▷ And I love her - The Beatles

«A love like ours will never die»

___

[DON'T PLAY THE SONG YET!]

August 8th, 2019

JERRY BAYNARD is worried. He is pretty much aware that his sister needs time for herself — too much socializing can stress her out. He knows for a fact that when Anne locks herself in her room, she doesn't want to be bothered at all.

The boy really doesn't want to intrude, but it's been like that for almost a month. The end of summer is just weeks away and he can't help but worry about his sister. She could be doing much better things than locking herself in that cave of her own that she liked to call bedroom.

As for Anne, the reasons why she hasn't left her room in weeks are pretty simple. She doesn't have an actual list of reasons, but if she did, it would look like this:

1. It's extremely warm outside (blame global warming), so what's the point of risking my own physical melt down?

2. I need to write something decent before that stupid yet dreadful deadline. I can't deal with any kind of distractions.

3. I don't want to run into Gilbert Blythe (and neither does he, probably), so I better stay home and take no risks.

Now the girl's sitting in her desk in a forced straight-up position. She can't concentrate and the extreme warmth of early August is not helping.

She's tried writing near the ocean, in the woods, in her car — she's tried typing in her phone, her laptop, even typing as she lies down on the floor. But nothing's worked. Now she's sitting straight in her chair, scrutinizing the piece of paper she's been writing in.

Syllables, words and paragraphs gather together in a mess of paper and ink.

Syllables form words and words create sentences that later on evolve into paragraphs. And they do make sense, grammatically, but they don't say a single meaningful thing.

Nothing makes sense.

"This sucks"

She takes the paper, analyzing her own work before crumbling it onto a ball and throwing it to the floor.

"Everything sucks! Ugh!"

After taking a long deep breath, she leans her elbows on the white wooden, now over-cluttered table and buries her face on her hands. Then she lifts her eyes, looking out of the window. She feels so lonesome, all of the sudden. Pathetic, really.

Anne's not dumb — she knows she needs to ask for advice. She could use some counseling.

But the only person that could possibly help her doesn't even want to see her.

Suddenly, Anne comes up with an idea — a suggestion. Before she even realizes, her fingers are typing a text on her phone screen.

AnnE
can you come over??? please

___

It's just forty five minutes later when Anne, pacing from one side of her room to another, hears a knock on her door. It's gentle, yet impatient.

The redhead opens the door to reveal a head of golden locks wearing a pink summer dress and holding two brown paper bags. Anne raises an eyebrow with curiosity.

"You needed me?" the blond girl asks.

On a different occasion, she would've shot her friend a blinding smile, but now she's a wearing a concerned expression — she hasn't known from Anne for weeks, so there must be something eating her, that's for sure.

"Hi, Rubs" Anne moves aside so that she can come inside. "Yeah, come in"

"I brought Chinese on my way here" Ruby says, holding the two paper bags in the air whilst Anne closes the door.

"You're an angel. I love you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. Did I say already that I love you?"

Ruby chuckles before taking her usual spot on the floor — nobody knows why, but she's developed the habit of avoiding chair at all costs. "What were you doing?" she asks, eyes sparkling with curiosity as she takes a few boxes from the Chinese takeaway bags.

"Writing" Anne replies with a monotonous voice. "Well, at least I'm trying to"

Ruby Gillis takes then a detailed look around the room. There are countless crumbled paper balls splattered all over the floor, two open notebooks on top of her bed along with her laptop and colorful sticky notes covering part of the walls.

It looks quite detective-like, Ruby thinks, drawing a hand to her chin as if it could make her think harder.

There's also pile of books resting on Anne's desk. Making all kinds of effort with her eyes —she should've worn her contact lenses or at least her glasses today—, Ruby can tell there's a collection of poems by Emily Dickinson, along with classic novels such as Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights.

"Wow..." is all Ruby can say. She knew Anne was busy, or so Jerry had told her, but she could've never figured how much on the depths of despair she was.

Ruby's never seen Anne's room like this. As a Psychology student, Ruby Gillis knows that your personal environment and the way you take care of it can reflect your thoughts and your mental state in general.

Anne's mind is currently a freaking mess.

"I've been reading and re-reading, trying to trigger my creativity but... nothing happens" the redhead says, caressing the spine of the novels on her desk, thoughtfully. "I'm stuck"

"And you called me? I'm not creative at all"

Anne's eyes narrow in confusion. Ruby? Not creative?

"Of course you're creative!"

"I'm not like you or Diana. I don't have any talent"

"You're incredibly good at fashion. I mean, look at you!"

"Thanks" Ruby says, flashing a wide smile. Anne can't quite tell if she believes her words or not. "But I didn't come here for the flattery, right? Tell me how I can help"

Anne smiles too. Ruby's always willing to lend out a helping hand. She knows then that she made the right choice when she decided to text her.

"Okay... so... I applied for a writing contest"

Ruby's smile gets even wider. The corner of her lips are stained with soy sauce.

"Anne! That's great!"

Anne sighs as she stands up from her chair, taking her spot right in front of Ruby, mimicking her cross-legged sitting position. After tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Anne takes her meal out of the paper bag. Of course, Ruby chose her favorite — she thanks her with a smile before explaining.

"No, it's not- I don't have anything to submit and I need to get it ready before October"

"Well, it's only August, you've got plenty time" Ruby says, mouth full of vegetables.

"But I won't be able to write anything good enough!" Anne closes her eyes in frustration. "Everything I've written is a bunch of crap"

"Crap? I doubt that. You're incapable of writing crap"

Anne doesn't reply. She shrugs — she doesn't want to try anymore.

"What's the topic? I mean, what do you have to write about?"

Anne blinks twice, perhaps even three times, or four, perplexed and half-scared of saying the word out loud — It's just a word, Shirley, just spill it!

"Romance"

There's something in the back of Anne's mind that comes back as soon as the word "romance" leaves her lips. It comes a some sort of daydream-like sequence; the vague image of a certain boy and scenes that flash through her mind, vividly reliving happier memories.

"Oh! I can help with that!" Ruby exclaims, her eyes sparkle with excitement. "Romantic girl, remember?"

Anne chuckles, looking down at her food. "Yeah"

"But you love romance novels" Ruby points out. And it's true — for as long as she can remember, Anne's been obsessed with those kind of novels since they've known each other. "I'm sure there's something you can do... maybe try to adapt your ideal of romance to modern times? I don't know"

Anne lifts her eyes, meeting Ruby's.

My ideal of romance?

"I'm not a fan of romance. I do like romance movies and books but not in real life... I don't know, it's hard to explain"

Ruby mouths a disappointed "yeah" before going back to her food.

"I just need to win this contest, Ruby. I seriously need it. I don't know what I'm going to do if I don't. It's like I need to prove something, I..."

"You've never been so terrified of failure. I mean, you've always been competitive, but this is so unlike you-"

Noticing where her words are leading to, Anne changes the subject as quickly as she can.

"I wonder what Di's up to"

___

Summers in Charlottetown are never boring.

Unlike Anne, whose mind was wandering all over the place, Diana Barry is focused. She is looking out of the window, feeling as if the sky had never looked any prettier — Is this was freedom feels like? Like a clear orangish sky with tiny specks of pink and blue disappearing with the gentle wind?

She is in the piano room, one that Aunt Jo had reserved for her and only her. It's in the highest part of the sort of mansion in which Josephine lives in, like some kind of tower straight out of a fairytale.

Diana goes back to her task of checking some music sheets and stroking the piano tiles with a delicate touch of her fingers. It's half an hour later when she gets a text that makes her go back to the real world.

Fred ❤️🎸
look out the window

The garden is covered in flowers. Diana's eyebrows furrow in confusion — It's Tuesday, and Aunt Jo's next party it's not until next Saturday... why would the garden be covered in such beautiful and lovely ornaments?

She rushes down the stairs, getting to the back door. The raven-haired girl walks between the green bushes. Colorful blooms are swaying because of the summer breeze and there's an air of tranquility between every different speck of color that inspires her.

She stops right in her tracks as soon as she spots Fred Wright.

"Fred Wright, what did you do to my garden?"

He's dressed fancy, with a shirt and all — Fred Wright, a shirt!, and she suddenly regrets that she's just wearing high waisted shorts and a navy blue tank top.

"I was feeling elegant today" is the first thing he says, short and simple. He doesn't smile as wide as usual or doesn't run to her arms to kiss her passionately as he always did.

"You look great, although I have to say I miss your regular striped T-shirts"

He smiles fondly to her, but it's a different kind of smile. "Remember that one time I picked you up from school and you prepared a picnic for the two of us?"

Starting to get confused, Diana blinks twice. It was around the time he asked her to be his girlfriend — when they became an official couple.

"Yes, of course"

"Well, I prepared one today"

"Fred! It's starting to get dark" Diana says, looking up to the sky. The lilac color is turning bluer and bluer, adopting a darker tone.

"I need you to sit down" he says, completely ignoring her words and taking a hold of her arm. He gently walks her to some sort of gazebo in the garden. She sits there, in a loveseat whilst Fred gets something from in between the bushes nearby.

"Okay...?"

Diana watches him, half confused and half curious. What the hell as he gotten himself into this time? What could he possibly be scheming, making me sit here? What did he hide — or what is he looking for in my aunt's garden?

Oh.

It's his guitar case.

And he's walking over to her again, standing before her.

His eyes are so full of romance — Diana has never seen him like this before. Truth is Fred Wright has always looked at her with such tenderness and fondness in his eyes, but there is something different this time, as if a switch had been flicked somewhere.

[PLAY THE SONG!]

He sits right in front of her, looking straight into her eyes as his hands start to play the chords to a melody.

"Just listen" he whispers.

I give her all my love
That's all I do
And if you saw my love
You'd love her too
I love her

Diana smiles as soon as she recognizes the song. She's not as much into The Beatles as Anne is, but the redhead showed her this song years ago and it became one of Diana's favorites. She always played it in the car whenever she was with Fred.

She gives my everything
And tenderly
The kiss my lover brings
She brings to me
And I love her

Fred doesn't smile at all as he plays. Although his eyes are fixed on her, he seems really concentrated, as if he was putting all his efforts in delivering a perfect performance. But as soon as Diana lets out a chuckle and seeing how sparkly her eyes are, he can't help but let a short, crooked smile curve up his lips that doesn't last much.

A love like ours
Could never die
As long as I
Have you near me

"Fred... That was beautiful" Diana whispers as soon as the songs over. "I loved it"

He clears his throat when he stands up, getting his guitar inside his case and leaving it aside.

Diana studies him curiously — What's wrong with him? She's never seen Fred Wright acting so serious out of the sudden. It worries her.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it"

Fred takes a look around, although he's not looking at anything in particular. The garden is now quiet and nobody's there but then. He gives her a last look before kneeling down before her.

"Oh my god, what are you doing?" Diana gasps, eyes as wide as the moon watching them. Although she's not quite believing it, realization finally hits her.

"Diana" he says, pronouncing her name in such a soft way that sends shivers down her spine. "I know that we're young and we've only been together for a year and a half. But you've changed my life. You've changed my life for good"

"F-Fred...?" she mumbles in confusion.

He places a hand on her left knee, caressing her skin softly with his thumbs. The other hand takes both of hers in his.

"I've never loved anyone half as much as I love you right now. And I don't think I'll ever stop loving you. In fact, I think it will only grow stronger and stronger"

"I... I love you too"

"I talked to your aunt the other day, like a month ago, I don't know. Well, she talked to me- you know she talks a lot"

Diana laughs, her shoulders relaxing a bit.

"And she made me see that you have to hold on to whatever makes you feel alive. And you make me feel alive, all the damn time. And as she kept talking to me about love and romance... I suddenly knew. I knew that I to be with you forever"

"Me... too"

"Ever since I saw you at that karaoke bar with your cute royal blue sweater and your kind, deep brown eyes I knew... that you were going to change my life for the better. You've been light in the darkness and I- I simply think you're the most incredible person I've ever met. You're smart, you're funny, kind, beautiful, and trust me, if I knew as many adjectives as Anne does I'd keep going for the rest of the night, but I'll keep it simple: You're simply amazing"

Diana, who has silently listened to his speech, gulps nervously.

Fred, taking a tighter grip off her hands, asks her what he's been meaning to ask for a month now.

"Diana Barry, will you m-?"

Diana doesn't let him finish his question.

"Yes! Yes" she says excitedly, making Fred laugh a last. He's finally more relaxed, and therefore, more confident.

"Let me finish, babe"

"Okay"

He clears his throat again before helping her stand up, bringing her closer to him.

Fred checks his pockets, revealing a little squared box. It's velvety green, with a minimalistic yet shiny silver ring inside.

"Diana Barry, will you marry me?"

That's when she wraps her arms around him, kissing every single freckle on Fred's face.

"Yes! Yes, I will marry you!"

___

August 10th

Diana Barry is a beautiful nineteen year-old bride-to-be. That's what she tells Anne and Ruby a couple of days later at Queen's café, making Anne Shirley-Cuthbert almost spit her coffee out.

"You're shitting me" Anne looks at her friend in complete disbelief. There is no way that the one and only Fred Wright has proposed.

The raven-haired girl places her left hand on the table, showing the ring to both of them.

"Oh my God!" Ruby shrieks in excitement, admiring the little silver stone. "Can I try it on?"

"Absolutely not" Diana says, rolling her eyes.

As Ruby wears a pout, Anne is still unable to process the news Diana's just shared. It sounds unbelievable — yet she's happy for her friend. She deserves nothing more than pure bliss, and Fred is the perfect candidate for a life full of love, love and love.

"Wait wait wait! How did he propose?" Anne asks.

"He covered my garden with flowers and he... he played and sang And I love her with his guitar. He looked at me the whole time"

Something in the way Diana talks about flowers and music makes Anne feel sick. Not because he's jealous of Diana, absolutely not! It's just that... she's been craving something like that lately. The classic butterflies that are born with romance. Oh...

"Oh, I think I'm going to faint..." Ruby says, dreamily. "Can't he propose to me too? I would die! I'd just die!"

Both of her friends have no other choice but to burst out in laughter. They may not be in high school anymore, but Ruby Gillis hasn't changed a single bit.

"You don't ever stop being a hopeless romantic, do you, Rubs?" the redhead mockingly says after taking a sip of her latte.

"It's impossible not to be a hopeless romantic in a world where Taylor Swift exists!" Ruby replies, trying to sound annoyed. "Oh, Diana, can I be in charge of the music? Please, please?"

"I was kind of thinking of Gilbert to do that task, but yeah, why not"

Gilbert. Of course, Gilbert was going to be invited to the wedding too!

Ruby and Diana keep talking about music, floral and table arrangements and some other stuff that Anne couldn't care less about right now. Every single part of her brain is focused on Gilbert.

Apparently, Fred and Diana were planning on getting married next summer — so she still has a whole year to avoid Gilbert Blythe.

And maybe think of a plan to make him forgive her. A lot can happen in a year, right?

"I want you to be my bridesmaids" Diana's voice brings her back to Earth.

"Of course we will!"

"Sure" Anne quickly replies. "Count on it"

After a long conversation and a second round of coffee (decaf, this time), Ruby plays with her fingers nervously. Anne or Diana could think that this is just a side effect of caffeine, but it's not.

"I kinda have news too..." the blond girl says, breaking the brief silence.

"Spill it!"

It's Diana the one to encourage her to break whatever news she has to speak. Anne just drinks as she looks out of the window — cars driving doing the road, a couple carrying grocery shopping bags, two kids playing football in a park across the road...

"Jerry and I are thinking about moving in Charlottetown together next fall... we haven't decided yet but the plan's definitely still in motion" she nods with enthusiasm.

"Ruby! That's great!"

"Yeah. It sounds amazing"

For a minute, Anne stops listening to whatever's surrounding her. She can't hear Diana or Ruby anymore. She goes into a trance of thinking. Not about anything in particular, just life in general... things are changing so fast.

"How about you, Anne? Any good news to share?"

The redhead's clearly startled by Diana's question.

"I... uh..."

"It's fin-" Diana seems to realize that maybe that wasn't a good question to ask, considering how weird Anne has been asking lately.

"I actually do have good news" she lies. "I... got to write! A lot, actually. It's great, yeah"

"Really? You'll have to let us read it"

"Sure"

Once they leave the café about twenty minutes later, Ruby allows herself to dance around the street, twirling and twisting as she imagines Josephine Barry's garden covered with flowers, ribbons, food, romantically music playing and... and just everything!

"This is wonderful. This is a dream come true!" she sings, eyes closed as she dances almost like a ballerina. "A wedding! My best friend's wedding!"

Anne and Diana roll her eyes in unison. After Ruby leaves, they're about to hop into their respective cars when Diana calls Anne, making the redhead turn around under the warm, summer sun.

"Anne, wait! You forgot this at my car when you came for Christmas. I don't know why you wore a denim jacket in December but-"

Anne walks to Diana's car, her footsteps becoming quicker and quicker. She tears the jacket off her hands, holding it delicately before bringing it closer to her chest, almost hugging it.

"It was here?" Anne asks in disbelief. "It was here... all along?"

Diana doesn't understand the look on her face. Anne looks... troubled? relieved?

"Yeah?"

No. Anne feels nostalgic. And troubled, and relieved too. But mostly nostalgic. Anne didn't think of seeing that denim jacket again. It brought back so many memories...

The lyrics to Last night I dreamt that somebody loved me is written on the sleeve. The rest of it is covered in patches and badges — you can't really see the denim fabric.

"I thought I'd lost it. But of course, it was here, it was home all along"

A tear rolls down Anne's face. And then another one, and another one, until she's sobbing. Anne's sobbing as she stands in the middle of a parking lot.

"Anne? Why are you crying?"

Letting out a muffled sob against the folds of the jacket, she smiles.

"Nothing. Its just such a beautiful jacket. It makes me sad because I'd never seen such a beautiful jacket"

___

There's a hazel-eyed boy whose hand writing is, according to the owner of that beautiful denim jacket, was the worst.

The boy, also known as Gilbert Blythe, walks into his home later that day, wearing an exhausted look on his face.

Fred Wright can't notice, of course, because he's running towards his direction, meeting him in the hall, right at the bottom of the stairs that leads to the upper floor.

"There you are! I've been waiting for you all day! Where have you been?"

Gilbert stares at him, not blinking once.

"Just busy"

As he tries to makes his way upstairs, Fred blocks his way.

"I... kinda need to tell you something"

"You're scaring me" Gilbert says, raising a questioning eyebrow. He always does that — the eyebrow thing, especially lately, since he's been feeling somewhat grumpy.

"I'm getting married!"

"Yeah, funny"

"I'm serious"

"Sure, sure"

"Gilly, I'm serious!" Fred exclaims, giving him the widest of smiles. "Like, dead serious"

"Oh"

"Yeah"

Fred looks at him, eagerly awaiting his response, or at least a smile. But Gilbert just asks a dumb question.

"To Diana?"

"No, to Bash! Of course I'm marrying Diana, you fucking asshole" Fred laughs.

"Wow" is all Gilbert says.

Seeing that Fred is blocking the way upstairs, he heads to the kitchen. Neither Bash of his father were home, and somehow he wishes Fred wasn't around right now either.

He wishes to be alone.

He needs to be alone,

but Fred follows him all the way to the kitchen, and now they're there, under the white dim light. It's dark outside, and literally nothing can be seen out of the window but darkness.

"That's it? You're not going to say how happy you are for me?"

Gilbert looks at him, blinking twice.

"I just think you're making a huge mistake"

Fred's face drops completely — that's not what he'd been expecting him to say.

"What did you say?"

"I said you're making a huge-"

"No, I heard you the first time. I was just giving you the chance to take it back"

"Well, I won't. How are you going to even pay for that wedding? You don't have a proper job"

"What are you talking about? I thought you supported me no matter what!"

"I did and I do. But this is non-sense. Recording demos won't pay for the expenses of a wedding" Gilbert hisses. "Stop living in a fantasy world, Fred" With an open palm, Gilbert slams the table right after his words.

As for Fred, he doesn't slam the table, or the fridge, neither does he punch the wall. But his words hit Gilbert just twice as hard as a physical push would.

"Dude, it's not my fault that things didn't work out for you" Fred says, raising his voice.

Gilbert scoffs. "Didn't work out?"

"You know what I mean. Anne"

Gilbert winces at the mention of her name, but suddenly replaces this expression for a forced and sarcastic laugh — he doesn't want to look vulnerable.

"Yeah, right. Not your fault. Not at all"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Fred asks. By the tone of his voice, Gilbert can tell he's getting mad. But he couldn't care less, not right now.

"Weren't you and Diana the ones who assured that Anne was heads over heels about me? And kept telling me those... those fallacies!"

"What?!"

Fred can't believe his words. How could he be so mean? So hateful? This is so unlike Gilbert.

"It's your fault! You let me believe I had a chance and I didn't!"

"Why are you bringing Anne up anyway? I thought you were over her!"

Why am I bringing Anne up? Gilbert thinks as he runs a hand through his curls. Funny question.

"Well, I'm not! I'm not over her, is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Then get over her for once!"

"I'm trying!" Gilbert yells. "But I obviously can't when you won't stop reminding me what you have and I don't"

"Seriously, Gilbert? Do you really think you're the one losing here just due to unrequited love? There are more things than that, you know. There's family. And not so long ago I didn't even know what family was. I didn't have any. Until I found Diana, Ruby, Jerry, Anne- until I found you. I thought we were brothers. You're not the one losing here"

"I am! I'm tired of losing people. Did you know that Jerry and Ruby are moving in together? That Bash and his girlfriend, Mary are planning on having a baby?" Gilbert shouts, clenching his fists. "And now you're telling me that you're marrying Diana? Fucking hell, Fred, you're nineteen! You don't even know what you want in life. What are you going to do, huh? Marry Diana and then what? Leave me here and forget all about me?"

Fred understands now — kind of. He can see why he's acting like this, but he doesn't understand why Gilbert's so afraid of him leaving him here. He would never leave him.

They're brothers, right?

"That's not going to happen!" Fred says, taking a few steps closer to him and grabbing both of his arms, trying to make his muscles relax.

"It is! Everyone leaves eventually! Everyone is moving on and I'm just... stuck here having an existential crisis"

Gilbert lets go off his grip, sitting on the nearest chair as he buries his face on his hands. He feels as if he's going to explode. It's too much.

"Dude, we're freaking nineteen. Of course you're having an existential crisis but there's nothing wrong with that"

"Pfft- you're just being a child" Gilbert says in a calmer tone now. He's not yelling at Fred, but still his words leave his lips as if he was disgusted or mocking him in some kind of way. "You seriously think everything in life is sunburst and marble halls? That you're going to marry Diana and have seven children and live happily ever after with your stupid songs?"

But Fred's voice still raised — he's not usually the kind of guy to get mad and just yell at others, but this Gilbert situation has gone by way too far... and his lack of support was appalling.

"I'm not being a child! Unlike you, I know what I want and there's nothing wrong with that!"

"I know what I want too!"

"Then go for it!"

"I can't!" Gilbert yells from the chair.

It takes about five or six seconds for Fred to react to the whole thing. Gilbert and him had never argued or fought — never.

"You know what? I can't either. I'm leaving" he murmured.

Gilbert stood up from the chair out of the sudden. "You're leaving?"

As Fred leaves the kitchen, Gilbert follows right behind, footsteps rushed.

It's when they get to the main door when Fred turns around and speaks.

"I'm fucking done, Gilbert. I've been trying to understand and to talk to you all summer and all you've done is push me away. All you've been is grumpy and cold as fuck. I'm tired, and I know when I'm not wanted around"

"But-"

"See you"

And with those cold words and a slam of the door, Fred Wright leaves what he used to call his home.

___

Fred left an hour ago.

And Gilbert didn't follow him — he locked himself in his room, thinking and thinking. That seems to be his new habit, just overthinking stuff.

He's sitting in bed when he hears a knock on his door.

After inviting whomever knocked in, it's his father who puts his head around the door before coming in.

"Hey" John says — he sounds tired.

"Hi"

"Long day, huh?"

John Blythe makes his way towards the edge of bed, sitting beside his son.

Gilbert decides to drop the bomb.

"Fred's getting married"

"I know" Gilbert's father smiles to himself, looking up to the ceiling — he's remembering when he proposed to Gilbert's mother, a long time ago. "That little one... he asked for my advice"

"So you knew?" Gilbert asks. He's not angry, though.

"Yeah. I just hope some day you'll ask someone for advice too when the right person comes around. I mean, along" he says calmly. "Whenever that is"

"Right"

John Blythe knows that apart from the obvious, there's something bothering Gilbert. He should be happy for his friend, but he looks troubled.

"Talk to me, son"

"I don't know what I'm doing here anymore, dad" he says after a few minutes of thinking and consideration. "I'm stuck. Everyone's moving on, enjoying everything, falling in love, living new experiences... and I'm just here. I've got nothing to hold on to. Everything's going to change from now on, right?"

"I'm afraid so"

"What am I going to do? When everyone's gone- when everyone's left..." Gilbert says, looking at his father now — he's desperate. "Not long ago my biggest fear was failure. Now I don't care about that anymore- I'm terrified of being alone, being forgotten. I don't want to be alone, dad"

John looks at his son, giving him a crooked smile as he pats his shoulder. That gesture's something he's been doing for years. It seems to comfort Gilbert whenever he's upset.

"Do you remember your graduation day, Gil?"

"Yes, of course"

"Remember what you read at the end your speech?"

How could he forget? Gilbert's face twitches into a crooked smile that lasts just a few seconds. But of course he remembers.

"Yeah. Yeah, I remember" he says, looking at his father with glossy eyes.

"Hold onto that, son"

___

June 20th, 2018

"Shoulders, Shirley"

It was just two days after prom when Gilbert Blythe spotted a very nervous redhead pacing from one side of the "backstage" (if you wanted to call I'd like that) to another. She was right behind the curtains that separated her from students and proud parents.

It was their official graduation day.

Anne turned around, facing him. She huffed as she watched his steps coming closer to her. "It was literally impossible for you to know that my shoulders were tense from where you were standing"

"But they are, aren't they?"

He positions himself right behind her, caressing her shoulders — massaging them.

"Relax, Shirley. Whats the worst thing that could happen?"

"I could forget my speech!"

"Our speech"

"Right. Well, I could forget our speech and everybody would laugh and point and me... and they'd remember be as the idiot, Anne Shirley-Cuthbert"

Anne couldn't understand what was so funny, because Gilbert laughed hysterically at her remark. Classic Gilbert Blythe.

"You really are an idiot. Please, calm your ass"

"I can't! Everyone's going to laugh at me, I'm sure. First of all, I'm sure this stupid, red graduation gown makes me look like a fucking tomato... and if I get embarrassed, which is very likely, my face will look just like a tomato too! I'll be like-like ketchup! Everyone's going to remember me as that ketchup girl who forgot her speech and made a fool out of herself and-"

She couldn't finish her ramble, because Gilbert had cupped her face with his hands. He looked at her, very intensely. That's what he always did anyway.

Still, it got her breathless.

"You. Look at me" he whispered, although her eyes were already staring straight into his. "Stop rambling that nonsense. You're smart. You're amazing. We wrote a mother-fucking good speech"

She didn't reply — she was too distracted at analyzing how his eyes could be a perfect mixture of green and honey.

Seeing that she was not responding, he did something without letting his brain function properly.

Without tearing his hands off her cheek, but instead cupping it tighter, he drawled her face closer to his and kissed her left cheek.

It lasted around five seconds — he pulled away.

"W-why did you do that?"

"Because I wanted you to go full ketchup girl mode" he said, giving her the wink of an eye.

"But I didn't blush!"

"Whatever you say, Shirley" he chuckled. "Now lets give these peasants a fucking impressive graduation speech"

That speech was meant to be given by the valedictorian. But Anne and him tied in the first place. So they read together. Of course, Anne was the one to choose the final quote of the speech.

"I remembered that the real world was wide, and that a varied field of hopes and fears, of sensations and excitments..." Anne could have from perfect memory, because she knew the words by heart. But looking at the crowd...

Every single pair of eyes was on her, and she felt dizzy out of the sudden.

"...waited those who had the courage to go forth into it's expanse, to seek real knowledge of life amidst its perils." He concluded.

___

"You finished the quote" she said when the ceremony was over.

They were standing at the school's main door, one in front of each other. They were alone — the rest of their classmates had gone somewhere to take some photos. It was just the two of them.

If someone had seen them from inside the school, they would've seen Anne and Gilbert, standing straight and staring at each other.

"So? Are you jealous because I stole the spotlight from you, lady in red?"

She laughs at the improvised nickname.

"No"

He read her mind instantly, knowing what she wanted to know.

"I borrowed Jane Eyre from you after Christmas, remember? That quote was bookmarked and highlighted"

"And you memorized it?" she asked, perplexed.

"Well, yeah"

She chuckled, looking down at her feet, which she couldn't see because of her long graduation gown.

"Gilbert Blythe, you're a hopeless nerd. I'm afraid there's nothing I can do for you"

"Wanna be nerds together?" he said, offering his arm for her to cling into.

"Gladly" she said, accepting the offer and walking side to side with him, on the lookout of their friends.

They still had a few days before Gilbert left for that summer.

___

A/N

Wow! Long chapter, I'm sorry 😂 This was meant to be like 3000 words or so but... this happened! 6k!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE PROPOSAL? We're you expecting it?

What do you think it's going to happen next?

Theories?

Anything you'd like to see in the upcoming chapters?

Do you like it when I include flashbacks?

ALSO

ANNE WITH AN E 3x05 IN JUST TWO DAYS