■■■

Victoria felt sorry for the boy in front who was being scolded for not knowing how to spell a word. Guess the hopes of Victoria getting a teacher as nice as Edward's were thrown into the rubbish.

When it was time for recess, Victoria wasn't sure if she wanted it to be recess or not. The entire group of boys went outside while the girls stayed in. Victoria was going to stay outside and stay away from both the boy and girl group until she was called by the girl who sat next to her.

"Victoria, do you want to join us?" Diana asked with a smile. Victoria smiled back. "It's very nice of you, thank you," Victoria said as she grabbed her bag filled with food that she had packed that morning.

"Victoria Edwards, I would like you to meet Josie Pye, Ruby Gillis, Jane Andrew's and Tillie Boulter," Diana said as she pointed out each girl. "It's very nice to meet you all," Victoria stated as she smiled at the whole lot. They barely gave her any acknowledgement and merely nodded.

"Is your family rich?" Josie Pye asked, not being any shy about doing it. It made Victoria sort of speechless at how straight forward someone could be. "Josie!" Diana scolded her friend but Victoria shook it off.

"It's alright. We aren't rich like any nobleman or woman but our family fares well." Victoria replied as she looked down at her bag to look at what she had for lunch.

"What made your family come all the way here from England? I have never met someone from so far." Tillie said as she looked excited just by the thought of a distant land.

"My father has been told by many doctors that it would be best to live somewhere with a lot of fresh air. Good for his health, nothing seriously wrong though. And we had he got the news that a relative from my mother's side had an untimely death and we were the only remaining family left, so we were given the house. My parents took it as an excuse for us and my brothers to come here and none of us objected to the motion."

"You have brothers?" Ruby Gillis asked with a smile. Victoria nodded her head. "Two of them. My older brother, Hamilton, is in his last stages of studying for him to become a doctor. And then there's my younger brother Edward. He's in the other schoolhouse."

Josie Pye let out a laugh which made Victoria's smile fall into a frown. "Hold on a second... Your brother's name is Edward Edwards?" The other girls joined into laughter as well.

"Yes, it is. Do you have a problem with that?" Victoria hissed as she glared at the girl. "Nothing at all. It's just weird." Tillie added. Victoria scoffed and looked at Josie. "And there is no need to make fun of. Better have a unique name that people won't forget then have a common name like Josie." Josie and all the other girls fell silent.

Victoria looked into her bag and looked at what she had in it. Diana noticed and looked into the bag as well. "Your milk is still in your bag? It must almost be sour by now. If you want I can show you where to put it." Diana said with a kind look on her face.

"There's no need. You put it in the stream, right?" Diana nodded her head. "I'll go there by myself." And just like that Victoria grabbed her basket and went outside, hearing the whispers start as soon as she stood up.

The outside air was cold but it didn't seem to make Victoria mind. She wanted to get out of there and away from Josie Pye.

Victoria walked towards the stream which she passed on her way to the School House that morning. She grabbed the jar and placed it in the stream alongside the others.

Victoria stared at the stream for a moment or two, not exactly knowing if she should go back inside. During her internal monologue, she looked at the other schoolhouse and gazed into the windows. She immediately saw Edward looking forward at the board.

Edward must have sensed someone watching him, so he turned around. As soon as he saw his sister, his face broke into a grin and started waving at her.

Victoria smiled back and waved her hand in a manner for him to continue paying attention. Edward nodded his head and turned to look forward once again.

"Well if it isn't her Majesty herself." Victoria turned to look at who was calling her and her face quickly turned to one of disgust.

Victoria stood up and was going to enter the schoolhouse to join the other girls but the boy blocked her way. "Name's Billy Andrews." The boy said with an unsettling smile. "Didn't even ask," Victoria replied and tried passing him except Billy grabbed her arm to keep her there.

"Billy, leave her alone." A boy called out but Billy didn't let go. "You should show some respect, princess." Victoria was getting angrier.

"Are you taking the piss?! I said leave me alone!" Victoria tore her arm out of his grip and walked past him towards the schoolhouse. When she noticed him following her, she groaned and quickly turned around to face him.

Victoria took the opportunity of surprise as her advantage and stepped on his foot hard. "Bother me again and I swear on the King that I will hit you harder. Good day." Victoria smiled at him and then towards the group of boys that were watching the two of them converse.

"Are you mad?!" Ruby shrieked, no sooner after Victoria entered. Victoria shook her head and scoffed. "No, I'm Victoria." That caused Diana and Tillie to laugh.

Victoria sat down and was about to start eating but couldn't when she felt the girls eyes never leaving her figure. "What's wrong?" She asked as she looked at each one of the girls.

"It's very improper for a girl to hit a boy and that was my brother," Jane explained and Victoria had to force herself not to roll her eyes. "Someone could hardly call that bloody wanker a boy. Are they all this annoying here in Avonlea?"

"Of course not!" Tillie snapped "And Billy's not bad." Josie continued and that time, Victoria didn't fight the urge of rolling her eyes. "And you're only saying that because you haven't met Gilbert Blythe yet," Ruby said and all the other girls nodded and murmured in agreement.

"Gilbert Blythe? Which one is that? The only one I know is Billy the numpty." Victoria stated as she took a bite of her apple. Diana and Ruby quickly lifted her from her seating position, each holding her by an arm.

The two girls took Victoria by the window and pointed towards the group of boys. "That one, the very handsome one," Ruby explained, making sure that Victoria knew to which one she was exactly referring to.

Victoria's gaze quickly fell onto an indeed, very handsome lad. Victoria raised her eyebrows. "Well I must confess, he is indeed one very fit bloke," Victoria stated as she eyed the boy further.

The boy named Gilbert turned to look at the direction of the window as if he felt the girls' eyes on him. Diana and Ruby quickly moved out of the way so Gilbert wouldn't see them but Victoria didn't exactly shy away. Gilbert smiled instantly when he saw the girl and Victoria didn't hesitate to smile back.

The two looked at one another for a second more but Victoria was pulled away out of Gilbert's sight when Diana and Ruby pulled her down.

Victoria's eyes opened when she hit the ground hard. "Have you two lost the plot? What was that for?" Victoria complained while she fixed her dress. "I haven't lost any plots thank you very much," Tillie defended herself. "Didn't even have one in the first place."

Victoria smiled and shook her head. "No, I didn't mean it in a literal sense. It's an expression, it means 'gone crazy'."

"Now's not the time for your weird language!" Josie stated. "You should never let a boy know that you like him!" Victoria chuckled. "First of all, I do not like the bloke. I haven't even talked to him. And second, why is it the end of the world if a boy knows that you like him?" Victoria remarked, not knowing the deal with the girls.

"It just is," Diana claimed. "Plus, even if you did like Gilbert, you can't have him. Ruby's got dibs." Josie explained. Victoria smiled at Josie. "Well then, it's a good thing that I don't like him." Victoria gave her a bitter look and stared at Josie as she took a bit of her apple and raised an eyebrow at her.

■■■