Hope [anne with an e]

| RETURN TO SENDER

chapter seven: return to sender

"letters never sent.
letters never received."

*   *   *

CAROLINE SAT NEXT TO Ruby, laughing loudly along with her. They were currently engaged in a discussion over what the best kind of pie was, and, while it may sound childish, it did well to take her mind off of her brother. Diana looked back at Anne, shaking her head and reaching down to look closer at the letter in her hands. What were they to say? What if Gilbert hadn't written to his sister and they had to be the ones to tell her of his decision?

"We can't show her, it would be absolutely awful.", Anne shook her head and clutched the letter tighter. 

"Anne, she has to know. What kind of people will we be if we do not tell her?", the brunette pressed, believing that her way was the only right one.

With a sad glance behind them, Anne sighed, "But, she just seems so content. I don't wish to ruin that for her. Maybe, we'll wait just a while longer."

"Lying is never the solution, Anne. What if she finds out that we knew? I can't even imagine how angry she would be.", Diana muttered the last sentence, careful not to speak too loudly in case someone else heard her.

Anne tried to stuff the letter back into the pocket of her dress, but a hand reached over her shoulder, snatching the paper in between two fingers. The squeal she'd let out had attracted Caroline's attention and she furrowed her eyebrows when Billy read the first sentence aloud. Anne was jumping to get the letter back from him and when she looked to Diana, she immediately noticed her flushed face, even when she was staring at the table. As soon as the letter had been returned to Anne, she stood up from her desk and held out her hand. 

Her hesitation was the only answer she needed.

"It's from him, isn't it?", the entire classroom was silent.

The blonde didn't need to yell to get everyone's attention, the coldness of her voice was enough. Anne visibly winced when she put the letter into Caroline's extended hand. Her eyes washed over it, taking in her brother's distinct handwriting that had always been better than hers. Even in the small things, he proved to be the better twin. Her stomach felt sick. Caroline clenched her jaw and dropped the letter onto the floor.

"Were you going to tell me?", she asked but she already knew the answer.

"Caroline.", Diana began but Caroline held up her hand to stop her.