Chapter 3 Apaixonas

Virago

(n)

A strong, brave, or warlike woman; a woman who demonstrates exemplary and heroic qualities.

                                   ______

By the next morning she had not gotten much sleep so she was very much awake when morning rolled around. Most of the night she had the window open and sat on the ledge, looking out at the plot with what little moonlight they had. If the moon was a little brighter i might have been able to read. She thought to herself. When the sun was finally starting to come around, slowly, surely but slowly, she got back into bed and pulled out one of the books Anne had previously given her, "The Two Admirals" is what it was called.

After the sun came up completely, she began to hear the roosters making their daily morning noise, and without wanting to, she dragged herself out of bed. She pulled her sheets and blanket up and fixed her pillow.

She washed her face and changed out of her nightgown into her jeans and hoodie, clothes she's come to feel to be the last bit of home she has. She was nervous but shoved that feeling down, nothing was gonna get in the way with her first day. She took her one of many hair ties that she always had on her, and put her hair up in a pony tail leaving two strands of hair the gently lay against her cherry rose cheeks.

She was wearing her boyfriend's red Hollister hoodie, with her ripped jeans and black hightop Vans. She took a deep breath. I can do this.

"Girls! You will be late if you keep fretting, come down and eat breakfast. Gilbert will be here any minute!" Eliza called. The brunette came down the stairs and started eating breakfast as Eliza already had set the table. Willian smiled and told her good morning, which she returned.

Ida came trotting down not too long after. Plopping herself down and digging right in, she ate more of the biscuits and eggs than the girl did. Her positive energy radiating off her.

When they both finished she took their dishes and quickly washed them, she then went into the parlor and got both of their school straps that had all their school supplies in it.

"Okay you have everything? Your slate, oh don't forget your chalk! Okay, you have your books?" Eliza said as she handed the girl her chalk. "Yes" is all she could reply. She was indeed very jittery, like when she had coffee in the morning before school. Yet Ida told her many times as long as she had her and Gilbert she'd be just scrumptious. Gilbert had been coming over a lot more than he used to. She had become quite acquainted with him. She knew that they were too young for Gilbert to be calling for Ida, but she knew sooner or later he would. They were.. she thought for a moment, looking for an Ida word. They are inextricable she smiled at the thought, yet it made her miss Noah. She shook her head to herself, pushing that feeling down like the rest. She heard a knock on the door. "I got it!" the girl called out.

She opened the door to be met by a boy with curly dark brown hair that drooped over his forehead, and such divine eyes that beatifically sparkled. "Good morning Mr.Brown." She said with a smile and did a curtsy. "And to you Ms.Lane, what a scrumptious day ahead of us don't you think?" He said with a smirk as he bowed down, never taking his eyes off her, playing along. "Oh indeed." She states laughing as does he. God he has such a perfect laugh, and are those dimples? Huh I never noticed that before. His lips, they look so soft. I wonder what they feel li- "Gilbert, good morning. Hope your father is doing well, alright girls come on you don't wanna be late now do you?" "No Eliza." Ida laughed.

The brunette opened the door for the ginger as she thanked her and walked out. They started heading for the path way that lead into the woods. Where the girl had fallen into this world.

Once they were far enough from De L'heure, specifically Eliza, Gilbert and Ida interlocked hands. The girl smiled to herself. They are perfect, they have such a cavernous, unspoken love for each other. I might even be jealous. She smiled.

The girl began talking about how marvelous it is to be in a time like this and that she always thought she was supposed to be born in a century like this and not when she was actually born. She saw the unspoiled nature, it was beautiful and there was no pollution, and hardly ever much noise. She could simply just enjoy everything. She kept talking on and on. Gilbert laughed and he whispered to Ida "You guys have a lot in common.." Ida giggled then squeezed his hand, she never thought she would get used to holding his hand.

The girl stopped while holding her school supplies and says "Although I'm quite scared to be honest" and Gilbert asked why. The girl returns with an answer "Well first of all I don't know if I am quite all caught up on academics, second of all I look like a farm hand. I know I will get made fun of and if not it will be a miracle. Lastly the fact that I just- it's been over a month, and we still know the same amount of information then when we began."

They both nodded and understood. Her and Ida had done their best to think of ways to get her back home but, with not even knowing how she got here it was all a dead end.

As they drew nearer to the sight of the school building, the brunette stopped in her tracks. Looking at the building, and taking in quick breaths, she felt her body tingle. The kind of tingle when you'd hit your funny bone, except this went through her entire body.

_______

"She looks so weird, look Elena.." A girl muttered to her best friend. "Hey fag, what's up? Gonna walk to the losers, you know your 'friend' is like Chewbacca right?" Said by a jock who went by Daniel, he took a hold onto the brunettes backpack. "Let go of my bag!" She said, as he pulled on it with her on the other end. "Fine." He said, letting go making her fall back, her body hitting the cement. His friends just laughed as Daniel grabbed Elena and put his arm around her shoulder as he smiled at the sight of her below him, like a king above a peasant. "You should switch schools or get hit by a bus or something.." Jacob from his right piped in. "Yo have her go skydiving and prank her by breaking the parachute!" Caleb said with a smile pointing at Jacob. "It wasn't murder Officer I swear! It was just intense parkour!" He said putting his hands up in defense to the imaginary Officer. Jacob returned to the comment by putting his arm on Caleb's shoulder laughing.

    _______

Gilbert took notice of this and came up to her letting go of Ida for just a moment. "You'll do great, remember you have us." He placed his hand on her arm gently, rubbing it in soothing circles, pulling her out of her thoughts. She found within his touch; comfort. She gave a sad smile and met his eyes. He smiled a sympathetic smile back, but it was genuine too. She was very lucky to have known Gilbert Brown and Ida Nevada Smith.

As they enter school Ida brings the girl up to Miss Herny and says that she will be joining school. Miss Herny looks her up and down and smiles so wide. Glad that another person has found their way to break society's tradition on how women should dress. She really liked the girl's outfit, however thought it was a little strange, yet she knew times were changing and she was all for it. Ida went to show the girl where to put her hat- if she had one, and where to put her sweater if she wanted to take hers off. Afterwards the girl sat down next to Ida at her new seat. Ida introduces her to the girls behind them. They judge her a little harsher than Ida had expected. They thought she was pretty, she just looked improper. A girl across from her scoffed and turned to talk to another on her left, not interested in a mini Ida. Delaney even had mistaken her for a boy, but the girl was alright with that because even in her own time she was used to it.

"So you don't have a dress do you, you and Ida really do have a lot in common. Are you an orphan too?" The girl said turning from the other one. From what she learned from Ida that must be Rosalie Winfred. She already knew she was not going to be dealing with her rude remarks and already decided she didn't like her. "Well it's more complicated than-"

"Good morning class..let us begin." Miss Herny interrupted without knowing, and got the students attention of rough housing boys and gossiping girls. The brunette was just fine with this and turned around to take out her chalk. She looked at Miss Herny, an unsettled feeling bubbling up. Miss Herny smiled at her big and wide, calming the girls worries. Excitement had been laced in Miss Herny's voice and she introduced the class with reading to start the day. The girl was somewhat excited because reading was close to writing, and she loved to write.

"Today we will be starting our new book that I had informed you all about. Hopefully you all have yours." She began, looking at the students with curiosity in her tone. "Here, we can share mine since you don't have one yet. I've already started ahead on it, I simply love MiddleMarch by George Elliot. It is such an exquisite story." Ida said as she scooted closer to the girl. Moving the book to the middle of them.

"Ida, will you please start us off?" Miss Herny gestured towards Ida, she smiled and stood up, taking the book with her.

"Who that cares much to know the history of man.." She began, slowly moving her eyes across the room. "And how the mysterious mixture behaves under the varying experiments of Time..has not dwelt, at least briefly, on the life of Saint Theresa, has not smiled with some gentleness at the thought of the little girl walking forth one morning hand-in-hand with her still smaller brother, to go and seek martyrdom in the country of the Moors?"

Ida said, loud and curiosity dripping with every word. "Out they toddled from rugged Avila, wide-eyed and helpless-" She continued, her tone saddening and going soft. "Looking as two fawns, but with human hearts, already beating to a national idea;" She paused

"Until domestic reality met them!" She yelled.

The girl looked up at Ida, she was definitely meant for theater. She turned to look at Gilbert, he was watching Ida with bright eyes. He felt the presence of someone's eyes upon him, and met gazes with the brunette. Ida continuing "In the shape of uncles, and turned them back from their great resolve."

He smiled at her. She returned and smiled back, turning back to Ida as she spoke her last words with such raw emotion. "That child-pilgrimage was a fit beginning."

After Ida said her last words she bowed, pretending she was a great writer who finished their first play. Everyone clapped with enjoyment. Everyone except for Rosalie Winfred, she rolled her eyes as she always gestured that Ida was TOO dramatic.

Miss Herny smiled and thanked Ida for her beautiful performance. She called on Lavender Merall to continue. It was at this moment the brunette could not stop thinking about a certain curly headed boy, with dimples that almost went unnoticeable. With the soft voice of a stuttering girl, the brunette slightly turned her head enough to look at him. His eyes so indulged into his book, his posture as he held onto the book tightly as if he were about to fall off his chair. His neck would slightly tilt to the side whenever he read something that intrigued him, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes intently placed on the pages of the escape in his hands.

The brunette smiled to herself, turning back to her seat. The voices of another student reading finally tracking its way back into reality. She turned back to the book and smiled to Ida, in which Ida smiled back. She had seen her bosom friend watching Gilbert as he was hypnotized by the story. She felt a tiny little bubble of jealousy start to boil, but then it stopped. Don't think like that, if it is meant to be with Gilbert then it is meant to be, and if it is not.. she turned to Gilbert with longing eyes.

Then I guess I will have my hopeless romantic after all. Ida turned back to her book catching up to where the class was, forgetting all of life's complications, losing herself  with every word she read, picturing everything as clear as the sun light hitting a diamond.

As the day went on lunch came but not quick enough. The brunette sat with Ida and Gilbert,  talking about ways she could have ended up here and if the girl knew of anything that might have triggered this but the girl was just as lost as they were. "So whose the boy sitting on the girls side."

Gilbert and Ida turned around to see no other than Jonathan Sailor, leaning against the brunettes desk. She had thought he was talking about Gilbert, until she looked into his eyes and realized he was looking at her. The brunette didn't have to turn around she was facing front first, although she wish she had not. He seemed like a bully, and she did not like bullies.

Gilbert was the first to respond, looking back down to his napkin with his grapes in it. Dropping one in his mouth as he looked back up "Go away Jonathan no one asked for you." He said in a cold, vigorous tone.

So he's defensive but sweet, I like that. The girl took his actions as a mental note that she might need for the future. She turned to Ida and saw that her face scrunched up, anger lingering in her eyes. She turned back to face Jonathan, taking a bite out of her ham sandwich Eliza made. He had straight- neat dirty blond hair, piercing eyes but not as indulging as hers. He had on an outfit similar to Gilbert's but more fancy, as if he was going to a ball. She looked at his outfit, buttoned up white long sleeve shirt, gray chalk color pants with shiny black shoes with black charcoal laces. He had his sweater in his hand, knitted by hand you could tell, but still looked very distinguished. Jonathan lifted up her head by her chin, to face him eye to eye.

"Like something you see?" He said, enjoyment filling in his voice. She laughed, although she did not intend to. She covered her mouth as she did not want her food to escape her mouth. After she swallowed she put her hand down and tried not to smile, but could not help it. "I have seen better, but I realized people have to work with what they've got." Ida was taken aback as a giggle escaped her cherry lips. She did not know her bosom friend could be so upfront.

You could hear the poison in her voice, as if she had spent the whole night collecting arrows and soaking them in a kettle of poison, getting her bow like cupid herself and shooting them. Ida knew she didn't take anyone's nonsense but she thought she was more the shy type when it came to school as it always gave the girl jitters.

Gilbert chuckled and relaxed more into his seat, taking a liking to someone other than him standing up to Jonathan. The blonde haired boy turned to him, his frown appearing very clear.

"Keep it up vestitus, see what happens." He said, anger rising in his voice as he tried to trifle with the new girl. He turns around and begins to walk away. "Or what, you will tell your friends I have cooties, cause if you do I'm fine with that. It will save me the despair of having to deal with them too." The new girl at school, once afraid of her first day, has now found her new confidence. She wasn't gonna let some prissy boy come over and walk all over her just because he was a man, in fact he is not even a man she told herself.

Jonathan stopped mid in his tracks and turned around and loudly stomped like a child back over. Taking the front of the brunettes hoodie in his fist bringing their faces close to each other. She felt his hot breath on her nose, the smell of prunes lingering in his breath. This did not fret the girl, it wasn't the first time she'd been in a fight, she was known to be someone who talks back, but she didn't care, she would defend herself no matter who it was if she deemed it so necessary. Charlotte watched from afar, trying to gain the girl's attention and pointed to Jonathan and the new girl.

Abner saw Charlotte point to Jonathan as he was gazing at a beautiful Lavender Merall, her luscious golden curls and her beautiful pink cheeks that danced with tinted freckles. When he saw them pointing he got the boys to look as well. With everyone's attention on them, all that was next is who was going to make the next move.

Lavender got up and went to get Miss Herny, afraid that Jonathan was too close to Gilbert, not wanting him to get hurt in any way possible.

"What is going on?" Miss Herny said as she walked over in a worried manner. She could see the tension between the two students. With Jonathan's expression fuming, the girl looked as calm as she could be.

"Oh nothing Miss Herny, Jonathan and I are just having a little girl talk." She said lingering across the word girl a smirk plastered on her face. She slowly backed up not taking her eyes off Jonathan. His hand slipped from her hoodie and she sat back down, she wiped her hoodie as if him touching her left dirt all over her clothing.

"Jonathan would you please excuse us?" He looked at her anger boiling. If she thinks she can be sly- he thought before she spoke.

"The grown ups need to talk." She finished.

He was about to step forward but Gilbert stood up and got in front of her, right hand still holding the grapes he had almost finished. Getting closer to the brunette. He put his left hand in front of the girl, laying his palm on her left shoulder. As if an attempt to protect her from any conflict.

Jonathan looked at Gilbert, and so did Miss Herny. Gilbert stood his ground, and Jonathan stood back and looked at the brunette. "Watch out queer, you don't know who your messing with." He said before he took a step back and turned around, walking to his group of friends.

"A child that's who.." She muttered to herself, as she took another bite of her sandwich.

Miss Herny stood there feeling the tension being somewhat relieved. When the girl met eyes with her she just shrugged her shoulders. Miss Herny laughed, a more a relieved laugh than anything. "Good for standing up for yourself, although try not to burst his bubble if your at it.." The girl nodded, looking at Gilbert as Miss Herny walked away. His arm was still out in front of her and had his hand gently on her shoulder. Although he was not looking at her, he was glaring at Jonathan as he walked away. When Jonathan made eye contact with him after he got to where his friends were standing, his grip became tighter around her. Not so tight to where it hurt, but enough to know he wasn't going to let anything happen. She looked at him, raising an eyebrow but starting to smile thinking he was cute for wanting to defend her.

After Jonathan looked away, he did too. He looked down at the girl in his arm, he quickly moved his hand away and just awkwardly smiled back Why is she smiling? She could have gotten hurt, He could have hurt her, He WOULD have hurt her, she does not realize what he can do when he's angry. He told himself.

"Thank you" she said to him, he looked back up at her. "Well I couldn't let you be a damsel in distress."

Jonathan probably picks on you because you are beautiful and he likes you, he thought to himself.

The two girls looked at him, Ida looking shocked, although thinking none of it because it was true. She was beautiful. Gilbert noticed Ida's change in expression. "Ida?" He spoke gently.

"I think you meant to say that in your head." He heard from the brunette. Her cheeks were peachy pink, she could feel the heat rise against her cheeks and the back of her neck. She was trying to not hide her smile and eventually it went away when she looked at Ida. "Oh- I..I" Gilbert tried to explain but got cut off.

"You are not wrong, she is very beautiful.." Ida said looking down at her hands. The brunette got up and sat closer to her carrot friend.

"Hey, when you know your worth, no one can make you feel worthless, make sure you don't start seeing yourself through the eyes of those who don't value you." She said, holding out her pinkie. Ida smiled and intertwined their pinkies together, she placed her head against the brunettes.

_______

Once school ended the brunette calls out to Ida and Gilbert.

"Hey guys! I left my milk in the stream, I'm gonna go get it. I'll catch up with you guys okay?" Ida nodded but Gilbert turns to Ida and tells her that they should wait. "Gilbert do you wanna stay over at De L'heure today until supper? Or you can stay until after supper. Oh well no your father ought to have supper too. Wait didn't Mrs.Ryder say your family hired a maid? I've never met a maid, other then Delaney's of course, although she is more of a friend so I prefer not to count it. I suppose she would be a lovely lady. I should not say maid, it seems like such a revolting word. I shall call her char, that's another word for maid is it not? I do not want it to sound so, well.. servant like. Even though she is really a servant she is also a human, and she is a woman and woman can do anything men can do and more." As Ida went on about the historical names of woman and how she thought they were unjust, and how woman were meant to do more then just be servants. Gilbert smiled at her, she was a very bright girl, and soon to be young woman.

As the brunette retrieves her milk from the stream, she stands up and bumps into the one and only children who attend the school. Jonathan and his friends.

"See something you like?" She mocks what Jonathan had asked her before as she holds the milk to her hip. Jonathan laughs, but it was not a I enjoyed what you said laugh. He then stares at her cold "If you were not so pretty this would be more fun, but I guess Slink is a name meant for Ida." Jonathan said as he took a step closer. He grabbed her arm and pulled her close "For being someone so pretty you would think you would dress the part. You look like a boy, even worse you look homely. You think you are all that? Think you are brave telling me off, in front of my friends? You got another thing coming Fag. Think you can show up one day and take this place away from me?" He whispers to her.

"I am not afraid of you Jonathan." She said, her expression gentle and calm.

He let goes of her "Of course you aren't, of course you aren't. Cause you are so manly that nothing scares you right? How about we treat you like one since you seem so brave and strong, huh? A fight to end all future fights, so you know who is in charge around here." He lifts his arm as to hit her but she strides her arm her down at his and punches him in the jaw. Thank you Karate Kid, she mentally laughed to herself.

"You are really gonna hit a girl? That is how low your morals are? What did I expect."

Although, little she knew he was testing her, and with the rage bubbling inside of him, all you could hear was the bubble pop.