bloom ; moody spurgeon

03

(A/N: not edited yet)

As soon as Charlie and Elizabeth entered their classroom, they were both swept away by their friends. Ruby had a tight grip on Elizabeth's arm as she pulled her over to the rest of the girls, while she kept blubbering about something that Beth couldn't quit make out. But she didn't have to worry for very long. Because as soon as they reached the others, Josie spoke ,"Anne walked with Gilbert today."

Gilbert was back? Elizabeth looked around the room and her eyes quickly fell on the messy haired boy who was currently wrapped up in some story he was sharing with a group of boys gathered around him. So, there was Gilbert. But where was Anne?

As if she could hear her thoughts, Josie continued. "Anne's still outside, we already told her to never walk with him again, and that Ruby has dibs". Elizabeth couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for the redhead. No one had told her about Gilbert, so how was she supposed to know. And it wasn't like him and Ruby were in a courtship. She knew how her friend felt about him, but as far as Elizabeth knew, those feelings were entirely one-sided. 

As the day went on and the lessons started, Elizabeth did her best to keep an open mind about the new girl. However, this proved to be difficult. The first embarrassing situation came when Anne was asked to read in front of the class. Elizabeth cringed silently in her seat but didn't allow herself to laugh along with her classmates. Sure, it was rather...odd, but at least she was making the story interesting. When Elizabeth scanned the room, her eyes locked with moody, who was laughing. Elizabeth furrowed her eyebrows and gave him a disapproving look, quickly putting a stop to his laughter. 

Just when Elizabeth thought it could't possibly get any worse, it did. 

"I'M NOT TALKING TO YOU!" Anne's voice rang out, followed with the sound of her chalkboard hitting his face.

When Mr.Phillips called Anne to the front of the classroom, Elizabeth reflects on the scene that unfolded just seconds ago.  Yes, there was no need for Anne to make such a disruption, but was Gilbert not at fault as well? He was the one who crossed the room, and tugged her hair. But she knew that no one else would bother to look at it that way. 

When the day finally came to an end and the students were gathering their belongings, Elizabeth made her way to Charlie and Moody. 

"Well, Anne is certainly unique"

"She's not unique, she's just weird." Moody said with a shake of his head.

"She's never been to a real school before" Elizabeth reasoned "She's just getting used to things, she doesn't deserve to be treated so poorly. I mean think about it, Anne's been thrown into an entirely new life, and all anyone seems to do is criticize her. "

"Gilbert seems to have a taken a liking to her, so she can be that bad" Charlie finally said.

***

As they next few days came and went, Anne was nowhere to be found. Elizabeth found herself growing impatient, she's be leaving soon and she had hoped to get a chance to say a proper goodbye. On Elizabeth's second to last night in Avonlea, she decided that she would just have to take matters into her own hands. The following days, Elizabeth would not be attending school so she could make sure she had all her belongings together. (though she was planning on accompanying her sister, Lillie, on her walk back home on her final day so she could see her classmates and say her last goodbyes.) Tomorrow she would have entire day free to visit Anne at her home.

Elizabeth made her way to the kitchen where he mother was stirring some sort of soup in a large pot. She lifted herself up to set on the counter, her mother sent her a pointed look but said nothing as she continued to add ingredients. Elizabeth stayed seated in her spot and started swinging her legs. "I need a new pair of stockings." She lied.