OSTRACIZE | GILBERT BLYTHE

3

O N E W E E K E A R L I E R

"Ellis. Gilbert. Ruby." Mr Phillips paused looking at each individual student in disgust. "Up to the board. Practice your cursive writing. The alphabet will do for now." He instructed.

Ellis wiped her sweaty palms on her dark blue dress. She hated going up to the board.

Shakily, she grabbed the chalk and pressed the white material against the contrasting black board beginning to write the alphabet as instructed.

A.

She tried her hardest not to panic her teeth almost chattering in her mouth as she did so.

"A." She whispered under her breath. "B-b." She quickly wrote the letter b but she wasn't sure if it was a d and with her mind occupied she wrote, "D."

Gilbert looked over to the girl. He could hear her little mumbles And guiltily even though he shouldn't, he wanted so badly to help her out - to teach her the right way.

He took a deep breath.

"A, B, C, D." He wrote his letters and glanced to Ellis. A small blush appeared on her face. "E, F, G." He continued once she wrote them.

Gilbert expected Mr Phillips to say something, but he was too invested with Prissy Andrews to even notice.

Ruby smiled once she had finished, she turned to Mr Phillips for approval. He didn't even bat an eye lid at her, so she returned to her seat next to Diana.

"H, I, J, K." Gilbert continued. "L, M, N, O, P."

Ellis wanted to thank Gilbert, but she could hear some whispers from the other students and she couldn't help but think they were about her.

"Q, R, S, T, U, V." Gilbert's hand writing was immaculate, unlike Ellis' sloppy writing. "W, X, Y and Z." He finished, placing down the chalk and turning to Ellis. "You did a great." He smiled and returned to his seat.

Ellis took a deep breath before turning to face the class who was staring at her. She quickly made her way back to her seat. None of the other girls wanted to sit next to her, so she sat three rows back from the front, alone.

"That was tedious and time consuming." Mr Phillips almost laughed. "Everyone pull out your readers and turn to page 16."

Ellis pulled out her reader and turned to page 16, her leg bouncing up and down.

Reading.

She hated reading.

"Prissy, please begin reading." Mr Phillips instructed.

Prissy stood up from her seat with a smile, a cocky one that expressed to everyone that she understood what she had to do.

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height." The girl read poetically turning to everyone with a cheesy grin as if she wanted an applause.

"Marvellous as usual. Charlie, stand and continue." The teacher proceeded pointing his hand towards Charlie who stood from his seat and began,

"My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight for the ends of being and ideal grace." Charlie continued looking around for approval but the teacher gave him none and instead narrowed in on the anxious girl.

"Ellis. Stand and finish." Mr Phillips instructed.

Slowly, Ellis stood up and looked at the words, panicking.

"I-I lo-l-love t-thee-" Ellis stuttered. The book was visibly shaking. Mr Phillips scoffed.

What thirteen year old couldn't read?

Ellis turned a deep red and tried not to look around even though she knew they were all staring at her.

"-to the level of everyday's most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right; I love thee purely, as they turn from praise." Gilbert stated as he quickly stood up, his chair scraping against the wooden floor boards.

Ellis looked to him confused.

Why would he do that?

"Never take an opportunity away from another student to prove your own worth." Mr Phillips turned and snapped at Gilbert but he just stared at Mr Phillips.

"Sorry Sir." He mumbled.

"Both of you take a seat." Mr Phillips ordered and turned his back to the class.