Anne with an E The Next Chapter

The Unlikely Path

Diana and Anne got together a few days before school was to start. They wanted to work on lesson plans and find creative ways to engage their classes. They had spent time picking Miss Stacy's brain about it too and had a few ideas to work out. Sitting on the front porch at Green Gables, they had the cool August breeze and the warm sun to keep them cheerful despite the evident sadness in the air. Anne was already missing Gilbert even though he hadn't yet left. Diana was silently longing for Jerry after that kiss and felt sure she'd alienated him for good this time. Besides this the two girls were facing a 3 month separation with a their jobs starting next week.

Jerry came in from the field to clean up for the night. He had on his regular work clothes and his hair was wind blown and swept back from his tanned skin. He said hello cheerfully and Anne responded casually "Hey Jerry" without looking up. A silence filled the air and Jerry didn't move from his spot of the step.

"Hello Diana". Anne looked up the instant she heard it. It was a soft, velvety tone, she'd never heard Jerry use before. She looked up from her paper glancing at him and then to Diana who was obviously refusing to look at him or answer his greeting. Anne didn't quite know what to make of it.
Jerry moved past the girls and went in the house without a word. They were nearly finished and Anne needed to get ready to leave. This would be her last full day with Gilbert before he left for Toronto. Anne and Diana finalized their ideas and felt satisfied with what they'd come up with.

"Last thing to plan is the layout for the school papers. I think it will be great to get kids thinking about fair and transparent journalism early".
"Agreed" said Diana "and I love your idea of sending each other copies for the children to read and critique".
"I know" said Anne. "It might open their minds further and they might also connect with each other and develop friendships a town away. Imagine if we'd had that!"

Jerry showed up again in the doorway and looked at Anne, motioning with his eyes that he needed her attention. She looked at him, confused, but with one swoop of the head she understood that he was asking her to get lost, seemingly wanting to speak with Diana alone. She looked at her friend who swayed quietly on the porch swing, now deep in thought and looking out to the field.

"I'll be back in a minute" she said. She passed Jerry in the kitchen saying "what exactly is going on". Without looking at her, he walked forward looking out towards Diana with a stupid grin on his face.

"I have an idea" said Jerry more to himself than to Anne. Actually, it was like Anne wasn't there. She made herself scare, going up to her room to put her books away.

Jerry walked out to the porch with a small bowl and a fork in his hand. He came over and parked himself on the porch swing next to Diana, making it sway aggressively and clumsily. She took a quick glance at him sideways feeling deeply irritated by him. He leaned back smiling and chomping away at whatever was in his bowl. He stretched his long legs out wide and was suddenly taking up a lot of room on this porch.

She pretended to ignore him, turning slightly with her arms folded in front of her. He stopped eating and shifted lightly in the seat, facing her now.

"You still mad at me?" he said in a hushed tone. She kept ignoring him. He put a finger out and poked her in the shoulder.

"Owww" she scowled at him and rolled her eyes.
Continuing to speak quietly so as not to be heard he said "There's no corn cobs here for you to throw at me, you'll have to think of something else" he said.

She continued to ignore him but she was burning inside, frustrated with the fact that he was ridiculing her, and sitting here next to her pretending to be her friend.

"You want some of this?" he said. She looked at his face, his smiling face, teasing her. She knew he was mocking.

She whispered back harshly "NO Jerry, I don't want any".

"Yeah, you do, it's really good and I'm sure you haven't eaten since lunch...come on taste it!" Jerry said with a nudge in a little aggravating tone.

She tried to look into the bowl but he pulled it away fast

"You can't see it, you have to taste it. It's so good...I promise". She looked at him now, completely fed up with the stupid games.

"What are you doing Jerry" Diana said quietly and sounding more mature than him.

"Nothing, I just want you to try it. Jus trust me!"

He was looking at her- his face warm and open and kind. He was smiling and she wanted to trust him. She wanted to believe him but she was afraid to be made a fool again. He leaned in, his hand over the bowl and he was trying to contain his smile. "Please" he said quietly and adorably.

-"Fine then" she mumbled "let me try it".

"Close your eyes" he whispered.

"I will not..I am perfectly.." she said a little louder.
"Shhhh" he placed a finger on her lips, smiling again and peeking beyond the door to see if anyone was there "Close your eyes Diana!"'

Something twisted in her stomach when he said it. Finally, reluctantly, she did as he suggested, looking more annoyed than ever. She closed her eyes.

Jerry popped the fork into the small bowl and picked up something that sounded a bit crunchy.

"Open your mouth". She did as said with an irritated huff and took the small bite in her mouth feeling slightly embarrassed by this because it felt a bit too intimate. She chewed and tasted something crunchy and something else sweet and juicy. She opened her eyes now realizing what this was. He looked at her face sweetly and smiled with a slight shrug of the shoulders.

"Apples and oranges... they're really good together".

Her face lightened as she realize now what he was saying. She looked into the bowl and saw a perfectly cut red orchard apple and a beautiful bright orange. She realized then, that metaphorically speaking and literally speaking apples and oranges could be good together. He'd gone to the trouble of doing this for her, probably because they couldn't usually speak without either arguing or kissing.

"This is brilliant" she said looking a little amazed by his actions. She looked up at him shyly and smiled - her first in days.

"But it's gonna be hard" he said quickly and looking more serious. "It going to be really hard...so you really need to know in your heart that you're ready for that, OK?"

"OK" she said.

"I really can't imagine how it will ever be possible"

"OK" she said again.

"Your parents are going to go crazy...and mine will too" he said.

"OK" she said

"And.."

"Ok!!!" She said a bit louder.

He settled on a little closed mouth smile that looked a little like he'd been defeated. His hand was close to hers and as they looked seriously into each other's eyes, she felt his pinky gently twist around hers. It was the most subtle of moments, shielded from possible seeing eyes.

"We can figure it out together" he told her. She nodded- feeling a surge of fear and total exhilaration all in one.