Motorbike

Chapter 6: A Burnt Ear and a Plan

I sighed, waiting in the woods behind Cole's house. I expected him to come any minute now, as he usually did. Told his folks he was heading to school then came back here, it was routine.
What I did not expect was to find him running out of the house.
"Cole? What's wrong?" I dropped my stuff, running after him.
"WAS IT YOU?" He asked, anger in his voice.
"What? Cole what are you-"
"Who told the teacher I wasn't in school," he said, tears falling down his cheeks.
My eyes went wide with realization.
"It was Anne? Wasn't it?" He said, grabbing my hand and beginning to run again.
"I- I don't know I never heard her say it but I never said anything. She was the only other person who knew you were skipping class so it has to be-"
We came across the club house, and Anne with it.
It was no longer the club house. It was broken, and so were all of Cole's sculptures.
Anne looked shocked.
Cole was furious.
"You sold me out!" He yelled, and I stood there, a tear falling down my cheek at what had happened to our story club.
"I trusted you!" He yelled, his voice cracking.
I grabbed his hand, and another tear slid down his cheek.
"What are you talking about?" She asked.
"You brought the teacher here! You told her I'm not in school!" He yelled.
"What? You brought Miss Stacy here?" I said, furrowing my eyebrows at her. It had always been our agreement to ask other members for permission if we wanted to show someone. Anne hadn't told any of us.
"Are you that desperate to be liked?!" He yelled, and I rubbed his back, knowing he needed to get all this out.
"I was trying to help," she said, crying.
"Well you ruined my life!" He said, going up towards her.
"They'll never let me leave the farm now, not even for school," he said, and my heart sank.
"Who did this? Do you know who would do this? Who else did you show?" He said, looking at the wreck.
"No one..." she cried.
"Cole. It's Billy's scarf," I said, pointing. He picked it up, looking back at me, fire in his eyes.
He began running, and I followed after him. He paused for just a moment, letting me get my bags before continuing to run.
His legs didn't stop running until we reached the school house.
He burst open the door, and I followed after.
My eyes went wide as he tackled Billy Andrews to the floor.
They began throwing fists at each other, and I smacked one his friends with my chalk board when he tried to get involved.
"Let them have it out! Stay out of it!" I yelled, and he looked at me with anger.
Anne burst in through the door, and Miss Stacy came in from the closet, hearing all the noise.
Before any of us realized what was happening, Cole slammed his head into the stove, and Billy screamed.
He backed away, and Billy continued to scream, all the girls rushed to him, and Miss Stacy told everyone to stay calm. He'd burned his ear.
Cole got up to run, but I grabbed his wrist.
"I will get you out of this," I said, hugging him. He buried his face in my neck.
"You know where I'll be, find me once this is done," he said, and I nodded.
He ran off, leaving everything inside the school building far behind him.
—————
"Well, I was right to find you here. Anne wanted to come but I told her not to. She would've made things worse," I said, joining him at the cliff, overlooking the ocean.
He pulled me into a hug.
"I don't think there's a place for me here, in Avonlea," he said softly, and I rubbed his back.
"What are you gonna do?" I asked, and he sighed.
"I don't know. I don't know what to do, I don't have a single clue," he said, and I held him a bit tighter.
"Let's go visit Aunt Jo this weekend huh? I'll sneak you out at night, and we'll go see her, in the meantime, stay strong ok?" I said, and he nodded, kissing my forehead.
"I've got to get home, it'll be dark soon. If anything happens, well, you know where I live," I said, and he nodded.
I slipped away, walking home. I didn't even know what to do now. I wondered if Billy would be held accountable. Or if Miss Stacy would be blamed for her "lack of control" over our class.
Either way, none of this would be good.
—————
"What? What do you mean Miss Stacy is on probation?" I asked Anne as we walked together.
"She's not allowed to teach until they decide to replace her or keep her," Anne said. I sighed.
Things had gone fine, and Cole had convinced me to talk to Anne again. I think she'd calmed down a bit and was less desperate after what happened. I was still mad at her for ratting him out, but if he forgave her then I guess I did too.
"So we've got some weirdo replacement coming in?" I asked, and she sighed, nodding.
"It sucks, I know, but I have a plan. To save Miss Stacy, of course," she said.
"And what's that?" I asked.
"We'll show the town what she taught us, we'll use the potatoes," she said, and I nodded.
"Where do you plan on getting all those lightbulbs?" I asked.
"This weekend a group of us is going to Charlottetown, we're finding objects to sell to the pawn shop in exchange for lightbulbs. It'll come together, you'll see," she said, smiling.
"Got room for two more?" I asked, and she nodded.
"Of course we do. You and Cole?" She asked.
"Yeah, he wants to visit Aunt Jo, so I'll bring him with us," I said, and she nodded.
We went inside the schoolhouse, and there was some old man, dressed all formally inside. I sighed, knowing exactly how this would go.
We reread chapters, all that fun stuff.
How I wished we could have Miss Stacy back.
As I read the pages, I couldn't help but daydream. I glanced up for a moment, imagining it was not the old man, but instead the bright, exquisite woman instead. She'd been here only a week, and yet I think I'd go mad if I never saw her again. She was so much kinder than Mr. Phillips, and so eager to help us learn.
She made school enjoyable. Same went for Gilbert. I doubted this old hag would tutor him.
We gave each other a glance across the classroom, as if both thinking the same thing. I smiled to myself.
But I still wished Cole were here.
—————
The days flew by, and soon enough it was the weekend. I sat in the back of Anne's wagon, and we stopped by Cole's house.
"Cole! Get in, we're going to Charlottetown!" I yelled out. He looked up from the crop, looking around.
He ran towards us, getting in and sitting next to me. He kissed my cheek and I giggled.
"I've missed you," I said, and he raised an eyebrow.
"It's only been three days."
"And three days is too many!" I lectured as we made our way to the train station.
He laughed, helping me out.
We hid by the train tracks, and I snickered to myself, waving at Gilbert as we hopped the freight train.
He gave a puzzled look, and I giggled to myself quietly.
We rode all the way there, getting out and heading to the pawn shop. I handed Diana my bag.
"See how much you guys can get for all that stuff, Cole and I are gonna go somewhere real quick," I told her, and she nodded.
Cole and I ran to Aunt Jo's, knocking on the door and being let in. She smiled when she saw us.
"Oh my dear children! Whatever brings you here?" She asked, embracing us.
Cole told her the whole story.
"My, that doesn't seem good. I have a proposal, why don't you stay here? In Charlottetown, there's a wonderful art school nearby," she said to Cole, and my heart sank.
"I allow it on the condition I get to visit you every weekend," I said, and he chuckled, nodding.
"I'd like that very much. I know I'm supposed to love my family, and I do, but I can't live like that," he said softly, and I nodded, rubbing his back.
"It's alright, Cole, I'm just a bit jealous that you get to go to art school," I joked, and he smiled.
"And you're welcome any time, my dear (Y/N)," Aunt Jo said, and I thanked her, smiling.
"Ma'am, there are more kids here to see you," Rollings announced.
"Well, let them in," she said.
Suddenly our schoolmates rushed in, and explained how the lightbulbs got broken.
She had the idea, and we all unscrewed her own lightbulbs.
"Thank you so much, Aunt Josephine. It's for a good cause. Miss Stacy is-" I paused.
"Hm? Go on child, tell me about her," she urged.
"She is... amazing, in all ways. Bright, inspiring, kind. Her hair is- bright gold and her eyes... are so..." I failed to describe her eyes, and Aunt Jo raised an eyebrow at me.
"And she's your teacher hm?" She asked.
"Yes, she tutors Gilbert every morning before school, so I go and read. She usually leaves me be but- sometimes, If I'm lucky she talks to me," I said, looking at my hands.
"Hm. I see," she said.
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing child. It's not for me to say. I hope you have luck with this. She seems like a lovely woman," she said, smiling at me.
We got back to the train, actually buying tickets this time, and getting on.
I knew what was coming. Anne boarded with everyone else, and I pulled Cole into a hug.
"You write to me every day, ok?" I said, burying my head in his chest. He nodded.
"I will, I promise. I love you, (Y/N)," he said softly.
"I love you too, my dearest Cole," I said, kissing his cheek.
"Now go, you'll miss the train," he said, and I nodded, hugging him before running and getting on. If I looked back I would've broken.
At least, in my heart, I knew he would be happy.
That was what mattered, anyways.
—————
We hurried up the stairs, Gilbert went behind me, making sure I wouldn't fall back.
We got to the top, and I listened to the minister list the "virtues" a teacher should teach in school.
I rolled my eyes, and suddenly the room rumbled. All the citizens looked back.
I crawled to the edge, and Anne told everyone to keep setting up the potatoes.
"Miss Stacy! We are trying to conduct a meeting here, and your presence was not requested!" Mrs. Lynde said.
My eyes went wide, and I looked down, seeing Miss Stacy. She wasn't wearing a skirt, she was wearing pants.
I felt my heart skip a beat.
I should've thought it improper, I should've thought it immodest, but I felt my heart pound out of chest.
"(Y/N)? Are you ok?" Anne whispered. I nodded, setting up the lightbulb and focusing my eyes back on her every few seconds.
"Indeed, my presence was not requested, but I believe I have the right to speak on my own behalf. It would probably be better for all of us if I left, you can't imagine that I want to cause dissent in your community. Nor do I appreciate being accused of doing so," she said, strolling with her hands in her pockets.
"I am here tonight, because I asked myself a question I ask you now. What is the most important thing to focus on regarding your children's education? Petty jealousy? Prejudice? Fear?" She paused to look at them all.
"The important question to ask yourself is, are your children learning? I believe the answer is yes."
Anne looked at us all.
"We have to hurry," she said.
"Change is uncomfortable, because the future is unknown, and yet the future is riding in fast, like a train. And, to the best of my ability, I am here to bring your children forward to meet it," she continued.
"I understand, my methods are unusual, but hands on learning and active engagement have proven to be more effective than rote memorization," she explained.
"Why not encourage them to think for themselves? Why teach them only what has come before?" She questioned.
She talked about inventions, and how they changed the world for the better.
"Dreamers change the world," she said, folding her hands together.
"Curious minds propel us forward! My intention is to build strong students with bright futures, not just for them, but for everyone," she exclaimed.
"That is why I'm here," she said softly.
I scanned her one last time, and felt the shock of electricity as I twisted the lightbulb, lighting it up.
There were whispers, and all of us headed downstairs. Anne led us all, and we held the potatoes, showing them what we'd learned from her.
Her eyes met mine, and I thought for a moment my heart was flashing like a lightbulb itself. She gave me the gentlest of smiles, and I felt the corner of my lips irresistibly pull up, greeting her in a smile too.
Anne made a speech, praising Miss Stacy, explaining all that she'd taught us.
Everyone listened carefully, and I looked back at Miss Stacy, who was watching Anne.
That was Anne, at the forefront of everything and anything, for good or bad.
I didn't mind not standing out. I didn't mind because nobody cared that I was staring at Miss Stacy. Gilbert might've noticed if he wasn't so busy staring at Anne.
"Miss Stacy supports my ambition to become a doctor. I believe she is our chance to help us realize our dreams," Gilbert said, and I smiled at him. He smiled back.
"Let's put this to a vote," Mrs. Lynde said, scanning the room.
"All in favor of keeping Miss Stacy?" She asked, and almost everyone in the room raised their hand.
All the girls burst out, hugging Miss Stacy. I took a step back, placing my potato on the table and running outside to get some air.
I sighed, walking in the cool night air, pacing.
I always hated being in crowded rooms in unnerving situations. I hated attention on me in any form.
"Too many people?"
I turned, seeing Miss Stacy stroll, her hands in her pockets.
"Yeah. Too much attention focused on me," I explained.
"I wish I could help. You can't really mind doing all that if you're a teacher," she said, and I laughed softly.
"Miss Stacy?" I said softly.
"Yes (Y/N)?" She replied, looking over at me.
"I just- I just wanted to say. Don't let anybody shame you for wearing trousers. I- uh- I think you look lovely in them," I stuttered out. She smiled.
"Well, you're the only one in this town who seems to think so," she said, looking down at her feet.
"Have you fixed it?" I asked.
"Fixed what?"
"The motorbike, you say you were trying to fix it that one morning, when we talked," I said, my cheeks flushing in embarrassment.
"Oh! My motorbike, yes, it's all ready. I'll bring it to school on Monday, I'll show you how to use it," she said, and I smiled, nodding and looking down.
"Still shy?" She asked after a moment.
"Around you? Yes I seem to be," I replied with a smile, and she laughed.
"You know, if I didn't know any better I'd guess Gilbert was the younger one," she said.
"Why? He's the smarter one anyways," I argued.
"Your test scores prove otherwise. Your brother has more wood in his fire, he's got more drive. You've got the attention and patience, though," she said, and my heart swelled with pride. I'd never tell anybody, I knew Gilbert prided himself for his intelligence, and I knew he'd feel strange getting shown up by his younger sister.
"Miss Stacy may I walk you home? My guess is that Gilbert is going to be talking to Anne for another 30 minutes. And that doesn't count as gossip, I'm his sister," I told her, and she laughed, smiling and raising an eyebrow at me.
"You most certainly may. And I'm aware. You know, I've got a strange attachment to this place, I've only been here for a week and a half, and yet- I like it," she said, and I smiled as we began walking through the woods.
"I've never known another home, so I guess this is my only option," I told her.
"Do you ever want to leave?" She asked.
"It's what I envy Gilbert for more than anything. I'd love to go to the United States, or France, or anywhere on earth besides here," I said, kicking a rock aside.
"Perhaps you could attend university in another country," she suggested.
"Maybe I could. It's all far enough ahead I don't want to think about it. Well, thank you for letting me walk with you, Miss Stacy," I said, and she nodded.
"Of course. Get some rest, Monday is going to be very eventful," she said enthusiastically. I smiled, nodding.
"Goodnight, Miss Stacy."