𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 ᵍⁱˡᵇᵉʳᵗ ᵇˡʸᵗʰᵉ

09

༶•┈┈⛧┈♛ ♛┈⛧┈┈•༶

"Stay"

- Gilbert Blythe

---

THE DEATH OF John Blythe left an unwelcome hole throughout Avonlea.

The community was silent as everybody walked behind the carriage holding his coffin. Nobody spoke, nobody smiled. The only sound in the air was the breathing and cries of adults that had known the man. 

The mood didn't change as the community stood by his grave as the minister wished him goodbye.

Charlotte's eyes teared up, she didn't know the man. She had only one conversation with him in her life, and he had somehow managed to change her entire view on his son. She had wished she had gotten to know Mr. Blythe better, he was genuine, kind. Charlotte respected him the second she met him.

As the prayers ended, Charlotte followed behind the people as they walked away from the grave, leaving a single person by it. Gilbert.

The community hung around the Blythe house, sharing prayers and stories about the man who was now just a memory.

Charlotte sat by the window, gazing out at the falling snow. Anyone in the room currently, she didn't like, or they didn't like her. Or the people she did like were with people she didn't. She furrowed her eyebrows as the shape of Gilbert made it's way towards the house, observing it before walking away.

The girl couldn't stop herself as she rushed out of the house, running until she was walking beside him. Once she was, she didn't know what to say to him. "Your father was a great man. I mean, I only spoke to him once, but he was memorable and genuine and you're lucky to have a father like him."

Gilbert didn't reply, only glancing down at the girl beside him. Charlotte was the last person he would have expected to walk out of the house after him, yet she was the only one who did.

"I'm really sorry, Gilbert," she continued as she walked alongside him. "I can't imagine what your feeling."

"He liked you, you know?" Gilbert muttered, still refusing to look down at her. "You had only met him in person once."

Charlotte stopped walking as Gilbert did, the two facing each other as snowflakes started to fall.

Small white flakes dotted themselves into Charlotte's braids, landing on her eyelashes. Her face was subtly flushed pink from the cold, her lips rosy.

"What are you doing out here, Charlotte?" Gilbert asked her. "You're not even wearing a coat."

Charlotte shrugged, not knowing what to say. "I don't know. Something just told me you needed someone."

"Well, the one person I actually need just left me and he's not coming back, so..." the boy sucked in a breath, running an anxious hand through his hair, pausing as he gripped his raven hair, pulling at his scalp. "Unless you're going to change that you can't help."

"Gilbert, don't be upset that he's gone, smile for all the good times you had," Charlotte told him, stepping forward and grabbing the hand in his hair, preventing him from ripping his skin off.

"Are you trying to comfort me right now?" he breathed out, anxiety crawling along his skin. He threw his hat to the ground, breathing picking up as he turned away from her. "You're the worst person I know at being able to comfort anyone."

"I'm trying to comfort you because I can imagine ever so slightly what you're feeling. My parents are gone to, so I thought you would feel better with someone else." She glanced down towards her boots, drawing shapes into the snow. "If you want me to leave I will."

Charlotte didn't get a reply, beginning to turn around and walk away, a single word stopped her. 

"Stay."

She turned to look at him, as he turned to face her. 

As soon as Gilbert looked over at her with his tear-filled eyes, Charlotte did the only thing her gut told her to do. She walked forward, rising onto her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, not saying anything as he broke, crying hot tears into her shoulder. She was shaking from the freeze of the cold, but she didn't let go, she refused to let go until Gilbert had poured all his sorrow and grief into her blouse.

She would rather someone scream in her face, yell at her to leave them alone, throw things at her than suffer the worst thoughts imaginable inside their heads. She would rather Gilbert bawl into her hair until his eyes go puffy, she would rather him shout at her, shove her away from him. 

She would rather all of those things if it meant he wouldn't come to a silent house and break down because nobody was there to welcome him home. 

His hands wrapped around her waist tightly, the fear sinking in that she would leave him when he needed someone the most. His father had left him, he had currently nobody except the girl he was squeezing for dear life.

Charlotte didn't care, even if all the air got sucked out of her, she could finally help Gilbert like he had helped her over and over again.

—

4/12/2023

I don't want Romeo and Juliet, I want what they have

(short chapter because I wanted this bit by themselves)