ANNE LOOKED AT AMYBELLA AS SHE looked out of the window of the moving train in thought. The look on her face reminded Anne of her own first train ride to Avonlea.
She remembered being so excited to be taken into a family as a daughter and she had sworn herself that she'd do anything to make Marilla and Matthew, whom she did not know to that moment, happy with having her.
She then thought about how so much had changed. She remembered meeting Amybella a few days after she had come to Green Gables and how much the girl was different now.
It's like she had lost all that strength and that confidence to speak up whenever something didn't sit right with her. Anne really missed the friend she had always looked up to.
She nudged the girl slightly.

"Do you remember how we sneaked on the trailers without a ticket?" Anne asked and Bella started to grin.

"Oh you were mad for having that idea." She closed her eyes, ashamed by the memory of doing something so risky and stupid.

"What else were we supposed to do? We only needed a little imagination." Anne laughed.

"Isn't it amazing how much has changed? If my younger self would know that I have a home and a family and I'm going to college.." Anne stopped and closed her eyes. She sighed.

"She wouldn't think it to be true, she would pinch herself in her wrist and be waiting to wake up." Anne said through a chuckle.
Amybella grinned too.

"No to forget that you are wearing puffed sleeves now!" She said and both of them laughed.

"Oh they're exquisite." Anne said and they laughed even louder but had to stop themselves so that the other passengers on the train wouldn't be disturbed.

"I'm so thankful for our friendship Anne. I can't believe it's been 5 years already!" Bella said and shook her head in disbelief.

"I now know what Jane Eyre meant: 'It passed so rapidly: it drew to a close before I had well begun to enjoy it.' She said that about one single afternoon but I'm sure it counts." Anne said and Amybella chuckled.

"I really have to read that one. Your quotes sound so beautiful." Bella said and laid her head into Anne's shoulder. She took a breath in for a moment, so that she could let everything drop from her shoulders. She closed her eyes, letting herself feel comforted by Anne's presence.

•

Anne and Bella walked out of the train and into the station. Anne seemed nervous so Bella laid a hand on her back and lead her along.
They stepped into the middle of the room looking around.

"Anne? Amybella?" The two of them turned around. Miss Stacy stood at the other end of the room and smiled as she recognized them.

"Oh Miss Stacy!" Anne gasped and the woman ran towards them. She took Anne into her arms.

"There you are!" Miss Stacy said and Bella laughed in joy.

"It feels like it's been decades!" Anne said as she let go of the woman and Miss Stacy stepped towards Bella and took her into her arms too.

"And Amybella! You two have grown so much! And you look elegant!" She said astonished and the two girls laughed.

"Took the train for the whole night, oh it was so kind of you to escort her Amybella!" Miss Stacy said and Bella nodded.

"It's no problem I'll take the train to Queens tomorrow!" She responded, nodding. Anne decided that she would take the job in New Brunswick and would teach here for a while now. Amybella was nowhere near saying goodbye to her.

"Oh please take us somewhere I can hear myself think!" Anne said and Miss Stacy laughed.

"I got a carriage waiting just outside! Where are your luggage tickets?" She asked and the girls gave them to her.

"The driver can take care of your trunk!" She said and Anne sighed.

"Thank you so much!" She said and Muss Stacy took their bags into her hands. They followed her outside.

"I intend to keep up with my writing! Bella and I are planning on publishing a book about small country stories of Avonlea!" Anne told Miss Stacy as they sat in the carriage.

"Anne does the writing, I simply throw some of my ideas in! Being raised by Rachel for two years really gave me a lot of them!" Bella said and all three of them laughed.

"I can imagine that!" Miss Stacy said.

"I'm sure you'll make an enormous contribution to our ladies college! After all you were my priced people in Avonlea!" She then said and the carriage came to a stop.

"I'm so nervous I won't meet their expectations!" Anne said worriedly.

"Ah nonsense! They may be privileged young ladies from wealthy families, but they're spoiled and defiant." They stepped out of the carriage and walked up the stairs towards the college.
The house already was huge and beautiful. Anne and Bella looked at it astonishment while Bella already envied Anne for getting to live and work at such a place.

Miss Stacy knocked on the door and asked for Mrs. Pringles. Soon after that a woman in a green dress opened the door.

"Miss Stacy! How delightful to see you." The woman said.

"And you Mrs. Pringle! May I introduce you to Anne Shirley of Avonlea, Prince Edward Island?" Miss Stacy responded and turned to Anne.

"How do you do?" Anne asked, obviously nervous.
Mrs Pringles nodded.

"She's our new English teacher at Kings Port Ladies College." Miss Stacy said and the woman didn't respond.
Miss Stacy tilted her head.

"Should I meet a carriage bring her trunk?" She asked and the woman tilted her head,

"Obviously you have not received my letter. I'm afraid I decided not to take her, Miss Stacy." The woman said and the smiles of the other three women disappeared.

"I'm rather tired of being bothered by boarding staff. My girls are finished as you know and I already spend so little time with the long eye." She said and Bella didn't even understand what the woman was talking about.
They refused Anne at such short hand?

"But-.." Miss Stacy wanted to speak up but the woman wouldn't let her.

"Good day Miss Stacy." She said and closed the door.

"Uh! Typically Pringle. Smooth as green even if they're working against you." She said and then stepped down the stairs.

"They won't take Anne, what now?" Bella asked as the two girls followed her.

"Well we shall see about that! Kings Port is full of Pringles, half-Pringles. They have the old money that rules this town. And her cousin Amy Pringles applied for your position but she was slightly less qualified might I add!" Miss Stacy said as they got into the carriage.

"However, when the Board announced your application there is nothing they can do than throw their heads back in a howl!" She said and then told the driver to bring them to Kings Port.

"They can't boycott the Boards decision! It's undemocratic. They might rule this town both politically and socially but I will not let them rule our system of education." Miss Stacy stated as they drove along.

"I can't imagine how unnerving that must be!" Anne said as she looked outside.

"I don't envy you anymore for working here Anne. Now I rather admire your courage!" Bella said, grinning.
They arrived at the Ladies College and stepped inside.

•

After they had talked to the headmaster of the staff at the school, Muss Stacy and Bella had brought Anne to her room.

"Well, we will leave you to settle in then!" Muss Stacy said and was pulled into an embrace by Anne.

"Thank you so much Miss Stacy! And thank you Bella! Please write me as often as you can!" The redhead begged as she pulled the blonde woman in too. Bella smiled

"I will." She said and watched Anne walk up the stairs. Her and Miss Stacy walked outside and sat in the carriage.
They drove to Miss Stacy's place where Bella would stay the night.

"How are you doing Amybella?" The woman asked and laid a hand into Bella's that was folded on her lap.

"Quite good! It's just sad to say goodbye to Anne. We grew together like sisters." She said looking out the window. Miss Stacy nodded.

"You know.." she said slowly and hesitated.

"Gilbert told me about his proposal to you." She told her and Bella's head turned to her. Then she sighed.

"Is he angry at me?" She asked and Miss Stacy shook her head.

"No, not at all, he's just confused.. we all were so sure that you would say yes." She explained tilting her head.
Bella sighed and blinked away the tears that came up in the corner of her eye.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you." She shook her head and avoided her former teachers eyes by looking out of the window again. Miss Stacy tugged at Bella's hand.

"I'm not disappointed Bella-.." she said and broke off with a sigh.

"Yes you are. Everyone is. Gilbert must hate me." She said and Miss Stacy took her by the shoulders to turn the blonde's body towards her.

"Believe me I am not. I understand you Amybella!" The woman said and Bella looked at her confused.
Miss Stacy sighed.

"I remember.. the first time I saw you. When you sat in my class and you ran out of my classroom because Anne had told word about your parents." she said and Bella closed her eyes. She had pushed that memory away, wanting to forget that embarrassing moment.
Miss Stacy continued talking, her eyes constantly focused on Bella's.

"I had a long talk with her afterwards, believe me. With the essay she was supposed to write she told me about you, when she handed it in. About how you had spend weeks inside your house after your mother's death." She continued and Bella already felt the urge to jump out of the carriage and flee the scene. Miss Stacy seemed to sense that so she tightened her grip but held the girl just as softly and caring.

"I was so surprised, thinking about everything you've been through and still you sat in my classroom, your mind so bright and not a single thing that could distract you from learning." She said and Bella saw her eyes filled with pride. She felt the tears welling up in her eyes and a deep knot on the inside of her heart.

"You changed so much through these years Amybella. I watched you grow into a woman with such strength, it is only remarkable." She shook her head and took Bella's hands again.

"I don't know how you managed to handle everything but you did." She said and smiled. She tilted her head forward, closer towards Bella.

"Look at you. Look how far you've come." She nodded her head.

"After everything you've been through I understand why you are scared of this engagement. Why you are scared of life long commitment, believe me, I see you Bella." The woman said and the first sob escaped Bella's mouth as she could no longer hold her tears.

"Oh!" The woman sighed and pulled the girl into her chest.
Amybella started to cry, her shoulders shaking violently. She didn't know what came over her but she just never felt so understood in her feelings. It was like Miss Stacy could read her like an open book.

"I'm so sorry!" She sobbed and felt Miss Stacy shake her head.

"Don't be." The woman said and ran her hand over the girls back.
They sat like this in the carriage for a while and even after it had stopped, they didn't move.
Not even the driver has said anything, he seemed to understand the situation.

Bella then finally calmed down and sat straight again. Miss Stacy's hands staid in the girls shoulder.

"Marriage is difficult. The search for eternal happiness is a waste of time. It is completely unreasonable to hope to always be happy. It is neither possible nor realistic! You can only recognize joy if you also know sorrow. Those among us who climb to the highest heights also fall into the deepest abysses!" Miss Stacy said and put a hand on Bella's cheek.

"But I believe that you can do it. That Blythe boy loves you, I have seen in with my own eyes. And I'm sure that together you're gonna have a wonderful future despite of struggles." She said and Bella nodded.

"Thank you Miss Stacy." She said and wiped her tears. The woman then pulled her back into an embrace.

Author's note:
I think this is my fav chapter ever in this whole book!
We just love Miss Stacy

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