Amazing Grace // Gilbert Blythe

Chapter 2

The sun peaked through the silky curtains as Grace dressed herself, pulling the top of her hair back and tying it with an aquamarine ribbon the matched the expensive dress her father had got for her. With her books strapped in a pile and her winter coat shrugged on she made her way to school. The walk there was a very pleasant one and she couldn't help but marvel at the way the winter sun lit up the morning frost as if the forest floor about the path were a sea of shattered crystals. When she finally got to the school lane that lead up to the white washed building she could hear the chatter of children and once spotting the stream filled with glasses of milk went to add hers to the collection.

When the bell rung she took one final glance at her book longingly then followed the others inside, everybody took their place and she waited for the teacher to turn around and tell her where to sit. He finally turned from the blackboard and she almost let out a laugh, and it wasn't common that she lost her control. He was odd looking with a curly moustache and massive hair she assumed was full of secrets. 

"Oh yes, I'd heard we would be getting another new student. What's your name?" Mr. Phillips said, his name was written on the top of the blackboard. She hadn't much time to ponder the use of the word another before answering and being placed at a desk next to a girl with blonde ringlets and a judgemental sneer. 

"Now class-" The teachers drone faded into the background as Grace kept her head down and completed the tasks set on the board until it was time for tea. 

"Excuse me?" A girl with hair like fire had made her way over to Grace's desk where she had pulled out her book and opened it to the page she was on, "I couldn't help but notice you were alone and your dress is ever so divine so I thought I might invite you to join us girls, we all sit over there," She pointed to a corner of the school room,"and share our lunches, anybody who doesn't share is considered awfully mean." 

"Oh thank you, that's very kind. And might I say you have the most beautiful hair I'v ever seen." Grace said standing up to face her new friend. "What's your name?" 

"Anne with an E, it makes it sound much more mature that way. And thank you but I positively hate my hair, it's the greatest woe of my life." While Anne was talking another girl had made her way up behind the with black curls and gorgeous dark eyes. Grace couldn't help but think the red head girl was quite peculiar but likeable none the less. 

"I'm Dianna," The girl with the black hair spoke, "come join us and I'll introduce you to the others!" Dianna excitedly grabbed Grace's hand and pulled her to the corner where the ring of girls sat, Anne in tow. 

 "This is Josie Pye," she motioned to the girl Grace had been sat next to, " Tilly Boulter, Ruby Gillis and Jane Andrews. Guys this is Grace." The girls took their seats in the circle and chatter began, Grace was glad she had brought enough to share out between the group and sat quietly as she listened to the conversations. 

"I can't believe that Gilbert's finally back!" Squealed Ruby, "He's been away so long. I think the trip to the mountains truly has made him handsomer." 

"Oh yes, Ruby has a massive crush on Gilbert, she has for years now so you can't crush on him either." Josie Pye said Looking at Anne and Grace. It turned out that Anne was new that day as well and had been introduced to the class moments before she walked in. 

"Okay, what about everyone else? Does anybody else have a crush?" Grace asked with curiosity sparking a giggling debate over the most attractive boy in class eventually deciding on Gilbert Blythe as he was apparently smart and had a nice chin. 

The lessons resumed and Grace discovered who Gilbert was when he was called upon to write a word up on the board. She couldn't help but admit quietly to herself that he looked like something out of a novel with his dark curly hair and gorgeously green eyes, there was something about them though, similar to the way hers looked when she caught her eye in the mirror by surprise. "Yes," She thought, "his eyes were most definitely sad."

When the school bell rung the class filtered out, Grace stood up to leave only to be stopped short when a wide figure blocked her path. 

"New aren't you. So who even are you? The other one's an orphan but nobody even knows where you're from." It was Billy, Jane's brother. He was dumb looking with short blonde hair and clueless, arrogant smirk. 

"My father moved here for work," she smiled as sweetly as she could without her face twisting into a look of disgust, "that's all. I'm Grace Miller." In an attempt to be polite she introduced herself. Her mother had always said that the best way to fight a bully was to do so with kindness. It seemed to work and his face took on an expression of slight shock at her smile before morphing back to clueless only without the smirk. 

"Er, yeah. Billy Andrews." Was his short reply before he turned to the two lackeys behind him. "Come on lets go see how many times we can pass the ball over the fence without breaking it."

Grace couldn't help the little smirk of triumph slide over her face, no doubt the boy had meant to tease her, and bent down to collect her books. 

Unknown to her another person had watched the whole scene in case he needed to step in. Gilbert Blythe was kind like that, he was also curious for he couldn't help but be surprised with the way she had reacted, much unlike the other girls. And further yet even more curious when he caught sight of the smirk on her face.