Come As You Are (An Anne With An E/Sebastian 'Bash' Lacroix Fanfic)

05. First Day

I woke up to rapid knocking. The door swung open before I could answer.

"Aria!" Anne exclaimed. "Are you ready for your first day at school?"

I sat up. "Of sighted school, yes. Will you help me get dressed?"

"Of course," Anne replied, footsteps following her answer. A drawer scraped open and clothes were rustled around. "What do you think of this blue one?"

"What do you think?"

"Right," Anne said. "I think it's a perfect fit for you today. I'll help you in."

Anne helped me into the dress and I let my hair loose from a braid. I didn't bother to put it up or even brush it. I walked out with Anne downstairs to eat before heading out the door. I had my arm tucked into hers as she lead me down the road.

She went on and on about school and the teacher, Mr. Phillips. Apparently, he was really strict and hateful towards another student, Cole. He wasn't going to accept my disability, even if I could prove myself. Which I could most definitely do because I was Aria, a blind girl with the power to do the best I could.

We arrived at the schoolhouse and Anne led me inside, murmuring to me how many steps there were and how far the door was from me. I heard a door creak open and Anne pulled me inside. She helped me put my coat up on a hook, telling me how many hooks there were before the end of the line.

She led me to a desk to set my stuff down before taking me to the front of the room to meet the teacher. I counted my steps in case I was brought to the front of the room.

"Mr. Phillips, this is Aria Blythe, Gilbert Blythe's sister," Anne introduced.

"Why haven't you come to this school like Gilbert?" Mr. Phillips asked. "Do you not have schooling of any kind?"

"I was sent to a school in Toronto," I replied. "My father could only send one of us and they chose me."

"We'll see how well you do, Aria," Mr. Phillips said condescendingly. "Gilbert was my best student and he didn't go to a fancy school in Toronto. You better be the next best."

I felt Anne shift next to me. "I am sure there are other students who are better than I am. My school in Toronto was just like this one."

Mr. Phillips clicked his tongue. "Get a seat. We'll see how you do. Don't disappoint."

Anne led me away back to our seat. I heard a few footsteps coming closer and I heard whispers.

"Who's the new girl?" An annoying voice asked.

"I'm Aria, Gilbert's twin sister," I replied. "It's nice to meet you."

"Wow, Gilbert's twin," the same annoying voice said. "He must have been ashamed if he never brought you around."

"I had been sent to an academy in Toronto since I was young," I replied. "My parents couldn't send both of us."

"So you must be smart," the girl said. "Maybe the smartest."

"There are smarter people," I replied. "Maybe Galileo, Leonardo da Vinci, Newton. Darwin, even."

"Who are you talking about?" The same voice asked.

"Smart famous people," I replied, realizing the class had quieted down to listen. "Were you guys not taught about them? They crafted some of the greatest theories in the world."

"We don't believe in such crazy and unproven theories here," Mr. Phillips replied. "It might be different in the city but we are a Christian town."

I stood up. "Then you are crazy. Those theories are based on facts and studies. Those men were geniuses. What are you?"

The floorboard creaked as I believed Mr. Phillips marched over to me. "I am the teacher and you are the student. You will not say such things in my classroom and you will not be a disruption in my class. Write on the board 'I will not be a disruption to my fellow students.'"

"No," I replied.

"What?" Mr. Phillips said lowly.

"I won't," I replied. "I won't write those words because I was voicing my opinion and standing by my beliefs. I am going to stay here at my desk."

I felt Mr. Phillips step closer to me. "You will do as I say, Miss Blythe. I will not have a girl voicing her opinions in my classroom. You will be in silence."

I raised my chin. "I will not let a man tell me what to do. I won't be silenced by someone who thinks a vocal woman is to be quieted. The greatest civilizations were birthed by women."

Mr. Phillips grabbed my arm roughly. "You'll go to the board and write what I tell you."

People started yelling and I was pulled away from Anne. I was shoved to the front of the room and I stumbled into the wall.

"What?" Mr. Phillips asked. "Something wrong?"

I panted but finally rose my eyes. "I can only write in Braile."

"You're blind," Mr. Phillips softly said. "That's why you were sent to Toronto. You went to a blind school."

I didn't answer but instead walked to toward the door. I started putting on my jackets and stuff when someone joined me.

"I'm sorry for bringing you here," Anne said. "I didn't know something like this would happen."

"It's fine," I replied. "Can you give me directions to the house? I can find my way home."