Chapter Twenty-Five:
A Little Defiance Never Hurt Anyone
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

"Oh, Anne! This is so exciting!" Mabel cheered as she looked up at the hot air baloon. "Woah.."

"Simply thrilling!" Anne agreed, squealing as she turned to Mabel.

"It's a death trap." Marilla shook her head.

"Oh, Anne, look! It's Ka'kwet's family." Mabel said, pointing to the children who stood with their mother. Anne gasped, excitedly waving to them.

Mabel stared around in awe as Anne pulled her through the crowds towards the tent. "Come along!"

"Anne, Anne, slow down!" Marilla scolded, increasing her speed to catch up with the girls. She pulled Mabel into the shade of the tent, causing Mabel to sigh in relief.

"Oh, the heat is so... excessive." Mabel breathed heavily, leaning on her knees.

Anne nodded in agreement as she placed her dessert on the table. "Representing our little Avonlea in front of the entire.. Well, usually it would make me tremble to think of.. But with you by my side and with Mary's recipe, I know I will distinguish myself."

"Oh, Anne.. It truly is beautiful. Not as beautiful as you, of course, but.. Regardless." Mabel smiled up at Anne, her cheeks tinting pink.

"I must admit I'm surprised you made such a sensible cake." Marilla examined it, readjusting the bag she held in her hands.

Mabel nodded in agreement, "It is quite simple, I'd imagine you put on some beautiful flowers."

"It doesn't have your usual flair."

Anne winked, pulling out to jars and holding them up. Mabel nodded to herself, seeing the floral decorations. "Huh, makes sense."

"You shouldn't have shared your secret Plum Puff recipe, Marilla." Mrs. Lynde smiled to herself, placing the basket on the table.

"You wouldn't." Marilla looked back at Mabel, who held a shocked expression on her face. Mrs. Lynde smirked, pulling off the towel to reveal small round cakes.

"You're right. I value our friendship too dearly... and my life."

"This is for you.." Matthew handed Marilla a small piece of paper. "I set mine down already. So far, I don't see a bigger one."

Mabel waved to Jack as he arrvived with his wife. "Anne, can we go explore? Please? I'd like to avoid my parents completely, if that's possible."

"Soon, soon.." Anne smiled at her, "Soon. You do think my cake is lovely, right?"

"The lovliest cake around.." Mabel sighed dreamily.

"I can't believe I'm number sixteen, too!"

"Quite a good omen, I'd say.." Marilla searched through her purse as she spoke.

Matthew handed Anne a coin, "Here's whatever suits your fancy."

Mabel smiled to herself. She really liked Matthew, he reminded her of her other uncle. The man turned to her, placing a coin in her hand as well. "And for you."

Mabel furrowed her eyebrows, looking down at the coin. "Oh, sir, you really don't need to do that! Honestly, you should keep it."

Matthew shook his head sternly. "No, you can keep it."

"O-Okay.." Mabel stammered, looping her arm around Mabel's.

"Be back for the cake competition in an hour!"

"Wild horses couldn't stop me.".Anne excitedly pulled Mabel along, the carnival music filling her ears.

"Woah.. He's.. tall." Mabel swallowed, taking a double take at the man's height.

"Anne! We should take a photo." Mabel shook Anne excitedly. Anne nodded, tilting her head when her eyes landed on a tent.

"A fortune teller.."

"Oh, Anne, I don't know.. My mother always says those are terribly wicked.. But then again, she is sending me off to a finishing school despite my best efforts, so it's only right I defy her a little." Mabel nodded to herself, holding open the tent flap for Anne. "What she doesn't know won't kill her, right?"

Anne silently nodded, "Madam Lyudmila, I'll dive right in. I'm in desperate need of answers." Anne sat down at the table, a look of desperation on her face. Mabel stood beside her, awkwardly playing with the coin Matthew had given her. She planned to buy him something with it. Her hand rested on her stomach, where her scar was.

"Well, you've come to the right place." The woman smiled, reaching for Anne's hands.

"I'm looking for a sign. I tried consulting a daisy, several actually.." Anne swalled thickly, gripping her dress in her hands.

"Ah.. you're here for romance. That's why you're wearing the dress." The woman observed. "You hope to impress a boy today."

Anne furrowed her eyebrows, turning her head and looking up at Mabel. "Uh.. ye-yes, how did you-"

"Do you see a boy?" Mabel's heart fell at the sound of Anne's excitement. She knew it was worthless to love Anne, there was no return and there would be no return.. but she just couldn't stop herself.

Anne was so easy to love.

"Lucky for you, my intuition is better than a flower. Wait here. Hm?" The woman disappeared behind a curtain.

"Are you okay, Mabel?" Anne took Mabel's hand into hers. Mabel looked up quickly, glancing down at their joined hands.

"Hm? Oh, yes. Of course." Mabel nodded quickly,."I just...It's a little hot in here."

Anne didn't seem convinced, but she relented and pulled her hand away when the woman returned holding a crystal ball.

"Ah-ha-ha! You see, the round shape represents the ability to see from all directions. The past, present, and future."

"Future?" Anne stammered, looking over at Mabel. She secretly hoped that Mabel was her future. "Wh-What.. What if it's bad?"

"Oh, I'm sure only good news on a fine day such as this-"

"Um, excuse me." Mabel muttered to herself, turning on her heel and leaving the tent with a sign. She looked around the fields, trying to calm her heart.

"Mabel?" Mabel gasped at the voice, turning on her heel and facing the source of it.

"Prissy!" She excitedly ran up to her, throwing her arms around the taller girl's shoulders. "How have you been?"

Jane raised her hand in a wave, "I'm here, too.."

The blond smiled at her. "Good! You look.. wonderful."

Mabel giggled, looping her arm around Prissy's and Jane's and walked with them.

"Where's Anne? I hardly see you without her." Jane asked, rolling her eyes as she watched Billy try to impress Josie.

"She's.. somewhere." Mabel shrugged, looking down at her boots. "Nevermind that, Prissy, you simply must tell me everything about Queens, seeing as I won't be attending.."

~~

"I'm here! I'm here.." Anne pulled Mabel along, coming to a halt when she stopped in front of Winifred.

"Oh, wow, you're beautiful." Mabel gasped, clasping her hand over her mouth. "I'm so sorry!"

Winifred laughed, "It's quite alright. Thank you."

"This is Anne, my classmate and family friend, and that's Mabel, also a classmate and family friend." Gilbert gestured to each of them as he spoke.

"Hello, Anne. Do you spell it with or without the E?"

Anne blinked, her expression shocked. Mabel frowned, "She spells it with."

"Anne, Mabel, this is my.. uh.." Gilbert stammered, looking over at the woman for help.

"Winifred." Anne awkwardly shook the woman's hand.

"Entry number sixteen."

"Oh, Anne! It's you! Your cake." Anne excitedly turned around, clasping Mabel's hand in her own, unbeknownst to the glares she received.

"It's a wonderful presentation."

"It's the lake of shining waters!"

"It's a little ostentatious."

Mabel rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "It's beautiful, Anne."

Anne watched with a bited breath as the judges bit into the cake. "Dear God!"

"Oh, no.."

"What is that?" The man coughed into his napkin. "It tastes like liniment!"

Anne pulled her hand from Mabel's grasp and disappeared into the crowd. "Anne!"

Mabel looked back at Gilbert before rushing to chase after her. "Anne!"

When Mabel found Anne minutes later, she found her sat in the grass, tears streaming down her face.

Mabel frowned, slowly seating herself beside Anne. "The cake looked wonderful, Anne. Truly exquisite."

"That wasn't good enough.. I failed Mary."

"You didn't fail anyone, especially not Mary. Mary would've loved that cake and she would've been incredibly proud of you."

Anne turned her head to Anne, pulling her into a hug and burying her face in her neck.

"I love you." Anne mumbled, knowing in her heart that she meant it deeper than Mabel believed..

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

{ Word Count: 1400 }

{ A/n: Mabel gay panicking??? more likely than you think,,  i have something spicy planned 👀👀 }

{ Edited: No }