Josie Pye had been called umpteen names throughout her life. Honorable. Mean. Horribly sarcastic. Pretty. But never amiable. Or kind. Or a good friend. Because she had never been. But now she was a changed person. If someone compared the old Josie with the new Josie they were both as different as day and night.
A certain fire haired dreamer had a huge hand in this change. Josie remembered her behavior when she first met Anne. She had developed an instant dislike to her. She had been imperious towards Anne but Anne had still been nice to her. Her rude, snobbish behavior had not just been because Anne was different, had unusual fire colored hair tied up into braids, freckles dotting her face bringing out her beauty. She had despised her because she used humongous words , was intelligent ready to compete with the boys and was ready to fight for what's right. Everything Josie could never be. She became bitter and teased and mocked Anne to no end just to satisfy her sadistic pleasure of watching her feel like "trash". Just to satisfy her hurt conscience that she wasn't better than Anne.
Josie considered becoming Billy Andrews's beau as the bane of her existence. She recalled snobbishly flaunting having a beau to the girls. She never realized in the moment at the Avonlea County Fair when Billy asked her to accompany him out , he would take advantage of her and then call her the one with "loose character" when she refused his advances. She vaguely saw Anne defending her amidst Billy when Josie broke down and ran away after the insults hurled upon her by the conspiratorially whispering public.
She tried to act like nothing happened and didn't tell her parents about what had happened, left ashamed by the whole incident. However Anne write an article on the whole matter and the importance of feminism. Several people glanced at Josie , as she felt hot tears flow down her cheeks. There was red rimming her vision , her knuckles turning white because she was gripping her dress so tightly. She saw her father angrily yelling and Billy's parents putting on a fake air of indifference. She had run out not wanting others to glance upon her wane and wasted form.
After getting home , she had broken down in bed, locking the door . She saw the paper flutter down the bed. She hadn't realized that she carried it with her. She picked it up reading Anne's work. It and been quite expressive and inspiring for women. Josie immediately despised her conscience for praising Anne while she had been responsible for disgracing her reputation. Her father had stormed into her room and then yelled at her , like getting into the disgrace with Billy was her fault. He then mentioned getting her out of school and married to Billy immediately. Josie protested but her words fell on deaf ears. She asked her mother for help. Her mother was meek and aloof , her consolations being mechanical and emotionless. She had said it didn't matter even though Billy was not a good person. She felt rage boiling through her veins at the thought of being the wife of such a feral monster.
When Anne arrived at her doorstep, all her rage had flown out of her and she slapped her right across the face. Then as she thought back with a cool and logical mind , she thought that though Anne's intentions were with a good heart but her actions had been irrationally carried out.
Anne arrived again after a few days. Josie had greeted her in a surly manner but refrained from slapping her after noticing the white paint on her face. Anne told her about her plan to fight for what's right. Josie had tried to shut her out but then Anne gave a compelling speech on equality and how no one can dictate what you're worth. Josie had acted like she wouldn't come before closing the door. However Anne's speech had definitely moved her.
The light from the moon fell on Josie's face. Her mother was curling her golden locks , as she gave her beauty tips. All Josie could think was how shallow and superficial this was. Her mother left the room and Josie heard a small rock hit her window. She opened the window to find Billy Andrews standing down. He told her that he convince everyone and help her fix her broken reputation. Josie's face twisted with rage at his audacity to say this. She, for the first time was ready to raise her voice like Anne Shirley Cuthbert. She spoke her mind when she said , "The last thing I want from you is redemption."
PRESENT TIME
"JOSIE?! JOSIE PYE?! Are you listening to a word of what I'm saying?!"
Mrs Blackmore's booming voice shook Josie out of her reverie. She started because she had drifted into a daydream while Mrs Blackmore had been lecturing them on etiquettes. All the girls were staring at her and Josie felt her face go red hot.
"Sorry Mrs Blackmore. I'll pay more attention."
Josie had made sure that she used her meekest voice to appeal to Mrs Blackmore. It worked and some of the hard lines on Mrs Blackmore's face softened. She huffed and continued on. Now Josie made sure that she was listening with utmost attention to Mrs Blackmore. After that Mrs Blackmore handed them all their college schedules. Josie had taken up fashion designing as her main course. That was not because she had a great interest in the subject but it was the only course her father would let her pursue. She remembered her father's words :
"Listen I have already faced enough of disgrace because of your scandal with Billy. I'll let you study fashion designing as your basic course but then you're out of that silly college and out of this country. You shall be married to an honorable man and be his obedient wife."
Josie felt indignation and anger recollecting her father's words. She was in the belly of the beast though. She wished to be with her friends even though it would be for a fairly short time.
"Ready to go for our first lesson, Josie Pye?"
The sweet voice of a girl with chocolate brown curls asked her.
"Of course I am Diana Barry"
Diana smiled her signature smile. Diana and Josie had become as thick as thieves in their time at Queens. They weren't as close as Diana and Anne were but they had definitely opened up to one another. They both could understand their family troubles being honorables. Ruby was twittering around like an overexcited bird. She along with Jane and Tillie were going to study how to become wedding and party planners and possibly start their trio of being fulfilled party planners. Diana and herself were studying fashion designing and Anne of course had taken up literature as her main course and wanted to be a writer or a teacher. Josie sometimes still envied Anne because of how clear her visions and goals in life were but now her admiration overpowered the jealousy.
Josie and Diana entered a room with a dark oak door. There were rough sketches of dresses pinned up on the wall and theories on latest fashion written up on the blackboard. The classroom was empty except for one person sitting there.
The girl sitting in the classroom had strawberry blonde hair with her hair left loose, reaching up to her hips. The ends of her hair looked colored in a bright bubblegum pink. She was wearing a periwinkle dress with a purple slip dress over it. Her bag was a pink furry little one with several colorful badges on it that looked like she had made it herself. Her eyes were the most beautiful sparkling blue. Like the sparkling blue ocean waves reaching a pristine shore. When she spoke her voice was sweet and full like she had good experience is speaking and being heard.
"Hello girls! I'm Elizabeth Vaughn but all my friends call me Betty. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance!"
"I'm Diana Barry and this one, Diana said nudging Josie playfully, prefers introducing herself"
Her eyes locked with Josie's her eyebrows raised in an impish manner. Josie felt her face go redder than Matthew's radishes. She was still recovering from the beauty and charm of the girl in front of her. Diana seemed a little shocked by seeing Josie get tongue tied because nothing and no one could ever make Josie quiet. Josie nervously swallowed and answered.
"I'm Josie. Josie Pye."
Betty smiled at her, her dimples really brightening her face? Josie felt her heart flutter.
"Well it's really great to meet the both of you. I have a feeling we're going to be very good friends"
Josie had a feeling she was going to see a lot of Betty from now on.
