Shirbert in the Modern Era

Chapter Twenty-One: A Sentence Fragment

"So how far have you guys gone?"

"Josie!"

"What? Don't tell me you two just sit around reading poetry ALL the time."

Anne gave Josie an exasperated look.

"You make it so unromantic."

"Jerry is such a romantic," Ruby said, mostly to herself.

"Is Gilbert romantic?" Asked Jane.

"I'm sure he is..." said Tillie.

The girls all looked expectantly at Anne, who only groaned.

"Come on Anne, all we ever get to hear about is Ruby and Jerry!" Said Josie.

"Hey!"

"No offense Ruby."

"It's alright".

When Diana returned returned to her room with the promised snacks, Anne was relieved for the interruption, but Josie was having none of it.

"Diana, don't you agree that Anne needs to tell us more about Gilbert?

Anne shot Diana a pleading look, but this was a subject Diana was interested in as well.

"As a matter of fact I do!"

The girls all crowded around Anne, grinning from ear to ear.

"Is he a good kisser?"

"How are the dates?"

"Have you two done it yet?"

At that last question, the group burst into giggles.

"No we have not made love yet!" Anne whisper-shouted.

"Made love? You sound like an old woman!" Josie said, clutching her chest dramatically.

"Are you gonna do it?" Asked Jane.

"Well, I-I don't know. I haven't planned anything!"

"Is he a bad kisser?" Asked Ruby, concern in her voice.

"No, he's an excellent kisser!"

The girls shrieked.

"Finally some information!" said Tillie.

Josie reached for a cookie and said, "You should go for it Anne."

"Well, it's a little early for that," she responded, "I mean, we've only just started to -" and cut herself off abruptly.

Nearly all the eyebrows in the room shot up. Ruby was the first to get out a coherent sentence.

"What have you started?" She asked innocently.

Anne threw herself dramatically unto Diana's beanbag chair. Her phone started to ring, and much to her dismay, it was Gilbert.

"Anne, your boyfriend is calling."

"I'm aware, Tillie."

"I'm gonna pick up if you don't." Said Josie.

At this, Anne jumped at her phone and breathlessly greeted Gilbert.

"What's up?" She asked.

"Not much. Are you still at Diana's?"

"Unfortunately."

"Is something wrong?"

Anne could have sworn she heard his eyebrows knit in concern.

"Well, I'm sustaining some significantly intrusive questions into our relationship." She said pointedly.

The girls around her only giggled.

"Oh?" Responded Gilbert playfully.

"Fear not Gil, I've told them precious little."

"We know you started doing something!" Shouted Josie.

Anne hoped Gilbert had not heard that.

"Well, I'm about ten minutes away, so maybe I can tell them more when I pick you up?"

"You will tell these vultures nothing, but I will see you soon Gil."

"Okay," he said, chuckling to himself, "goodbye Anne".

"Bye Gil. Love you."

Anne hung up.

She looked around the room, and saw all of her friends faces gaping in shock.

"Anne," Diana said slowly, "you didn't tell me that you two had said 'I love you' to each other."

"What?"

Diana continued. "You just said 'love you' to Gilbert".

Anne's eyes widened.

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did." Said Ruby.

...

Gilbert held his phone in shock.

Anne had said "I love you".

Well, actually, she had just said, "love you".

He had been walking to Diana's house, but had paused on a bench to collect himself.

He sat clutching his phone in silence.

On one hand, he was ecstatic. Of course he was! He knew he loved Anne, he had told Charlie just as much a month ago.

But had she meant to say it? He dearly hoped so. He didn't think his heart could handle it if she hadn't. Hearing the two word sentence fragment had changed him so irrevocably that to learn it was unintentional would be a mortal wound.

It had just rolled off her tongue so elegantly. He always loved how she spoke, but this might have been the best thing his ears had ever been graced with. Oh how he longed to watch her say it, and to say it back to her.

He imagined, not for the first time, confessing his love for her. For the first time, it didn't seem like such a ridiculous plan.

Gearing himself up, Gilbert resumed his walk. He would just have to talk to her about it, assuming she didn't run away.
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A/N
-THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 19K?!?!!! This fic has gotten so much love recently and it makes me so happy and I am so grateful to all of you for reading❤️💖✨❤️💖
-I'm so sorry I didn't update for a month :( I've just been vv busy and stressed lately
-there's an update coming soon after this one tho❤️
-what did u think?