▷ You shook me all night long - AC/DC

«She told me to come
but I was already there»
___

October 16th

JOHN BLYTHE knows that there's something off with his son. Gilbert has spent all morning playing and replaying the same song, singing the same lyrics and moving his head rhythmically to the same exact beat.

The Smiths.

"The story is old - I know, but it goes on" the boy sings, as he prepares breakfast for his dad and him. Ever since John got ill, he had to follow a special diet which Gilbert did not hesitate to follow too.

The boy places two glasses of orange juice on the kitchen table, along with two bowls of fruit and a special (and very expensive) porridge.

John studies his son. There's a little smile curving up his face. "Nice tune, son"

"I know, right?!"

"Mind explaining this obsessive habit of replaying it over and over again?"

"I'm a simple man, I like it, I play it"

His father laughs as he drinks from his orange juice, watching his son sitting in front of him mimicking his actions. "Is there a girl involved?"

Gilbert almost spits his orange juice. "Of course not"

Gilbert has the best of relationships with his father. Considering that he has no siblings and his mother is not around, he is the only one he has left. He trusts him, and they could talk about literally anything.

Except for Gilbert's dating life, of course.

"I hope so, because if you're gonna obsess over a girl with a song, it better be a happier one!" John says. "This song is the most depressing thing I've heard, and I have cancer!"

Gilbert laughs, rolling his eyes. He admires his father's sense of humor and optimism, despite his illness. Fucking cancer. There are bad days and good days in John Blythe's life as a person who has cancer. Today seems to be a good day — but the bad days... the bad days end up with Gilbert crying himself to sleep. Those are the kind of bad days.

When Gilbert Blythe's phone rings in that exact moment, he just hopes it's Anne Shirley-Cuthbert. Maybe she wants to continue last night's conversation. He has to admit that he hasn't stopped thinking about the redhead since he dropped her home last night. And listening to her favorite song on repeat is not helping.

But it's not her name on the phone screen — besides, she doesn't even have his phone number. It's, however, her brother the one who's calling.

"Sorry, dad, I should get this"

"Don't worry, my nurse will be here soon. Go get that, son"

The boy takes his breakfast bowl with him and goes up to his room. He closes the door behind him and picks up.

"Jerry?"

"GILBERT" his voice is loud and rushed, and Gilbert can't help but smile, imagining his new friend pacing from one side of the room to the other. Anne mentioned that his hyperactivity makes it harder for him to make friends most of the time, but Gilbert doesn't mind it at all. Jerry was just a normal teenage boy, more active and sometimes louder than usual, but just a pretty cool guy to be friends with.

"Hey, buddy. Everything alright?" Gilbert holds the phone with his left hand as he eats from the bowl with the other one.

"MORE THAN ALRIGHT"

This must be about Ruby. "Okay, tell me"

"So I left with Ruby and Diana. And I think Diana knows I like her cause-

"Cause it's completely obvious?"

"SHUT UP" Jerry screams, although Gilbert knows he's actually standing in his room, smiling like a fool at the thought of Ruby Gillis. "Diana must know I like her because she came up with a stupid excuse to leave me and Ruby at MY house so that I could WALK HER HOME"

"Really?"

"Yes, she said something like 'I can't drive the both of you because my mom doesn't want me to be late" Jerry explains as his tone gets more and more excited. "SO I WALKED RUBY HOME"

"And how did it go?"

"She was quiet most of the way home but then she said I was a good guy and she was glad I walked her home"

"That's good" Gilbert says, mouth full of porridge. "That's progress"

"She hates you, though" Jerry says.

"Yeah, that's something I need to fix"

"She also said they're going to some karaoke bar tonight" ... "you coming?"

"Uh, who's going?" he asks, although the real question would be: "Is Anne going?"

"You know, the girls — and Billy and Moody are coming too, I think"

"Yeah, text me the address"

___

After setting a good playlist and a very much needed shower, Anne walks down the stairs to get some breakfast. Jerry's still in his bedroom, talking to someone. She gets closer to his door, but the only thing she can hear is "the girls, Moody and Billy". God knows what he's up to now.

"Good morning, Marilla"

Her adoptive mother is sitting on a chair by the kitchen's table. She's having her usual morning tea in her favorite mug — the one that says "#1 mom" that Jerry gave her three Christmas ago.

"Anne" she says. "Why don't you sit down?"

Anne sits. There's already a cup of coffee waiting for her. Marilla always makes her favourite on weekend mornings — a latte with oat milk and some cinammon sprinkles on top.

"We need to have a word" Marilla says. Somehow, Anne hoped that she'd forget about that conversation they apparently needed to have, but she didn't.

"Yes, you told me yesterday"

"You won't be grounded for the Mr. Phillip's incident" the woman sips her tea quietly. She's wearing the same look on her face as she did yesterday, but Anne can't quite figure out what her emotions are. She doesn't look angry, or disappointed.

"Okay..."

"But this behavior of yours needs to change" Marilla says, with a voice that's a mix of severeness and worry. "I know it's been hard for you, Anne, but anger is not the solution for our problems"'

"I'm not angry" she protests. Although she has to admit that she is. She knows where Marilla's words are coming from — anger was the only possible way out of the well of dispair Matthew's death out her through since the past spring.

"I'm worried about you. You've been so... locked in your own shell after Matthew's and I think you need someone to talk to"

Gilbert.

Anne has her friends, whom she has known for years now. She has Diana, her best friend in the whole world. But Gilbert's the first person that pops in her mind this moment.

"Gilbert Blythe. I talked to Gilbert, about, um- things"

"Jerry's new friend? How come? You just met the boy" Marilla places her cup of tea on the wooden table.

"I don't know, it just happened" she truly doesn't know how that happened. She usually keeps her stuff to herself, but last night, with her favorite song playing and him sitting on her porch with her... everything felt right somehow. "He's a good guy and he seemed to understand"

"Alright. I'm glad you made a new friend" Marilla places her hand on top of the table for Anne to take it. Anne squeezes it softly, and offers her a tiny smile that leaves the woman satisfied with their talk.

"Good morning to my favorite girls on Earth!" Jerry walks into the kitchen, rather abruptly.

Jerry's favorite "girls" greet him with a "good morning" as the three of them enjoy their breakfast this fine Saturday morning. Jerry and Marilla are talking about something that Anne can't really hear, because her eyes are fixed upon the empty chair on the other side of the table. Matthew's spot. If he was here, he'd be drinking his coffee in his #1 dad mug.

The girl snaps out of her trance when Jerry places his hand on her arm.

"Earth to Anne"

"S-Sorry, um, what were you saying?" Her eyes travel from the empty chair to her brother, sitting to her left.

"I asked you what time are we leaving tonight"

"You're coming?"

"Yes, Ruby told me"

Anne notices how Jerry's face lights up when his lips pronounce the word "Ruby".

"Is Gilbert coming too?" she asks.

"Yea, I just talked to him"

"Oh, okay"

Marilla watches the siblings from the other side of the table. Anne must really like her new friend Gilbert Blythe, because a small, almost invisible smile crept up her face when Jerry told her Gilbert was going as well. She would never admit that, though.

___

Almost the whole gang is already inside the Avonlea karaoke bar when Gilbert Blythe walks in. His eyes scan the place before they land on the person he's been looking for.

Anne.

Gilbert hugs her. It feels weird. She's not the biggest fan of body contact and public display affections — but his brief hug makes her feel... good. It lasts no more than three seconds but the girl agrees on the fact that there's definitely a positive connotation in his embrace. She'll need to think about this later.

He instantly separates from her and proceeds to hug the rest of the gang, even Ruby, who doesn't say a word but accepts his hug anyway.

The karaoke bar is filled with people and all of them take their seats in a booth near the little stage of the room.

"So... is anyone actually singing?" Gilbert rubs his hands in excitement. He's not a bad singer, but definitely too shy to sing on his own. Maybe little "I love the Smiths" wants to join him in a duet.

Who knows.

"Diana and I are singing Dancing Queen!" Jane says, grabbing her friend by the hand, making her stand up and dragging her to the little stage in the middle of the club.

Tillie and Moody are immersed in a conversation with Josie and Billy. So it's just Gilbert, Anne, Jerry and Ruby.

Gilbert looks at Anne, then at Ruby, then at Jerry and instantly knows what he has to do.

"We should get some drinks, Shirley"

"Definitely"

Just as they leave the table, Jane and Diana start to sing a great version of Dancing Queen. Both Gilbert and Anne giggle at the scene. The boy grabs her hand and guides her through the crowded club. Their fingers interlock together and Anne wonders where this intimacy's coming from. She accepted to be his friend just yesterday — however, it doesn't make her feel uncomfortable. Friends can hold hands, right? Diana and her hold hands sometimes.

"I'm glad we're friends now!" He gets closer to her and whisper-shouts into her ear.

"What?" She obviously can't hear him with the bubbling noise of the club.

"I said I'm glad we're friend now!"

"Me too!"

She realizes now that they're still holding hands. She lets go off is touch before shouting a word that will make Gilbert Blythe grin like an idiot.

"Shots?"

"Shots!" he replies with excitement. It's going to be a fun night, he thinks.

___

Just a few minutes later, Gilbert's throat is burning like crazy. The shots that Anne ordered were... bizarre, to say the least.

"Aaah, Shirley, I have to say that your taste in shots is a clear contrast to your amazing taste in music". There's a disgusted look on his face that makes the girl both smile and roll her eyes. "What the hell did I drink again?"

"Whiskey and hot sauce" she explains, placing the empty glasses on the bar. "it's called Prairie Fire"

"DISGUSTING" he sticks his tongue out and she inevitably rolls her eyes again. "My tongue is literally burning!"

She starts laughing. It's the first time that he sees her laugh — the first time that he makes her laugh. A memory for the eternity, that's for sure.

"I like this" he says, although what he really means is "I like being here with you", but that would be too forward. "Not the shots, obviously! The place, I mean"

"Oh, yeah. It's nice" she says. "More shots?"

"Sure, but this time I'm choosing" he bites back a smile. "I can't trust you, Shirley"

"Seems fair to me"

"What can I get you?" the bartender asks. Arms crossed, Anne raises her eyebrows, eagerly awaiting his answer.

"Um... two Prairie Fire" he replies.

It was either his awful pronunciation of the fact that he chose that kind of shot again just to make fun of her, he'll never know — but her laughter filled the entire club.

___

A/N - Hi! I divided this chapter into two separate parts because it turned out longer than I expected. Part two will be posted tomorrow!

I hope you're enjoying this story!!!

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