(ᴛᴜᴛᴏʀ ɢɪʀʟ)//sʜɪʀʙᴇʀᴛ

SIXTEEN.

Anne and Gilbert have been dating for a week.

The two have never felt happier before.

She laid on his bed, reading a book, while he laid on her stomach. Her fingers were playing with the boy's mop of curls while she read silently. The room was filled with a comfortable silence.

"What are you reading?" He asked in curiosity. 

She looked down at the boy and smiled. "Pride and Prejudice. One of the greatest love stories ever written."

"Can you read it to me?" He said, surprising Anne.

"Of course." She cleared her throat and began reading. "From the very beginning— from the first moment, I may almost say— of my acquaintance with you, your manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form the groundwork of disapprobation on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike; and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry."

Her fingers were still in his hair, softly wrapping individual curls around her finger. Her voice was calm and soothing, making Gilbert's eyes get heavier and heavier. He soon fell asleep on the girl's stomach but she didn't mind. She saw he was asleep so she stopped reading aloud but he made a noise, signalling for her to go on. 

Fifteen minutes passed and Gilbert was still sound asleep until he heard a car door close. He shot up from his bed and went towards the window. "Shit, my dad's back." The front door opened and footsteps were heard coming up the stairs. His bedroom door opened and there stood the man himself, John Blythe. "Dad."

"What the hell is this?" Gilbert opened his mouth to talk but his dad cut him off. "Why aren't you practicing? You know that the Championship isn't that far away. Instead you are in your room with some girl. I raised you better than that son. Your sloppy hands aren't going to get any better laying in bed with her. You want to be like my failure offspring, go ahead. I'm not stopping you."

Anne sat quietly as she watched them fight. The comment about Atticus made her stomach hurt. "Excuse me sir," She spoke up, making Gilbert shake his head for her to stop. "I'm sorry I didn't know he was supposed to be practicing, I'll take the blame on that."

"Good." He spat. "My son doesn't need any distractions. What happened to the blonde one, Gil? I liked her better. She was quiet." He said before slamming the door. 

Anne's face got red with anger and she jumped up on his bed and ran towards the door. Gilbert grabbed her by the waist before she would do something stupid. "Let me talk  to him! I just want to talk."

Gilbert forced a laugh and sat her down. "C'mon, it's okay. He's just being my dad." He kissed her forehead. "I appreciate it though. Grab your stuff, let's go for a drive."

She placed her things in her bag and put her shoes on. They walked out to his car and began to drive. One of his hands were on the steering wheel and the other holding her hand. He brought her to the courts where they first met.

"It was at this place where we first talked and by that I mean, you insulting me." He said looking at his girlfriend.

She giggled and stared out onto the court. "I mean you deserved it, you were being a grade A asshole." 

He moved a piece of her red hair out of her face and smiled. "Thanks to you, I'm not like that anymore." He kissed her gently. "I'm being honest without you I would still be picking on Atticus."

She heard his name and felt sick again. He doesn't know about them and she didn't want to know how he would react if he found out. "I'm glad you aren't that much of an asshole anymore." She pulled him in for a deeper kiss, cupping his face. Then the thought of how mean his dad was to him came into her mind. She stopped the kiss but still looking into his eyes. "Listen if your dad is ever being the dick he is to you, I want you to come to my house, okay?" Gilbert nodded. "No one deserves to be treated that way. Especially you. How are you related to that guy?" He shrugged. "Come here." They attached lips again, Gilbert reaching over the gear shift, almost climbing on top of her. They were interrupted by something hitting the hood of the car. Both teens looked up to see Atticus. Anne felt all the color in her face drain. 

She got out of the car and saw a basketball on the hood of the car. SHe grabbed it and walked over to him. "Atticus, I can e-"

"Save it." He cut her off. He looked at the ground. "I thought it wasn't going to end this way, huh? You guys are just friends? You know how I feel about him! He's just like our dad, an asshole who only cares about himself! Why would you bring him here? The one place I truly love in the world. To spite me?" She tried speaking but he went on talking. "I tried warning you, okay? Don't come to me when he breaks your heart." 

He turned his back to walk away. "What happened to us being best friends? What happened to us being there for each other no matter what? Did you forget about that? I thought you would be happy for me, Atticus! I'm always happy for you. Why can't you let me live!" He turned around, facing her. "I love you but you changed. You are such an asshole!" She threw the ball towards him. Though the ball didn't hit him, it still hurt. She ran towards Gilbert, tears in her eyes. He hugged her tightly. Hands in her hair and kissing her head. 

"Get in the car." He said softly. She got in the passengers side and put her head in her hands. "Listen up,  don't ever  talk to her like that, okay? I know you hate me but don't take it out on her." He said before going back to his car. He brought Anne into his arms and held her before driving away.

He looked at the ball on the ground and kicked it away.

Things were changing and he couldn't tell if it was for better or for worse.