┍━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━┑

chapter forty three

|after all, you're my sister|

┕━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━┙

could use some help with the fence this morning before you both go," sebastian spoke up as gilbert walked into the room. ben just quietly stuff his book into his bag.

the events yesterday cause such an impact in ben's mind. he was rather hurt that millie rejects his feelings. he doesn't understand what's bothering her to accept his feelings for her.

"miss stacy's expecting us early," ben just answered.

"i can't believe i could actually be in college next year and ben next few months," gilbert just blurted out.

"wait. what do you mean, next year and a few months?" bash asked, clearly confused.

"well, i told you last night, we're accelerating my studies," gilbert explained, he's running around the kitchen, trying to find things.

"yeah, but leaving early, that was never the plan," bash said as he stood up, following the gilbert to the other side of the room.

ben just stared at them, he stayed silent. he didn't even effort to say a few words. he couldn't care less.

"we have a chance, finally, to get something that we want. why wouldn't we take it?" gilbert said.

"i came here so we could work this land together for two years until it comes back to life and i've learned farming and then you'll both go, " bash furiously stated.

ben couldn't hold back and blurted out, "plan's changed. this is our future. besides, i want to leave in this town!"

bash turned to ben, "you don't even consult me? i thought we were in this together."

"we are," ben just simply said, obviously in his voice that he's not caring enough.

"i don't know what i'm doing. this is a farm, not a ship!" bash snapped.

"you have time to get up to speed," ben stated calmly.

"while i'm alone and you two at school every minute?!"

"we can get you help," gilbert said.

"nobody wants to know me, let alone work for me! how do i do all this by myself?!" bash yelled at them.

"you'll figure it out! we gotta go!" ben yelled as they both walked out of the house.

he felt guilty for tooking out his anger to bash. he just wants to leave avonlea early, he felt like avonlea really caused heartbreak to him.

"are you alright?" gilbert asked him as he just simply nodded.

his brother seems to understand and didn't even push the subject further as they just walked to school silently.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

millie walked inside of green gables.

"millie!" anne called to her as marilla and matthew looked at her with widened eyes.

"what happened to you, child?!" marilla exclaimed.

"eh... i suppose, i see her sleeping in the hay," matthew said.

anne came up to her, "millie, i'm so sorry----" anne could not finish her sentence as millie raised her hands, addressing to stop.

millie choose to ignore all of them as she walked upstairs to their room and locked herself.

a few seconds, a knock comes up, "mildred?" and it reveals marilla.

"i heard what happened yesterday from anne. well, if not going to school makes you feel better today, i will allow it just for the day," marilla said as she sat down beside millie.

millie just engulf marilla in a hug as she let out all the tears she's holding back. marilla hugged her back as she stroked millie's hair.

after a few moments, millie pulled away as marilla spoke up, "i'm going with anne to her school. i supposed, anne made a mistake and miss stacy requested her to make an essay about not spreading gossips."

millie nodded slowly as she smiled weakly, "alright, take care."

marilla smiled as she quickly hugged the daughter she never had, millie.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

"science changes the world for the better. does anyone know what electricity is?" miss stacy asked as all the students gathered around and miss stacy in the middle.

ben didn't participate in answering questions, which unusual for him. marilla cuthbert was examining the class, he fights the urges of asking the woman where millie was.

it was clear that millie doesn't want to be with him, but he was wondering if millie attached some feelings for him, as he did to her.

he tried to focus on what miss stacy was teaching but, he was unable to. his mind was full of thoughts about millie. he didn't even experience that from victoria allen. it is mean that his love for millie was divine?

marilla was behind them as he couldn't hold back anymore, he asked marilla.

"um, miss cuthbert, if you don't mind me asking, where is---"

he was interrupted as the students clapped and the mothers of the students come inside.

ben's eyes widen as moody spurgeon hold the potatoes as an attempt to eat it. making the potatoes dropped and bulb broke.

"everyone stand still right where you are," miss stacy informed.

"my child, my child!" exclaimed missus spurgeon.

"please stay back. thank you," miss stacy stated calmly, "let's keep our heads. logic dictates there are no shards under your feet and i'd like to keep it that way."

moody sadly sighed as ben just stared at the broken bulb. he knew that it was a disaster.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

millie was sitting in their clubhouse. she was ready to forgive her sister, after all, people make mistakes. people say what they didn't mean to say.

"please pretend none of this exists, " millie heard anne's voice, so, she comes outside. and was shocked to see marilla and miss stacy.

"marila and m-miss stacy," millie muttered as they all turned to her.

anne immediately stood up as she engulfs her sister in a hug. after they pulled away, anne spoke up.

"oh! i am so sorry, millie! i didn't know what i was saying and---" anne was cut off by millie hugging her again.

"it is fine, anne. i already forgive you. how could i stay mad at you? after all, you're my sister," millie said with a soft smile plastered on her face.

"i missed you, my dear sister."

"i missed you too, anne."

miss stacy and marilla looked at the sisters in admiration. they can feel the sisters loving of the two.

millie turned her attention to the two women, "miss stacy, i'm so sorry for not attending to class today."

miss stacy just smiled at her, "it is fine, mildred, isn't it?"

millie smiled widely at miss stacy as she nodded. millie hugged marilla.

miss stacy looked at the clubhouse as she examines it, "this is extraordinary. you two created an enchanted kingdom here."

millie shook her head, "oh, no, miss stacy. it was all anne's idea. the clubhouse was very organized already when i came here."

anne widely smiled, "oh, it gives me such a thrill that you perceive it so!" she exclaimed as she guided miss stacy to their clubhouse, "i devoted myself to my education here, just so you know. i created a story club, and we write and critique each other's work. this place provides so much scope for the imagination, don't you agree?"

"who made this sculptures?" marilla asked as millie hold her hand.

"cole. it is very beautiful," millie answered with a smile.

"cole is our friend and a brilliant artist. he's really honing his talents now he refuses to go to school," anne added, making millie silent in her last statement.

"anne! i-i think it isn't our place to tell that," millie quickly said.

"it is fine, millie. it is for cole," anne reassured her. millie still have hesitations but chose to keep her mouth shut.

"why isn't he in school?" miss stacy asked.

"he's been bullied. oh, is it gossip if i tell you that? but i'd dearly love to tell you, because i'm sure you could help," anne stated.

"if i really need to know and if i could help him, you should tell me," iss stacy said.

anne invited marilla and miss stacy to their clubhouse as millie supported marilla from coming inside of the clubhouse. anne making the two women swear that they should keep the clubhouse as a secret. anne talked about cole, while millis stayed silent, she knew that, that wasn't gonna end up very well.