CHAPTER IV

The Rivals

in which two long-time rivals reunite after a whole summer

Anne Shirley-Cuthbert was usually what you would call a morning person. She loved waking up early, and stare at the gracious cherry tree from her bed, still wrapped in her blanket. She could stare at it for hours while different possible stories ran her mind. Maybe this cherry tree could belong to a princess's property land! Could she be Princess Cordelia, maybe? Or, wait, no, even better! The tree could actually be alive. She could have a name! What would be the appropiate name for a tree?

However, that was not one of those mornings. The red-haired girl had stayed awake until so late that Marilla Cuthbert would have found it scandalous if she knew. She had been revising and practising spelling under the dim light of a candle because she knew what being back to school meant. A "back-to-school" spelling bee. How could I f possibly forget! I'm sure that Gilbert has remembered it too.

When she heard Marilla call for her name from downstairs, she knew that she had overslept. She got out of bed with a groan, and started doing her usual distinct plaids right after choosing her pastel yellow dress to wear today. It was one that Marilla had sewed for her last spring. And it had puffed sleeves! First day back at school, I need to cause a decent impression. Her mind went back to her friends as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Ruby and Diana, with beautiful faces, marvellous hair and pretty dresses. She could never compete with that.

"Anne!"

Marilla's voice startled her. "Oh, my dear Marilla, I'm sorry that you have to bear with my laziness and my homely appearance at the same time! It must be horrenduous" Anne came down and sat in one of the kitchen's chairs. Matthew was in front of her, quietly sipping his tea. "Good morning, Matthew!"

"My god, child, what are you talking about this fine morning?" the woman said as she placed her breakfast in front of Anne, who eagerly smelt her toast as a sign of her typical morning hunger. "Now please, stop rambling non-sense and eat quickly! You must get to school."

Marilla Cuthbert was a stern, very strict woman. Everyone in Avonlea knew that, and would have probably used those adjectives to describe her personality. However, few people knew that Marilla regretted terribly ever considering sending Anne back to the orphanage. This girl is a talkative, imaginative, terrible mess. But... she watched Anne as the red-head leaned over the table to give Matthew a peck on the cheek before leaving for school. But she has brought such light to our lives that we did not know we needed so much.

Anne was beyond excited to meet Diana on her way to school. She was waiting at the exact same spot they always met mid-way to the schoolhouse. Last time she saw Diana was five weeks ago. Oh! How I've missed my bosom friend Diana Barry! Diana wrote her a letter two weeks after she left for vacation. However, Anne did not write an answer since she did not know what to write about. With Ruby being out of town for the summer and Cole living in Charlottetown, apart from the Cuthberts and sometimes Jerry, her only company had been Gilbert Blythe.

Anne knew that if she told Diana about her summer being spent with the Gilbert Blythe, she would be teasing her about it all day when she returned to Avonlea, so the best option seemed to leave her friend without a reply.

"Anne!" the girl turned around at the sound of her name "Anne Shirley-Cuthbert!" before she was able to answer, Diana had already pulled her into a tight embrace. "You silly! You did not write to me! I was worried!" She was not mad at her, though. "Oh, Diana! You look even more ravishing after the summer! How is that even possible?" Anne looked at her friend in awe, meaning every word.

"Oh, Anne, you look twice as beautiful as I remember. Besides, I love that dress! You'll be the prettiest girl in class today"

I doubt it, Anne thought to herself.

As they made their way to school, Diana had told her everything about her summer away from Avonlea. When it was Anne's turn, she avoided the question.

"I was worried that you'd felt lonely all by yourself here" Diana said as she looked at her friend playing with the sleeves of her dress. "Oh" Anne replied, now looking at the front, eyes focused on the sight of the schoolhouse not so far away from them. A group of children talking, probably about their respective summers, sitting on the stairs. "I wasn't lonely, Diana. You know, books are a magnificient company."

When they got to school and reunited with the rest of their friends, Ms. Stacy announced there would be, of course, a spelling bee after their lunch break. Most students groaned in disappointment, except for the two brightest teenagers in class, who were eager to prove their knowledge to the rest of the class. And to each other.

Had the girl glanced over her own shoulder, she would have met the hazel-eyed gaze of a certain boy across the classroom. He was staring at her with soft eyes. She is wearing her pale yellow dress, one that she saves for special occassions. He had noticed her as soon as he walked into the classroom, a few minutes later than her, sho she had already taken her spot in her usual seat. Not wanting to bother her, he admired her from the distance.

Anne was excited for the spelling bee, so she returned to the classroom a few minutes before the lunch break was over. When she returned to her seat right next to her bosom friend, she found a neatly folded piece of paper on top of her slate. Confused and terrified at the same time, expecting a stupid yet hurting note from someone like Billy Andrews, but her jaw fell open when she read who had written it with a perfect handwriting.

Dear Anne

Thank you for your company the other day. You really do know how to brighten up the darkest of days with that vivacity of yours.

Good luck with today's spelling bee.

Your tedious all-time rival,

G.B.

The rest of the children from Avonlea suddently filled the classroom. Anne realised that she had been standing there, with Gilbert's note in her hands, for a few minutes. She sat down and glanced over to him, who was now sitting in the same spot he had been sitting for all these years. There he was, looking at her, as if he was expecting a response.

Ms. Stacy had not arrived yet, so Anne, feeling bold, had the chance to get up and walk over to Gilbert's desk. "Blythe" she said, trying to show a serious expression, but unable to contain a smile.

"Blythe?" he repeated. "What, am I not good enough to be treated on a first name basis? You're breaking my heart, Shirley." he added, dramatically drawing his palm to his chest. He was surprised at this sudden air of confidence of him around her. Charlie Sloane, who sitting right there with a grin, clearly enjoying the scene, was surprised too for he had noticed that his best friend tended to get really nervous in Anne's presence.

"Shirley-Cuthbert." she corrected him. Gilbert knew, of course, that she went for Shirley-Cuthbert since Matthew and Marilla adopted her, but he couldn't help it. He just loved it when she corrected him. "This is just a reminder that we might be friends, but at school you're still my rival, Blythe." she stated with determination, lifting her chin. As she turned on her heels to go back to her seat, she heard Gilbert's voice.

"I wasn't expecting otherwise"

Predictably, the spelling bee ended out to be Anne and Gilbert's spelling bee, since the rest of the classroom couldn't compete with them. After the both of them spelling several words correctly, it was Anne's turn.

"Anne" Ms. Stacy said, reading a list of words. "Spell indefinitely"

A flashback came to both teenagers heads and suddenly they travelled back in time a year ago. The letters.

Anne doubted for a few seconds. Gilbert stared at her, smiling and hoping that she'd remembered as well.

"I-N-D-E-F-I-N-I-T-A-L-Y"

Ms. Stacey seemed almost surprised by the fact that her best student at spelling had indeed misspelled a word. "I'm afraid that's incorrect, Anne, indefinetely is spelled with a-"

"With an E." Gilbert whispered softly with an incredulous smile, eyes focused on Anne.

The rest of the boys cheered at Gilbert for winning the spelling bee, but they boy couldn't stop thinking about what had just happened. Does she remember? That was a year ago.

When they were dismissed from school for the day, Anne and Diana were in the cloakroom, putting her coats on, as a grinning Gilbert Blythe approached from behind tucking in his messenger cap. "Anne" he said, embracing the sight of the red-haired plaids falling onto the back of a yellow dress. Both girls turned around.

"Diana" he added with a polite smile, as the raven-haired girl greeted him too. "Gilbert. I hope you had a good summer" Diana said with a smile, containing a giggle. Gilbert nodded at the girl's comment. "You too". She looked at the boy and then back at her friend, with a knowing grin. "Well, I must get going. I have to babysit Minnie May today and Mother would not like it if I'm late. See you both tomorrow." she said, pulling Anne into a hug. Then, she left with a slam on the door.

Gilbert and Anne were now alone in the schoolhouse.

"So" Gilbert murmured, looking at her.

"So, what?" she asked, blinking her eyes.

"What was that for?" he inquiried as she faked a confused expression. "You know what I mean, Anne." I know you so well, don't lie to me.

"Well" she took a deep breath before locking eyes with the boy in front of her. "You spelled a word incorrectly for me once. I figured I could return the favour one day" she simply said, matter-of-factly.

"You still remember that? The day I misspelled eng-"

"Engagement." she finished for him. "Yes, I do." He looked at her in awe, letting out a small chuckle. "How do you know I misspelled it, genius?" he teased her "I could have been genuinely wrong."

"You're the best student here" she answered lowering her gaze to the wooden floor. "Well, second best" she was laughing now.

God, her laugh.

"Well, thanks for reminding me how to spell indefinetely properly" Gilbert joked, and joined her, laughing too.

"I guess I should have added the E" she whispered loud enough for him to hear, looking deep into his eyes before opening the door of the schoolhouse, aiming to make her way towards Green Gables.

Gilbert followed her outside, closing the door behind him. I've been following her for so long over the past few years. He spotted the redhead making her way to the woods. He shooked his head, surprised at how amazed by her he was. "May I walk you home, miss?" he said, now walking by her side as she looked to the front.

"Ah, I can walk myself, Mr. Blythe" she said, obviously teasing him, as a playful smile rose on her lips. "I-I know without a doubt that you can walk yourself" he answered with a shy smile. Then he got his confidence back. "But, you know, walking home with the winner of the back-to-school spelling bee is not something that happens everyday, Miss Shirley-Cuthbert."

Anne stopped on her tracks. She was looking at him now, taking in every single detail of his face. "I guess you're right" she finally said.

With a boyish grin plastered on his face, Gilbert Blythe walked his long-time toughest rival home.

——

A/N - So that was chapter 4!
I've decided that this story is going to have fifteen chapters that I have already kinda planned, so I hope you enjoy it :) Also, I think that the song I chose for this chapter sums up Shirbert's dynamic! What do you think?
And please tell me what you think about this chapter and the story in general <3