Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Anne stood in the barn and admired the recently born calf. She thought about how the maternal instinct came naturally to the mother cow and wondered if it would come naturally to her too someday, when the time came. 

“Hello Anne.” Jerry appeared at the entrance of the barn with his hat in hand. 

“Oh hello Jerry. New life is such a beautiful thing, isn’t it?” She smiled at him before she glanced back at the cow. 

“Oui. Magnifique... Do you have a minute?” The tall boy looked dejected. 

“Of course. Is something troubling you?” Anne turned her attention to the French boy and walked toward him. She came to a stop once the two were face to face. 

“Sort of...There’s a girl that I like, and she seems to like me back, but she’s only interested in kissing. When I try to talk to her she makes me feel common.” He frowned deeply. 

“That’s terribly cruel. Anyone who makes you feel like that does not deserve your time or affection.” Anne offered softly. 

“How can you say that?” Jerry wondered, a bit shocked by her response. 

“What do you mean?” She questioned, slightly confused. 

Something clicked inside Jerry’s brain and he realized Anne did not know that Diana was the girl in question. Diana must have been too ashamed of him to even tell her best friend about their courting, if you could even call it that. 

“Never mind...Do you think I’m common, Anne?” He looked at her with sorrowful eyes. 

“You are smarter than most of the boys at my school and are fluent in two languages. You, my friend, are extraordinary.” Anne said matter of factly. She beamed warmly at him and gave his arm a quick gentle squeeze. 

“You are too kind, Anne.” Jerry’s heart melted at her words and he felt a small smile tug at the corner of his lips.

Although he didn’t believe the red head, he knew that Anne thought her words to be true. She had a special way of making everyone feel important. When she looked at you with those bright blue eyes, it was as if no one else mattered in that moment. 

“I am only honest.” The red head shrugged nonchalantly. 

“I was sorry to hear about your parents.” Jerry offered his condolences sincerely. 

“Thank you. It was quite unfortunate news but I had already suspected. At least I know that they only left me at the orphanage because they were gravely ill. I don’t think I could have gone through life knowing I was unwanted or unloved. I believe every human heart longs for acceptance.” Anne managed to answer in her usual intellectual tone despite the sore subject. 

“Yes. I think you are right.” The tall boy nodded thoughtfully. 

“Well this is a first. Jerry Baynard, are you feeling alright?” Anne teased with a twinkle in her eye and a bemused grin on her lips. 

“I must be sick if I just agreed with you.” He smirked. 

“This is the thanks I receive for comforting one of my oldest friends?” She pretended to be offended.

“Oui.” He chuckled softly and then shot her a wink. Anne felt a slight flutter in her stomach when he winked at her. What was this feeling?

“Uhm I have to go write an article for the school newspaper..” Anne stumbled over her words, although they were true. 

“Oh. What is the article about?” He wondered. 

“Gender inequality and consent.” She revealed. 

“So treating men and women the same?” Jerry asked. 

“Precisely!” Anne smiled. 

“What is consent?” He asked curiously. 

“Consent is making sure that one has permission before proceeding to do something. Usually consent is talked about in a romantic context. For example, before you kiss someone you should ask to make sure they want to kiss you, too, before just planting one on them. However, it can also be talked about in a multitude of other scenarios.” The redhead explained thoroughly. 

“Oh that sounds important.” Jerry nodded, interested. He wondered if someone had ever asked to kiss Anne the way he had asked to kiss Diana. He blushed slightly at his own thoughts. Why did he care who the girl kissed?

“Yes it is very important.” Anne nodded. “Well, I should go do that now. Wouldn’t want to disappoint Ms. Stacy.”  She offered an awkward smile as she began to walk away. 

“Anne?” Jerry called out as she started to exit the barn. The redhead froze in place but did not turn around. 

“Merci and bonne chance.” He answered in his perfect French accent. An accent that she had found to be very annoying, up until recently. 

“Merci.” Anne replied as she briskly walked towards the main house to go compose her article.

————- 

A few days passed and Anne’s article was the talk of the town. A few people were angry with her, including Josie and Ms. Stacey for publishing without permission. Billy and the Avonlea town board didn’t seem too pleased either, but there are always risks to authentic journalism. What mattered most was telling the truth. Monday morning when Ms. Stacey revealed that Anne’s punishment was to write about the hockey game, she let out an audible sigh. 

She did not want to go to another one of the hockey games when it was still quite cold out. One thing she wanted to do even less was write about how many goals Avonlea’s golden boy, Gilbert Blythe, scored. To top it all off, Diana had her piano lessons on Saturday afternoon so she would be forced to deal with the girls fawning over their prospective suitors on the ice. 

On her way back from school in the early afternoon on Wednesday, Anne saw Jerry hard at work in the the barn. Usually he was gone by the time she arrived home, but maybe he and Matthew had gotten a later start. Whatever the reason behind his unexpected delay, she found herself strangely excited to talk to him again. The girl placed her books down on the porch before she ran into the barn and dramatically let herself fall backwards onto a bale of unused hay. 

“Oh Jerry, I’m sure you’ve heard the news by now. I’m practically a social pariah. My teacher is angry with me and my friend Josie won’t talk to me.” Anne let out a disgruntled groan of frustration. 

Jerry was shocked by the intrusion and wiped away a bead of sweat from his forehead as he put some food into the trough. He cleaned his hands off on a handkerchief and turned around to face his friend. 

“Oh don’t be silly. It’s just mauvais quart d’heure.” He comforted her with a sympathetic smile. 

“What in the world does that mean?” The girl sighed. 

“It means that it’s your bad quarter of an hour. It’s an old French saying, it means things will get better.” Jerry answered kindly. 

“Feels more like a bad quarter of a century...” The redhead grimaced. 

“All I wanted to do was speak out against societal injustices and protect other people, particularly females, from being mistreated in the future. Seems like my actions had the exact opposite effect.” She said woefully. 

“I read the article.” Jerry stammered nervously. “There were some words I did not understand.. but I liked it. I never really thought about how differently we treat men and women and how unfair it is.” He explained shyly, worried his interpretation was incorrect. 

“You really mean it?” Anne looked up at him with hopeful blue eyes. 

“Yes.” The farm boy nodded with a shy smile. 

She smiled back, “Forgive me, I’ve been so busy ranting about my troubles that I forgot to ask about yours. How is the girl?” 

“Oh. I told her that I did not want to see her again.” Jerry admitted. 

“That was a wise decision.” Anne replied honestly, unsure of what else to say. After a moment of awkward silence, she went back to her dramatics. 

“As punishment for my unapproved article Ms. Stacey is making me write about the hockey game at the lake on Saturday afternoon. Diana receives piano lessons then and I do NOT want to have to listen to Ruby talk about how amazing Gilbert is. Will you please come with me?” She requested with hopeful eyes. 

“I don’t know Anne...I usually work with Mr. Cuthbert on Saturday afternoons and I wouldn’t want your school friends to tease you about being friends with a farm hand.” The tall boy’s face fell. 

“This is Avonlea, most of the students at my school own a farm. You have nothing to be ashamed of. If anyone teases us, they’ll have me to answer to. Most of them know not to mess with me after I banged a wooden writing slate on Gilbert Blythe’s head when he tugged too hard on my braids a few years ago.” Anne smirked mischievously. 

“Quel follie!?” Jerry let out a quiet chuckle of disbelief. 

“So, will you accompany me on Saturday?” The ginger formed her best pout accompanied by puppy dog eyes. 

“Oui.” The dark haired boy answered with a smile. 

“Wonderful! I will talk to Matthew and make sure it is alright with him. Meet me at the lake at one.” Anne instructed and smiled warmly at him before she practically skipped off to the house. 

Chapter Text

Finally Saturday came and luckily, her school friends anger dissipated. Some gossip about Ms. Stacey not having a suitor was now the current talk of the town. Anne felt bad for Ms. Stacey, but felt relieved that her own name was no longer being dragged through the mud.

She woke up at around 8 am and put on a pale green collared dress. She covered it with a flattering off-white apron that covered her upper half and flowed down almost to the bottom of her dress. The girl went downstairs and approached the breakfast table with a wide smile on her face.

“Good morning Marilla, good morning Matthew!” The redhead said in an overly cheerful voice.

“Morning Anne.” Matthew mumbled in-between bites of his porridge.

“Well, well, looks like someone is in good spirits today.” Marilla said with a tight lipped but sincere smile.

“Of course! Josie has forgiven me and I am no longer the talk of the town. What a relief!” Anne sat down and grabbed a piece of toast from the center of the table and put some of Marilla’s homemade jam on it.

“I have asked a friend to join me at the hockey game this afternoon to help time pass by quicker. Thank you Matthew, again, for letting Jerry have the day off.” Anne smiled widely at the father like figure as she bit into her toast.

Matthew just nodded before he shot a look of confusion in Marilla’s direction. Marilla looked equally as suspicious and confused.

“It’s been three years and you have never invited Jerry out before except to drive the carriage or accompany you to Charlottetown. Why now?” The girl’s adoptive mother wondered.

“The more I talk to Jerry the more I realize that we are kindred spirits. He too knows what it feels like to be overlooked by others simply because of where he comes from. Jerry deserves the same opportunities that I have. How I wish he could go to school with me.” Anne spoke theatrically and frowned before she took another bite out of her toast.

“I never thought of it like that before. I do feel for that boy.” Marilla mused and was impressed by the child’s sympathy.

“Our Anne has the kindest heart.” Matthew gave her hand a gentle pat just before standing up to put on his coat and hat to go work on the farm.

“Thank you. Kindness was not taught to me in the orphanage but I have learned so much about it from you both since I arrived here.” Anne smiled back warmly at her guardians.

“Oh hush up now and eat your toast.” The female guardian felt her heart grow warm at the statement but was never one for big declarations of affection.

—————

At around 12:30, Anne stared at the vanity mirror in her bedroom. She pinned up a small portion of her hair in a bun at the back, and left the rest down so it could flow freely.

“Dreadful hair. How I wish I was blonde or had warm chocolatey brown tresses.” She critiqued herself as she glanced at her reflection.

Finally Anne finished analyzing herself in the mirror and walked downstairs. She put on her coat and grabbed a notebook and pencil before she left the house. The girl hummed to herself quietly as she walked to the lake, carefully taking in the sunshine whenever it peeked out from behind the tall trees. It warmed her face and made the brisk weather seem more bearable.

She arrived just in time and saw Jerry approach the lake from the other side of the woods. She waved to him enthusiastically. The young man blushed and waved back with a smile. He walked toward her at a leisurely pace, not wanting to appear too eager.

“Hi Anne.” Ruby said with a smile before she sat back down on a tree stump close to the frozen lake. Originally it was so she could admire Blythe but Moody caught her eye today instead, for whatever reason.

“Hi Ruby!” She replied warmly.

Jerry approached and Anne found herself entranced by how handsome he looked. There was no trace of dirt or sweat on his face and his clothes were a bit nicer than what he usually wore to work at Green Gables.

“Did you do something different with your hair?” Jerry inquired.

“I did.” Anne nodded, surprised he noticed at all.

“It looks nice.” He mumbled shyly.

“Thank you.” She smiled graciously.

“Who’s that tall boy with Anne?” Charlie asked.

“Beats me. I’ve never seen him before.” Moody answered with a shrug.

“Nor have I.” Gilbert frowned and stepped off the ice. The game hadn’t started yet so the boys were just passing the puck freestyle to warm up. He walked in Anne’s direction and stopped close to where Ruby sat, but his eyes only met Anne’s.

“Hello Anne. Who is your friend?” Blythe asked curious as he simultaneously eyed his potential competition.

“Oh this is Jerry. He helps Matthew at Green Gables. Jerry, this is Gilbert Blythe.” Anne explained, sounding less than enthused when she said Gilbert’s name.

“Ah hello. I have heard about you.” He gave the shorter boy a polite smile.

“You have? All good things I hope?” Gilbert raised his eyebrows curiously.

“Not exactly.” Jerry replied cryptically.

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from our Anne. Stay warm. I’ll try to score some goals for you.” Gilbert smiled knowingly at the redhead before he turned around to get back on the ice.

“Ugh isn’t he just infuriating?!” Anne exclaimed.

“He’s not so bad.” Jerry shrugged but could not help but notice the spark between the two, especially on Gilbert’s end. It made him slightly jealous, but he did not understand why.

“Whose side are you on, here, Jerry?” She asked in an accusatory tone. He just chuckled.

The game started and Anne took notes as quickly as she could. She tried to keep track of the score and noted who played defense vs offense. Of course Gilbert scored at least half of his teams’ goals, which frustrated Anne to no end.

Finally the game ended and everyone on the ice packed up their hockey gear. Billy was in a bad mood because his team lost so he strode up to Anne and Jerry with his hockey bag in hand, ready to stir up trouble.

“What’s this? The ugliest freckle face with a poor boy from the other side of town. Guess you finally met your match, Anne.” Billy snarked.

“Shut up, Billy. So sorry to hear about your engagement being broken off...it’s going to be real hard to find someone else around here who will put up with you. Your daddy will have to flaunt his money to convince a girl from another town to be even the slightest bit interested in you.” She retorted.

“You little b*tch!” Billy prepared to launch at her so Jerry naturally stepped in front of Anne protectively with anger in his eyes. His hands instinctively formed fists by his side, preparing for a potential brawl.

Gilbert jogged over and stood next to Jerry, also blocking Billy’s attempt to get to Anne.
“Easy there. Wouldn’t want word of further improprieties making their way down to Charlottetown, would you? I am there every week.” Blythe threatened.

Billy growled but feared slighting his reputation any further so he reluctantly stomped off.

The girl was a little flustered and upset by the blonde boy’s cruel remarks but tried not to let it show. “What a vicious boy..You didn’t need to do that, Gilbert. Jerry and I would’ve handled it.” Anne sighed, frustrated by Gilbert’s heroic attempt.

“I was only trying to help. You should say thank you.” Blythe shook his head in disbelief.

“Thank you.” The redhead murmured reluctantly.

“You’re welcome. Can I walk you home or did he already ask?” The shorter boy asked.

“Jerry already asked.” She quickly replied, not wanting to have to deal with Gilbert further today.

“Alright then. Good day to you both.” Gilbert gave them a polite nod before he walked off.

“I’m sorry I’m not good at words like him.” Jerry frowned. “I should have said something..I was just so angry.. I couldn’t think.” He sighed.

“You have nothing to apologize for. I’m sorry that he called you a name.” She offered sympathetically.

“I don’t care that he called me a name. But to speak to any lady like that, especially you, is wrong.” He growled.

“Oh please, I’m just an ugly freckled girl who talks too much. People have been telling me that for as long as I can remember.” Anne replied with watery eyes, obviously more hurt by the boys digs than she led on.

“Tu plaisantes?! You are beautiful!” Jerry admitted with more enthusiasm than he meant to.

“You don’t have to be nice to me just because you feel bad.” She sniffled.

“I am not being nice. You are lovely. Kind smile, beautiful eyes...”Elle avait dans les yeux, la force de son coeur.” He replied.

“You are too good to me, Jerry.” The girl wiped away a stray tear and began to compose herself. “What does that mean?”

“It is from a famous French poem...it means “she had in her eyes, the force of her heart.” The tall boy blushed.

“I like that.” Anne smiled warmly. “Will you walk me home?”

“Yes.” He nodded and returned her smile with equal enthusiasm.

The two started to leave the lake and walked side by side at a comfortable pace with about two feet of distance between them.

“How is your family?” The redhead asked curiously.

“Good. My brothers and sisters sometimes drive me crazy but it is nice to be around loved ones.” He replied.

“How many siblings do you have?” She wondered.

“Six.” He answered

“How wonderful it must be to have 6 built-in friends for life. Are you the oldest?” The girl inquired.

“Sometimes they are my enemies so you are lucky...No. I am the third oldest.” Jerry explained. 

“Ah I see...I forgot to mention it earlier but you look very fetching today.” Anne felt her cheeks flush as she admitted aloud what she had been thinking all afternoon.

“Merci.” His eyes widened slightly in shock. She had never expressed any interest in him before, nonetheless he was grateful for the compliment.

The rest of the walk home was fairly uneventful and quiet but something lingered in the air between them regardless. Jerry and Anne found themselves disappointed when their time together came to an end.

“Thank you for coming with me today and being so kind.” The redhead paused in front of him and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear nervously before glancing up at him with a smile.

“I was just being honest.” Jerry shrugged but returned the smile.

“Don’t worry. I won’t let the compliments you gave me go to my head. I know you were just doing what any good friend would have done.” Anne smiled sadly, highly doubtful that Jerry meant his words in a romantic sense.

“Oh, right. Of course.” His face fell slightly and he wondered if this was Anne’s way of telling him she was uninterested in being anything more than friends.

“Good day, Jerry.” She gave him a small wave before she walked up the steps of Green Gable and entered the house.

“Bye Anne.” The french boy sighed quietly before he started to walk home.

Since when did he care about spending time with Anne, the girl who annoyed him to no end? Why did he feel the need to comfort her at the lake? The worst part was he wasn’t even lying when he gave her all those compliments. She was kind and made him feel like he mattered. He wanted to make her feel the same way.

———

Later that evening Anne walked downstairs to dinner rather solemnly. She appeared distraught as she took a seat at the dinner table.

“How was your afternoon at the lake?” Marilla inquired when she finally sat down with her own bowl of stew.

“Fine.” The teenager squeaked out before she took a mouthful of stew.

“Did something happen?” Marilla pressed further. Their girl was always full of descriptions and lengthy explanations and for once in her life all she had to say was “fine”?

“Nothing out of the ordinary.” Anne said complacently in between more spoonfuls of stew. Matthew’s sister shot him a look in hopes he might try to get more information out of her.

“Did you enjoy your time with Jerry?” Matthew wondered.

“Yes. Very much so. Thank you for letting me borrow him.” The redhead replied politely.

The siblings exchanged a glance of concern but did not ask any further questions.

Chapter Text

Anne felt dejected for the next few days but tried not to let it show. On Wednesday morning, she started to leave the house in her brown dress with braids and a plain grey coat since it was brisk out. She had a chalk slate and a notebook in hand. When she exited through the front door, she saw Jerry and Matthew on the porch having a slice of Marilla’s freshly baked bread as a midmorning snack. 

“Oh good morning.” Anne smiled slightly at them both but avoided eye contact with Jerry. 

Matthew nodded and gave Anne a small smile. 

“Good morning Anne.” Jerry replied with some food still in his mouth so it came out more mumbled than he expected. 

The girl failed to hide her smirk but managed to hold back her giggle. “Are you alright there?”

“Pardón.” He blushed and smiled at her sweetly. 

Anne smiled back at him and tried to hide the glimmer in her eyes but failed. Matthew awkwardly cleared his throat, and the girl realized she had been staring at her friend.

“Oh I should go! Have a good day you two.”  The ginger returned to reality as she walked down the steps of Green Gables and headed to school. 

“Au revoir.” Jerry waved as he watched her go with a sincere smile on his face. 

“Uh..you and Anne have been spending more time together as of late. I don’t mean to pry but are you two courting?” Matthew asked confused. 

“No! No sir.” The tall boy answered promptly. 

“Oh. And why is that? She seems keen on you.” The older man inquired. 

“We’re just friends...besides I have nothing to offer her. I am poor.” He frowned and awkwardly looked down at his feet. 

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Anne it’s that she hates when other people try to make decisions for her. She has a mind of her own, that one.” Matthew let out a soft chuckle. 

“I know.” He nodded before he wiped his hands on a handkerchief and went back to work with Matthew in tow. 

——

Anne reluctantly let Gilbert walk her home later that day because it meant she wouldn’t have to put up with Charlie, again. The two debated on whose science project was better the entire way home which Anne found engaging yet tiresome. Sometimes it was nice to just walk in silence with someone whose company you enjoyed. 

“Well, lucky for us both, I am home safe at Green Gables. Thank you for saving me from Charlie.” She chuckled. 

Jerry was in the barn but peeked his head out curiously when he heard footsteps approach. 

“Anytime. Anne...are you and that boy I met at the lake on Saturday courting?” Blythe looked distraught. 

“No. But why is that any business of yours, Gilbert?” The redhead wondered. 

“Well...I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and as much as we fight and debate with each other I can’t imagine my future without you in it.” He admitted nervously. 

“Don’t be silly. I know I’m hard on you sometimes but that’s just because we’re friends. We will always be friends.” Anne smiled softly. 

“Yes, but that’s not what I meant...I’d like to court you—-with your permission of course.” Blythe finally blurted out his intentions. 

“You what?! I’m sorry, I think I may have misheard you.” The ginger’s eyes widened in shock. 

“I’ll give you some time to think about it. Good day.” Gilbert gave her a timid hat tip before he walked away.

Jerry returned to what he was doing in the barn and murmured a few unpleasant things in French about how he did not like that boy. Anne stumbled into the barn, where her friend was hard at work. She was still slightly shocked by her encounter with Gilbert. 

“Jerry?” She called out softly. 

“What do you want?” He answered in a hardened voice, while he continued to shovel hay to even the terrain inside the barn. 

“I..I just wanted to ask how your day was.” The girl explained sweetly. 

“Hard, tiring. Lots of work.” Jerry remained cold and did not look up at her. 

“Oh I’m sorry. Did I do something wrong?” She wondered with a frown. 

“That boy...I don’t like him.” Jerry grumbled. 

“Neither do I. Well at least not most of the time.” Anne admitted. 

“Then why’d you let him walk you home?” He finally looked at her with hurt in his eyes. 

“Another boy at school who bothers me even more than Gilbert requested to walk me home so I only asked Blythe to substitute as the lesser of two evils.” She replied.

“So many suitors! Will you remember me someday when you and your beau have bought a big fancy house?” He answered bitterly. 

“Where is all this coming from? I don’t want a big fancy house.” Anne walked up to him and slowly grabbed ahold of his hand. 

“Please don’t... I know you don’t like me. You said it yourself that we are just friends.” The tall boy frowned but found his anger immediately dissipate when she grabbed his hand.  

“If I may speak frankly and you can excuse my impropriety, I can’t stop thinking about you.” The redhead looked up at him with adoring eyes and squeezed his hand gently. “I understand if you don’t feel the same way...” Anne glanced down at her feet while she prepared for the coming rejection. 

Jerry smiled like an idiot and felt his heart start to race, he could not believe that someone as smart and good as Anne would ever like him. 

“Je suis fou de toi.” He admitted. 

“I don’t speak French. If you want to reject me, you’ll have to do it in English.” Anne sighed. 

“I am crazy about you.” Jerry chuckled before he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her hand. 

“Oh. Really?” She let out a breath she didn’t even know she had been holding and looked at him in shock for a moment before a smile appeared. 

“Can I kiss you?” The dark haired boy requested boldly. 

“Yes...but wait! what if I’m not any good?” The girl placated nervously. 

“There is nothing you are not good at.” Jerry smiled and squeezed her hand before he led her to a more hidden area of the barn. He made eye contact with the girl and gently brushed a stray piece of hair out of her face. 

“Tu es belle...Are you sure it’s alright?” He asked cautiously. 

“Yes. Kiss me.” Anne felt butterflies in her stomach and shut her eyes softly.  Jerry shut his eyes as well and leaned in to plant a tender peck on her lips. He let his lips linger on hers for just a moment afterwards before he pulled his lips away. 

“Wait.” She grabbed his arm gently and leaned in to plant an additional peck on his lips. “Now we are even.” Anne winked at him playfully. 

Jerry chuckled. 

“I should probably go now. Marilla will be worried.” She said as she backed away towards the open barn door. 

“Can I walk you home from school tomorrow?” He asked with a giddy grin on his face. 

“Definitely. We should probably tell Matthew and Marilla that we are courting...if that is what we are doing here...? I guess I shouldn’t be presumptuous.” She back pedaled slightly, afraid maybe he didn’t want her except for in private. 

“You worry too much..I want to court you. I will ask them at lunchtime tomorrow for their permission.” The tall teenage boy answered with certainty and Anne’s face lit up. 

“Tomorrow then. Good day.” The redhead gave him a small wave before she walked away. 

Chapter Text

    Anne stood outside the schoolhouse the next morning at around 7:30, she knew she had to give an answer to Gilbert before he saw Jerry that afternoon. 

“Good morning.” Gilbert offered politely as he paused in front of her. 

“Hello.” Anne answered with a small smile.

“I’ve given a lot of thought to what you said but us being together...it would be exhausting. We argue most of the time.” She reasoned. 

“Oh.” Blythe’s face fell.  

“Plus Ruby’s had her eye on you for years, it wouldn’t be right.” The girl continued. 

“It’s that french guy, isn’t it?” He asked disgruntled. 

“What..? How did you know—?” Anne wondered. 

“What can he offer you, Anne? You are destined for more than this small town. Marry him and you’ll be stuck here forever.” The pale boy replied with a frown. 

“I will never let anyone deter me from reaching my fullest potential, I assure you.” She said honestly, a bit offended by his insinuation. 

“Ok. As long as you’re happy.” He gave her a sincere albeit weak smile before he walked away and entered the school house. 

    Diana could not help but overhear some of this conversation as she approached and tapped her best friend on the shoulder, “Marry who? What is he talking about, Anne?”

“Oh I’ve been bursting to tell you my dear friend! I’ve been swept off my feet by a most unexpected suitor.” Anne answered with a love struck grin. 

“Well that’s so wonderful! What is his name?” Diana inquired. 

“It’s Jerry. His warm chocolatey brown eyes have melted my heart.” She looked off into the distance with dreamy eyes while she romanticized her new beau.

“What?!” The dark haired girl’s face went pale.

“I know. It is a bit unexpected, I am sorry for not telling you sooner.” Her best bosom friend apologized. 

“You can’t let him court you!” The shorter girl almost shouted. 

“Why not?” The freckled friend wondered. 

“Because he already courted me.” Diana said firmly. 

“W-what?! ...you were the girl he mentioned? The one he broke things off with?” Anne started to put all the pieces together.

“Yes. While you are a wonderful person, I do think you should question Jerry’s intentions. It’s only been about two weeks since we stopped courting.” Her friend cautioned.

Anne’s voice began to crack in frustration and her eyes brimmed with tears, “Of course...what a twisted turn of events. You are the gold medal. How could the homely orphan be anything but a consolation prize..”

“That isn’t what I meant at all!” Diana tried to reason with the redhead but her emotions had already gotten the best of her. Anne took a minute to wipe away her tears before she stormed off into the school house.

——-

     Jerry walked to the school house in the afternoon after obtaining Matthew and Marilla’s blessing to court their adopted child. The young man had no idea of the bubbling catastrophe that awaited him. Anne exited the school house and stormed down the steps angrily, despite Diana’s desperate pleas and apologies from behind. 

    She noticed Jerry next to the school house. He gave her a wave and a smile. Anne walked over to him with a grimace, “I know I am not graceful and I talk too much, but I will not be your second choice.” The girl said firmly. 

“What?” Jerry asked, completely confused. 

“I told her..about the thing.” Diana explained to Jerry quietly as she stood next to Anne. 

“I thought she was pretty. She didn’t listen and never cared about me the way you do.” Jerry explained. 

“He is right. I shouldn’t have told you...I was just shocked.” Diana added. 

“My feelings for you are real, Anne.” The tall boy admitted in earnest. 

“I don’t want to cause more of a scene...I need time to think.” The dramatic ginger gulped, still incredibly hurt  

“At least let me walk you home, please.” Jerry pleaded with sad eyes. 

“That will not be necessary.” She started to walk away and Jerry’s face fell.

The girl had not gotten very far when she heard someone’s footsteps crunch on dead leaves behind her. 

“Jerry, I already told you...” She spoke through gritted teeth. 

“Not Jerry.” Gilbert replied with a small smile as he caught pace with her. “Are you okay?”

“I suppose. I never thought I’d be so happy to see you.” Anne breathed a sigh of relief.  

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Blythe chuckled. 

“I hope you can spare me the lecture about how I made the wrong choice.” The redhead replied. 

“No lecture here. I just wanted to see if you were alright.” He answered kindly as he continued to nonchalantly accompany her on her walk. 

“What are you doing?” Anne looked at him suspiciously. 

“Walking you home, of course.” Gilbert offered a small smirk. 

“You’re incorrigible.” She shook her head but a small smile formed at the corner of her lips. 

“If I may ask...why do you want to court me so bad?” Anne asked. 

“You’re passionate and thoughtful. You are brilliant and strong willed. You’re someone who I can trust to stand by me and encourage me to be better.” Blythe replied. 

“But not beautiful like Diana, right?” She frowned. 

“Diana?” He let out a low chuckle. “Diana is boring and too polite. I need someone who will keep me on my toes.” 

“You didn’t answer the question.” Anne grumbled. 

“Yes you are attractive. And very beautiful.” Gilbert admitted quietly. 

“Thank you.” She blushed. 

“So now will you tell me why you won’t let me court you?” Gilbert replied. “It’s only fair.”

“Intellectual debates with you bring me growth but it also causes undue stress and strife. Sometimes it’s just nice to have someone’s company you enjoy. He’s romantic and funny. He listens to me without judgement, even when I am being dramatic.” The redhead explained. 

“He just seems...rather simple, Anne. But if he makes you happy, I will of course respect that.” The boy nodded.

“He is not simple. Sure, he didn’t receive formal schooling but he is wise in the ways of the world.” She argued. “But I won’t be his second choice.” Anne stated gruffly. 

“How do you know you are his second choice?” Gilbert wondered. 

“Apparently he tried to court Diana first. My own best bosom friend for life, can you believe the gall? Of course I would come second to her.” She harrumphed.  

“Just because he courted her first doesn’t mean you’re his “second choice.” I courted Winnie before I told you how I felt but I still had feelings for you, you were always the one for me. Maybe..he feels the same?” The dark haired boy offered a potential explanation.  

“Wow. I did not think of it that way, before...also I think that may be the nicest thing you have ever said to me.” Anne gave him a small smile as the two of them approached Green Gables. 

“Don’t get used to it, Shirley.” Gilbert smirked and tipped his hat in a gentlemanly fashion. He turned around and started to walk away. 

“Gilbert?” She called shyly from her porch as he began to walk away. “Thank you and I’m sorry for saying no to your offer.” 

“The heart wants what it wants, at least that’s what Bass says. I do not fault you for trusting the part of yourself that makes you so uniquely you, Anne. Good day.” The young man turned back around before he continued to walk towards the woods. 

——

      Anne sighed before she entered the house and greeted Marilla with a shy smile. Her walk through the woods was supposed to offer her clarity on the situation but Gilbert’s advice only made her more confused about things. 

“Was that Gilbert Blythe I saw out there?” Marilla asked in confusion. 

“Yes.” Anne answered meekly. 

“But Jerry came to us today and asked if he could court you...?” Marilla pressed for more answers. 

“Today I found out that Jerry courted Diana first. They both decided not to tell me about it.  Jerry claims that it was nothing serious, but I am tired of feeling like somebody’s consolation prize.” The girl looked dejected and took a seat at the table. 

“My goodness, Anne. I can see why you would be upset by the secret-keeping but how could you ever think that you are somebody’s second choice? You are the brightest girl in Avonlea.” Marilla assured her before she continued,

“Jerry came to Matthew and I today and requested permission to court you, he sang your praises the entire time. That boy is lovestruck by you. We would not have said yes if we didn’t believe his intentions to be pure.” The older woman explained. 

Anne nearly teared up at her adopted mother’s confession, “Oh Marilla, you have no idea how much it pleases me to hear you say that. I hope you are right because my heart simply swells with affection for him. The mere thought of him with another girl weighs heavily on me.” 

“Anne, dear, do not worry. If it is meant to be, God will make it so. Now go work on your homework and then wash up for supper. I’ll call you when it’s prepared.” The adoptive mother assured her. 

Anne nodded and began to head toward the stairs but then abruptly paused. She turned around and gave Marilla a big hug. “Thank you for caring. I know I can be dramatic sometimes but it means the world to me that I have your support.” 

The adoptive mother briefly hugged Anne back before replying with a chuckle, “Oh, off with you now. We both have work to do.”

Chapter Text

At around 10pm that night, Jerry threw some tiny pebbles at Anne’s window. Somehow he had managed to sneak out after his family was fast asleep. 

The redhead stirred in her bed and awoke to the sound of continuous intermittent tapping at her window. “Probably just the wind...” The girl said nervously as she stood up and hesitantly approached the window with her lantern in hand.

She opened her window carefully, and held her lantern out to illuminate the darkness below. A familiar face greeted her, “It’s me. Jerry.” He whispered. 

“Goodness, it’s so late. What on earth are you doing here? Is everything okay?” Anne sounded less than enthused but was still concerned about his wellbeing, obviously. 

“I feel terrible about upsetting you. Can you please come down? I have something for you.” The tall young man replied. 

“I’m in my nightgown...” She whisper-sighed, “I’ll be down in a moment.” The girl put on her robe and tied it around her waist before she carefully exited her room and tip toed through the hallway and down the stairs. 

When she reached the first floor, Anne threw on some slippers and cautiously slipped out the front door, shutting it quietly. As she approached Jerry, he held something out for her: a piece of paper. 

“What’s this?” Anne asked. 

“It’s a letter of sorts. Diana scribed it for me since my handwriting is not very good...but all the words, are my own.” He handed it to her nervously. The girl took the letter and began to read it in her head. 

The note read:
“Anne, 

You were my first friend. You taught me how to read and write. I know I used to annoy you and sometimes I still do, but it is only because I care. Everything you do amazes me. Your heart is kind and your need to do right by everyone makes me want to be a better person. 

On top of all this, you are the most intelligent and lovely girl I have ever met. Your smile and laughter are like sunshine to me after a hard day of work at Green Gables. I should have told you about Diana and for that I am sorry. Seeing you upset pains me and I want to make it better. I want you to know how special you are to me, and thank you for making me feel like more than a poor farm boy. 

Warmest Regards,
Your Jerry”

Anne started to tear up a bit as she read the letter. Once she finished reading it she gently folded it back up. 

“You don’t like it...” He frowned.

“No. I don’t like it...I absolutely adore it.” The girl smiled and wrapped her arms around him tightly. Jerry breathed a sigh of relief as he returned the hug.

Anne pulled away from the hug slightly and looked up at him with love sick eyes, “I read about romance and courtship in many books growing up. All the great authors mentioned it would be wonderful but their descriptions pale in comparison to the real thing.” 

“How would you describe it?” Jerry asked. 

“Like a fresh flame has been ignited in my heart and soul, but the fire can only be stoked by one person.” The redhead bit her bottom lip nervously as she realized how cheesy she was being. 

The young man blushed at first but managed to regain his confidence. He smirked and placed a hand on Anne’s cheek as he moved his face closer to hers, “Can I add more wood to your fire, ma Cherie?” 

She rolled her eyes but closed the gap between their lips eagerly. Anne gave him a tender peck that was slightly more elongated than their first two pecks in the barn but still very brief. She was first to pull away but Jerry hoped the kiss had lasted longer because he didn’t want to leave. 

“I should get back inside before Matthew and Marilla notice I’m gone. Thank you for the note..I will treasure it forever. Be careful getting home, alright?” Anne smiled at him softly. 

“I will. Goodnight. Dormez bien.” Jerry placed a kiss on her hand and winked before he walked off. Anne reentered the house quietly with a wide grin on her face and crept up the stairs. She held the letter close to her heart and sighed happily before she safely put it away in her bedroom drawer. 

——

Jerry was not as lucky, however. When he arrived back at his shack over an hour or so after he had left, he was greeted by the worried faces of his mother and father. The rest of the siblings slept peacefully.

“Ou étiez-vous?!” [where were you?!] His mother exclaimed in a heightened whisper.

“Do you know how much trouble we would be in if you had been caught by that rich girl’s parents?!” The father whispered sternly in French. 

“Rich girl? Oh no, I was not with Diana...” Jerry explained.

“Who else would you have snuck out to see this late at night?” The mother asked in disbelief. 

“Anne...but we did not see each other. I was only dropping off an apology letter, I slid it under the door.” The young man answered somewhat honestly. 

“The Cuthbert’s adopted girl?” Jerry’s father wondered. 

“Yes...I asked the Cuthbert’s for permission to court Anne. Somehow they agreed.” He admitted with a shrug. 

“But why? We have no money and nothing to offer them if our families were to join together.” His mother was confused. 

“They just want her to be happy. I make her happy, I guess.” The young man smiled widely and then bit his lower lip to hide his grin, not wanting his parents to be more upset with him. 

“Oh cher [dear]! That look is all too familiar. Our boy is in love.” The mother shook her head and sighed.

“Do you know what this means?! He could inherit a farm and a sizable house.” The father replied excitedly in French and the mother smiled widely. The two hugged each other and almost wept with joy. 

“I have heard that this Anne girl can be trouble and I know you well enough to know that you sometimes are up to no good, as well...we will have to arrange a meeting with the Cuthberts, but perhaps it is best that we get to know Anne first. Do not leave the house again this late, especially not to see a girl. Do you understand?” His mother berated him in French. 

“Oui maman et papa. I’m sorry.” Jerry yawned and hopped into his sleeping bag. He fell asleep quickly after a long day of work and an eventful evening. 

Chapter Text

The next morning Anne said goodbye to Marilla and left the house with her school slate and lunch tin in hand. She walked outside with more pep in her step than usual, which did not go unnoticed by her guardian. Anne noticed Jerry on the field with a large metal tool in hand. He appeared to be hard at work as he tilled the soil. 

The weather had finally warmed up slightly now that it was late March, which meant it was just about time to plant. Matthew had taken a train into town earlier that morning to purchase some special fertilizer. 

The girl called out his name with enthusiasm as she approached the field’s fence, “Jerry!”

The young man turned around and smiled at her. He walked to meet her at the fence. 

“Let me walk you home from school today. I’ll ask Matthew if I can take an hour off. Someone has to fend off all your suitors.” He teased with a cheeky grin. 

“Hey! I will have you know I can fend them off all by myself.” Anne pouted somewhat indignantly. 

“I know that, of course. Maybe you can use that slate of yours on Gilbert again to give him a good scare.” Jerry said, somewhat jokingly.

She chuckled, “Jealousy is an unbecoming trait, best not make a habit out of it.”

“I make no promises. So is that a yes to walking you home from school?” He asked with a slightly more timid smile. His fear of Gilbert stealing Anne’s heart still lingered due to the other boy’s superior socioeconomic status. 

“Yes. I look forward to it.” The girl nodded and gave him a warm smile as she slowly started to walk away from the fence.

“Me too! See you then.” Jerry replied, relieved by her enthusiasm. 

Anne took one last glance at Jerry before she left for school. The young man returned to tilling the soil. 

——-

The redhead arrived at the school grounds about thirty minutes later. Diana approached with caution, unsure if the girl was ready to forgive her, “Hello.” 

“Hi Diana. Thank you for helping Jerry with the letter yesterday, that was very thoughtful of you.” Her bosom friend replied politely. 

“Of course...Oh Anne, I felt so terrible about what happened yesterday. What Jerry and I had was no more than me trying to make my parents angry. I wish you two the utmost happiness.” Diana uttered a sincere apology. 

“Thank you, I may have taken what you said the wrong way simply because I have always been jealous of your beauty and poise.” Anne admitted sorrowfully. 

“You are too kind. I have always been jealous of your fanciful imagination and intelligence.” The dark haired girl replied earnestly. 

“I propose we make a pact. Here and now, that we shall NEVER compare ourselves to each other again. For first and foremost, we are bosom friends—stronger together than apart.” The taller friend found herself getting sentimental. She gave her friend’s hand a gentle squeeze. 

“Never again. I agree.” Diana nodded eagerly and squeezed Anne’s hand back gently. 

———

The redhead left the school house with all her classmates at the usual time of 3:00pm. When she exited she saw Jerry who waited by a nearby tree, not wanting to draw too much attention to himself. 

“Bye Diana! I will see you soon.” Anne waved goodbye to her friend and slowly approached Jerry with a wide smile on her face. 

“Hello. How was your day?” He greeted her with a grin. 

“It went well! Diana and I reconciled and Ms. Stacey taught us about atoms. How was your day?” Anne asked considerately as they started to walk together. 

“Tre Bien! My day was alright. Lots of hard work. Happy to have a break now.” Jerry replied honestly. 

“I’m proud of you.” She told him confidently.

“Stop, Anne.” He felt his heart swell with pride but wasn’t used to receiving praise.

She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear nervously and then placed her hand next to his, gently, gesturing for him to hold it. 

“I want to..but some of your schoolmates are behind us. We could get in trouble.” Jerry murmured quietly as they continued to walk through the woods. 

“I am tired of the rules. I hold Diana’s hand all the time and no one says anything. Why should it be any different for us?” Anne replied defiantly. 

Jerry chuckled and grabbed ahold of her hand, “I have never met anyone like you.”

“And you never will.” She replied triumphantly and held his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. 

“Ca alors! I have created a monster.” He teased and Anne giggled.

“Are they..holding hands?” Ruby whispered to Moody as the two of them walked home together, not too far behind Anne and Jerry. 

“My father says holding hands is for marriage and the occasional rough spots, only.” Moody answered a bit appalled by their behavior. 

“That’s what my parents say as well.” Ruby nodded sincerely. Both teenagers planned to tell their parents what they had witnessed upon arriving home. 

“My parents want to meet you. They want you to come for dinner sometime soon.” Jerry explained. 

“I don’t speak a word of French, they will absolutely loathe me.” Anne answered dramatically. 

“They are good people and they will like you because I do.” He took her hand and placed a gentle kiss on top of it before he went back to holding it. She smiled and tried to push aside her worries. 

“When?” Anne wondered. 

“How about tomorrow evening?” Jerry suggested. 

“Perfect.” She agreed. 

Chapter Text

On Saturday afternoon, Jerry and Matthew were hard at work in the field. Anne had locked herself in her room so she could compose her next article for the school newspaper.  Marilla was sewing in the parlor when she heard a rather loud knock at the door. As she put her sewing supplies down, the knock grew more violent and forceful. 

“Goodness, me! I’m coming.” Marilla stood up and walked in the direction of the door.

When she finally opened it, Rachel Lynde practically pushed her way inside the house. While Rachel was always stopping by with gossip, she rarely ever knocked so hard or invited herself in without a moment to spare. 

“What is going on? Are you alright?” The taller friend asked.

“I am but I am afraid you will not be once you hear this news...you should sit down, dear.” Rachel advised. 

“Oh out with it, will you?!” Marilla sounded exasperated. 

“I heard from Mrs. Spurgeon just an hour ago that your Anne was holding hands with a tall foreign looking boy on the way home from school yesterday. The two looked especially cozy, and according to her son Moody, the boy even placed a kiss on her hand!!!” Mrs. Lynde exclaimed loudly with zero fragility. 

Anne heard commotion downstairs so went to the top of the stairwell to hear what was going on. She recognized who the shrill voice belonged to immediately. 

“Oh, that is Jerry. He is courting Anne. He works here at Green Gables with Matthew.” The taller friend explained. 

“You and Matthew are allowing some common farm boy to court Anne? ...did you not hear me?! They were HOLDING hands.” The shorter friend argued. 

“He’s not who I wanted her to choose..but he’s a nice boy, and he makes her happy. Plus he can help the farm live on once Matthew and I are gone.” Marilla reasoned before she continued, “I admit..holding hands is not something a non-engaged girl her age should be doing, I will talk to her about this absolutely.” 

“You are making a GRAVE mistake. Why not marry her to someone more wealthy? Perhaps Billy Andrews?” Rachel suggested.

“Oh Rachel, you and I both know Billy Andrews is a rotten egg. Anne has been talking about romance since she arrived at Green Gables. Would you have me marry her off to someone wealthy who treats her poorly?” She answered. 

“I suppose you’re right..What about Gilbert Blythe? He would be perfect! A bit more well off and he’s going to be a doctor.” The shorter friend nearly jumped for joy and mentally patted herself on the back for her matchmaking skills. 

Anne grimaced and walked down the stairs. Upon arriving in the kitchen she cleared her throat to make her presence known.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Lynde, but I couldn’t help but overhear the commotion. Gilbert Blythe is a nice boy, he may be your choice, but he is not my choice.” Anne admitted courageously. 

“Oh hush. You are still a girl and do not know what you are doing. Do you really want to spend your whole life worrying about having enough money to survive?” Rachel Lynde shook her head in exasperation.

“Although it has been awhile, I’m sure you recall that I came from an orphanage. I know how to allocate resources and survive in the harshest of conditions. Money is not the maker of a happy home, but love.” The red head explained.

“You may have a point, but money certainly doesn’t hurt. You are doing a great disservice to yourself Anne by letting someone court you who cannot provide for you and your future children.“ Mrs. Lynde tried to reason with the girl. 

“Future children? Good heavens, she is sixteen and does not need to worry about that yet. Anne has plans to go to school and complete a degree so she can teach like Ms. Stacey.” Marilla interrupted. 

“Ms. Stacey?! My heavens! She’s thirty years old and cannot find a suitor, is that what you want for Anne? It’s clear you two refuse to see reason but do not say I did not warn you.” Rachel lectured. 

“Enough!! Good day Rachel.” Marilla opened the front door at this point signaling for Rachel to leave. Her friend’s judgmental nature had exhausted her patience. 

“Hmph! Good day.” Mrs. Lynde exited through the door with her head held high and her nose stuck up in the air. Marilla shut the door after her and sighed. 

“Good riddens.” Anne let out sarcastically. 

“Have you and Jerry been holding hands? That cannot be. It is not appropriate for a non-engaged couple.” Mrs. Cuthbert explained. 

“We have. Why? It is not uncommon for friends to hold hands. I hold Diana’s hand sometimes and nobody says anything about it!” The girl retorted. 

“That is different and you know it! Jerry is courting you now.” Marilla shook her head. 

“But why should it be any different?” Anne asked again, frustrated. 

“Because it is the way things are and have always been, Anne. People will talk and it could reflect poorly on my skills as your guardian.” The mother-like figure let out a perturbed sigh. 

“Forgive me, but “the way things are” is ridiculous. I will not do it again, Marilla, but only for your sake.” She relented. 

“Good. Please leave me now..I need a moment of peace after all this commotion.” Mrs. Cuthbert rubbed her temples and shut her eyes. 

“Yes Marilla...and thank you. For not allowing Rachel to change your mind.” Anne gave Marilla a small smile before she retreated to her room upstairs. 

Chapter Text

Later that afternoon Anne finished her article on different types of fertilizer. Due to the last big debacle that caused quite a stir in town, she was still on thin ice with Ms. Stacey. When early evening came, Anne started preparing for dinner at the Baynard house. She put on an olive green dress that had a plaid lined collar and plaid around the cuffs. She left her hair down, parted in the middle, but gently brushed through it so it appeared neat. Anne hurried down the stairs and put on her nicer pair of boots over her white stockings. 

“Matthew I mustn’t be late!” She admonished as she waited by the front door for him.
Matthew’s eyes widened slightly in shock as he finished his last bite of dinner and headed toward the door, “Alright Anne.” 

Marilla walked over to the girl with a small basket full of bread in hand, “Be gracious and mind your manners. Do not debate with them.” She warned. 

“Yes Marilla. Thank you.” Anne nodded and carefully took hold of the basket of bread Marilla had made for the Baynard’s.   

Anne and Matthew bid Marilla goodbye and got into their small horse drawn carriage. They drove to Jerry’s house without saying much, which was a surprising change especially for Anne. 

The guardian sensed Anne’s reserved nature was due to apprehension and spoke up once they arrived. “Don’t be nervous. Just be yourself. I’ll be back to fetch you at around 9.”

“Thank you, Matthew.” She gave him a gentle hug which he returned before he carefully helped her out of the carriage. Anne walked up to the structure with the bread basket in hand and gave a confident but not overly loud knock on the small wooden shack’s door. She glanced back at Matthew and offered him a nervous smile. He waved as he drove the carriage away. 

Quickly she heard the previously loud one room house go completely silent, and a very well put together Jerry opened the door. His clothes were simple and slightly worn but he looked more polished than usual. 

“Bonjour Anne. Please come in.” He smiled at the girl warmly and slowly stepped aside so she could enter. 
“Bonjour Jerry. I come bearing sustenance as a way to show gratitude for you welcoming me into your home this evening.” Anne rambled as she entered and handed Jerry the basket of bread. 

Most of the family looked confused because they did not understand her more advanced vocabulary, due to speaking minimal English. Nonetheless they offered her kind grins. 

Jerry let out a soft chuckle at the palpable awkwardness and translated for his family, “That is her way of saying she brought bread.” He shut the door once Anne was inside and placed the bread down on the table. 

“Ah merci! Very kind.” Jerry’s mother now approached Anne with her husband in tow. “How nice to meet finally.”

“Nice to meet you as well! You have raised such a hardworking and polite son.” The redhead replied before she glanced at Jerry warmly. 

Two of his younger siblings chuckled at this but Jerry shot them a glare. 

“Thank you. This is Mr. Baynard, and these are our other children: Pierre is eldest, then Camilla, Raphael, Maria, Genivieve, and Chase.”

“Lovely to meet you all.” Anne offered them a timid wave and smile, feeling a bit outnumbered by the sheer quantity of them. 

“What are we waiting for! Let’s eat.” Mr. Baynard smiled and the entire family sat down at the long brown dining table that was well appointed with a few different foods, mainly bread and beef stew. The redhead took her seat next to Jerry. 

Anne started to reach for her silverware with her right hand when Jerry carefully placed his hand over the piece of silverware. “We pray first.” He whispered quietly, as his mother had already began to say the sign of the cross in French. 

She blushed at her misstep and clasped her hands together in prayer like all the other children had done. Jerry’s father said a simple grace prayer in French. When he said Amen, the family started to eat. 

Anne reached for her spoon more confidently this time and ate a small spoonful of stew. 

“Why do you want Jerry to court you? We are poor.” His little sister around eight years old asked curiously. 

“Genivieve!!” Jerry glared at her and murmured something not so nice in French. 

“You must pardon our daughter she is very blunt.” Mr. Baynard sighed and tried to hide his embarrassment. 

“It was just a question!” Genevieve defended herself.  

“That’s quite alright. My teacher, Ms. Stacey always says there are no silly questions. It seems as if everyone my age is only interested in increasing their wealth and social status. It is my belief that those things do not make for a happy life. Jerry is funny, hardworking, and loyal. I feel lucky to know him.” Anne smiled at Jerry before she grew embarrassed by her admission of affection, and returned to eating. 

Jerry rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly before he smiled back at Anne. He grabbed her free hand under the table and gave it a gentle squeeze. 

“That is so romantic.” Camilla, Jerry’s older sister gushed. 

“How very kind of you. Jerry is a good boy, yes.” Mrs. Baynard nodded happily. 

“He says you’re in school. What year are you?” Pierre, the tallest and oldest sibling wondered. 

“It is my final year. I sit for the college entrance exams in May.” The ginger replied. 

“College? Wow! That sounds wonderful.” Maria, Jerry’s thirteen year old sister replied. 

“Anne is the smartest student at her school.” Jerry admitted with a proud smile. Anne blushed. 

“What do you want to study?” Pierre inquired. 

“I hope to teach in a school someday.” The redhead explained. 

“She taught me how to read and write in English.” Jerry acknowledged. 

“You are a quick learner.” Anne smiled at him kindly. A few minutes before dessert was served Jerry and his brother were sent outside to fetch some more firewood for the hearth. Although the weather was getting warmer during the day, the temperature still dropped close to freezing some nights. 

“She seems nice.” Pierre said kindly. 
“Yes she is.” Jerry nodded in agreement as he picked up a few logs.
“You love her?” The older brother asked. 
“I’m not sure yet.” The younger brother replied tentatively, not wanting to be teased for his possible admission of feelings. 

“You should not continue with her. She is too kind to even think it but I know you recognize what she cannot. You will hold her back, you cannot offer her anything. If you care for her, the right thing to do is let her go.” 

“What do you know, anyway?” Jerry scoffed quietly in disapproval and shook his head but feared his brother might have a point. 

The brothers returned with the firewood two minutes later but the tension between them lingered in the air. The rest of dinner went well, although Anne’s less than succinct vocabulary made for a slight language barrier here and there Jerry and the older children spoke enough English to translate when necessary. Most nights the family would celebrate after a meal with music, but the Baynards opted not to for they feared it might make them appear less “civilized” to Anne who offered their son a chance at a better life. 

Finally it was almost 9pm. After Anne and his family exchanged polite goodbyes while she put on her jacket, Jerry walked Anne outside. She noticed had been acting strangely since he came back from fetching firewood with his brother. 

“That went quite well, didn’t it?!” Anne smiled, hoping her enthusiasm might perk up his mood. 

“Yes. It went well.” He nodded politely but his mind was elsewhere. 

“What’s wrong..?” She asked hesitantly as she grabbed his hand. 

“Nothing...” Jerry frowned deeply and squeezed her hand gently. 

“You’re lying.”                                               “I think...you should let Gilbert court you.” He gulped.

“What?! I...I don’t understand.” The girl’s face fell and she let go of his hand. 

“I cannot offer you anything. He is going to be a doctor and has a farm of his own...it’s the right thing to do.” He avoided her gaze. 

“That’s not true! You are my friend and confidant. Being with you makes me happy, you have always accepted me. Well..at first you thought I was weird—but to be fair, I was quite an eccentric child.” Anne chuckled softly to subdue the seriousness of the matter. 

“You were odd.” He teased and smiled half-heartedly before he continued more solemnly, “You are happy now but it isn’t enough. You will grow tired of me and want more for yourself. You deserve success and wealth, I can’t offer you those. I just want you to have the best.” 

“I don’t care about money, I was raised in an orphanage. I know how to get by during tough times and Green Gables has it’s fair share of financial difficulties too. If you want me to have the best, then let me have you?” Her sorrowful eyes pleaded with him. 

“Je suis faible...” [Translation: I am weak] He sighed. “I will think about it.”

“No Jerry, I decide my future. No one else can make that decision for me.” Anne harrumphed. 

“You are so stubborn! I’m trying to do the right thing.” Jerry shook his head.

“YOU are stubborn too! I know what’s right for myself more than you do.” She argued. 

“Anne you could have so much more with someone else...” He looked down at his feet. 

“I don’t want anyone else.” She held his hand and interlaced their fingers. 

“Anne...I...” He smiled sadly. 

“Don’t think twice about it Jerry Baynard. My mind is made up.” She squeezed his hand gently. 

He lifted his face up and locked eyes with Anne before smiling warmly. 

“I guess this is probably a bad time to tell you that Marilla received word of our “transgression” from the town gossip this morning and has now banned us from holding hands?” She offered him a look of amusement. 

“Ah! I warned you this would happen.” He chuckled and squeezed her hand gently before releasing it. 

“Looks like you are feeling better already.” Anne sarcastically remarked and smiled at him. 

“Oui.” He winked and grinned at her. 

Chapter Text

A rather dull week passed. Anne began to grow anxious about the upcoming college entrance exams. The girl knew she would be accepted to a few schools without much effort, but if she wanted to attend college, she would need a full scholarship. Anne walked home on Monday with two hefty books in hand, prepared to absorb every last bit of knowledge the books could offer. Unable to contain her restlessness, she read while she walked home. This task proved to be more difficult than she imagined due to the unsteady forest terrain.

“Hello," Jerry called out from behind and smiled as he caught pace with her.

“Hi," Anne replied distractedly as she continued voraciously surveying the text in her hands.

“How are you? What are you reading?” He wondered.

“Fine. A book.” The teenager murmured, still focused on the book.

“Tu ne m'écoutes pas!” [You aren’t listening to me!] The young man sounded exasperated.

Finally, when he spoke French, Anne realized that it was Jerry speaking to her.

“Oh Jerry, hi! I’m sorry.” She quickly closed her book and looked up at him with a warm smile.

“It’s alright. Let me carry your books, they look heavy,” he suggested before continuing, “Are you reading something interesting?” 

“That would be nice, thank you. It is interesting, mostly about scientific theories, though. The college entrance exam is less than two months away and I want to make sure I am completely prepared.” Anne explained as she handed him the heavy science texts.

“You are very smart, you will do well without studying.” He answered confidently and kissed her cheek. The books looked light as a feather in her beau’s arms. They had felt a bit brickish when she held them.

“Jerry!” She blushed and lectured him. Although Anne appreciated the gesture, the whole town threw a conniption when they had simply held hands. If they were caught kissing on the cheek or otherwise, it would cause a riot, “I have to do excellently on these exams so they will offer me a full scholarship.”

“No one is around, I checked first...Ah, I understand. Will you go to school near or far?” Jerry wondered.

“I do not know yet. I have to go to whichever university offers me the largest scholarship...” Anne said with a frown, thinking of the distance this could potentially put between her and Jerry.

“Any one of them will be lucky to have you. No matter how far you travel, you will always be here,” He sensed her worry and used his free hand to place her hand over his heart.

“It is as if you read my mind..” She looked at him adoringly. He blushed and gazed back at her affectionately. 

“Am I interrupting something?” Gilbert showed up beside them out of nowhere.

“Yes,” Jerry replied slightly annoyed. He knew his competition’s voice well.

“Sh...Hi Gilbert.” Anne removed her hand and nudged Jerry gently with her elbow before replying politely to her friend.

“Sorry, I overheard you talking with Ms. Stacey in the schoolyard and thought I’d offer to help with your studies, Anne.” Gilbert clarified.

Jerry’s eyes narrowed and his face fell at the idea of the two spending time together.

“Hm... I could definitely use your assistance with Anatomy and Chemistry,” The redhead replied.

“I’d be glad to, those are my best subjects. I had hoped you might help me with English Composition in return.” He replied.

“That seems fair. It’s a deal Gilbert.” She nodded and gave a soft smile.

“Wonderful! Let’s start tomorrow.” The young man smiled too widely for Jerry’s liking and trotted-off.

Anne nodded, “Until then.” She waved as he left.

“Why does  he  have to be the one to help you with your studies?” Jerry sighed.

“Because he is the only person in Avonlea who knows more about those two subjects than I do.” She explained.

“But... he likes you, Anne!!” He argued.

“He has been nothing but respectful since I turned him down. Both our homes always have apt supervision, so you needn’t worry. Unfortunately for Gilbert, I like someone else,” the redhead tried to reason with him.

“What..who..?!” Jerry asked absentmindedly, still on the defensive and concerned about losing Anne.

“What do you mean “ who? ” It’s  YOU , silly!” She chuckled a little and nudged him gently.

“Oh...right.” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, sometimes he forgot that Anne liked him because it seemed surreal.

“I think you may be folle [crazy].” Anne smirked as she used his own language against him.

“Hey! If I’m folle, then I am in good company with you.” He chuckled.

“Take that back, Jerry!” She gasped in mock horror.

He grinned mischievously, “Make me, mon amour."

“Ugh, you are the worst.” Anne tried to hide her grin with little luck.

“And you are the best.” He winked and squeezed her hand gently before releasing it.

In school that week, the girls were abuzz talking about their prospective beaus and Anne could not stop thinking about Jerry. While the girls sat in a circle and ate their lunches outside on the grass, they prodded Anne for details about her beau, since they were familiar with all the other boys already.

“I can’t believe you two openly held hands last week. It was the talk of the town this weekend.” Josie explained.

“Well, it will be the last time for a while because two unidentified sources told on us last week,” Anne sighed and gave her friend Ruby a playful knowing look.

“Sorry,” Ruby murmured.

“What is he like? He seems dull.” Josie shrugged, mostly uninterested in boys after her terrible experience with Billy Andrews.

“Oh, he is anything but! The French are known to be romantic and Jerry is no exception. He is so romantic that sometimes he puts me to shame.” Anne smiled adoringly.

“Have you two... kissed?” Tilly asked in a whisper as if even saying the word "kiss" aloud was the most scandalous thing ever.

“I’m sure that’s not all they did. Freckles would do anything for attention...” Billy snorted as walked by with his sandwich in hand after taking a moment to eavesdrop outside the girls' circle.

“Shut up, Billy.” Anne glared at him and heard an echo of the same phrase from an unexpected voice further away on the grass.

Gilbert overheard Billy’s comment while he sat with his circle of friends a few feet away and stood up. 

“Always defending the orphan, Blythe. Surprising since she rejected you. People are always leaving you, aren’t they? Finding any means possible to escape. Even death,” Billy’s eyebrow quirked and he smirked connivingly. 

Gilbert’s eyes dropped to the ground momentarily at the mention of his deceased loved ones. He was hurt, but before his anger could follow, Anne stormed over to Billy Andrews and decked him in the face so hard that he almost lost his balance.

“Ow, my nose!” Billy cried. 

“Anne!” Diana gasped. 

Gilbert appeared equally shocked. 

“Take it back!” The redhead yelled as she threatened him with her fist clenched and raised in the air. 

“I won’t take it back.” He wiped some of the blood from his nose with his hand and started to back away from her, clearly embarrassed that he was punched by a girl, “You’ll pay for this!! I’m telling Ms. Stacy. And my father, he’ll have you sued.”

“Tell Ms. Stacy, I don’t care. Everyone knows you are her least favorite student. And tell your father, too. After all the money and time he spent trying to smooth over your last debacle, I doubt he’ll be interested. ” Anne shrugged unapologetically.

Gilbert's heart swelled with pride. He smirked but tried his best to hide it.

Billy ran off to go find Ms. Stacey and Anne’s eyes finally met Gilbert’s.

“Hey carrot top, I can fight my own battles,” The young man teased.

“Don’t call me that…and so can I,” Anne replied in an annoyed tone, as if reminding him how this dilemma began in the first place. She shook her hand out after the aggressor walked away, and noticed that it hurt from the sheer force with which it had hit Billy’s face.

“That’s quite red. It will likely bruise. We should go stick your hand in the creek, get some cold water on it," Gilbert took her hand in his and examined it.

The girls in the circle remained dead silent, but their eyes widened as they observed what they perceived to be a romantic moment. Anne quickly pulled her hand away, “Are you trying to get me into more trouble? People will talk.” 

“No. You did a good enough job of that on your own. People always talk, and as you know, none of it ever means anything. Let’s go.” He nodded his head in the direction of the creek and started to walk away from the school grounds. Anne gave her friends a hopeless look and shook her head before reluctantly following him.

Once they were far enough away from the school grounds and closer to the creek Gilbert asked, “Why did you do it?”

“What do you mean? Billy Andrews is a hateful boy, who deserves much more than a punch in the face after everything he's said and done,” She admitted nonchalantly as she sat at the edge of the creek and immersed her hand in the cold water.

“But Billy has upset you a million times before. Why now?” Blythe pressed.

Anne huffed, "I don’t know! Would you quit asking me?”  

“I think you do know," Gilbert sat down next to her and gently grabbed her hand that wasn’t in the water.

She frowned, “I...I didn’t want you to believe him. I know what it feels like to be unwanted and left behind. Anyone would be lucky to have you in their life. I am.”

“You are?” He smiled tenderly and gently caressed her hand.

“Gilbert, we can’t...” Anne felt a familiar twinge in her stomach. Was it was guilt or butterflies? She couldn’t tell.

“Why are you fighting it, Anne?” 

“Fighting what?!”

“This.” Gilbert leaned in and planted a kiss on the corner of her lips.

Anne gasped in shock, and quickly pulled her face away.

“I’m sorry, that was impolite and unfair of me. I should have asked and I will never do it...” Gilbert started rambling and shut his eyes in disappointment but Anne caught his lips in a kiss, cutting him off before he could finish his statement. His eyes opened momentarily before he shut them and returned the kiss tenderly, running a hand through her hair gently for a moment. 

Anne pulled away. The redhead’s eyes met his with a soft smile before she turned her head away from him and glanced at the water with a look of sheer terror.

“Anne..? What’s wrong? Was it not okay?” He asked concerned.

“It was more than okay...But Jerry and I are courting. He will never forgive me for this. I broke his trust.” Anne started to tear up.

“It was my fault. I kissed you first,” Gilbert admitted.

She buried her head in her hands and answered in a distraught hoarse voice, “No, it’s not. I don’t know if I will ever be able to fix this.”

He frowned and gently patted her back, “If the kiss meant nothing to you, then we can forget it ever happened.”

Anne sniffled as she stared at the creek, “I don’t know what it meant…but, why are you so good to me? I don’t deserve it.” 

“You do. You deserve the world.” Gilbert replied earnestly. 

The redhead smiled sadly and wiped a tear or two off her cheek, “I need time to think…to decide what I want. Is that alright?”

He nodded understandingly, “Take all the time you need.”

Anne and Gilbert sat completely silent, but the frogs, birds, and bugs by the riverbed orchestrated ample background noise. Anne shut her eyes and listened to their song, it offered her peace, if only for a moment. She took a deep breath before reluctantly opening her eyes and returning to reality. 

Chapter Text

   Guilt weighed heavily on her heart as she walked home from school early that day. She would face the consequences of her actions tomorrow. As she approached Green Gables, Anne prayed she would not run into Jerry. Fate smiled upon her and she entered the worn white house without any detection from her beau, who must’ve been in the barn with Matthew or out running an errand. The redhead did not escape fully unscathed, though, as Marilla’s ears (though old) heard the creaky front door shut. 

“Did you forget something, Matthew?” Marilla wondered aloud, as she put some bread in the oven. The woman looked up and saw that Anne’s usually exuberant blue eyes were red from crying, “Why are you not in school? What is the matter?” 

Anne bit her lip, “I’m an awful person. I made some terrible choices today...I punched Billy Andrews because he said to Gilbert that his parents died to get away from him...a-and that is not even the worst of it.”

Her guardian sighed and patted her shoulder, “You know I don’t condone violence, Anne, but Billy Andrews is a bully. And poor Gilbert has dealt with enough loss to last a lifetime...I can understand why you would react so strongly. Still, what you did was not OK, and you will have to apologize.”

She sniffled, “That is a consequence I can face, but the other one..” Her voice broke, “I...can’t.” 

“What other consequence would there be, child?”

Anne shook her head and ran up the stairwell ashamedly as the tears rushed down her cheeks again. She went into her room and locked the door. 

   Marilla frowned and gave the girl some time to calm down before attempting to figure out what was wrong. She checked on Anne an hour later and spent over ten minutes standing outside her bedroom door trying to help the emotional teen see reason. When she sensed that her efforts were in vain, the guardian gave a final nugget of wisdom, “Whatever it is, it will be alright. Just remember that God is forgiving.”   

As Marilla’s footsteps receded, Anne’s heart continued to ache, though she did find some comfort in Marilla’s parting advice. She only hoped that Jerry would be as forgiving of her misstep. 

   When Jerry walked to the schoolyard to find Anne later that afternoon, Diana told him that she had not returned after lunch. The dark-haired girl handed Jerry his beau’s slate and he raced off to Green Gables. When he arrived, he frantically knocked on the front door, and was out of breath. 

Marilla opened the door, “Oh hello, Jerry.” 
“Hello, Ms. Cuthbert. Is Anne here?! She wasn’t at school.”

With pursed lips, she replied, “She is. I’m afraid Anne had a rather bad day at school. She came home early quite upset and won’t come out of her room.” 

His brow furrowed slightly with concern, “Can I talk to her?” 

The woman was hesitant to allow it, “It can’t hurt, though I must warn you, I don’t think she will come out.” 

He nodded, “I understand. I just want to make sure she is alright.”

She stepped aside so he could enter, “Alright then.” 

Jerry practically scaled the stairwell. He took two steps at a time, eager to ensure his girlfriend’s wellbeing. 

He knocked on her bedroom door gently, “Anne, it’s Jerry...are you okay?” 

The redhead laid sideways in bed. Her ears perked up at the sound of his voice, though her stomach churned with an uneasiness, “No. I am an awful person.”

He frowned as he spoke through the door, “You are a good person, ma cherie.”

“No. You are a good person. I am a monster who hurts the people she cares about most.”

Jerry shook his head at her words, “What happened? You can tell me anything.”

Her voice cracked from all the crying she’d done earlier, “I can’t lose you, Jerry....can you promise I won’t lose you?” 

He agreed, “I promise you won’t lose me. Just open the door and tell me what’s wrong, OK?”

The redhead tried to compose herself. When she opened the door, however, she could not meet his eyes, “I punched Billy Andrews because he told Gilbert that his loved ones died so they could get away from him. Gilbert thought I was defending him because I cared for him romantically...” Anne gulped before the two details she was most nervous to confess, “He took me to ice my hand and he kissed me. I did not push him away.”

Something within Jerry snapped, but almost dumbstruck by the news, he requested confirmation, “...You kissed him back?” 

She hesitated at first but then nodded, “I did.... I feel awful about it. I never meant to hurt you.”

He sighed frustratedly, “And all those times you said you only wanted me? They were lies.”

Anne jumped to correct him, “No! They weren’t. I didn’t want Gilbert then...I’m not even sure I want Gilbert now. At least not like that.”

Jerry replied in a strained tone, “You’re not sure? I can’t believe I let myself get tangled up in your lies. I’m so angry, Anne. Mostly because I..I..love you. And if you loved me back, you wouldn’t have kissed him.”

Her azure orbs went wide when he dropped the ‘l’ word and she reached for his arm to comfort him, “Jerry...you have every right to be mad. I know that you might not believe me...but I do love you. Very much. I’m sorry I hurt you..”

He pulled his arm away with watery eyes, though he refused to let any tears fall in front of her, “No, I don’t believe you. You can’t have us both...Sorry isn’t enough. Good day.”
He rushed down the stairwell and put his cap back on, hoping it would help hide his red eyes.

Anne froze in shock and sank to the ground. She took some deep breaths to cope with the stress. She had cried too much already today and it hadn’t helped at all. 

Marilla heard his footsteps and asked, “Was she alright?”

As he approached the front door he murmured, “She’ll be fine. Thank you, Ms. Cuthbert.” 

Marilla noticed Jerry’s distraught expression and was unconvinced, but did not want to pry, “Alright then..goodbye.” 

“Goodbye..” He tipped his hat politely to bid her farewell and shut the door behind him. 

Chapter Text

Jerry clenched his fists on the walk back to his family’s hut. He had half a mind to go to Blythe’s farm and beat Gilbert up. He kicked the ground in front of him and growled. Anne said it herself that she didn’t pull away. His frustration with Gilbert for pursuing his girlfriend could not compare to the betrayal and hurt Anne’s actions caused.

On his walk through the woods, Jerry passed by Diana. He avoided eye contact and kept walking, even though he knew it was rude. He did not want to break down in front of Anne’s closest friend. Diana called after him, “Jerry! Have you seen Anne? Is she alright?”

Jerry groaned in annoyance, “Why don’t you ask her boyfriend, Gilbert?”

She stepped toward him slightly, “Gilbert..?! What on earth are you talking about?”

His voice broke slightly, “It is not for me to tell..” and without a second glance, he stormed off.

Diana’s brow furrowed in confusion. What on earth had happened down at the river between Gilbert and Anne? Surely, whatever it was could not be that bad. Maybe it was just a made-up rumor that Jerry heard.

—————

Anne refused to leave her room that evening, but instead of crying, she decided to make a plan. As she sat at the mahogany desk with a pen in hand and thought about how to make it up to Jerry. For the first time in her life, she had absolutely no idea what to do.

——-

Anne ran to the barn early the next morning in hopes of catching Jerry before she left for school. Her eagerness to speak to him made her arrive earlier than him, for he was not there yet. She waited a few minutes but to no avail. Eventually, she hopped into the hayloft and rested her eyes, the exhaustion from the sleepless night prior had gotten to her.

When Jerry entered the barn fifteen minutes later and noticed something bright red in the hayloft, he immediately knew what it was. Regardless, he climbed the ladder a few steps to catch a glimpse. Sure enough, he found Anne there, fast asleep with a peaceful look on her face. For just a moment, all his anger dissipated. But as quickly as it left, it returned. He tried to go about his chores quietly because he did not want to speak to her, but his efforts were in vain when the horses greeted him with boisterous neighs.

He mumbled a curse word in French under his breath and Anne jolted awake like she’d been struck by lightning.

Anne climbed down the ladder from the hayloft and approached him cautiously, “Hello.”

Jerry grumbled but did not look up from his work, “Why are you here? You should be getting ready for school.”

“I am already dressed for school. I wanted to speak to you.”

He sighed, “Just leave me alone, Anne.”

The redhead gulped before gently touching his shoulder and attempting to make eye contact with him, “I know I cannot change what happened but I need you to know that I’m sorry. I really do love you...Even if you hate me with a burning passion or never talk to me again, I will still love you. I don’t know how to make it up to you and I do not deserve your forgiveness...But I will not give up because when I think about life without you, it does not seem like much of a life at all.”

Jerry frowned but did not pull away from her touch, “Just pretty words....they hold no meaning.”

“How can I show you that I mean them?”

He sighed, “...Was my brother, Pierre, right that I am not good enough for you?”

“No! No, it has nothing to do with you being “good enough” for me. If anything, you are too good for me. Wait....he said that to you?”

Jerry looked down, “Yes. During our dinner a few weeks ago.”

“So that is why you told me to date Gilbert? Because of what Pierre said? He is wrong!”

He shook his head and his brown eyes met her blue ones, “Why did you do it, Anne?”

Her eyes watered, “I...I don’t know!! Up until a few months ago most of the guys in town would tease me. They called me ugly and weird. I was treated as an outcast at the orphanage and the town felt similarly after I first arrived. It just felt nice...being wanted for a change...”

He frowned, “I want you, Anne. I always treated you kindly.”

“You have two parents who love you dearly, Jerry. You weren’t left at an orphanage and raised alongside people who criticized your every move and tortured you all hours of the day. I know Matthew and Marilla love me..and I love them. But so many years of being treated like dirt makes a person feel that they are unlovable.”

Jerry frowned, and for a moment, he buried his hurt to show sympathy for her plight, “You are lovable, Anne. Your parents loved you. That is why they left you at the orphanage. So you would not get sick.”

Anne’s eyes fell to the floor, “I know, but it still feels like something is missing...Maybe that hole will always be there....” She sniffled before she continued, “After Billy said that horrid thing to Gilbert about his parents, I saw it in his eyes that he thought he was unlovable. Because I of all people know what that’s like—I wanted to comfort him and make him realize he mattered. And at that moment, he also made me feel like I mattered.”

The young Frenchman groaned exasperated, “You matter. And Gilbert, as much as I’d like to punch him right now...matters too. But you kissed him back! How can I keep courting you when a part of me fears that you’ll choose him in the end?”

“I chose you and declined his offer of courtship. It was a moment of weakness....and sometimes I worry you will choose her in the end.”

His eyes widened in confusion at her accusation, “Who?”

Anne glanced at the ground to hide her embarrassment, “Diana...If she changed her mind, what would you say?”

Jerry shook his head, “Don’t be silly. She would not change her mind about me. She is your friend.”

She hesitantly raised her worried eyes to meet his, “You didn’t answer the question....”

He let out a huff but smiled weakly, “My heart chose you when we first met. I didn’t have a choice. I just knew. I told my heart “no” because I thought it could never happen. But it did...”

“Are you glad it did?” She wondered.

“Tres glad.”

Anne smiled softly and hugged him tightly with a sniffle, “Please don’t give up on me...on us.”

The dark-haired young man’s brow furrowed but he comfortingly ran a hand through her wavy red locks, “Tu es ma faiblesse [you are my weakness]..I’ll think about it.”

She pulled away from the hug with a sparkle in her eye, “I don’t even deserve that much. Thank you, though.”

Jerry gulped because he knew his willpower was terrible when it came to her. Especially when she looked at him like that. Like he put the stars in the sky... “Of course you do...now, off to school with ya.”

Anne agreed with a smile on her face, “Have a good day, ma charie.”

Jerry laughed heartily at Anne’s language mistake, “It’s “mon cheri” for me, ma cherie. See you later.”

The redhead blushed, shrugged, and waved before walking away with a lighter heart.

———

On Anne’s walk to school, the sun peaked out at her from behind the leafless trees. She heard footsteps crunching on the uneven ground in the distance. When she came to the open pathway, it was none other than Gilbert Blythe. He was the last person she wanted to see right now. It wasn’t his fault, but a part of her feared being near him, especially after their unexpected romantic encounter yesterday.

He smiled kindly and caught pace with her, “Good morning, Anne. You appear to be in better spirits today.”

She gave him a lackluster smile and nodded, “I am, though I fear that today I may be on the receiving end of some grievous consequences after my poor conduct yesterday.”

Gilbert shrugged initially, “Billy deserved it...” but then he hesitated and bit his lip nervously, “Or were you referring to other consequences?”

Anne’s stomach turned at the thought of the consequences he referenced, “Jerry was incredibly upset with me yesterday when I told him what happened, you should have seen his face. It was heartbreaking.”

He patted her arm comfortingly for a moment, “I hope he was no harder on you than you were on yourself. You gave yourself enough grief over it yesterday at the creek.”

She shook her head, “I deserved worse than I got. He is too good for me.”

Gilbert frowned, “I don’t know about that...I shouldn’t have pushed you. I knew that Jerry was courting you and I just complicated your situation.”

Her eyes reprimanded him before her words could follow, “Stop blaming yourself, Gilbert. I kissed you back.”

The corners of his lips tilted upwards at the thought, “You did....Why did you?”

Anne sighed, a part of her was still trying to deduce the answer to that question herself. She played with the ends of a red curly strand, uncomfortably, “I wanted you to know that you matter to the people of Avonlea...and to me.”

His eyes lit up and his grin widened, “You matter to me. I can’t bow out in good conscience now that I know there’s even a slight chance for us.”

His words warmed her heart, though she wished they hadn’t. Anne’s lips formed into a sad smile, “Don’t do this...I can’t give you what you want.”

He rolled his eyes annoyed and took her hand and kissed it, “You can, though. I think you’re just afraid that we’ll make a good pair...A better pair than you and Jerry.”

Her firm resolved response sounded weaker than usual, “Not true. Please Gil, we’re getting closer to the school house and it’s not fair to Jerry. The last thing Marilla wants is for our family’s name to be dragged through the mud again because of me...I need space.”

Suddenly, she heard someone clear their throat behind them. Anne’s eyes widened and her heart pounded against her chest thunderously. She dared not turn around. If it was anyone other than Diana, she would be ruined. Gilbert turned his head to face what she could not and winced when he saw the young French man behind him, “I’ll uh...give you two a moment. Good day, Jerry.” With a timid hat tip, he shot Anne an apologetic glance and continued his walk to school.

Jerry glared at Gilbert but his eyes were filled with sorrow when Anne finally turned to greet him. He handed her a book, “You forgot this in the hayloft....”

Her cheeks were red with embarrassment. How long had he been standing there for? She felt like the worst girlfriend ever, but took the book from him graciously, nonetheless, “Thank you.”

He steeled his jaw to prevent his lip from quivering and gazed at an uninteresting rock a few feet in front of him, “You have to give him a chance, Anne. There is something there... I’ve always known it.”

She took a breath and prepared to defend herself but realized she could no longer dispute the undeniable connection that existed between her and Gilbert, even if she desperately wanted to. Her heart did find fault with something else he implied, however, “You’re giving up on us?”

He shook his head and grabbed her hands to hold them, “No, but you owe it to yourself, to Gilbert, and to me, to see if you could be happy with him.”

Her eyes watered but no tears fell. She answered in earnest and squeezed his hands, “You make me incredibly happy.”

Jerry sighed. “I’m not going anywhere. Spend some time with him, and think on it.”

Anne frowned deeply but her heart was touched by his selflessness. She hurled herself into his arms, and squeezed him tightly. He returned her embrace and tried not to cry. He was doing this for her, but that didn’t make it any less difficult.

A part of Jerry feared this would be the last time he ever held her like this, so he committed everything about the moment to memory. The scent of her hair, the way she fit perfectly in his arms, and his heart pounding.

Jerry finally let go, but her arms were still tightly around him and her face was buried in his chest.

He nearly chuckled at her dramatic antics, but then remembered the grim circumstances. “Anne, you’ll be late for school.”

She huffed in annoyance and squeezed Jerry one last time before reluctantly releasing him from the bear hug. Anne kissed his cheek tenderly, “Thank you.”

He smiled timidly and nodded his understanding. His heart hammered against his chest, even though he knew it was the right thing to do. “Au revoir.”

She waved slightly and then hesitantly continued her walk towards the school house. Anne dared not look back, even if everything in her being begged her to. 

Chapter Text

   Anne arrived at school that day with a terrible feeling in her stomach. She should have protested more when Jerry claimed she needed to give Gilbert a chance. She had been caught off guard by his insistence and knew there was some truth behind why he suggested such a thing.

   Anne took her seat in the second row of school desks, next to Diana. The dark-haired young lady gazed at her best friend, and her eyes radiated concern, “What on earth happened yesterday? I bumped into Jerry on my way to see you after school, and he seemed incredibly distraught.” 

Anne sighed and leaned in close to Diana’s ear. She whispered, “Gilbert kissed me yesterday, and I ... kissed him back.”

Diana gasped loudly, and Anne glared at her because it caused all their schoolmates to stare at them.

   The raven-haired girl blushed and whispered an apology to her friend. Billy Andrews entered the school room and the door shut behind him with a loud thud. Anne’s sock in the face yesterday had left him with an unseemly bruise on his nose. 

   Ms. Stacy seemed none the wiser at first, which made Anne feel worse. She deserved to be punished for being unfair to Jerry and for caring for two different young men at once. 

   It was not unheard of: to be courted by more than one young man, but she knew that rarely did a girl vest a sincere interest in multiple suitors. The romantic novels she read growing up never explained how confusing love was; they only told of its wonders. 

   Most of the students gasped at Billy’s less-than-polished appearance. They had seen the fight yesterday, but no one had told on Anne because they, too, felt that Billy Andrews deserved it.

    Anne knew she’d still have to apologize, but seeing his face bruised certainly felt rewarding, especially after all the hurt he caused Josie and the dreadful insults he hurled at herself in the past. 

   When Billy Andrews finally took his seat at the back of the room, where he purposefully sat so he could slack off, the class broke into a fit of whispers, and some even giggled at his misfortune. He crossed his arms and attempted to wear a tough guy facade, though his sour face reeked of agitation. 

   Ms. Stacy shot her students a look that immediately silenced them and told them to get their slates out to begin writing down the equations on the board.

   Anne copied the problems down on her slate but found she was not in the right headspace to solve them. Her heart twinged inside her chest, and for the first time in a long time, she wanted to be anywhere but at school. There was another pressing problem that she desperately wished she could solve. 

   Gilbert finished solving the equations first, and his hand shot up like a rocket. Ms. Stacy passed by his desk to check his answers and nodded encouragingly. Obviously, his answers were correct. Anne smiled slightly and shook her head knowingly. Gilbert caught this out of the corner of his eye and shot Anne a sweet smile from across the room in return. 

“What about Jerry?” Diana whispered to Anne.

Anne murmured back, “He’s angry and hurt, and rightfully so. He told me to give Gilbert a chance….”

“I thought you hated Gilbert, Anne?”

She cringed, “I thought so, too.” 

   The hours ticked on, and after a few more subjects and a short lunch, the end of the day arrived. Anne grabbed her slate and made haste for the schoolhouse door. Billy was always the first to leave, and today was no exception. After she grabbed her coat and hat, she jogged out the door to catch pace with him. 

“Get away from me.” He growled.

Anne continued to walk with him but kept her distance, “I’m sorry about yesterday, Billy. I shouldn’t have done that, and I appreciate that you didn’t tell Ms. Stacy.”

“It’s too bad your parents are dead; maybe they could’ve taught you proper manners,” Billy answered snidely.

Anne’s jaw dropped, and her heart stung. He was really asking for it, but she wouldn’t let him win. She wouldn’t let her temper get the better of her again. He wasn’t worth it. 

“I’m sorry, Billy.” She murmured again, though this time through gritted teeth.

“Whatever. Everyone knows you have no class and act like a wild animal. Can’t expect anything more from a pitiful orphan.”

Anne huffed in annoyance and began to walk away.

Billy loudly called after her, “Mrs. Lynde stopped by my house this morning to share some interesting gossip about you. Apparently, someone saw you and Gilbert kissing by the creek. Hope you’re ready for a shotgun wedding.”

Gilbert approached from behind and shook his head, “He’s bluffing. Ignore him.”

She glanced at Gilbert with worrisome eyes and whispered, “How else would he know exactly where it happened?” 

“Maybe one of our schoolmates saw, and he heard it from them, but that doesn’t mean Mrs. Lynde knows.” Gilbert offered her some reassurance, even though he knew it was willfully naive of him to do so.

Her eyebrows raised as if to say, “yeah, right.”

Gilbert gently patted her shoulder, “It will be fine. Can I walk you home?” 

She nodded, and they walked towards the woods together. 

Gilbert attempted to encourage and distract her, “I’m proud of you for apologizing to Billy after all of the terrible things he’s said and done. Not sure I could ever do that.” 

“I told Marilla I would, and I wanted to stay true to my word.” She shrugged.

He smiled at her warmly, “You really are wonderful, Anne.”  

She returned his grin halfheartedly, “Thanks, Gil.” 

When they approached Green Gables, Marilla was waiting on the stoop with a severe look on her face. 

“She knows,”  Anne mumbled. 

“It’ll be alright,” Gilbert assured her. 

“Anne Shirley-Cuthbert, we need to talk. And you should not be walking her home. Especially not after the yarns that have been spinning this morning.”

“Sorry, Mrs. Cuthbert. I just wanted to make sure she got home safe. Please don’t be upset with her on my account.”

Mrs. Cuthbert softened slightly but gave him a polite yet firm, “Good day, Gilbert.”

He tipped his hat and sent an apologetic glance in Anne’s direction before retreating into the woods. 

Marilla opened the door for Anne, who entered reluctantly with a loud sigh. She took off her shoes and hung her coat up neatly, careful not to make eye contact with Marilla in the process. 

“Anne, what on earth is going on with you? Every day there is a different boy walking you home. Rachel Lynde came by shortly after you left this morning and told me that she heard you and Gilbert were kissing by the creek yesterday. Please tell me it is not true….”

Anne gulped, “I can’t tell you that.”

Marilla’s brow wrinkled, and her eyes squinted in disbelief, “Goodness..and what about Jerry? He must be heartbroken. Do you even think about how your actions impact others? This reflects negatively on Matthew and me as well!”

Her gaze dropped even lower, and her head hung in utter shame, “I’m sorry. I’m disappointed in myself. That is why I was so upset yesterday...Gilbert kissed me, and I felt terrible for betraying Jerry.”

The guardian crossed her arms sternly, “It seems like all the good sense the Lord gave you has left your head in favor of romantic notions. The world is not a fairytale.”

   Anne’s eyes narrowed angrily, and it took everything in her power not to cry. She couldn’t believe Marilla would say a thing like that to her, given her upbringing. “I grew up in an orphanage. Before coming here, my childhood was awful. Forgive me for wanting to dream a little.”

“You can dream without being loose.” Marilla snapped. 

   Anne choked back a sob, but the tears flowed down her cheeks unwittingly. She ran upstairs to her room and slammed the door. The redhead buried herself underneath the covers and cried softly into her pillow. Sure, she had kissed Jerry once or twice and Gilbert once, but did that really make her loose?

   Marilla saw the damage in her adoptive daughter's eyes before she disappeared and regretted the cruel words the minute they fell from her lips. She rubbed her temples and sighed, “Lord, forgive me; I did not mean it. Now I know how my mother felt all those years ago.”

   She smiled softly and reminisced about her teenage years for a moment. Surely she had pecked a boy or two before her almost wedding, but people married younger then, and society was less concerned with propriety and more understanding of “kids being kids.”

   Matthew awoke startled from his nap by the slamming of a nearby door. He rubbed his eyes and walked downstairs slowly, trying to be cautious as he had just woken up. He was getting on in years and entrusting more farm responsibilities to Jerry as he aged. Surely it would be nice to have him around as he continued to grow into a strapping and capable young lad as he himself had once been. 

When he reached the kitchen, Matthew’s befuddled expression gave him away before his words could. 

“Someone saw Anne kissing Gilbert. She did not deny it when asked. I lost my cool and perhaps was a bit too hard on her….” Marilla answered his unspoken questions. 

He said nothing but his widened eyes denoted his clear disapproval and mockingly asked his sister if she had been “just a bit too hard on her?”

Marilla rolled her eyes, “What will we do with her? She cannot follow the simple rules we set for her. The only thing Anne hates more than rules is orders. If we order her not to spend time with any suitors, she will only rebel further.”

“Remember that we were like that once, too.” He grabbed a glass of water that he had left on the table and took a sip of it.

“That does not rectify her behavior, Matthew.”

“Anne spent much of her young life only knowing sorrow and loneliness. Surely we won’t punish her just because of what some town gossip says.”

Marilla sighed frustratedly, “But we cannot just allow her to do whatever she wishes. That is a recipe for disaster.”

“Marilla, since the moment she arrived at Green Gables, Anne has done what she wished. We were too soft on her..”

Marilla frowned, “You were too soft on her…but maybe she needed it. I will try to speak with her once she has calmed down and see if we can come to a reasonable solution.”

Matthew nodded as he put on his coat and prepared to head back outside to work on the farm, “Makes you feel sorry for all we put our poor folks through growing up, don’t it?”

Marilla chuckled in agreement, “Mother used to say, “you’ll understand someday,” and now I know what she meant.. though I wish I didn’t.”

“Such as life. The cycle continues.” He mused and gave his sister a comforting smile before heading outside, the screen door shutting with a squeak behind him. 

Chapter Text

The tears fell for a while, but eventually, Anne's sorrow turned to outrage. For the first time, she felt resentment towards her adoptive mother, who had never said anything so coarse to the girl before despite her strict, no-nonsense attitude. Did Marilla truly think she lacked morals because she kissed a boy and had two suitors? Anne couldn't understand why her own opinion of her mother had been drastically swayed by one unkind comment.

Her emotions had always been unforgiving but became even more tempestuous as she aged. Ruthlessly, they held her prisoner for what felt like days at a time before she regained her senses fully, as if the outbursts had never happened at all.

Later that evening, when Anne hadn't come out of her room for supper, the elderly woman crept up the stairs with some tea and toast on a tray. She gently knocked at the door and spoke in a more tender voice than usual, "I brought you some toast. Figured you might be hungry after such an eventful day."

"Leave me alone!" Anne barked gruffly.

Marilla opened the door with a sigh. She placed the food tray on the desk and sat at the edge of the girl's brown wooden four-post bed. A floral quilted coverlet that she had made herself draped over the bed. Although Anne was no longer sobbing under the covers like she had been earlier that day, she shifted to lay on her side and stared at the wall spitefully. 

The caretaker frowned and looked up helplessly to the heavens for guidance. It only took a few moments for the answer to arrive, but it felt like a lifetime later to the disgruntled guardian. She took a deep breath and spoke from the heart as she prepared to admit her wrong, a task with which she was unfamiliar, "Do you remember how I said "God is forgiving" the other day? Well, even I require his forgiveness sometimes. I'd like to ask for yours, too." 

Anne turned to her mother with hurt splayed across her splotchy red face. The redness of her complexion only emphasized the redness of her hair and freckles, "How could you say such a horrible thing?

Marilla replied, "It's been a long time since I was a girl. I forget what it is like to be young and courted. Matthew had to remind me that we caused our parents to worry for similar reasons. I'm sorry, Anne. I didn't mean it."

The redhead's expression softened, and she let out a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding, "I just knew you couldn't have meant it. It would have broken my heart beyond repair to hear you thought so poorly of my character." 

The caretaker responded in a measured manner, realizing she must choose her words carefully this time around, "I think you are of strong character…but I also know you can be quite impulsive and are often subject to whatever fanciful notions you get in your head. I have tried to train that out of you but to no avail." 

The teenager knew those judgments were fair and recognized they came from a place of concern rather than anger, "You are right. I should use more of the common sense the good Lord gave me. I'm trying; I swear I am! It's just difficult because I get into these fits of feeling, and sometimes I can't even see straight."

"I know. All Matthew and I ask is you try your best."

Anne nodded her understanding, "I will. I promise…" After a long pause, she mumbled, "Are you and Matthew going to force me to marry Gilbert?"

Marilla chuckled, "Lands sakes, no child! You are sixteen and not even done with your schooling yet."

She breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh, good."

"However, I do not want you and Gilbert to spend time together unattended from now on. Or you and any boy spending time together unsupervised, for that matter. And certainly no kissing. Is that understood, Anne Shirley Cuthbert?" 

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Our reputation has been dragged through the mud several times over the years. You think I would be used to it, but it still stings every time." 

"I'm sorry I've brought such shame on our family…but one thing I don't understand is why should we mind what other people say about us if God knows the real truth?"

Marilla's eyes widened, and her jaw went slack. If she had doubted Anne's character earlier today in the depths of her disgruntled outburst, the young woman's thought-provoking question eradicated any remaining uncertainty.

"Perhaps we shouldn't mind. But it is not in a person's nature to shun public opinion completely."

"What about Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson?" 

The older woman shrugged, "Well, they are exceptions, I suppose."

"Can I ask you something else?"

"You've already asked me a question. May as well make it worthwhile, now."

Anne glanced down at her feet shyly, "I care for both Gilbert and Jerry. My heart aches at the thought of hurting either of them. How can I figure out who will make me happier?"

"When Gilbert asked to court you the first time, you said no. I think you should examine why you said no and why you…er, showed him affection the other day. Is it possible you felt bad for him after the Andrews boy said?"

"Maybe."

"Rachel is hoping Gilbert will win you over, and as shocked as she was to hear about the kissing, she was equally glad to have her instincts proven right…."

Anne rolled her eyes, "I expect nothing less from Mrs. Lynde."

Marilla held back a smirk before continuing, "I confess Gilbert's future seems brighter than Jerry's, but Matthew and I have taken a liking to Jerry. Take your time, and do not rush into anything. Both of them are fine young men."

The redhead frowned, "That's how this predicament arose in the first place."

Her guardian added, "I know I don't have to remind you that you should be focusing on your studies right now with the entrance exam happening soon."

She agreed solemnly, "No, ma'am…" before she continued with a hopeful smile, "Speaking of studies, could Gilbert come over some day this week to help me study in the drawing room?"

Marilla's numerous attempts to prevent Anne from growing up too quickly all seemed to be in vain. She yearned for the days when she lectured the child about staying out in the yard to play with Diana for longer than necessary. Those days were long gone, and the young girl's previous inconsequential transgressions were exchanged for more gravitas choices that could alter the course of one's life entirely. 

With pursed lips and a wrinkle in her brow line, she relented, "That might be alright. Let's wait until the commotion settles down first."

Chapter Text

Anne felt the loss of Jerry's presence deeply as the week drudged on like a stick in the mud. He continued to work at Green Gables several days a week, so she saw him often, but usually, he refused to make eye contact with her. 

She wanted to respect his wishes and give Gilbert a chance. However, Jerry’s suggestion seemed to have the opposite effect on her. Anne craved his companionship more than ever. Gilbert had walked her home from school every day this week, and as a result, Jerry made himself scarce to avoid having to cross paths with them. 

While hard at work in the barn, Jerry heard Anne's laughter echo in the distance, and his heart twinged. He ran into the tool shed behind the barn and shut himself in.

This is ridiculous...It’s a very tight space, he thought. Jerry found himself struggling for breath, but he wasn't sure if it was the smell of the shabby old shed or something deeper digging at his skin.

He busted out of the shed and placed his head between his knees to catch his breath. Something in the shed clamored harshly upon his abrupt exit, which immediately gave his location away. 

Anne curiously poked her head out from inside the barn to check out the noise, "Jerry?"

He muttered a swear word in French when he heard her voice. Shortly after, Gilbert’s head peaked out from behind Anne’s. 

Jerry did not reply. His feet sank into quicksand, and he could not move or speak.

"Jerry, are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?" She rushed to close the gap between them, her eyes steeped in concern. 

Jerry quickly tried to compose himself and mustered a weak smile, "Fine. Just hit my knee on the shed on my way out." His eyes didn't meet hers because he was too ashamed to admit the truth.

"Oh, would you like me to see if I can get some ice for you? I hope it's alright." She doted on him, and Gilbert sighed. 

"I'm fine, Anne. I'm not some wounded puppy you have to nurse back to health." He responded sharply. 

Jerry cleared his throat awkwardly when he realized the intensity of his tone, "Excuse me, I have to get back to work." He tipped his hat politely and grabbed the scythe off the ground. Anne stared longingly after him as he hurried off. 

Gilbert gently put his hand on Anne's shoulder, "I know you are only trying to help, but he's hurting right now. Give him some time."

"Some time? It's already been a few days." Her voice cracked like a fragile porcelain vase.

"It takes more than a few days to get over you; trust me, I know from experience." He teased playfully.

Gilbert politely held out his arm for her, "C'mon, let's go study.”

With one last backward glance in the direction of the field that Jerry went to tend, Anne looped her arm through Gilbert's, and they walked towards the house. 

When Anne opened the door and entered with Gilbert in tow, Matthew greeted them with raised eyebrows. He had just finished a sandwich and was on one of his short breaks. 

"Oh, hello, Matthew." Anne greeted warmly.

Gilbert smiled politely at Matthew and took his hat off now that they were inside the house.

"Didn't know we were expecting company," Matthew answered. 

"Where is Marilla? She said that I could have Gilbert over in the drawing room this afternoon to study since the big entrance exam is just a few weeks away." Anne explained a bit defensively. Despite Matthew’s generally calm demeanor, his watchful eyes carefully surveyed Gilbert. 

"Oh, Marilla went into town today with Rachel. She must've forgotten..." Matthew replied sympathetically. 

"How are we supposed to study now?" Anne huffed dramatically. 

"Well, I can't chaperone, sadly, because I have to get back to work..." Matthew replied.

He had already bonded with Jerry, and bonding with one of Anne's potential suitors seemed like enough for him. Matthew had come to favor Jerry and thought quite kindly of him, given all the time they'd spent together over the past few years. 

"May we sit on the porch and study outside instead? Within view of the field, of course..." Gilbert added mindfully.

Matthew pursed his lips and pondered what Marilla might say if she were here. Ultimately, he decided she would be alright with it since the two would be within his line of sight, and it was still broad daylight out. Matthew nodded his approval.

Anne chirped, "Thank you!" 

Matthew smiled and returned to work, "I'll see ya at supper."

Anne breathed a sigh of relief. She exited shortly after Matthew and sat down in one of the two white wooden rocking chairs on the porch. Marilla and Matthew's father built them over 50 years ago. That's the thing about Green Gables, Anne thought; there was history around every corner. 

Gilbert opened his science text and sat down in the rocking chair across from her, "What should we start with?"

"Maybe ions and their composition?" Anne suggested.

Gilbert nodded and opened his book up to the section about ions and ionic bonds, "What is an ion, Anne?"

"An atom or group of atoms that carries an electrical charge." She replied from memory, and it was identical to the definition in Gilbert's text.

He grinned proudly, "Very good. How much do you know about the different kinds of bonds?"

"Not much at all. I had been focusing on memorizing the basics first, like the periodic table of elements." She admitted.

"The periodic table will be helpful here, actually. So there are three types of bonds. The first is ionic."

"Ionic bonds," Anne repeated to assist herself in committing the term to memory.

"In ionic bonds, one atom gains an electron while the other one loses it. It forms two ions, one of which carries a positive charge and the other which carries a negative charge. They are drawn to their opposite and form a molecule." (citation: Chemistry for Dummies)

Anne listened intently, and her eyes lit up as she absorbed this new information, "The opposites attract?" She glanced at the field for just a moment, but it didn’t escape Gilbert’s notice. 

With a frown, he hastened to add, "Yes, but covalent bonds, which are made up of two non-metals, form a stronger bond because they share the same electrons."

"I see." With disappointment, she directed her attention back to Gilbert. Apparently, the answer to her romantic indecision would not be found in a chemistry textbook.

"So tell me the definitions of both now in your own words." He suggested.

"An ionic bond is a bond between a metal and a non-metal. The electrons are transferred from one element to the other. Their charges are different after this process, but that is what holds them together." Anne’s eyes darted to the field but more subtly this time.

"That's excellent, Anne. As for covalent?"

"Two non-metal atoms share electrons. It is the strongest bond." Anne met Gilbert's gaze with a timid smile. 

"You're a natural at this." He smiled warmly.

"I have a good teacher." She gently squeezed his hand. 

Gilbert's eyes shined with delight, and he squeezed her hand for a moment, "You're a quick study."

Anne and Gilbert stared at one another for another couple of moments before Anne sensed they had become distracted and attempted to redirect their focus.

"What about polar bonds?" She asked. They did have a lot to cover, after all. 

As Gilbert relayed more information to Anne, she began to see how good they could be together. That being said, it didn't mean that opposites couldn't attract or form meaningful bonds...right?

They pressed on in their studies, and as late afternoon approached, Marilla arrived in a horsedrawn carriage sitting next to Mr. and Mrs. Lynde. 

As Marilla exited the carriage, she graciously thanked Rachel and her husband for the ride. 

"It appears you have company, Marilla," Rachel mentioned nosily as she noted Gilbert and Anne together on the porch.

"Oh goodness me, I forgot I told Anne  that Gilbert could come over to study today." Marilla frowned at her forgetfulness. She usually was the one lecturing Anne about forgetfulness.

"I'll stop by tomorrow to inquire about that recipe you mentioned earlier." Rachel said though it wasn't the recipe that caught her interest, but the potential for gossip.

"Very well...Thank you again," Marilla replied. 

The carriage trodded off, and Anne noticed a haughty smile on Mrs. Lynde's face. She reluctantly gave a polite wave, despite all the damage Rachel had inadvertently done to her reputation after the latest piece of gossip had spread. Unsurprisingly, Gilbert’s reputation did not suffer much at all, whereas she still received dirty looks from some classmates and snide remarks from Billy.

"Gilbert, it is lovely to see you. I apologize; I forgot that I told Anne she could study with you today." Marilla explained. 

"That's alright, Mrs. Cuthburt, we made do." He smiled politely.

"It's alright, Marilla. Perhaps we can reschedule for next week. I still have to help Gilbert with composition, which is no easy task." She teased. 

Gilbert chuckled and closed the textbook.  He rose from the rocking chair and held the text under his arm, “Well, I better be off. Don’t want Bash and little Delphine to be worried.”

“Say hello to them for me,” Anne answered kindly. 

“I will. Good day.”

Chapter Text

A week later April showers graced the coast of Avonlea. Several days of pouring rain with the sun only peaking out occasionally in between. Anne had spent even more time studying with Gilbert, but Jerry continued to weigh heavily on her mind. She desperately wanted to talk to him, to tell him about her day, but Jerry’s standoffish attitude deterred her every time they came in contact with one another.

Anne felt that Jerry’s anger and frustration were well justified, and she feared upsetting him more. Anne worried that if she pushed too hard, she might lose Jerry for good.

As she stumbled home from studying with Diana on the gray, dreary evening she noticed a dim light coming from the barn.

“That’s odd, it’s awfully late,” she thought. Maybe Jerry forgot to extinguish his lantern before he left?

Anne, in her worn copper brown raincoat, sloshed as swiftly as she could through the muddy field with a school book in hand to extinguish the lantern in the barn.

When she entered, the lamp faintly glowed in the hayloft, but a significant portion of the hayloft had fallen through. Her eyes widened and all of a sudden she heard a pained groan coming from the ground where dusty wooden pieces of the poorly supported structure now remained.

“Jerry!” She cried and dropped her school book in shock before sprinting over to his side and kneeling next to him. He was covered in hay, dust, and wooden debris.

“Anne?” He asked in a timid, uncertain voice.

“What happened?!”

“Fell. Hurts everywhere.” Jerry mumbled as he reached for his head with a grunt and squeezed his eyes shut tightly in pain.

“I’m going to fetch a doctor. Please hang in there.” With tears in her eyes and almost no breath in her lungs, she bolted into the house. She burst through the door and yelled, “Jerry’s hurt! The hayloft fell through. I’m going to get Doctor Jones.”

Matthew and Marilla both stood up abruptly.

“Oh dear. Rachel said Doctor Jones is out of town…” Marilla turned a ghastly shade of white.

Anne’s eyes sharpened with determination despite all her thrumming anxiety, “I’ll get Gilbert. He’s the next closest thing to a doctor we have, he’ll know what to do.”

Marilla protested, “It’s dangerous outside! The mud is slippery. Let Matthew go in the carriage.”

Anne shook her head furiously, “By the time he hitches up the team, I worry it may be too late. Go tend to Jerry.”

She ran like a wild bandit into the foggy wet woods before either could protest. She cut through the trees because it was faster than the main path. Anne slipped a few times, muddying her dress and stockings along the way.

Her legs and face had been grazed by several thin tree branches, but she continued unfazed. She reached Gilbert’s house about five minutes later, an unbelievable feat given the distance, but to her it felt like she’d been running for a century.

Anne banged at the screen door coarsely, as she gasped for breath.

Little Delphine cried at the loud intrusion, and when Gilbert saw Anne’s disheveled appearance through the screen door, he knew something was dreadfully wrong.  He opened the door promptly, “What is it?”

“Jerry’s hurt badly! He fell and cannot move. The doctor’s out of town. Please come. Quickly.” She pleaded through anxious pants and gently tugged his arm.

He nodded his understanding. Bash intuitively rushed to collect Gilbert’s doctor's bag for him from the kitchen pantry. He handed it to his friend, seamlessly, “Go Dr. Blythe. Be careful out there.”

Gilbert gave Bash a slight smile of gratitude before being pulled away by Anne. They jogged through the muddy woods as hastily as possible, although this time a bit more carefully since Gilbert had noticed Anne’s scratches by the door, and he worried that more open wounds in this mud might lead to serious infection.

His bag had most of the basic medical supplies. Gilbert had brought that bag to and from his internship in Charlottetown with him weekly, god forbid an emergency happened. Now he was glad he did.

When they finally arrived back at Green Gables, the two were soaked and shivering. But they entered the barn with the same zeal that they ran into the woods with, despite their obvious exhaustion.

“He isn’t responding,” Matthew said grimly.

“We need some water. Can you go get some?” Gilbert looked at Marilla pointedly. She nodded and power walked inside to collect some unused water in a bucket. She had originally set that water aside for their baths later that evening.

Gilbert knelt by Jerry’s side and gently slapped his cheek in an attempt to wake him. When he didn’t stir, Anne grew tearful, “Please Jerry.”

Gilbert checked his pulse, which was still quite steady, though his chest rose and fell with some irregularity, “He’s just asleep. He must have hit his head real hard.”

When Marilla came back with the bucket of water, Gilbert took about a cup of the water and poured it over Jerry’s face. Jerry’s face grimaced and his eyes shot open due to the cold liquid intrusion. His lips chattered.

Jerry coughed because the water washed some of the wooden debris off his face and into his mouth, “Ow.” He winced and reached for his abdomen.

Gilbert gently touched his rib near where the young man had reached and Jerry contorted in pain.

Gilbert tutted, “And a broken rib.”

Jerry opened his eyes, “Anne?”

“I’m here.” She knelt on the other side of Jerry and grabbed his hand supportively.

Gilbert furrowed his brow, “I’m going to do a couple more checks just by feeling. Let me know if anything else hurts.” He instructed.  Jerry nodded.

The young doctor in training gently applied some mild pressure to Jerry’s arms, knees, and lower legs, feeling around for any odd bumps or bone dislocations. When the patient did not cry out in pain as he had before, Gilbert’s facial expression softened.

“Can you sit up?” He wondered.

Jerry tried to lift his upper body off the hay, but he struggled to do so and seethed in pain. Anne gently placed one hand on his back to help him sit up fully.  Jerry offered her a small smile of gratitude, although he was still quite disoriented.

Gilbert retrieved a bandage from his doctor bag and began to wrap it snugly around the patient’s abdomen and then circled it around to his back.

As Jerry regained some of his senses, he noticed Anne had some minor scrapes on her face and stockings. His face contorted worriedly, “Are you hurt?”

Gilbert’s eyes raised, and he witnessed an example of Jerry’s strong character that he didn’t want to acknowledge the existence of prior.

She snorted at the irony of Jerry’s question, “Oh hush, I’m fine.”

Gilbert cleared his throat, “OK. I recommend you rest here for the night. And ice your head. I wouldn’t advise travel in your condition.”

Anne and Matthew nodded their understanding.

“His family must be worried sick,” Marilla mentioned thoughtfully.

“I’ll go pass along the message to them. Take care of our boy, Anne.” Matthew advised with a fatherly tenderness.

“I will,” Anne assured as she stroked some of the hair on Jerry’s forehead.

Matthew walked off to the carriage.

Jerry was too confused and disoriented from the injury to resist Anne’s doting, so he allowed himself to revel in her comforting gesture.

Gilbert knew Anne cared for Jerry, but that didn’t stop jealousy from pooling in his stomach. He tentatively put his arm behind Jerry’s back to help him stand up, “Here. I’ll help you get back to the house.”

Jerry murmured a “thank you” and managed to stumble to his feet despite awful rib pain and a throbbing headache.

Marilla went inside to get some ice for Jerry while Gilbert and Anne assisted Jerry in hobbling upstairs to the spare bedroom.

Once they arrived there, the two carefully laid Jerry down on the bed. Anne fussed over him some more and propped him up with pillows. The room went silent; Anne’s attention was locked on Jerry and making him comfortable.

Three is a crowd, Gilbert thought to himself awkwardly, as he bit his lip. He knew it was time to take his leave. “Feel better,” he said courteously to his adversary and exited the room. The door shut with a creak.

He had only taken a few steps when he heard the door sound again and the floorboards squeak. Anne wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly from behind, “Thank you.”

He smiled and patted her arm with his hand. “Ease up. You’re going to break my rib.”

She sniggered once and then released her grip on him with an eye roll. Gilbert caught this as he turned around. Too soon for the broken rib jokes, he noted.

Gilbert frowned when he faced her again, “You’re all scratched up. Promise me you’ll wash your cuts with soap and water before you go to sleep?”

“I promise….Though, I’m not the patient you need to be worried about.”

“Could’ve fooled me.” He retorted playfully, “I’ll check on both of my patients tomorrow.”

Anne nodded and her eyes expressed a depth of gratitude, “Get home safe.”

—-

Anne reentered the spare bedroom where Jerry lay, and sat on the floor beside the bed, “I’m so glad you’re OK,” she took Jerry’s hand tenderly and frowned at his pained face.

“Anne, I love you,” he mumbled deliriously, eyes still shut. He was conscious, but definitely incredibly foggy after bumping his head and breaking his rib.

She kissed his forehead, “I love you, too. Rest now. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

Marilla came in and handed Anne the ice with a sigh, “I know I won’t be able to convince you to leave his side….but don’t stay up all night. It won’t make him heal any faster.”