Chapter Eight
You Can't Kiss A Girl!

Mabel giggled as she gently blew on the feather. The other girl's giggles filled Mabel's ears, but only Anne's sent electricity through her bones.

She looked over at Anne couldn't help but grin. But the feather came to her, so she had to tear her eyes of the girl to keep the feather up.

"Ruby! This is serious. We're supposed to be studying each others lips." Anne explained, causing laughter to explode from the girls.

Mabel could study Anne's lips all day.

"I think yours are delicate and inviting." Anne smiled and the blonde.

"And Tillie's are soft and even to the eye."

Mabel couldn't help but let jealousy flare up in her heart from listening to Anne describe their lips.

"Jane's are like a rose bud beginning to bloom."

"Mine are awful!" Anne cried. "They look like the old and fat caterpillars living in the old willow tree."

Awful? Mabel thought to herself No, no. Anne's lips are perfect. Mabel's eyes widened and she scolding herself for thinking so scandalously of Anne. Another girl.

"They are a bit swollen.." Jane confirmed.

"It's my own fault.. I have a terrible habit of chewing on my bottom lip when thinking... problem is that I'm always thinking."

"Your lips are perfectly pink and luscious." Diana comforted, placing a hand on Anne's shoulder

"Diana, you without a doubt have the best most kissable cupids bow. And the brightest smile to light anyone's heart." Anne rambled to Diana about her lips.

Mabel sucked in a breath as she looked away from the pair of girls.

"And Mabel?" Anne turned to her, causing Mabel's heart to skip a beat. "You certainly have the prettiest and pinkest lips out of all of us. Your future husband will certainly enjoy kissing you very much."

Mabel's face flushed as she looked away nervously.

"Do you think Prissy and Mr. Phillips have kissed?" Ruby changed the subject, and Mabel thanked God for that lovesick young girl.

"Not yet.. but soon I imagine. Prissy's studying for her Queen's academy entrance exams, and sometimes Mr. Phillips stops by our house to give us "extra help"." Jane said in a hushed tone.

"Prissy is only two years older than us." Tillie said, shaking her head.

"I want to have an official beau by the time I'm fifteen. I hope Gilbert will be back by then." Ruby told the girls dreamily.

"You think of nothing but beaus, Ruby."

"What's wrong with that?" Ruby looked as if she wanted to say more, but Tillie interrupted.

"I've never even seen a real kiss before. My parents don't go in for that kind of thing." Tillie said, looking kind of sad.

"I have." Mabel piped up, "Henry and his wife kiss all the time.. It's very strange."

"I once overheard Mrs. Lynde and her husband share a kiss. It sounded like a cow dragging its hind hoof out of a swamp!"

The group of girl's burst out in laughter, Mabel's face turning red from the lack of air.

"If someone were to kiss me, I'm afraid I'd do something silly.. or forget to do something I should do." Diana explained, looking around at the girl's for assistance. "What are the rules? Why don't they teach kissing etiquette?"

Anne stood suddenly, startling Mabel who sat next to her. "We could make a game! To see who could conduct the most romantic courtship. With brave nights and enchanted princesses and sorcerers and desperados! It'd be great practice.

"Oh, Anne! You have such a beautiful imagination.."

"Diana you can play the gallant young man.."

Diana grinned and got into a kneeling position.

"Prince Wisteria, wilt thou let fly the feather of fortune and choose thy heart pure maiden?" Anne spoke wistfully, pretending her hand was a king's staff.

"I shall." Diana said, mimicking a man's voice as she stood.

She held the feather over the girls, letting it go. The wind carried it over to Tille.

"Uh.. oh." Tillie stammered out as she stood up. "What should I do, Diana?"

"Oh! Tillie, you can't talk to Prince Wisteria as if he were our friend, Diana. It spoils the effect." Anne explained.

"I-I'm waiting for my handsome young prince to come and claim me." Tillie said, her hands folded together.

Diana cleared her throat as she spoke in the same fake man's voice. "Why, who is this fair and noble maiden?"

Diana spun her around and planted a kiss on her cheek. Mabel couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if that was her and Anne.

"Why must the girl wait for the boy?"

"What?"

"Anne!"

"Are you mad? Mabel, tell Anne she's gone completley out of her mind." Ruby spoke, turning to Mabel.

"If I wanted to kiss a boy.. couldn't I just... kiss him?"

The girl's around Mabel scolded Anne through laughter, shouting about how that's not "proper".

Mabel shook her head, but grinned nonetheless. She felt happiness shoot through her as she looked around at her friends. But she only wanted to gaze at Anne.

~~~

Mabel, Diana, Anne, and Ruby linked their arms together as they rushed up to the school house giggling

"Have you ever noticed what cheerful things brooks are?" Anne sighed dreamily.

"How sweet!" Ruby grinned.

They greeted Jane and Tillie as they leaned down to place their milk in the freezing water.

Suddenly, she felt a rush of cold hit the back of her legs.

"Bloomies and knickers!" One of the boys shouted.

Mabel shot up, as she began to shake, her mind sending her back to the memories she so desperately wanted to forget.

She could tell Anne had too, as she had the same look as Mabel was sure she had too.

"Keep your hands off!" Anne shouted, glaring at the nasty boys who pulled the stunt.

"Woah!" They raised their hands mockingly.

"You mustn't mind them, Anne. They're just boys being boys. They love to torment our lives out." Diana explained, looking in between Anne and Mabel.

"I do mind! I mind a great deal."

"Me.. me too." Mabel whispered shakily. Anne looked briefly at her before taking a step forward towards the boys.

"A skirt is not an invitation!" The only response this got was more laughter.

"Anne, are you alright?"

"Yes. But Mabel? She's clearly not."

Diana and Anne walked up to the girl who now stood facing the woods, staring in silence.

"Mabel? Are you okay?"

"I'd rather not talk about it right now, Anne." Mabel whispered, tears forming in her eyes. Anne nodded silently, pulling her into a comforting hug.

Eventually, they had to go into the school house. But that didn't stop the chatter.

"Quiet! All of you! Settle down... ev-everyone." Mr. Phillips stammered.

"I think Diana makes for a very convincing prince." Anne smiled, the sun shining on her face brightly. It looked as if she were glowing.

"I agree!" Mabel nodded, her red bow bouncing as she did.

"I was going for daring! Dashing and a little bit wicked!" Diana giggled.

"You had me." Mabel smiled at her friend.

"Well, who needs real boys when we have Prince Wisteria?" Ruby asked, leaning forward in her seat.

"What are you guys talking about?" Josie walked over, her books in hand.

"Anne invited us over for an afternoon of parlor games!" Ruby explained, not knowing Josie wasn't invited.

"All of you?" Mabel began to feel bad. The hurt look on Josie's face sent a wave of guilt flooding over her. She tried to cover it up, and did so quite successfully. But Mabel saw through it as she's been in that position before. "Parlor games? Without boys? Fine for you. I'm far too mature for such childish amusements.."

~~

School ended quickly, much to Mabel's happiness. Unfortunately, she couldn't go home. Josie Pye had different ideas in mind.

"Whomever the bottle points to.. you are permitted to kiss." Josie explained, an empty milk bottle in her hand. "It needs to be boy, girl, boy, girl."

"Where does that leave Cole?" Billy laughed, earning an eye role from Cole himself.

"Jane, go sit next to your dumb brother. Tillie, you're over there. And, Anne, switch places with Charlie."

"Who would like to spin first?"

"Diana!" Charlie said, winking at her. Shock crossed over her features.

"Uh.." She leaned forward, spinning the bottle.

"Moody!" Josie said, a smirk on her face.

"Me?" Ruby looked worriedly over at Mabel, believing the two liked each other. Mabel smiled gently at her as a sign that she was okay.

"Now you have to kiss. On the mouth."

Diana and Moody awkwardly stood up and stepped into the center.

"Good afternoon, Moody."

"Good afternoon, Diana. I'm going to kiss you now."

Diana nodded in confirmation, and he leaned in. Moody gave her a short peck on the lips, pulling away with a lovesick look on his face.

Clapping erupted from each of the students.

Mabel was up next. She reached forward shakily and spun the bottle. It spun and spun and spun until it stopped.

On Anne.

Mabel's heart stopped as she swallowed thickly. She briefly glanced at Anne, who was already staring at her. "Uh.."

"Ugh, gross." Josie gagged. "You can't kiss a girl! Spin again."

Mabel nodded silently, letting her fingers brush the bottle again.

Once again, it spun and spun and spun. Until it stopped again. This time, it landed on Charlie.

Charlie smirked and stood, sticking our a hand to pull the girl up.

He helped her step into the circle, and she was sure the group could hear her pounding heart.

Charlie tentatively placed a hand on her cheek. Mabel felt herself blush as he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers.

The kiss was brief, but she couldn't help but imagine it was Anne. When he pulled away he grinned widely at her. "Thank you."

Mabel nodded, clearing her throat as she sat down.

"Your turn, Anne." Mabel's heart skipped a beat.

"I'm out. No way. Ugly orphan."

Anger flared in Mabel's stomach as she whipped her head towards Billy Andrews.

"Anne isn't ugly! Or an orphan! You may be nice on the outside, but Billy Andrews.. You have a nasty soul." Mabel bit, glaring at him.

"What are you afraid of, Anne? I seem to recall you know a lot of intimate relations." Josie said smugly. "You're from unfortunate circumstances.. this can't be your first kiss."

The anger in Mabel's stomach as Josie Pye continued to taunt Anne.

Anne stood, leaving abruptly. She pushed past Josie as she left the schoolhouse.

Mabel shared a look with Diana as they both stood to follow her.

"Anne!"

"Anne, Anne, Anne, slow down, please!"

"Why did you run, Anne?"

"That Josie Pye! With someone with such a lack of imagination she certainly knows how to invent cruel and unsual ways to torture. Why should I be forced to give a sigh of tenderness to indifferent, or in some cases, repulsive people?"

"Billy wasn't very nice at all. I'm sorry he hurt your feelings."

"The whole thing wasn't very nice at all! I mean, Mabel had to watch you and Moody kiss. It's not conducive."

"Con-Conducive?"

"To understanding anything about romance!" The girls continued walking home. Diana and Anne dropped Mabel off at her house as the cold began getting to her.

Mabel couldn't help but wonder what they were talking about. Maybe Anne mentioned it to Diana?

She hoped it was kind words if she did.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

{ Word Count: 1932 }

{ A/n: Hi i love them }

{ Edited: No }