WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT JOSEPHINE Barry's home, the box with the light bulbs was full of broken glass. Moody, who had been carrying the box had fallen on the street outside the shop and now they were all tired and sad from the accident that had occurred. The door of Josephines house got opened by Rowlings, the Battler of Mrs Barry.

"Oh! How did the madcap caper go?" Asked the man and the kids looked at the fashions.
He let them in and they told Mrs. Barry about the broken light bulbs.

"My, my.. This is a dreadful turn of events," said Josephine.

"What are you going to do?" asked Cole.

"I might be out of ideas!" said Anne and Bella looked at her in shock.

"But you never run out of ideas!" Ruby said hysterically once again. Amybella sighed.

"Use your imagination Anne. No matter how crazy she is," the blonde girl said.

"It's all my fault. Again," said Moody said, devastated. Bella held her tongue to not agree with him. She also was a bit mad at herself that she had let moody of all people, carry the box.

"It was an accident." Diana tried to cheer him up and laid a hand on his shoulder. His head turned towards her.

"My whole life is an accident!" He said and Bella had to stifle a laugh. She grunted as her fist rested on my mouth and turned it into a cough.

"Hrm. Sorry!" She muttered as she saw their indignant looks. Mrs. Barrys turned on the light.

"Rowlings. Do we have a ladders?" She then asked.

A few minutes later, they started unscrewing all the light bulbs from Josephine's house, which she gracefully had offered them.

"There, you've had enough adventure for one day." Amybella smiled as Josephine gave them money for the ride back.

"Thank you Aunt Josephine." Diana said. Her smile suddenly disappeared.

"You're not going to tell Mother and Father about all this, are you?" she asked anxiously.

"And limit your opportunities for further adventures? No way!" she laughed heartily.
They then looked at Cole.

"Cole's been through a lot. Were you able to comfort him a little?" asked Diana. Bella looked at the blonde boy who still was sad about his wrist.

"He knows I understand AND support him." Bella looked at her, confused. She didn't know what exactly Josephine meant but Anne had told her of the party she and Diana had attended together with Cole. It was for everyone who didn't quite fit in.

•

"Come on, hurry!" Amybella called.

"Here, I can take that!" Gilbert said, taking the box of light bulbs from the girl. His hand slightly brushed hers and Bella's skin seemed to catch fire.
They looked at each other for a moment, then the boy got into the train. Amybella shook her head when she spotted Cole, who suddenly stopped in his steps.

"Come on Cole, what are you doing?" She called and tried to get in, but he made no move.

"I'm not going back." he said firmly.

"What?" Amybella asked, confused.

"Aunt Joe said I could live with her," he explained.

"But.. your family.." Bella stepped back from the train and walked towards him. She saw Anne out of the corner of her eye, coming towards them.

"I know. But I can be free here. I can be myself. I've only been able to do that with you and Anne or.. Diana. I have a chance to live my dreams if I stay." He said and Bella felt er stomach tighten. She pulled him into her arms, to which he reacted a little stiffly at first.

"Do what Josephine says. She may be old, but she knows what she's talking about." She said and Cole smiled relieved at her.

"I'll come and visit you and Anne!" He said nodding, when suddenly a mischievous smile crept onto his face.

"In your lonely house, if Gilbert hasn't moved in till then of course." he winked at her.

"Wha-?" She asked, confused.

"Amy!" Gilbert shouted. Amybella gave Cole another quick hug.

"I'll miss you!" She said, then turned around.

"Come on!" Gilbert shouted and held out his hand to her. She grabbed it and the boy pulled her up. Amybella looked at Cole again.
He was smiling.
It was that certain kind of smile.
The smile out of pure happiness.

"Why so nervous Blythe?" She looked at the boy and noticed how close he suddenly was to her.

"Can't leave you here alone can I?" he said smiling. They looked at each other for a moment, their and smiles disappeared. Amybella could feel a tension between them and looked at Cole one last time, who now said goodbye to Anne. She saw the redhead running towards the train that was starting as she followed the two of them inside. The others were sitting together in a seat of four, so Gilbert and Bells sat down next to each other behind them.

"Did you find Bash?" Bella asked and Gilbert nodded slowly.

"Not only that. We're sharing the farm now. Partners. The plan won't be changed. I'm staying for the next two years." Gilbert looked at Amybella hopefully, waiting for her reaction. The girl gasped happily and threw her arms around his neck in an embrace. She then realized what she was doing and quickly separated from him.

"Hrm. Sorry. I mean that's good! That's good." She nodded and then saw him grinning.

•

"Therefore, we are of the opinion that Mrs. Stacy has proven that she is neither qualified nor an appropriate person to shape the young minds of Avonlea."
Amybella rolled her eyes in annoyance, she didn't listen to the rest of their different ramblings.
From a teacher we expect this... we expect that.
The door opened and Mrs. Stacy walked in. She resisted.

"Miss Stacy! If you don't mind. We're conducting a meeting!" Rachel stood up.

"I don't recall your presence being requested!"
Mrs. Stacy strolled down the aisle in the middle of the room with her pants on and her hands inside the pockets of the pants. Everyone in the room looked at her in shock, not like Bella, who couldn't stop smiling proudly.

"Indeed, my presence was not requested." the aforementioned now starts to speak.

"But I feel I have a right to speak on my own behalf." She said and excited murmurs went through the crowd. Miss Stacy walked further forward.

"It would be easier for all of us if I left!" She said, nodding and the room was silent.

"You cannot imagine that I want to cause dissent in your community. Or that I appreciate being accused of purposefully doing so." She looked at
Mr. Andrews.

"I'm here tonight because I asked myself a question that I ask you now."
She continued to walk forward.

"What is the most important thing to focus on, regarding your children's education? Petty jealousy? Prejudice? Fear?" she looked closely at everyone.

"The important question to ask yourself is: are your children learning? I believe the answer is yes."

"We have to hurry!" Anne took us back. They got back to work. Mrs. Stacy gave an impressive speech before Bella and her friends, walked to the front with their 'Potato bulb lamps', as moody liked to call them, and held them up in the air.

"You've just witnessed Mrs. Stacy's methods in action. She taught us what electricity is, but she also showed us the importance of intusiasm and curiosity, which was necessary to make this possible." Amybella stood next to Gilbert and stared at the light, then at Anne.

"She's going to be a great woman one day." She smiled and the brunette boy nudged her.

"And you?" he asked.

"Wherever the wind takes me." She smiled the both of them grinned at each other. This moment seemed so perfect. Here in Avonlea. With her friends. Yes, the girl finally felt like home again.

"There's always a way to look at things uh.. differently!" Matthew had stood up and looked at Anne, smiling shyly. He sat down and Bella saw Marilla's surprised look.

"If you only ever do what you already know. Or what you've always done. Then you'll never be more than you are." Bella said and smiled at Mrs. Stacy.

"I came back to Avonlea because I needed what had always been here. But why should I stay if I can't grow?" said Gilbert.

"Mrs. Stacy supports us in achieving our dreams. She supports me in becoming a doctor." He told and then Marilla stood up.

"As someone who has spent a lifetime without change and then a great change came upon me!.." she looked at Anne and smiled.

"I can assure you, it's the only way to learn and grow," she said firmly and sat down.

The evening was a complete success. Mrs. Stacy was allowed to stay.
Gilbert and Bella left the town hall and made their way home.
They walked side by side in silence for a while until it became uncomfortable for Bella, but she didn't break it. Suddenly Gilbert stopped in his steps. Bella turned around and raised an eyebrow.

"Everything all right?" She asked, approaching him. He looked at the girl.

"Why does everything have to be planned?" he asked and Bella was surprised by the question.

"What do you mean-" she asked and he interrupted her.

"Why can't we live in the moment.. here and now?" he took a step towards Bella and the girl felt her heart starting to beat faster.

"I thought we already do." She said, confused.

"I mean.. not in that way! We still have so much time Amy! And.." he now stood so close to her that the girl was looking up to him. Gilbert took her hands into his, letting his thumb draw circles in her knuckles.

"I want to spend it with you.".

•

"I, Sebastian. Take thee, Mary. To be my wedded wife. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse. For richer or for poorer. In sickness and in health. To love and to cherish till death is do part." Amybella was touched by Bash's words.
She took Gilbert's hand and intertwined their fingers. The boy first looked at his hand and then at her. Bella rested her head on his shoulder.

"A wonderful cerimony," Gilbert said and the girl nodded, lost in thought.

"I don't know if I'll ever get married." She suddenly said.

"What? What do you mean?" Gilbert asked.

"I think the bond between two people is worth more than wearing a ring on your finger. I don't like the idea of being someone's wife. Do you understand? I have a mind of my own!" Amybella said, thinking about aunt Josephine's words. She didn't want to be the intimidated girl any longer. She wanted to be her confident self again.

"No I get that." Gilbert replied, but seemed lost in his own thoughts. The boy had definitely thought about marrying one day. And deep down he hoped, it would be Amy to be his wife.
But that was a foolish thought. Yet, he still was only 16.

No one could know what their future would bring.

The end of ACT II jayyyy
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