vi.

Eleanor

I was beyond excited when I received Gilbert's latest letter saying he was coming home. He specified that he missed Avonlea, but mostly me, and that he decided that it was best if he came home to tend to his farm. He also informed me that he had met a colored man and was bringing him to his farm, which I was more than excited for.

I had met and befriended very many colored people in New York, I even became best friends with a girl named Lyla. She was beautiful, her dark skin also glistened in the sun whenever we would go on picnics or to the walking park. And she always smelt of cherry's, which wasn't even my favorite part about her. My favorite part was her gorgeous hair, it was long with tight and kinky curls. She showed me how she took care of her hair, she didn't have very many products with her since many people weren't very kind to her race.

But I made sure I was kind to everyone, no matter their skin tone. And that turned out to be the best decision I've ever made, she was my best friend, my other half, and my sweetheart for a few weeks.

Yes, we held love for each other.

But we had to keep it a secret from those around us, liking the opposite sex was frowned upon mostly everywhere. She had already came out to her mother and father, they had taken it well and even told her that they would support her. But when I tried to bring the subject up about the possibility of me liking women to my parents, they shot me down and grounded me. I told Lyla about what had happened, and she tried to get me to come stay with her but my mother forbid it.

And by that next week, I had moved.

I tried to write to her and apologize, but she never returned any of my letters.

So I gave up.

"Eleanor? Eleanor are you alright? You've been staring at the board for more than twenty minutes!" Moody asked as he waved his hand infront of my face.

I quickly snapped from my gaze and glanced to him, I smiled softly at him and nodded.

"Yes Moody, thank you." I smiled and turned back to my book.

It had been almost a week since Gilbert had sent me that letter, and he had yet to write back or come home. I was getting anxious as each day passed, but I knew it would take some time for him to return to Avonlea from Trinidad.

"Eleanor! Come here!" Anne whispered from the back of the room.

I glanced back and nodded before grabbing my books and taking them with me. School had already ended but most were staying after for special help with they school work.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I noticed her and Diana almost jumping with excitement.

"Look! I bought this from a wandering traveller, he was such a kind soul." Anne swooned slightly before holding out a small bottle full of black liquid.

"What is it Anne?" my eyes were scanning over the label of the bottle.

Hair dye.

"It's going to make my ugly red hair into a beautiful raven black! Can you believe it?" Anne squealed as we all started towards our homes.

"Oh Anne, you're hair is beautiful! I wish you would see it the way I do!" I sighed and grabbed the little black bottle.

I made sure to read over it a few times while Anne and Diana spoke about what Anne will look like now.

"Anne this says it can cause severe burns, are you sure you want to do this?" I asked as I gently placed the bottle into her basket.

"I'm very sure, but thank you for looking out for me Elle!" she grinned.

Elle.

That's what Gilbert calls me.

Oh how I miss him.

"Eleanor? Did you hear Anne?" Diana asked as she placed her hand on my shoulder.

"Hm? Oh...no sorry I got distracted." I blushed and turned towards Anne.

"I asked if you wanted to come help me with dying it. Diana has to go home for her piano lessons." Anne stated as we waved goodbye to Diana.

"Have you asked Marilla? What did she say?"

"Oh I haven't really asked her...she can see it after it's done though!" Anne beamed as we walked up the large hill to her home.

"Hm...I'm not sure that's such a good idea Anne-" but before I could finish Mathew Cuthbert was already making his way towards us.

"Hello Eleanor, how are things?" he asked in his usual monotone voice, a small smile creeping onto his lips.

"Things are well Mr Cuthbert, how about you?" I answered back in my most sweetest accent I could muster.

"Things are well, Marilla is out for the evening and so it'll just be you two. Try not to make a mess." he grinned and ruffled Anne's hair, making her giggle.

"Mathew sure does like you, he said more words to you then he has to me the entire time I've been here!" Anne giggled.

"Parents always love me." I giggle in return.

We start to walk past the barn when I hear a familiar voice calling for me, I turn to see Jerry above us in the barn.

"Bonjour Eleanor, comment vas-tu?" Jerry smiled as I smiled back at him.

Hello Eleanor, how are you?

"Bien, merci. Et tu?" I ask in return.

Good, thanks. And you?

"Bien, merci." he winked before turning around to finish his work.

Good, thanks.

"I still cannot believe that you can speak perfect French, so fluently! I would kill to be able to speak such a romantic language." Anne swooned as we turned to walk into the house.

"Anne I've tried to teach you French but you gave up a week in, you can barely introduce yourself!" I giggle and climb the stairs into her home.

Anne giggled and grabbed my hand, pulling me into the kitchen and sitting me down at the kitchen table. We couldn't seem to stop giggling about lord knows what as we tried to calm down.

"Okay alright...so Marilla is out for the evening yes?" I asked.

"Yes, that's what Mathew said." Anne nodded as she glanced off to think.

"So we just need to keep him away from the house while you dye your hair, I do hope you know that I won't be helping." I state as I glance towards the window to see Mathew and Jerry talking of something.

"Oh please Eleanor! I don't ask much of you!" Anne begged but I simply shook my head.

"I'm sorry Anne, but I really do not wish to be held accountable for something that you intended on doing." I argue as I stand and raid through her cabinets.

"I'll start on making dinner for you both, then you can do your hair after I leave." I exclaim and start to pull out the items for a Shepard pie.

Anne stared at me with pleading eyes, but I did my best to ignore her as I got started on making dinner. My mother already knew that I wouldn't be home until late like always, I usually went out after school anyways.

(Time skip: 1 hour)

After we had finished eating the delicious shepherd pie I had prepared, I bid goodbye to the Cuthburts. Anne begged me to stay and help her but I refused, and by the third try she understood and agreed.

I was walking through the forest, my feet crunching against the hard ground when I noticed all of the lights in my house were off. I shrugged and started into my home, only to find it completely quiet. Glancing at the large grandfather clock, I was shocked whenever I read "9:23" on it's face.

"Oh no-" I started but I noticed a small flicker of a flame light up.

Then my mothers tired and angry face showed through the light.

A small squeak left my mouth as I jumped back, knocking over my school books and a few other trinkets.

"Where have you been?" she yelled.

"I-I've been with Anne." I answered, being sure to pick and choose my words correctly.

"And you decided not to tell me this? You told me that you would be coming straight home today so you may clean your room for when Gilbert arrives!" my mother was furious as she made her way towards me.

"I-I'm sorry mother I had just forgot-"

Smack.

A hand raised to my face as warm tears sprang to my eyes, a stinging sensation made it's way across my cheek.

"Did you just hit me?" I gasped out, tears now rolling from my eyes.

My mother glanced up from her red hand, a shocked look on her face. She tried to take a step towards me but I already backed myself away from her and started for the stairs. Theres when I see Alvin and Harvey sitting at the top of the stairs. Harvey was silently sobbing as he was sitting on Alvin's lap, his head hurried in his neck.

"Eleanor-" Alvin started but I shoved past him and went into my room.

I made sure to slam the door as hard as I could, which made the entire house shake slightly.

A shake sob left my mouth as I flopped onto my bed, a low creak erupting from my metal bed.

I cried myself to sleep for the third night that week, but this time for a different reason.

--------------------------------------------------------

Gilbert

It was a Thursday when I arrived from the boat, Sebastian was too tired to introduce himself to my neighbors. So we decided to just have a relaxing day at my home, but we had to make it there first.

We hitched a ride from a fellow in town, he was weary at first but he agreed once I said I would pay him. The ride back to my childhood home was about an hour, which gave me enough time to speak to Sebastian and tell him about Avonlea.

"So when am I going to meet this lovely Eleanor?" Sebastian asked with a raised eyebrow.

Instantly, I could feel my cheeks heat to a rose red. Even just the thought of seeing her made my heart rate increase.

"I do not know Bash, it could be today or tomorrow, or never. It really depends with her." I chuckle and lay my head against the hard wood of the carriage we were riding on.

"Well she sent you quite a large sum of letters, so I would hope that she would be excited to see you first thing." he exclaimed as he pretended to count on his fingers.

I chuckle and swat his hand away as we sit in silence for the last bit of the ride. Avonlea was shifting into spring from winter, the old and dead leaves were starting to sprout a beautiful color.

As we arrived to my home, I handed the man a sum of money before me and Bash grabbed out bags and started towards the house.

I stole a quick glance to the cemetery, but decided I would visit them whenever the right time was.

Me and Bash walked into my home and I was shocked to say the least.

The floors were cleaned and scrubbed, the windows were shiny and looked brand new, and everywhere that should contain dust was no where. Bash went to explore the house as I just looked around, it looked different from the last time I was here. It looked more like a home.

"I'll take care of your house for you."

"Eleanor." I smiled to myself.

The moment I had been dreading for almost a whole year had arrived, going into my fathers room.

With a few deep breathes, I creaked the door open and allowed my eyes to adjust to the light in the room.

A low gasp escaped my lips as I stared at the room before me, it was clean of course, but it was different.

The bed had been moved and been made up neatly with pillows and shams, a few ribbons hung on the wall behind it. All of dads metals were put on display along side his wardrobe, which had all of his clothes in it neatly cleaned and pressed.

She really had been taking care of my house while I was gone.

"Gilbert." Bash's voice almost made me scream with fright as he almost just appeared behind me.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"I think you'll want to come see this, I think you're room got a bit of a makeover." Bash snorted and led me down the hall and to the left.

As I walked in a small chuckle escaped my lips, yellow and green patterns were everywhere. But yet, it was perfect.

"I guess your Eleanor had made yet another change to your home." Bash chuckled and flopped down on my bed.

"I guess she has." I smile and glance to my night stand.

I grabbed the picture frame that once held a picture of me and my dad, now held a picture of me and Elle that was taken by a traveling photographer.

And on the wall was a larger print of the picture of me and my dad, framed and neatly placed above my bed.

"I guess she has..." I repeated, the same dorky smile plastered on my face

----------------------------------------------------

words:2,280