Fear |Gilbert Blythe

✎ chapter eight

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Fear

"Ivy! You're gonna be late!" My mom yells up to me and I already know that. I slip on by boots struggling to tighten them to tie them. The left one falls off which only angers me more. Once I have my right one right I go to put my left one on again. "Ivy!" My mom calls again since I didn't answer the first time. "Coming!" I call as I grab my books before thundering down the stairs. "Your-" "late" I finish for her as I grab an apple and leave. "Love you!" she calls as I put my coat on hazardously and leave deciding to put my gloves on outside. It snowed last night so it's like if hard to walk.

I look down at my books that hold my homework that kept me up so late last night. I almost want to just leave it in the forrest but I know that it would be stupid since I wasted many hours of sleep on that dumb English paper.

I walk past the bridge and none of the girls are waiting for me, probably because I'm so late. I wish I had a watch to be able to tell time on the go but my mom would probably never get me something like that. To manly, or to much money.

"Where is Ivy?" I hear my Philips ask as I walk in the back door. The door closes harder then I wanted it to and it echos in the small wooden classroom. Dozens of eyes turn around and watch me as I quickly take of my coat and hang it on a hook. "Sorry I'm late," I apologize which gets an eye roll from our teacher. "I did the" but as I turn around my shoe lace trips my and I crash down hard.

I hear a few footsteps come over to me and I look up supposed to find Gilbert being one of them. He doesn't say anything as he helps me up, I turn and see the other person was Cole who smiles at me before sitting again. "You're back?" I say breathlessly and confused. "Yeah, I guess I missed everything here to much," I'm not sure what to say back and I feel my face flush a bright red. "If you don't mind, I would like to start class," Mr Philips deadpans and I apologize before going to sit by Ruby who's wearing the biggest smile I've ever seen her have.

"Doesn't he look more handsome now than before?" I don't turn around and look instead just nodding politely. "Yeah sure, wait-" but I'm cut off my Mr. Philips. "It appears we have a new boy in class today!" I turns round to the boys side to see who he is. I catch Gilbert's eyes and turn to face forward again still very embarrassed about the whole encounter earlier. "He means Anne," Ruby whispers nodding to the girl sitting infront of me who I knew realize is missing a lot of hair. Her once long strawberry locks are now short and uneven like someone cut her hair blindfolded.

The class giggles at Mr. Philips joke "Are you sure you're sitting in the right place, young man?" I look to Ruby who's looking down at her lap clearly uncomfortable and guilty for not stopping the jokes and I can see the stress in Anne's shoulders and she holds her head down. "Ha ha ha," I over due it which silences everyone. "That was so funny, ha ha ha, I'm in tears!" I drawl out looking behind me to the other girls who are giving along with the boys. I make sure everyone can hear the sarcasm in my voice and make sure to send a special glare to Billy when I turn to the boys side.

The laughter is now gone as Mr. Philips starts the lesson while glaring down at me. I know I've earned lunch cleaning but it was worth it. No one deserves to be bullied, epically by a full grown adult.

"I heard Anne has lice, so that's why she has to get her hair chopped," my ears pick up at my friends name and I focus in on Jodi's voice as she talks to the girls behind us about Anne. I look to Mr. Philips who's walking back and forth from the back to bring in new books and textbooks to replace the once's in the corner, since we're starting a new section in English. "Do you think she gave it to us?" I hear Tilly ask and roll my eyes knowing she's being really gullible right now in believing anything Josi says.

"I certainly hope not, but I don't spend why if my time with her and her bugs," The blonde spits out louder then before and I hear a few guys chuckle. "Where do you think she got it from?" One of the older girls ask and I roll my eyes knowing she must love the attention she's getting from the upper girls. "Probably from the orphanage since she's clearly an orphan stock," her sickly fake goggles follows suit and I roll my eyes. Again.

"Don't listen to them Anne, Josi's just mad that no one's wants to hang out with her cause we'd all rather hang out with you. And anyone who believes her is clearly blind and dumb because etching everything Josi says is stupid. She spelled persuade wrong last week," this makes Anne crack a smile but I still know she's probably overthinking. Neither Diana more Ruby join in but I do see Diana go to hold Anne's hand in a sign of comfort.

***

The day ends with mild disaster. Josi still tries to spread rumors but it's the same three things so people get tired after a while and then Mr. Philips has already moved in to harassing moody for his bad spelling. I avoided Gilbert like the plague and I hope he didn't notice. I'm waiting to go last so I don't end up walking with him at all but I have an idea it'll end up backfiring because he's still sitting at his desk reading his textbook while I pack up.

"It's good to see you again," I turn to face Gilbert knowing he's talking to me. "Yeah, you were gone for almost a year, it crazy that you're back fina- now," I charge my wording last minute. "You never wrote me back..." I'm taking aback by how straight to the point he is. That's not how I remembered him being before. "I uhhh- I forgot?" I whisper knowing I have no excuse for blatantly ignoring him. I don't even know myself why I ignored him other than it felt like betrayal to Ruby, who so deeply loved him.

"Oh, it's fine," the boy brushed off before going back to his normal chill happy self. He acts like our previous conversation never happened while turning back to his book. "How many places did you go to?" I want to keep talking even though I completely shut him down earlier. "A lot," I don't even get a glance now and I know I definitely hurt him by not responding to his letter. "Cool-" I mumble out before turning and walking out the door feeling worse than I wish I felt.