AMYBELLA WAS WALKING TO THE
paddock with Abraxas, mumbling and sinking in her thoughts.

„Amybella McCurthy." she heard a voice calling her name. She turned around and spotted Billy Andrews.

"Billy?" She asked confused, then it dawned on her and her gaze hardened. She let her stallion into the paddock and closed the gate.

"You're looking better. Your face isn't sly anymore." She commented and turned around with a confident look on her face.

"My father sent me. Heard Blythe is proposing to someone else?" He knew very well that it hurt the girl, when he said that.

"My father is giving you another chance you know. It's very generous of him to do that!.. at all. I think it's mostly out of pity." Bella laughed at the boy.

"Pity? I'd rather kiss the dirt and stay poor forever than put up with YOU and your FAMILY." He approached her.

"Careful. Your reputation is already under attack anyway. You don't wanna end like Josie-.." his eyes darted down and up to shy Bella away.

A sharp sound filled the air before Billy flinched and held his red cheek in pain.

"Don't you dare.. THREATEN me! Andrews!" Billy got angry and made another step towards her and grabbed her arm.

"Who do you think you are, orphan?!" he was suddenly pulled off the girl and shoved to the ground.
Bella spotted blond hair and soon after that the tensed face of Cole.

"I say you go now." The boy said with a much deeper voice than Bella remembered from him. He looked down at Billy, who was seemingly shocked about Cole's appearance. His jaw was tense, his hands clenched into fists. The last time Billy had seen him was when Cole was much skinnier and weaker.
Billy got to his feet, intimidated by his size and probably because the last time Billy had messed with Cole, his ear had almost been blown off, so he left them alone and went off.

"You blew your chance!" he shouted, turning back a last time..

"GET OUT ANDREWS!" Bella looked at Cole, then back at Billy, who was already gone.

"Bella-.." The boy said when Bella sank to her knees. She immediately felt two arms around her.

"Cole. Everything is going wrong." She said, devastated.

"Let's go inside. Come on!" The boy said and they went into the house. Bella calmed down quickly and made them some tea, then she hugged the blonde boy.

"What are you doing here? Sorry you had to greet me like that." Cole smiled.

"I was bored and wanted to see you! Find out if Gilbert has moved in yet!" Bella bowed her head.

"He's marrying someone else. She's offering him a great future. He'll be happy." She said shortly and gave him his tea.

"Yeah, aunt Jo told me. But how could he be happy without you?" said Cole. Bella shook her head.

"He wanted more than me." she said and got hurt by her own words.

"Come on, you know that's not true Bella. You have to stop him." Bella looked at him amused and then shook her head.

"Why should I?" She kept looking at the floor. Cole took her hands in his.

"Because you love him?" Bella looked at him in amazement.

"Love? I've never loved anyone." She said, shaking her head. Cole looked at her sadly.

"Besides, he rode off to Charlottetown this morning. He'll propose to her." she then said, staring at her tea.

„It's too late."

•

Weeks had passed since Cole showed up at Bella's place. He convinced her to stay with him and Josephine to put everything aside. She needed to clear her head and to prepare for college.
Josephine was horrified about the Andrews. They had spent hours talking about the rudeness and incompetence of them. Diana's parents hadn't changed their minds and Gilbert hadn't contacted Bella either. He didn't know where she was and that was a good thing.

"What's that supposed to be?" Cole asked, looking at Bella's picture. They were both painting outside in the garden.

"Uh- a-a BIRD!" Bella with a shocked expression. The blonde boy laughed.

"That looks like a blue meatball!" He then said and the girl gasped.

"It does NOT. Besides there are no BLUE meatballs!" She said, continuing to draw.

"In your world, obviously, there are!" He said and Bella raised a brow.

"I like my bird, you're not allowed to insult it." She said, raising her chin proudly.

"I didn't insult it, I described it!" The boy responded.

"And NOW! You're not allowed to my birds tea party." She shrugged, her eyes focused on her picture. The blonde boy beside her laughed.

Cole and Bella got on better and better, she'd always liked him, but she'd never really known him that well.
Josephine threw her party again, the one Anne and Diana had attended 2 years ago. But they were busy now. Anne with the Cuthbert harvest and Diana with her preparation for Paris.

The party was the best evening of Bella's whole life. She had never felt such a belonging like she did among these people. Each of them showed off their exceptionality with great pride. No one was pretending, everyone was themselves.

"And what are you going to do with yourself?" asked a woman with short blonde hair, just like Anne used to wear it when she cut her hair off. Only it looked neater and more intentional.

"I'm thinking about going into politics. I know that's impossible for women, but I want to try. I want to change something in the world. Improving the status quo. I've always wanted that." Bella was afraid of the woman's reaction, but she just nodded.

"Well, I think you can do that. Even if the path will be crumbling and twisted." She nodded approvingly and a feeling of pride spread through Bella.

•

The wonderful weeks passed quickly and the day came for her to go to college.
She was back at home and looked at herself in the mirror.
She wore a dress that was made by Rachel. It was mint green, her favorite color. With a knotted jacket that hugged her figure and her hair put up by Rachel, she was ready to go.

"Perfect." Rachel marveled. Bella turned to her.

"I really appreciate this Rachel. What you've done for me, the last months." She hugged the woman.

"Ah, it's alright child, it's alright! You're welcome!" Rachel patted her back and Bella broke away from her.

"Marilla and Matthew will come and get you later. Have fun. Oh yes! Remember to cover the furniture. Otherwise they'll break, that would be too bad, huh?" she looked at her seriously.

"I will do so! For the life of the furniture." Bella giggled. Rachel walked out of the door and Bella heard the front door close. She sighed, then sat down on her bed. She had put everything away in drawers and cupboards so it wouldn't get dusty, so now her room looked empty.

Amybella tilted her head as she spotted something on her desk. She got up and walked closer, when she realized it was a note. Her heart leapt to her throat and then continued beating twice as fast, when she recognized Gilbert's writing. She took it in her hands and opened it.

—

My dear Amy,
I don't know where you are and I'm also really upset about you leaving so suddenly. I guess I now know how you must have felt when I left Avonlea three years ago.
I know that I made mistakes and I wish you knew how incredibly sorry I am, for everything that has happened between us. I need you now, more than ever.
I finally came to realize that it was you, who's the only owner of my heart and I only realized that when you weren't there anymore.
Please don't be alarmed. I'm going to college in Toronto and if I will never see you again because of that, I want you to know this.

My heart longs for you and only you and if you are reading this, please find me and talk to me.

I love you Amy. My Amy.

-Gilbert

—

Amybella stared at the note, stunned, and read the last sentence again. She didn't know whether to cheer or cry. She just stood there, not being able to move.
She then jumped, when she heard a lout yelp
outside, and let the letter fall to the ground.

She walked downstairs, seeing someone lying on her porch. She walked out the door, only to see brown curls, spread all over the pale face of none other than Gilbert Blythe.

"Damn it!" The boy cursed, propping himself up, he pust have fallen over the single step on the porch.

There he sat, breathing fast, like he had been sprinting to her house.
Bella stared at him, her fingers trembling and her heart beginning to race.
He then looked up to her and his brown eyes finally met hers.

„You won't go to Paris?" she asked, confused. Gilbert nodded and stood up. He clapped the dust off his pants.

"No I won't." Amybella scanned him with her eyes. Thousands of thoughts rushed through her head. So many question as if why he wrote her that letter and why he wasn't going to Paris.

"I don't understand." She said, shaking her head. Nothing made sense to her anymore. Gilbert sighed.

"I'm not going to study at Sorbonne." He said.

"I made a horrible mistake, I know! I hurt you and I've been too selfish to notice that!" He explained.

"I'm so sorry." He sighed, stepping closer to her.
His eyes were desperate.

"Gilbert." She sighed, stepping away from him, but the boy took her hands into his.

"I should have known that you're the only one. I'm sorry Amy." His voice grew more steady again.

"Well it's no use now, it's too late! You'll be fine Gilbert." She said and the boy looked down at her, confused.

"I couldn't ever be happy without you Amy." He shook his head. Why couldn't she understand? He thought.

"Gilbert your future-.." she started but he interrupted her.

„My future will be fine. But what is it worth without you on my side?" He stated. Amy now felt herself getting angry.

"My reputation is already bad Gilbert! And I will not sully it by being the other woman on your side!" Amy shook her head. Now it was Gilbert's turn to look at her confused.

How couldn't he get her point? She thought.
Did he seriously think, writing her a letter and telling her that he loved her, while he was engaged to Winnifred was alright?

"What are you talking about?" He asked.

"You'll be wed to Winnifred! Do you expect me to be your second wife?" Amy asked as they finally came to the point of the issue.
Gilbert shook his head, almost laughing.
He scoffed,

"Amy there is no wedding!" He said and Bella felt her heart stop.

"What?"

—
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