˚* ੈ✩‧₊ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒕 ⋆ 𝒇𝒊𝒏

twelve

✎  edited

it's wednesday, autumn's second day of tutoring billy andrews. she got dressed and ready for the day, pulling on a light yellow dress with her usual white overdress. she rolled up her white stockings before slipping on her black day shoes. once again, autumn pulls on her jacket and scarf, as well as her hat and she began her walk to school.

she was walking down the different path she had taken the other day, when she came across three girls. one certain red-head turned around to the sound of her footsteps. "hello, autumn!" anne bursts with enthusiasm, causing the two other girls- ruby and diana- to turn around suddenly. autumn smiles at the three, walking towards them as they had stopped to wait for her. "hello anne, diana, ruby." she smiles, nodding at each girl. "isn't it such as splendid morning?" anne questions, her typical smile plastered on her face. this caused autumn to smile. "oh, anne, it would be if it weren't so cold. i despise the cold." she says. anne nods in understanding. the schoolhouse comes into view. "come, autumn, place your milk with ours won't you?"

oh, how autumn regretted following. as they were bent over by the river alongside tillie and jane, billy andrews and his horrid friends came by and lifted up all of their dresses. both her and anne gasped. "keep your hands off!" the redhead screams. "you musn't mind them anne, autumn. they're just boys being boys. they love to torment our lives out." diana chuckles, earning a look from both girls. "i do mind. i mind a great deal. a skirt is not an invitation." anne yells, her hands shaking. everyone laughs, that is until billy noticed autumn. her eyes were darkened with both anger and embarrassment. "billy andrews, you wretched, horrid boy! i hope you get what's coming to you." autumn yells before angrily storming off, purposely bumping into billy's shoulder.

///

mr. philips was in the middle of a lecture when ruby whispered quite loudly. "billy." his head turns at the same time as autumn's to look at the small girl, who passes him a note. as he takes it, josie stares at him. she smiles and plays with her long locks of golden hair, waiting patiently as he reads it. a smirk crosses his face as he looks at her. autumn watched as josie smiles before paying attention to the lecture. there was an aching feeling the two were up to know good.

the class was invited to play parlor games after school, including autumn. she was not sure if she would attend, however. she knew something wasn't right. the girl sat next to cole in the coat room as he drew, eating her sandwich patiently. "are you going to play the parlour games after school today?" she asks, taking a bite out of her sandwich. "i'll go if you go." he responds nonchalantly. autumn did have a hint of eagerness for the games, only because she was becoming friends with anne, diana, and ruby. "alright then, it's a plan. just tell your mother that i was helping you with math before you went home."

///

the chosen parlor game was not what autumn expected. it was not charades, or blind man's buff. nor was it tiddlywinks. instead, it was the kissing game. spin the bottle. the back room of the classroom was filled. each corner was occupied. the tenants included moody spurgeon, charlie sloan, josie pye, diana barry, tillie boulter, jane andrews, ruby gillis, anne shirley, autumn winters, cole mackenzie, and billy andrews and his friends. josie stood in the center of the circle everyone had created, reciting the rules. she demanded that the order be boy-girl. "jane, sit next to your dumb brother." she says, finishing. she tells diana to sit next to charlie sloan, and autumn to sit fairly close to billy. josie knew this would decrease the chances of the bottle landing on autumn when billy were to spin.

diana was the first to do so, as voted by charlie sloan. it was obvious he was quite infatuated with the raven haired girl. his face showed hope for the bottle to point towards him. diana leans forward and spins the bottle. it lands on moody spurgeon. "me?" he gasped, standing up as diana did. "good afternoon, moody." she smiles, her arms bay her sides. "good afternoon diana, i-i'm going to kiss you now." moody stutters. the girl nods. they both lean in, their lips soon meeting for a short kiss. both pull away smiling, charlie looking defeated. next, it was annes turn. she reaches out to spin the empty milk bottle. "i'm out. no way. ugly orphan" a voice speaks out. all heads turn to the culprit, billy andrews.

anne's hand begins shaking, her eyes without no other expression except fear. autumn watches her. the others are laughing, except her friends of course. josie pye says something, taunting the red head. "what are you afraid of, anne? i seem to recall you knowing a lot about intimate relations." "anne? ever been kissed, anne?" autumn screams at everyone to stop, trying to ease anne's obvious torment. she looks at diana, then billy. anne shoots up from her spot. she stomps to grab her things and runs out of the classroom with diana following after. autumn sends her a sympathetic look just before she leaves. once they are out of sight, autumn's eyes darken and sharpen. they focus on the one and only billy andrews. "billy andrews, how dare you." she yells. billy's eyes widen in shock. "how could you possibly be so rude? as for you, josie pye, you are the absolute most wretched girl in this grade. neither of you know what she went through. i hope you both get what you deserve." she says, looking at each person she spoke to. "i must return home. billy, i advise you do the same." autumn huffs before following in anne's actions.