The class were in the spare room again, sitting around an empty glass bottle. Seating arrangements had been forgotten, thankfully, so Silas sat beside Cole and Jane Andrews.

"Spin."

Josie Pye pushed the bottle towards Anne with force. The red-haired girl swallowed and shuffled forward to twirl the bottle. It slowed to a near stop at Silas, though it continued to move until it landed pointing at Jane.

Jane's cheeks flushed as the eyes of the large group fell upon her.

"No way is my sister kissing a girl—" Billy began.

Josie interrupted him with a malicious glint in her eye. "The rules say you have to kiss the person it lands on."

"But you said it had to be boy, girl, boy, girl," said Moody quietly.

"No I didn't."

Billy had turned as scarlet as Jane at Josie's new rule. Anne looked ill again, her eyes staring into a faraway place they could not see.

Silas spoke now in defence of Jane and also Anne in her vulnerable state. "If they don't want to kiss, they don't have to. What's wrong with it, anyway? There are worse things in the world than a kiss between the same gender."

"It's disgusting, that's what's wrong with it," snarled Billy.

"You're the disgusting one," Cole retaliated.

"Oh, I see. Of course you two would think it's alright."

"Billy, please," Jane whispered.

"You'd rather be kissing boys, wouldn't you, Mackenzie?"

The class was silent after Billy's remark. Silas willed himself to do something, to help his friend, but he could not find the words in those bitter moments.

It was Jane who ended the silence. She rose to her feet and quickly grabbed Cole's hands, bringing him to his feet beside her. Then she kissed him.

Billy's face was beyond shocked. The girls —with Moody in place for Josie— clapped enthusiastically at this turn of events and stood with them, giggling. Jane had stood against her own brother to protect a boy she hardly knew; that, Silas vowed to remember.

* * * * *

Silas walked home alone through a thin sheet of snow. He had passed the field when he heard footsteps behind him. Expecting Cole, he turned around. However, it was a familiar brunette in a sunflower dress.

"Hello, Silas," Jane smiled softly.

"Oh, hi."

"Where are you walking to?"

"My house isn't far. The old farmhouse where the lane stops and the sycamore tree is."

"Can I walk with you?" she asked cautiously.

"Of course."

Silas wondered whether he should link his arm with hers, as he had seen Moody and Diana do in secret when they walked home after the last game of spin-the-bottle. Perhaps it would be safer to keep his arm around his book bag.

"Thank you for saying that for me today. Billy can be so big-headed sometimes," Jane said.

"It's fine, really. Billy was, er . . . right."

"You don't really believe it, do you? What he said?"

Silas thought for the right answer to her question. She spoke before him.

"The truth is, I didn't mind that I was chosen for Anne. Is that wrong of me? Please don't tell Billy. Don't tell anyone."

"I won't," Silas promised. He glanced at her sideways and found himself locked in her meaningful gaze.

"I think Ruby's sweet smile is far more captivating than any of the boys' skill at throwing and catching balls," admitted Jane. "You— you feel that way about Cole, don't you?"

Silas stopped walking. "What?"

Jane looked at him and smiled again. "I think—"

"I don't care what you think. I— I'm going home."

Silas left her on the path, her eyes wide and hurt. He broke into a run when he passed a curve in the lane and did not stop until he reached the door to the house. He leapt the stairs to his room, for once appreciating the lack of commotion his arrival brought.

He lay on his bed and replayed the conversation a thousand times.
He remembered the time in the butterfly meadow, where he rested his hand on Cole's. He had felt envy when he imagined Cole and Anne being friends before he moved to Avonlea. He spent afternoons in the den with Cole as his only company and enjoyed that time.

any friend would do that stuff. that doesn't mean i like him any more than anne likes diana.

The more he thought about it, the less he believed his answer.

♛ ✧ *✭˚･ﾟ✧*.

𝓥: hate to break it 2 u si but anne and diana are uhhh dating💞