Remains to be Seen

Chapter Five: Be a Man

a/n: here y'all goooo!!! y'all i had fun with this chapter! and MY WORD thank you soooo much for over 250 reads!! i woke up this morning and there were 20 new reads... y'all make me cry! thank y'all. okay bye-bye!

||

Marilla nearly had a heart attack when she saw Anne after Gilbert walked her home.

"I'm fine, Marilla. Really," Anne looked to Gilbert for help.

"She really is, Marilla. It's not broken and the cut isn't deep so she doesn't even need to see the doctor. Just a little rest and cold compresses til the swelling goes down," Gilbert gave Marilla a reassuring smile, "I best be off now. Rest well Anne; good day, Marilla. She's fine. I promise."

Gilbert swung out the door as Marilla scurried to Anne with a cold cloth.

"You are staying home from school tomorrow, do you understand?" The tone in Marilla's voice and her worried expression told Anne to not dare to counter-back.

"Yes, Marilla," Anne said taking the cloth and walking up to her room, "I'll be down shortly to help with supper."

"No no, child. I have supper handled. You rest and I'll call you down when Matthew comes in. Go now," Marilla turned back to the stove waving her hand at the girl.

||

Diana stood in the forest awaiting her bosom friend to come bounding down the trail, so they may walk to school together as always.
She's quite late, again, today. I hope yesterday went okay. Maybe a few minutes longer, then I'll continue to school.

A rustling sound came from the trail to Green Gables, happily Diana turned expecting to see Anne's lovely face but met a different lovely face.

"Jerry? What's the matter? IS ANNE OKAY?" Diana's mind was running a mile a minute with all the terrible possibilities.

"Bonjour, Diana," Jerry gave her a sly smile, "Anne is fine. She sent me to tell you she won't be coming to school today."

"Oh was yesterday that bad? Dear oh dear, what happened, Anne," Diana looked off into the forest.

"She somehow hurt her nose," Jerry laughed, "it's all red and puffy and swollen!"

"That doesn't sound very funny, Jerry," Diana scolded.

"Well--i--um," Jerry looked at Diana apologetically, "Anne's fine, just staying home til the swelling goes down," suddenly a mischievous smile appeared on the boy's face, "I know I'm not Anne but...Puis-je vous accompagner à l'école, Diana?"

(May i walk you to school, Diana?)

Diana's face blushed a deep crimson, "bien sûr, Jerry."

(of course, Jerry.)

||

"It was a pleasure having you walk me to school today, Jerry. Thank you," Diana smiled kindly at the french boy.

"Ah, but the pleasure was all mine, sweet Diana," Jerry's eyes shown with that wicked twinkle, "Au revoir."

Diana pulled open the schoolhouse door and rushed inside the coat room sighing as she hung her coat and put her things away. He can be quite dreamy, she thought to herself.

"Hello, Diana!" Ruby's chipper voice interrupted Diana's thoughts, "Such a nice day today. I was looking at the sky when I tripped over a tree root. I was so upset I nearly burst into tears, but that French boy--you know the one Anne's family hired--"

"Jerry?!" Diana spun on her heels.

"Ye-yes! That's his name! Jerry--he was right there and picked up all my books for me," dreamy eyed Ruby continued, "It was quite chivalrous and oh, so romantic."

Diana felt her blood start to boil, "RUBY GILLIS! YOU CANNOT CALL DIBS ON EVERY BOY IN AVONLEA THAT HAS A HEARTBEAT AND BREATHES!!"

Startled by Diana's sudden outburst, Ruby started shaking like a leaf but Diana didn't care in that moment.

"You called dibs on Gilbert Blythe over five years ago! He never liked you then, and it's quite obvious he still doesn't like you now, nor do I think he ever will! And now don't you dare go and call dibs on Jerry Baynard!"

That was it, Ruby broke: wailing as tears flowed down her cheeks. Diana looked at Ruby then into the classroom to see everyone watching. Josie Pye ran into the coatroom giving her a nasty look as she comforted Ruby, "There there Ruby, breath. In. Out. In. Out. That's good. You want one of my cream tarts right now?"

Diana ran out of the schoolhouse, What happened to me? I never lose my temper...

"Diana!" a deep, kind voice pulled her from her head, "are you okay?" Gilbert jogged over to the little tree stump she sat on. His ears had perked up when he heard his name yelled, and was instantly curious as to what it was all about; so when Diana ran out, he got up and followed her out the door.

Sighing Diana scooted over so there was enough room for him to sit down.

"Ye--no. I don't know," she mumbled.

"What's this 'calling dibs' that Ruby does?" Gilbert looked at Diana his face soft and caring.

"OH it is the most ridiculous thing! It's why Anne couldn't talk to you the first day, and pretty much hasn't since, otherwise I know she would be all--oh I should stop." Diana turned a bright shade of pink as she realized she had started to spill secrets about her bosom friend. Secrets her bosom friend didn't even know about herself quite yet.

"Wait, what about Anne?" Gilbert's face playing a mixture of emotions from confusion to intrigue to joy to doubt.

"Oh, nothing."

"Obviously not," Gilbert nudged Diana on the shoulder.

"Obviously so if you, the smartest in the class haven't figured it out," Diana laughed back.

"Second smartest. I don't know how she did it, but Anne passed me before harvest break," Gilbert said with a mixture of pride and defeat.

Laughing at his face Diana responded, "and this is what makes you two perfect for each other. You're both so oblivious, but not when your together. When you both are together its like magic, but apart it's torture--for both of you...OOPS!" Diana realized what she said and quickly glanced at Gilbert.

His mind was racing a mile a minute, what is Diana trying to say? Does Anne like me? Do I like her?- no of course i don't, she's just a friend. "sure a friend who makes you smile and act like a moke. Be a man!" AHH SHUT UP BASH! Even in my head I can't escape him. I wonder why...

"hahahaha! You look like you do when you are working on the level seven grammatical rules. Give it up Blythe, we all know. Just accept it yourself already," and with that Diana stood up and walked back into the schoolhouse.

The bell rung signaling the start of class, but Gilbert still sat there. It wasn't until the lunch bell rang that he moved, and when he did move he stood up and took off running--running down the forest path.

||

a/n: its a little shorter than normal (sorry y'all!) but that felt like a more natural ending versus either a rough ending or longgggg chapter.

*DISCLAIMER: i just used google translate for the french so please tell me if it is wrong!

THANK YOU ALL FOR READING!! ilyasm! <3