What Could Have Been- Anne with an E

Chapter Two: Love and Friendship Above all Else

"I was wondering if there is a chance that perhaps I might be an acceptable suitor for you?" Charlie asked.

Anne took a deep breath before saying, "Charlie, I think you are a fine young man and any woman would be lucky to have you as a suitor. Unfortunately, I cannot be that woman." She sighed a sigh of relief after having told him that.

"But why Anne? We both know you're not one to have a line of men waiting to court you." Charlie pleaded. Anne stopped in her tracks, the whole group must've heard their entire conversation because as soon as he'd said that, eight heads turned in their direction waiting to see the redhead's temper erupt.

"Charlie Sloane, I take back what I said. You most certainly are not a fine young man." She said and started walking away from him. But she stopped and turned back "And just for your information, I happen to already have a suitor. And he's more of a man than you'll ever be." She shouted at the poor boy.

"You have a suitor?" The boy mumbled in shock.

"Yes. Yes I do." Anne replied simply.

"Oh yeah? Who?" Charlie challenged trying to regain the upper hand. Anne took a few slow steps towards him, she was almost perfectly in the middle of the gathering the children created.

"Gilbert Blythe." The girl stated and stood triumphant as Charlie, and the rest of the boys were trying to wrap their heads around what they just heard. "On second thought Diana, I'm not missing anything for classes tomorrow so I'm going to head back to the boarding house. See you later." Anne said not even looking at her friend Diana and walked off in the other direction before anyone could say another word.

The next morning, chaos loomed over Mrs. Blackmore's boarding house as the girls got ready to head off for their first day of college classes. The girls were all hurrying to be ready, not wanting to be tardy on their very first day. When they were all finally ready to go, they all squeezed into a carriage that Josie Pye had offered to pay for.

"It's our first day. We want it to be special." Was her excuse. No one was quick to argue with her, and luckily so, as they were running late and wouldn't have made it in time without the carriage. As they pulled into the campus, Anne's jaw dropped. It had the facade of a castle, mysteriously ancient towers with secrets hidden deep waiting to be discovered.

"There must be at least ten classrooms in there." Anne said, amazed.

"Well of course, in our first year of college the curriculum is set for us, but in the second year we get to choose the classes we take in order to follow our vocation." Jane explained to her as they hopped off of the carriage.

"How prodigious" Anne sighed happily.

"Hello, do you know where you're going?" A young man approached the girls.

"We are looking for a class with one Mr. Seaton." Josie replied elegantly.

"Very well." The young man said. "It's just through those doors and on your left." He pointed to the entrance of the building.

"Thank you." Josie said and was about to walk off.

"My name is Louis Brown, Second year student. If you need anything else I'll be happy to help." The man said, clearly directing his words towards Josie who smiled at him then walked off with the rest of the girls. They found the classroom quite easily and sat down in three shared desks the way they did back in the old Avonlea school house. Anne and Diana at the front, Behind them Josie and Ruby and lastly Tillie and Jane. On the other side of the classroom they saw all the boys. There was only one first year class so they were all together. Other than the Avonlea kids, as they liked to call themselves, were eleven other boys and four more girls. Mr. Seaton walked in and everyone went silent.