silent storms | AWAE

falling behind

anne

Anne Shirley bursts through the doors of Avonlea Academy, this time by herself. She had managed to convince Matthew and Marilla that she didn't need their help. She was pretty capable enough to do everything herself. Besides, the next time she would see them she would be seventeen. Practically an adult!

Nothing had changed, well maybe the common room had been dusted a bit, but that was change for the better. Anne walks past the living area with her suitcases following behind her. As she walks up the stairs she wonders if she has beaten Diana to their room or if it was the other way around.

"Room sixteen," Anne breathes, her fingers tracing the gold lettering. "It feels so good to be back." She unlocks the door and pushes it open, only with slightly difficulty.

The lights are turned off and Diana's side of the room is quite empty, so Anne knows immediately that she if the first to return. How exciting! She can welcome Diana back and tell her all about break and listen to her as she talks about Ruby!

-

Anne is struggling big time to hang back up the yellow sign. She cannot get it to be straight enough, so it looks a little crooked. "Ha," she laughs to herself, "Just like me."

"Anne!" Diana Barry's voice shrieks as the door flings open and Anne is attacked with hugs from her best friend. "I have missed you so much! Seeing you through the phone just wasn't the same."

"Oh Diana," Anne mutters, her face erupting into a huge smile. "How I have missed you so!" She takes in Diana's appearance to see if the brunette has changed at all. She seemed to have gotten taller, still not as tall as Anne, but she was getting there. Her beautiful raven hair was longer than ever, but it was pinned back behind her ears so Anne couldn't get a good look at it. Anne couldn't help but notice that Diana's breasts had enlarged a noticeable amount and her waist was slimmer than it was last year. She pushed any sort of thoughts, concern or attraction, from her mind as Diana began to unpack.

"Tell me about your holiday! How was sneaking around with Ruby?" Anne asks, intrigued. Fortunately for Diana and Ruby, they lived relatively close to each other so they spent almost the entire holiday together. Luckily they didn't have to hide it from their families. Well, they had to hide the relationship part.

A smirk appears on Diana's face as she double checks that the door is closed. Anne crosses her legs on her bed, her chin in her hands. She was genuinely interested in what Diana was about to say.

"Well," Diana begins, sitting down on the bed next to Anne. "You could say that I'm finally a real woman."

Anne cocks her head to the side, confusion spreading across her face. What on earth was Diana alluding to? Her period? Why is that something to mention? "What do you mean, Di?"

Diana begins to giggle, her long locks flowing out from behind her. Her pale face turns into a shade of pink as she tries to avoid eye contact with Anne before opening her mouth. "Ruby and I... well... you know."

Anne shakes her head, still very confused.

"Ruby and I had..." Diana trails off, her eyes darting around the room. Her pointer finger is drawing imaginary patterns on Anne's comforter.

Immediately Anne understood. Immediately Anne felt as though the world around her was growing up and she was getting left behind.