"SURELY IT CAN'T BE THAT AWFUL!"
Diana said to Anne's new hairstyle, when the girls arrived in school.
Months had passed in which Bella had done everything to keep her life over water. She had learned to keep the household, she had taken care of everything financially with the help of Mr. Gillis, who had explained everything to her and offered to help her for the first year.
She had gotten herself and her life under control and had started to spend time with her friends again.

"I'm sure it will grow back faster than you think!" Amybella said reassuringly and Diana nodded affirmatively.

"I'm a monstrosity! In fact, you best forget me now and for all time. I'd never ever want to bring this humiliation upon you too." Anne exclaimed tragically.

"Anne don't say that I'm sure-.." Amybella was about to say, but she picked up a voice from all the noise in the classroom. It was a very specific and familiar voice.
She walked slowly past Anne and Diana into the classroom. Everyone stared at the girl. Of course, word had spread quickly that her mother and Marcus had died. Amybella had avoided school the days before to save herself those looks, but Rachel made her go back to school that morning.

Whispers went around, but the blonde girl hardly cared. Her eyes searched the room for the person to whom she assigned the voice, she had heard.
Brown eyes met hers and the boys around Gilbert stood to one side.
Amybella looked him up and down, just as he did with her.
He had grown and seemed stronger. His features were older and his curls longer than the last time she had seen him.

„Amy." Gilbert said smiling, kindly at her.
Amybella stared at him as whispers went around again.
She turned and saw Anne walking into the room with Diana's hairband.

"My goodness! What happened to her?" She heard Josie Pye whisper and giggle.
Amybella watched as the girl stared at Gilbert with equal surprise and then opened her mouth.

"You're back." she said in disbelief and Bella stepped aside.

"Yes.. Hi!" Gilbert's gaze lingered on the blonde girl, who avoided his gaze and then looked intently at Anne.

"There's no gold." The redhead said quickly.

"I-I know. I heard! That's not why I'm here." Amybella shook her head and ran out.

"Amy." She heard Gilbert's call behind her and then stopped. She turned to face him and he stopped in front of her.

"Hey.." he smiled.

"Hey? Is that all you have to say?" Amybella hissed. Gilbert seemed surprised for a moment by her harsh tone.

"Listen-.." he tried to speak, but the girl cut him off.

"No you listen!"

"I'm sorry-.." Gilbert tried again, but Bella wouldn't let him get a word in edgewise.

"You disappear out of nowhere. I haven't heard a word you've said except that you want to 'come home when it's by free will' " Amybella said and mockingly pronounced his words.

"I mean, it wasn't that easy-.." She interrupted the boy again.

"Not that easy?! Leaving without saying goodbye?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"What?" Gilbert asked.

"You didn't say goodbye. You just left, have you no shame at all?" she accused him.

"I wasn't sure you'd care," Gilbert said. Amybella knew he wasn't serious. He knew for a fact that she cared about him, he just wanted to hear it from her mouth.

"I did care! Im not heartless you know!" she jutted her chin in offense.

"I'm sorry, okay? As soon as I heard from your parents, I came back!" Gilbert said and Bella's heart sank.

"How do you know about my parents?" she asked in disbelief.
Gilbert hesitated to answer and looked to his shoes.

"Anne. She was worried about you and send word through Diana's aunt. She said you wouldn't come out of your house, wouldn't open the door." He said and Bella shook her head.

"I'm really sorry Amy."
Gilbert said and then sank into silence and the girl shook her head. She walked past him, back into the school building.

"Amy!" he took her by the hand to pull her back. However, she roughly removed her wrist and gave him a dirty look.

"What-..." Gilbert wanted to ask, but before he could say anything she marched back into the classroom with quick steps.

•

"Open your reading books. Page 20!" Amybella took out her book and opened it, tiredly. She heard the girls in the back whisper.

"What has she done with her hair?!"

"It looks awful!"

"Is everything okay?" Ruby asked Bella and the girl nodded. She felt Gilbert's eyes burning into her as she focused on the book in front of her.

"It appears we have a new boy in class today." said Mr. Phillips, pointing at Anne.
Laughter went around the class, Billy Andrews being the loudest among them.

"Are you sure you're sitting in the right place young man?" Mr. Phillips showed no mercy as the class laughed at the girl.
After school, Amybella walked home with quick steps. All too familiar footsteps sounded behind her.

"Still the same way to school?" She didn't answer him.

"Hey! Madam Hard of Hearing!" Gilbert called out and Amybella rolled her eyes. He suddenly stood in front of her and the girl promptly ran into him.

"Ouh!" she groaned, annoyed.

"Talk to me." the boy said and didn't let her go even when she tried to walk past him.

"What am I supposed to talk about? You know everything." said Amybella annoyed.

"I don't! Apparently, I've missed a lot, so tell me!" Gilbert asked.
She looked up at him and was shocked that he suddenly seemed so huge.

"Avonlea was robbed and my parents are dead. Is that what you want to hear?" She then said. The boy fell silent and an awkward silence fell.

"Yeah." Gilbert said, his voice surprisingly soft.

"That was pretty much the first thing me and Bash found out. I'm really sorry Amy!" He said, now dead serious. I was like she woul have hit him with a board in the head.

"Marcus treated her badly. He deserved it, but her?" Amybella said more to herself. Her mother and she had grown increasingly distant, she had treated Amybella like she was nothing but a burden to her. She blamed Bella for her death and yet Amybella thought Marissa didn't deserve to get sick and die.

"How do you feel?" Gilbert then asked. Amybella laughed.

"How do I feel?! Gilbert my parents are dead!" She felt herself begin to tremble, her voice breaking and tears gathering in her eyes. She felt something break inside her as the words came over her mouth.
Her stomach twisted into a knot as if she had punched herself in it. The tears made their way down her cheek as Amybella felt Gilbert's arms around her. She pressed her face into his shirt and he stroked her head.

"I'm sorry." he whispered.

"It's going to be okay." He whispered her comforting words and Bella finally allowed herself to let her bottled up emotions go.
She cried into Gilbert's Arms vulnerable and yet, she didn't care.

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