garden behind my house. I haven't spoken to Anne or Gilbert since my little 'lash out', I talked to Tyler about it since he doesn't understand much of it but he tries to.

Tyler is also in the garden with me, I like hanging out with him, he may be young but he's a very fun person to be around, he's not very annoying like most kids his age. We're looking at the Ladybugs and butterflies that fly around. I like them, they know their purpose, I wish I knew what mine was.

Gilbert came by my house yesterday and gave me a note saying he was going with Anne to Charlotte town but only escorting her to where Cole lives and then taking her back home. Don't know why he told me but I just put the note in my room on my dresser. Tyler told me to rip the note and give him the ripped pieces but I told him I'd think about it, we both laughed when he said it. Looking at the time I'm guessing he's already on the train.

He clearly likes Anne but I can't help but feel like there's another woman...

Why is love so hard?