ELECTRICITY ━━ gilbert blythe

20. show me then

CHAPTER TWENTY:
SHOW ME THEN

The air fanned on Violet Green as she collected her thoughts. Twirling a strand of her dark hair with a finger, she pondered. Thought of the implications of tying herself to a singular person. Him with his warm smile that reverberated onto her anatomy. Him with his comforting, worn out sweaters and a shoulder to cry on. The way she could see the sun in his eyes—intelligence, seeping through the way he spoke and acted.

Violet had been through hell and back. She had seen hell and back. The trauma always echoed in the back of her brain, a buzzing noise, a reminder of what she did not have.

When she was with Gilbert, the buzzing died down. Because she forgot herself. Who she was, who she was supposed to be. Violet Green simply did not exist when he laughed, or spoke, or commented. It was just him, and the way he was. She could be reborn around him. A blank slate. A new person.

The wind trickled down her cheek as she felt shivers grace her body and—

The thick, wooden doors creaked open. Startled, Violet felt herself jump at the noise.

"Violet?" His voice shot through her anatomy like a shot of expresso.

Violet's tone dripped with sarcasm, "I'm sure that brunette will be disappointed that you've kept away from her."

She turned towards him, raising an eyebrow to assess his reaction.

He moved closer to her, eyes darkening, "I could say the same about Jack."

Violet let out a low laugh, "Jack doesn't have attachment issues, Gil. He isn't you."

"You know how you affect me," He inched closer, "You know that seeing you–makes me— and you still danced with him—"

"Makes you what?" Her heels clinked. At his silence, she spoke once more,  "Makes you what, Gilbert?"

"I think about you," Gilbert stepped forward. "I think about you, and you know I do."

"How do I make you feel?" She said gently, moving closer to him.

"Like you're the only person in the world. Like at any moment, my soul will leave my body," Gilbert exhaled, "You make me feel, Violet Green. So vividly and ardently that it is all my mind can fathom."

Her heartbeat echoed in her ears. They were so close that their noses were touching. "We could've had it all, Gilbert. If only you waited."

"Dammit, Violet, I am sorry for what I did but I am not sorry for the way I feel about you. I– You're the only person I've ever loved," Gilbert said firmly, delirious by the feeling of her touch on his.

She took his hand in hers.

"Show me, then," Her voice was low and seductive, and that was it for him.

His lips were on hers, and her body was on fire. It was not the gentle ebbs and flows of a stream—it was a firecracker. Passion, heart strings being pulled, love reverberating on every edge of them. She leaned into his touch, every aspect of him. He was hers, he was real and he was hers—

His lips were soft and her mind was frazzled. It was magnanimous and the emotion swallowed her whole. All she wanted to do was cherish this beautiful boy and his beautiful soul. He was hers he was hers and only hers—

Violet pulled away, her lips parting and her eyes widening. She just wanted to feel his skin on hers. Violet embraced him so tightly and the comfort radiated from him to her.

"I love you too, by the way," She whispered, "In case it wasn't obvious."

"I cant even put into words how much you mean to me, my love," He stroked her hair as she leaned into his touch.

They were Violet Green and Gilbert Blythe. And they were okay.