ANNE STOOD AT AMYBELLA'S DOOR making hysterical movements with her arms.

"Appaling, Stupid, Clueless! Anne Sherly Cuthbert!" She said, empathizing the words dramatically

"Words can't describe how sorry I am! Oh Bella! I was so infatuated with Mrs. Stacy liking me. I wasn't thinking about your feelings I didn't mean to hurt you!" She said and shook her head. Bella smiled at her wryly.

"It's okay. Come on in." Anne didn't hesitate for a second. She stepped through the door and they sat down together on the table.

"I think I needed that, you know." Bella picked up the conversation again.

"I took the death of my parents death in my stride. I didn't mourn my mother for a second because I hated her." She looked at the red-haired girl for help, hoping that she understood.

„You hated your parents?" she asked, worriedly and Amybella pressed her lips together into a thin line.

„My mother at least. I never saw Marcus as my parent but yes I did. He mistreated her and threatened to throw me out of the
house." Amybella said and felt the tears well up in her eyes.

„Oh Bella why didn't you tell me?" Anne asked, shaking her head.

„I was too scared. When they died, I felt so.. relieved, because I was finally free but now.. now I wish nothing more than to have my mother back." Amybella felt her voice break and a tear rolling down her cheek. She felt Anne's Arms around her.

"You put your hatred before your grief. I know what that's like. I mean, I never really loved or hated anyone until now.."
Anne smiled, with her dimples on her cheeks as she always did, but then her face got serious again.

„Bella, is it possible for you to forgive?.. for my words? I-It doesn't have to be now." and said, looking scared. Amybella wiped away her tears.

„Of course I forgive you Anne." she said and Anne smiled in relieved. They fell into an embrace again.

"So please carry on with your goals!" Amybella heard Anne say to Gilbert as she walked into the classroom.
The girl looked around and spotted Mrs. Cuthbert talking to Mrs. Stacy.

"Alright students! Let's get started. Gilbert!" Gilbert stood up quickly and sat down with the others, next to Amybella.

"Science changes the world for the better. Does anyone know what electricity is?" Mrs. Stacy asked

"Light." said Anne.

"A form of energy." said Gilbert.

"That's what I wanted to say!" said Anne bitchily. She seemed even angrier at him now after what I'd told her.

"If you've ever seen a thunderstorm with mighty lightning bolts darting down from the sky. That's electricity. Power stuff. A bolt of lightning is a sudden, massive surge of electricity between the sky and the ground beneath." She explained and everyone in the room was listening closely.

"Isn't lightning also an electrical connection between two clouds?" Amybella asked.

"Very true. Great job!" Mrs. Stacy smiled at her. She picked up a potato.

"Electricity lives in atoms. Atoms are tiny particles from which all matter is made. They are so tiny that billions and billions of them are needed to form something useful, like a nail." They all looked at her enthusiastically.
She stuck a nail into the potato.

"All objects that take up space and have mass are called matter." She took a second potato and stuck a nail in it too.

"Everything that surrounds you is made of matter. Chocolate cake is made of matter." She smiled and the class giggled.

"You are also made of matter. And the electricity that already exists in the States, we now create it ourselves and light up a light bulb with it. How many of you has ever seen one?" She asked. Amybella raised her hand.

"In London." She smiled.

"In New York, actually." Gilbert said.

"In Charlottetown." Anne said, scowling at Gilbert. Amybella looked back and forth between them, confused.

"My Aunt Josephine has electricity." Diana smiled.

"Well, with the light bulb, science has found a way.. Electricity, atoms carrying energy stuck in a gas-filled container. With gas atoms!"
Now, the class looked at her, confused. She started wrapping a wire around the nails in the potatoes.

"And when these two types of atoms meet, they exchange their energy and create..."

"Light!" Anne and Gilbert replied at the same time.

"And here in Avonlea with a little skill and some Prince Adwords Island potatoes we have.. Electricity!" Mrs. Stacy said excited as the light bulb lit up.

Sadly, at this afternoon it came to an accident because Moody needed to let the light bulb burn his tongue and fall down to the floor, where it shattered.

"Come on, I'll get you out of here or the shards will cut your face!" Amybella heard Josie's mother scold her and rolled her eyes.

"We expect this classroom to be orderly and calm." Amybella turned towards Gilbert.

"Why is it her fault when Moody's stupid enough to try to eat it?" She didn't expect an answer from the boy and continued to watch the action.

"Country people." She rolled her eyes.

"That wasn't science that was prestidigitation!" Rachel said.

"Or for heaven's sake! It was an excellent lesson!" Marilla now intervened and gave Rachel a dirty look.
Bella too, hadn't expected Marilla to stand in for
Mrs. Stacy.

"We want our children to learn everything they need for higher education safely." said
Mrs. Barry.

"And what's that? Knitting and laundry? I've learned more today than I have in the last years at any school and I'm sure that this knowledge will help me a lot in the future." Amybella said and received venomous looks from the 'progressive women' as they called themselves.

"Pardon me. Mrs. Stacy is a dedicated, capable teacher." Gilbert also stood in for the woman.

"I hope to be exactly like her some day." Anne said and Mrs. Stacy smiled gratefully.

„The progressive mothers lobbied hard for the first female teacher in Avonlea. Please, don't squander the opportunity!" Mrs Barry asked in a serious tone.

There was a knock at the door and Bella opened it, only to see a heavily panting Gilbert standing in front of her.

"Gilbert. What's wrong?" The girl asked, confused about his condition. He seriously concerned.

"Bash is gone! He's in the Bug and I don't know.. I just-.." he blurted out.

"Calm down. Clean your shoes and come in. I'll make us some tea and then you can tell me what's going on." Amybella said, pulling the boy in.

"He wants to learn farming here. We had agreed that I would go to school for two more years and teach him. But now I can go to college next year if I work hard. He didn't like that." They sat next to each other at the table.

"Wait. Next year already?" Bella asked, confused.

"Mrs. Stacy said I could do it. I mean-.." he looked at her uncertainly. Amybella shook her head quickly.

„You're an idiot Blythe." she then said, standing up.

„What?" he asked. Amybella turned around.

„Do you ever think about something else than your books and your future plans." she asked concerned and Gilbert looked at her confused.

„Don't you want me to follow my dreams?" he asked. Amybella shook her head and walked towards him.

„Of course I want that, but.." she bit her lower lip and then took Gilbert's hands into hers, while sitting down.

„Gilbert there are other things in your life that are important too. You promised Bash to teach him how to farm so he can fend for himself! You can't just break that." she said.

Everything in Amybella yearned to tell him that she also didn't want him to go to college. She wanted him to stay with her.

Gilbert stared at her, for a long time, as if they were both drowning.

In the thoughts that none of them spoke.

—
A man walked alongside the train and searched it for hidden people. Fare dodgers. Amybella and her friends ducked their heads as he walked past them.

"We're hopping a freight car?!" Cole asked, horrified.

"I can't breathe," Diana said panicked.

"We're all going to die!" Ruby hissed a touch too dramatically.

"It'll be fine. People do it all the time. I read about it in a book," Anne said calm.

"A book? Y-you've never done it?!" asked Moody hysterically.

"Great encouragement Anne," Amybella commented.

"How hard could it be? We just need.. the right moment." She ran off and Bella immediately followed her. The girl felt her heart starting to race as they arrived the carriage, climbed in and waved to the others.

"Please don't let this go wrong," Amybella whispered pleading and the others climbed in too. They closed the door and the train set off.

—
"That was great!" Amybella said when the train finally stopped and opened the carriage. She jumped out, just to land straight in Gilbert's arms. The blonde looked at him in shock as he grinned.

"What are you doing here?!" Anne immediately said dismissively.

"I figure I should ask you the same question." He replied. Bella freed herself from his grip and looked at him.

"I want to see Sebastian. I hope he forgives me," Gilbert said as they walked along the station.

"I hope you find him. I'm sure you can fix it," said Anne.

"Good luck with your attempt to rescue Mrs. Stacy. I can't believe you jumped on a freight car." He looked at Amybella with a grin.

„Thanks Gilbert."

Bella couldn't help it but feel her heart flatter and her knees go weak at his smile.

—
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