Devoted To You || Gilbert Blythe

XXVIII

~𝒜𝒹𝒶~
12 Days Of Christmas. A song. Need I say more?
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"Six geese a-laying / Five golden riiiings!!" The children's choir sings, very off-key.

I grimace as I string together popcorn and cranberries. "Thank goodness we're not doing a nativity scene this year. They'd wake the baby Jesus." I say making Diana laugh.

"Four calling birds / Three French hens / Two turtle doves..."

"At least they are doing it from the heart." She shrugs.

I sigh. "That's what counts."

Minnie May runs off stage with her hands on her ears. "Please make them stop." She whines.

"Minnie May. You're supposed to sing loud and pretty so you drown out the ones that sound like dying crows." I insist as I grab a few more pieces of popcorn.

She groans. "Why don't you do it?"

"Because I am very busy over here with my cranberries and popcoAHH!" A hand grabs the back of my rocking chair and yanks it backwards making me yelp in surprise. Brown eyes meet mine and I try to catch my breath.

"Gotcha." Gilbert winks before sitting me back up right.

"You devilish boy!" I slap his arm and I throw a handful of popcorn at him. He laughs and runs back to the stage where he is helping with the behind the scenes work. I huff and turn back to find Diana smirking at me. "What?" I ask.

She shakes her head, still smirking. "You know what."

"I don't think I do." I shrug as I turn back to my needle and thread.

"You lie, Ada." Diana narrows her eyes at me.

"Pray, dear lad, go fetch it for me!!" I jump at the sound of the minister yelling. I jab my finger with the needle. "Is that loud enough for you?"

"Yes." I roll my eyes. I look back at Diana who is awaiting my answer. I sigh, deciding to tell her about the other night. Minnie May has gone off now so no one else will find out. "We kissed." Her eyes nearly fly out of her head. "Don't make a big deal of it!"

"Are you kidding me?" She asks. "How do you expect me not to?"

"Please Diana. I don't want this to spread like a scandalous rumor." I beg her. "It was a very sweet, very innocent kiss. I may never experience another like it." I sigh making her brows draw together.

"Why would you say that?" She asks.

"I..." I decide to push down everything I want to talk about and I make an escape instead. "—need a bandaid."

"You're lucky I need to change anyways." Diana huffs before we stand to leave.

I head for the stage and I find Gilbert in the back, fiddling with the ropes and such. He looks up, acknowledging me. I approach him, attempting to distract myself from the lingering awkwardness. "Got any more surprises planned, or was that your grand entrance for the day?" I smirk, trying to lighten the mood.

Gilbert chuckles, setting aside his backstage duties for a moment. "Oh, you never know, Ada. I might have a few tricks up my sleeve," he teases, his brown eyes sparkling mischievously.

I raise an eyebrow, a playful grin forming on my lips. "Well, I hope they involve fewer near heart attacks. I'm just here for the cranberries and popcorn, not an adrenaline rush."