The girls' stress was at its peak. They were starting their exam week today. Partial exams, but eliminatory for most of them, final exams for Anne. She kept repeating the information to herself, Roy tried to calm her down, with little success.
"Anne! Really, I'm telling you, you're going to do great on these exams. You have the best average in the class. What are you afraid of?
- Of forgetting everything! And I don't have the best average in class.
- You won't forget anything, I can already see you, you'll end up telling me that you've completely failed, and in the results you'll still beat us all. It's the same thing since the beginning of the year.
- That's... Kind of true, okay. Aren't you stressed?
- Yeah, I just don't show it...
- All right. Here we go."
And the pattern repeated itself with every test. Diana was just as stressed. She had to prove to her parents, and a little bit to Fred's too, that she belonged here. The best reassurance she received came on Tuesday morning.
"Miss Barry, you received a letter, I believe from Toronto. You get a bit too much for my taste.
- Thank you Mrs. Blackmore, I will read it in my room, if you will let me pass.
"My sweet Diana,
I hope this letter finds you before you start your exams. I wanted to tell you that I'm sure you'll be excellent. As always.
I also wanted to mention the dinner with our parents. I think it went well, my mother found you charming. I thought you looked particularly lovely that night. And your ability to hold yourself as a lady is remarkable. But what pleases me most is to know that you only act like this when you have to. And that I know the real Diana. The one I love. You read that right, Diana, I love you.
I also have my exams the same week as you, and believe me, working with Gilbert helps a lot. Even though he spends his nights in his books. He'll always amaze me.
But I've got to get back.
Do well,
See you soon,
Fred."
She clutched the letter to her, delighted. She was going to do great today.
END OF WEEK
The girls exploded with joy as they left the school. FINISHED! The five of them went into town to have fun - Jane didn't go with them - Ruby and Josie bought clothes, Tillie, Anne and Diana followed them happily. They would have their results soon but they were fairly confident. They were especially looking forward to going home. Anne especially, who knew that she would see Gilbert again. And above all she was going home, for good. She would certainly miss life here, and her friends! But she would be home in Green Gables and she could work with her students. She left her friends to go home, she wanted to write a letter to Gilbert.
"Gilbert,
I've finally finished my exams. Finished. And now I'm just waiting to go back to Avonlea, for good. No Diana, no Josie, no Ruby, no one. But it will be good to be home. I've never been able to call the boarding house my home. But don't worry, if Green Gables is my home and always will be, I know that one day the house we share will be my home too, our home. I can already see us on a couch, in front of the fireplace, watching the rain fall, falling on the ocean, and hearing the sound of the wind in the trees. It will be our little dream house. Can you see us there?
I hope you've finished your exams well, I know you've been brilliant, certainly, and I look forward to seeing you soon.
Do you know when you'll be back already? Will Fred come to see you (and Diana) this summer?
I'm not waiting for you to hug me when you get here,
I love you,
Anne."
She was satisfied, and happy. She gently closed the envelope, placed a soft kiss on it and went to mail it.
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In Toronto, Gilbert and Fred were still in exams, and for a while. They had to pass these end-of-year exams in order to move on to the next year. And Gilbert knew he couldn't afford to do another year. Even though he had spent most of his free time studying, and his nights too, he was no longer sure of anything in front of his exam paper. He looked up cautiously, and saw Fred writing, a lot. This forced him to refocus and he continued writing.
When he left the examination room, he thought that Anne had already finished hers and would soon be going home. But he still had two weeks of exams to go before he could go home, and he was so looking forward to it! He knew that this summer would be special, very special.
Seeing him lost in thought, Fred called out to him:
"Hey Blythe! Don't tell me you're thinking about the exam?
- No, Fred, don't! I learned by dint of hard work that it was useless...
- Well, fortunately! You were always thinking about the exams, before, during and after!
- I know, I was just so afraid of not passing.
- Yes... but you're still the best in the class Gil... What were you thinking about?
- About this summer actually, I know it's going to be special, and really great. Are you coming to Avonlea?
- Did you really think I was going to leave you without me this summer? You're dreaming, Blythe.
- You know you'll always be welcome at my place Fred, so don't hesitate, we've got two months off you know.
- I know I will, I just can't bear to be home alone all summer. And I'll have to see Diana.
- It's for her you're coming, isn't it? Not for me," he laughed.
- You'll always be my best friend Gilbert, of course I'm coming for you, and you happen to live in the same town as Diana so...
- So that's good for you. So... coffee?
- Ooooh yes, with pleasure."
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Once the results were in, they had all done well for the year, Anne had shone in her exams, they were finally going home. Anne was happy. She was finally going to find her house, her family, her little room, ... and Gilbert, soon.
They all took the train, except Jane who had preferred to leave the day before, and arrived happily at Bright River station. Anne came out smiling, waved to the other girls and ran to Matthew who was waiting with Belle. She talked a lot, marvelling at the beauty of her island, discussing with Matthew the news of life in Avonlea.
When she arrived, she saw Marilla coming towards her with open arms. She could smell fresh bread, she was back home.
When Diana arrived home, she was happy, but she knew she would miss the freedom she enjoyed in Charlottetown. But she loved being home, and she hoped that her very good grades would be good enough for her parents. She went upstairs to her room and looked at the view from her window. She had missed it. She saw the sun going down, she hoped Fred would come this summer, she hoped. She had learned how to do it, hope costs nothing. She smiled, looked at the dark horizon, closed her window and went to bed, happy.
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Anne Shirley Cuthbert... Bylthe - translation
قصص الهواةa fanfic which follows episode 3x10, about the futut from Anne and Gilbert, and... everyone :) I do not own the story and the personnage who belongs to Lucy Maud Montgomery and the TV show Anne with an E. This is a translation of my own story, with...
