Part 3 of 'from academic rivals'
TW: brief mention of drowning

"I dare you to kiss Charlie Sloane." Josie Pye crossed her arms with a sly grin on her face and looked challengingly at Anne.

For a moment it seemed like everyone was holding their breath.

Diana spun her head immediately around to face Gilbert Blythe, fast enough to see how he clenched his fists at his sides. Sure, Charlie was his best friend but he couldn't help but feel...jealous.

Even though her bosom friend was blind on this point, Diana knew that Gilbert was in love with Anne.

Right now their whole class was standing on the dock of  'the lake of shining waters' - how her best friend would fondly call it - celebrating their results.

And somehow - whose idea was it even in the first place? - they ended up playing truth or dare.

"I certainly won't kiss Charlie Sloane! I won't kiss anybody!" Anne replied, disgusted and crossed her arms to underline her statement. She certainly wouldn't give her first kiss away to just anybody.

"I bet you wouldn't mind kissing Gilbert Blythe." Josie shot back, with a diabolical smile on her face as she looked around to enjoy the giggle of the girls and the laughter of the boys.

"You take that back, Josie Pye!" an angry Anne hissed while a flush of anger was creeping on her face.

"Why should I? It's only the truth." Josie replied arrogantly.

Everyone watched the scene before them completely entranced. Even though Anne and Gilbert were academic rivals, they couldn't deny that there was a certain spark between them. They didn't know what exactly it was, but it was definitely something.

Anne took a step towards Josie and pocked her finger into Josie's chest.

"It.Is.Not."

"Of course it is." The blonde girl replied with a flick of her hair, and pushed Anne angrily away from her.

Anne, who stood less than three feet away from the edge, lost her balance at that shove and fell backwards into the lake.

Even before one could hear the impact into the water, Diana screamed a ear piercing : "SHE CAN'T SWIM! ANNE CAN'T SWIM!"

Gilbert didn't hear anything of this. As soon as Anne had fallen over, he dove into the lake.

He hadn't even thought about it, it was instinct.

Probably it was the instinct that had caused him to be stupid enough to pull her hair. And probably it was the same instinct that caused him to lie about his grades just to see Anne smile.

But he never had a choice concerning Anne. It was as if there was a pull that attracted Gilbert to Anne.

Completely in shock and in a state of panic, Anne instinctively tried to paddle somehow underwater. Desperately, she gasped for breath, but there wasn't any air. Instead, she swallowed water and felt as if a hand was wrapped around her throat and chest and suffocated her.

And she always imagined how romantic it was to drown... that was the last thought that crossed her mind before she surrendered completely and stopped fighting against the water.

Just in that moment, two arms grabbed her and pulled her upwards.

Anne witnessed all of this as if through a mysterious curtain, which made everything so unreal and blurred as if she was in a dream.

The arms brought her up to the surface, where she desperately gasped for air and coughed. She clung onto these arms as if it would be a matter of life or death. As if she would die if she loosened her hold for just one second.

When Gilbert reached the surface, he turned his head to look back. The dock was too high, he wouldn't be able to lift her.

He looked forward, seeing that the other side of the lake was maybe twenty yards away. Then he looked down at Anne, who seemed as if she was in a state of shock and had put her arms around his neck.

Gilbert took one arm off her so he was able to swim towards land.

As soon as he had and under his feet, Gilbert gently put her down on the grass.

Her lips her blue and trembling, her skin was ghostly white.

He bent over her, trying to catch his breath.

"Anne!"
"Anne!"

She slowly opened her ocean eyes and looked straight into his hazel ones.

"G-Gilbert?" she asked as confused as ever, through her chattering teeth.

She was still in a state of shock, it seemed.

He managed a faint smile. "I'll bring you home, okay Anne?"

All she could do was nod. She was too weak to fight it anyways.

He gently lifted her up in his arms and started walking towards Green Gables.

The whole time he spoke soothingly to her, as if she was some small child, telling her that she'll be home soon.

To be honest, Gilbert was completely over challenged by the situation.