CHAPTER IX

The Dream

in which Christmas is an excuse to think about future dreams

Charlottetown, two months after the storm

A couple of days before Christmas, Marilla took Anne to Charlottetown to buy some presents. Anne was obviously rather enthusiastic at the prospect of the holidays. The snow-covered streets were crowded with bustling people getting ready for the upcoming holidays and there was an atmosphere of joy and happiness filling the air that made Anne feel more thankful for being alive than ever. Christmas was her second favourite time of the year — the first was spring, it was way more romantic — because it reminded her of how immensely grateful she was for having a family of her own.

After a never-ending route visiting different shops, Anne was pleased with the presents Marilla and her had bought: a new pipe for Matthew and baby clothes for Bash and Mary. When Marilla Cuthbert had ran, much unfortunately, into an eager for gossip Rachel Lynde, Anne took the chance to sneak away to buy a present for Marilla and another one for Gilbert. The boy took her off-guard last year when he appeared out of the blue with a present for her after more than eight months without seeing each other. This year, Anne would not allow to leave Gilbert Blythe without a present. So, when she stood in front of Charlottetown's antique store, she knew she had found the perfect present for her dearest friend.

Christmas Day had finally arrived, and when a certain redhead, who had been pacing agitatedly around her room, heard a loud knock on the door, she almost tripped over her own feet. Anne Shirley-Cuthbert had been waiting for this moment to arrive for weeks! It's finally Christmas! As she was making her way downstairs, Marilla had already opened the door, revealing their guests: a happily married couple and a very good-looking hazel-eyed boy. His hair was not as messy as usual, he had tried to comb it for the special occasion, but his rebellious, dark curls were still there, resting quietly on top of his head, some of them falling over his forehead.

"Why, good evening, Cuthberts!" Sebastian said with a teethy grin, taking his hat off as he walked into the humble house. Anne thought about how they had met just a year ago, when they were complete strangers. She did not even know Mary yet. And in that moment there was such an ambience of familiarness that made her smile warmly as she walked down the last steps of the staircase. Matthew greeted their guests with a polite nod. He was definetely not a man of words and he was thankful that her sister did all the major social work.

Gilbert had been watching Anne ever since he spotted her walking down the stairs. She was wearing not two, but a single braid — her long, burning auburn hair rested neatly over her back. She was wearing a light grey, silky dress that he figured she had borrowed from Diana Barry. He had never seen her like this, looking so... grown-up, he thought to himself. He smiled at the sight of the girl approaching him graciously. The dress made her almost float down the room, making her look as something straight out of a dream.

"Gilbert" she said politely, yet unable to contain her happiness. She had missed him. They did not see each other as much as they did before; the boy was somehow distant and Anne could tell something was off with him. The times when they did meet, Gilbert always seemed to be in a hurry or talking nervously as if something was bugging his mind. The girl tried to convince herself that it might had to do with the upcoming exams. But she still missed her friend. 

"Anne" he said in a breathy voice. He wanted to tell her how ravishing she looked, and he almost did, but he chose to keep his thoughts to himself, and just gave her the kind of warm smile and tender look he had only reserved for her.

The four adults standing there watched the scene with knowing smiles on their faces before they made their way to the living room. "Mary, allow me walk you to the living room" Marilla said, taking the pregnant woman's arm. "I believe you do have plenty of things to tell us about the baby". Matthew rubbed his neck awkwardly while a small grin covering his face as he thought about his talk with Gilbert Blythe earlier that day. "Mr. Cuthbert!" Sebastian's voice startled him, looking for an excuse to leave Gilbert and Anne alone. "I do think I could use some of your farming advice!" The two older men left the hall, following Marilla and Mary to the other room. Anne and Gilbert were suddenly left alone in the hall, standing in front of each other and unknowinly admiring each other's presence.

[A/N - PLAY THE SONG ABOVE!]

"I did get you a present this Christmas!" she broke the silence, smiling proudly and closing her arms behind her back as she tipped on her toes lightly, almost in a childish way that made Gilbert laugh. He had admitted his feelings about a month ago. It took him a lot of thinking and sleepless nights, but he had finally understood that Anne was not just a friend. He did like her. He liked her a lot. However, knowing that the feeling was not reciprocal, he had decided to leave things the way they were. He was content with them being friends. Her friendship could satisfy him. "Is that so?" he replied, grinning shyly. "I can't wait to see what it is".

She looked over at her adoptive parents and their guests, who were sitting in the living room, chatting quietly. Then she directed her gaze towards Gilbert, raising one of her eyesbrows and crossing her arms against her chest. "Do you want it now?"

"W-what?"

"Your present, Gil" she said, rolling her eyes at the boy's lack of attention. Over the past few months he was acting rather... weird. There was something enigmatic about him that made him so inscrutable to read sometimes. She wondered if something did really trouble him, but she did not want to ruin his Christmas Day, so she decided their talk would have to wait. "Do you want it now?"

"Uh, yes?" he said, before clearing his throat, trying to sound more self-assured. "Yes"

"Well, come on then!" she took his hand in hers, making the boy's eyes widen, and dragged him upstairs. When Gilbert Blythe realised they were heading to her bedroom, his hands started to sweat terribly, making him break the contact abruptly between the two of them. Another sign that made Anne frown with concern.

Anne opened her bedroom door and made Gilbert sit on her bed, which made the boy's heart palpitate nervously. Not knowing what to do with his hands whilst the girl looked for what he reckoned must be his present, he placed them neatly in his lap, trying to stop them from sweating. He gave the room a panoramic look, trying to avoid looking at the red-headed girl walking around from one side of the room to the other.

"Alright!" she startled him, standing in fron of him as he was still sitting on the bed. "Close your eyes now" she demanded.

"M-my eyes?" he asked, pointing foolishly at his own eyes. Even though he tried his best not to, Gilbert's mind raced with many different possibilities that could explain why Anne had told him to close his eyes. The fiery-tempered girl just shot him an annoyed glare that made him obey immediately.

"You may open them now" she said.

It's not that Gilbert Blythe was desperate to open his eyes and see Anne's face leaning slowly to his, but when he did open his eyes and saw a real human skull in front of his eyes, he almost fell down the bed in fright. The girl was indeed holding an actual human skull in her tiny hands. She's so eccentric. I love it, He thought, as he took the present in his hands. "Because of its unconventional shape I couldn't really wrap it" she excused herself, biting her lip. The boy was a bit astonished about the present. He was used to more... mundane Christmas presents such as books or pair of socks. But this? Never in the many different scenarios that he had tried to picture a few minutes ago would Gilbert had expected to be given such a bizarre yet unique present.

"It's very practical, you know" she smiled widely as she sat next to him. Her presence made the boy move aside a few centimeters so that they were not so dangerously close to each other. The girl caressed the skull as he held it carefully. "It serves for medical purposes, but also for the Shakesperian monologue" she whispered, completely immersed in her own fantasies, probably thinking of a dramatic play to perform. "Don't you think?" she was now looking at Gilbert, who had not taken his away away from her this whole time.

"I..." he said, mesmerized by the girl's ocean blue eyes. "I think it's the best present I've ever been given" and he meant his words. Only Anne Shirley-Cuthbert could have chosen so simple as an old human skull and given it such a deep explanation. It truly was the best present he had ever received. "You like it!" she exclaimed gladly. "I'm sparkling with joy, Gilbert" she stood up shot him a toothy smile that made his heart race fastly. "Look closely" she told him, and he looked at her with a dazed expression, furrowing his eyesbrows. "Inside!" she said impatiently, pointing at the skull. The boy's hazel eyes looked closely inside the skull and found a tiny piece of paper wrapped in a ribbon. That's so Anne. He took it out carefully and unfolded the note.

For the best future doctor and possibly performer of Avonlea,

Your friend,

Carrots-Anne (with an E) Shirley-Cuthbert

Gilbert stared at the note for a few seconds, memorising every word. He let out a soft laugh that made Anne laugh as well. "Carrots?" he said, lifting his eyes to meet hers. He thought about their first encounter all those years ago. And he thought about her slate, which he had found resting safely in one of her desk's drawers. "Please, don't tell me my actual present is a slate broken in this head of mine!" he said dramatically, trying to keep a serious face but his smile wider than ever. For a few minutes it got easier to pretend they were just friends. They stared at each other for a while, their laughter filling the little room.

"What about my present?" she suddenly said, out of the blue, making the magic laughter spell disappear and causing nervousness in the boy again.

"It's actually right here?" he mumbled.

"Here?" she said, taking a look around her room.

"I had to ask Matthew to help me... uh..." he awkwardly stood up from her bed, playing with his hands. "Look under your bed"

The girl kneeled down on the floor and explored the surface of the wooden floor in the darkening room with her hand. It was starting to get dark outside, and there was a dusky light coming from the window that illuminated the room dimly. "This is heavy" she said, pulling a box wrapped in diary paper. The boy took the heavy box and placed him delicately on top of her bed.

Anne looked at him with confusion, not knowing what to expect. "Open it" he demanded.

She could not believe her eyes when she tore the wrapping paper and opened the box. An old, yet sophisticated typewriter lay before her. There were a few paper sheets to begin with and some ink bottles. On top of the machine, a handwritten note.

So that you can write all the phenomenal stories than run your beautiful mind.

Your friend,

Gilbert Blythe.

"Gil, I can't accept this" she said, looking at him in shock. He shooked his head and took both her hands in his, although he dropped them instantly, quickly regretting it. Friends don't hold hands. "Yes, you can"

"This must have cost a fortune!" she closed the box dramatically, trying to forget about the fact that Gilbert had said she had a beautiful mind. "It can't even be compared to what I gave you, this is so-!"

"Anne" he cut her off. "It did not cost a fortune" he explained with the usual serenity in his voice. "It used to belong to my parents long ago". Anne noticed how the boy's face looked sad as his words left his lips. "I just... took it to town and got it fixed for you" he approached the girl, who was still covering the closed box with her hands. The boy carefully took her hands off it and opened the box again, looking at the old typewriter. "Nobody has used this in years". Vivid memories of her mother writing little notes and stories for him and his siblings whilst his father prepared the fireplace roamed his mind.

"Why?" Her mind went back to that summer, half a year ago. He had given her that first edition of Jane Eyre that she treasured as if it was pure gold. It was a symbol of their friendship, because it was the starting point of it. "Why did you give it to me?"

"I want you to pursue your dreams" he whispers, taking his eyes off the box and locking eyes with her.

"What are your dreams, Gilbert?" she asked with a quiet tone that was not usual coming from her.

I dream of future versions of ourselves near a cozy fireplace, reading your favourite novel out loud, children running around. "Um, being a doctor, you know that".

Gilbert missed those situations where there was no need to speak, those situations in which the two of them felt comfortable without a need for conversation if they did not feel like talking at all. He missed those days when silences between them were never awkward and they could just enjoy each other's presence in such a peaceful way. Now he felt as if he was ruining everything because he could not bear being alone with her in the same room, just the two of them. He could not stop looking at her — her hair, her freckles, her eyes. He just desperately hoped that she had not noticed yet how attracted he was to her. It's just a stupid crush, he thought. Because she was the most beautiful and interesting person, the smartest individual he had ever met...

He helped her place the type writer in her desk since it is heavier than she thought it would be. "Here, I can take that" he mumbled, as their hands brush softly, making him shiver. "Thank you" she says as she sits down in front of the desk, not looking at him for she is completely amazed by the object before her eyes. "What now?" she asked the boy with her eyes still glued to her new most treasured possesion, caressing the keys with delicate fingers. Gilbert crouched down next to her, looking at her in awe as if she was his most treasured... person. "Now you start writing"

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A/N - Last chapter before everything goes shit :)))))

This chapter took me a while to write since basically the following ones have been written for over a week lol But I had zero ideas for this one SO forgive me for this shitty chapter.