The Hired Boy |Ruby Gillis & Jerry Baynard|

Twenty | the wrong partners

At 6 0'clock Saturday night the Avonlea dance was held in the town hall. The usually dim building, used for boring meetings and occasional political events, was brightly lit and pleasantly decorated by Rachel Lynde and her army of busybodies.

Before hand, Mrs. Gillis helped Ruby do her hair for the occasion. As she brushed out the girls long golden tresses, she peered around her daughters shoulder and smiled at her.

"Are you excited?" asked her mother.

Ruby nodded. She smiled as well, but the smile was lacking something.

She was excited. Dances were one of the things she enjoyed most in life. There was only one troubling her — Jerry would be there.

Ruby was very confused when Diana told her she would be going with the Cuthbert's hired hand, not to mention a little hurt. Diana quickly explained that there was nothing between her and Jerry and that they were going solely as acquaintances. Ruby did not begrudge Diana or Jerry for this, but she could not help but feel a little jealous.

And what was she going to do when she saw him? It had been over a week since their fight. More than anything Ruby wanted to fix things, but she didn't know what she could say to do so. And ieven if she did think of something to say, she would probably end up crying before she got a single word out.

But if she didn't say anything and Jerry didn't say anything, would they just ignore each other all night like nothing had ever happened?

Ruby did not have long to find out. After her mother pulled her hair back with a big pink bow and after slipping on her white dress with pink sash and puffy white sleeves, it was time for the dance.

Adults and children alike were attending, but it was amongst the younger folk that the levels of excitement were running especially high. They gathered outside by the steps of the great hall in the frosty October evening air, dressed as fashionably as you could be in a countryside town like Avonlea. The young ladies were adorned in pastel colors and ribbons and positively beaming with girlish excitement, while the boys wore their fathers shirts and pants rather than their usual knickers. Some were waiting for their partners, while others were greeting each other and complimenting what the other was wearing.

When Ruby arrived, she joined the group of girls lingering outside the town hall, carefully tucked to the side to avoid the Avonlea folk parading (mostly in twos) into the town hall. The group included Jane Andrews, Tillie Boulter and Diana Barry (the latter of whom was wearing a most pretty midnight blue dress).

Though Ruby meant to be listening to what the others were gossiping happily about, she could not help repeatedly glancing around at the passersby.

Nearby was a group of boys, all fooling around and behaving rougher than was called for before a dance. Gilbert was not there as he'd entered the town hall a while back, but Gilbert was not whom Ruby was looking for.

"I am starting to think Moody isn't even coming," said Jane crossly. "He probably scared himself out of the idea!"

"I'm sure he's coming," said Diana. "He might seem more shy than the other boys, but I think he's braver than we all give him credit for." Diana giggled. "I still can't believe he was the first boy to ask any of the girls!"

The other girls giggled too, though Ruby was rather late and uncertain as to what she was giggling at. It was incredibly hard to fain interest in a conversation about Moody Spurgeon McPherson.

"Hello, girls!" called a voice.

The four girls looked around to see Josie Pye. Her hair was pulled up into a daring bun and she was hanging on the arm of none other than a strangely confused looking Charlie Sloane.