Save me

9. Death poetry and a sick girl

"And why just then, why that moment was the moment in which she understood quite suddenly her own death, she couldn't say. Simply, she saw how he would miss her."― Sarah Blake, 

❦

Annabelle was no genius, but she had always had a passion for anything to do with writing. So of course when Mr Phillips had let the words "Poetry competition" slip from his lips Annabelle was beyond thrilled. "This year I have been offered by the Avonlea paper that we are to hold a poetry competition to be run in the paper for the papers anniversary. As I can expect many of you will be simply incapable of writing a single word without a spelling error. I do encourage you to get outside and explore topics and subjects for your poems to be about things other than how 'pretty the sky is" and whilst Mr Phillips's entire introduction to the idea was filled with spite it did not diminish the excitement felt by the class. 

Anne rushed over to Annabelle and Diana straight after class smiling from ear to ear "The winner gets to be published in the Paper and can you imagine if any one of the school administrators sees it from Charlottetown!" Annabelle sighed exasperatedly as she spotted Josie Pye and Ruby sauntering over, "So who do you think will win?" Josie asked while smirking devilishly. Diana awkwardly smiled in response "Both Annabelle and Anne are the most talented writers in class so it really does depend...." Anne grabbed Annabelle's hand reassuringly "I would be proud to lose to Annabelle" Annabelle nodded "And as I would be to Anne" Josie grinned "of course, you would....well then better get started...good day" Ruby and Josie walked away giggling leaving the three girls in silence.

Annabelle eventually bid her goodbyes to her friends lost in thought about what she could possibly write. Her mind was utterly crowded with words and meanings. "ouch!" she yelled as she slammed into someone falling back slightly, before she could fatefully fall straight into the mud behind her an arm snaked behind her, "Really Annabelle how did you survive before you had me to catch you?". As soon as felt his arm around her, the events of that night came rushing back, to him. there. saving her. yet again. How they stayed like that, wrapped up in each other until Annabelle heard Samuel calling out her name, and the realisation they both disappeared from the party hitting Gilbert and her. They hadn't spoken since and she preferred it stay that way. It wasn't like she had spent the last three days drafting letters to him expressing, apologies and new lies for why she was constantly sick and that she was fine and not dying of a chronic illness. 

But now as she looked up to Gilbert's face which was inches away from her own, she quickly steadied herself self-pushing herself away from him. "I- um thank you" but he only smiled in that reassuring way he always did. She couldn't move, it was if every time he stared at her he got a little bit more power over her heart, her head and her body. He tilted his head looking at her, "Annabelle..-" she froze. Was he going to ask her about the other day?

"you know how the poetry competition is coming up soon, well it's just I really was hoping you would accompany me to the lake after school tomorrow. I need to write something and its a special place to me so I thought you might be willing to help since you seem to owe me your life for more than one occasion"

Annabelle scoffed knowing he was right, and she now knew the more she avoided this brown-haired boy the more he seemed to appear. "Okay sure. meet me at noon, I have to go now Gilbert" She felt a small smile creep across her face as she looked at his content expression "Thank you, by the way. for saving me."

"More than once" He added and she laughed

"Yes. more than once" she turned away from him and began her walk home. leaving Gilbert behind her watching her walk away, just before he turned to begin his own walk home he watched as the wind pulled one of her white ribbons out of her hair, it fluttered back without her noticing and Gilbert plucked it out of the air as it danced with the wind in front of him. He considered calling out to her but instead turned, folding the ribbon into his pocket with a small smile.

When the next day arrived however Annabelle had simply decided. She simply couldn't risk being seen with Gilbert and she would simply have to urge him to talk to someone else about it. But as she waited for his arrival to deny, the moment she saw him walk to her front door the more she wanted to see him, talk to him. She liked the way he spoke, and smiled and felt when he held her. What was she thinking? He's just a boy, she didn't even know what she was feeling. Perhaps it was just a different form of gratitude for his kindness. That was of course until the doorbell rang and Annabelle was dashing downstairs notebook in hand and her favourite pen in pocket. She didn't even care her legs ached from the stairs or the smell of the tonic she had to take two doses of to go out today. And as she ran to the door in utter excitement, it was quickly cut short, because there was Samuel. His stupid self at the door opened it to greet Gilbert. 

"Hello." She heard Samuel say with a very concerningly mischievous across on his face. She went to Samuels's side, picking his stomach to which he winced, Gilbert's face looked confused, almost annoyed. Annabelle couldn't read it, or understand why. "Um, Sorry I didn't know you had company over" Annabelle laughed but Gilbert's eyebrow raised and Samual grinned 

"She is my cousin. Loverboy. I'm not competition"

Gilbert sighed before flushing red, what flashed across his face?  Annabelle wondered if it was maybe...relief? "No that's not-" but before he could finish Samuel smacked Gilbert's shoulder "Don't worry brother in law we are gonna be great friends' before striding away leaving both Annabelle and Gilbert in states of shock.