xii.

Eleanor woke up the next morning with a pounding headache, and the sound of a hammer pounding nails.

She groaned and sat up, rubbing her eyes and smoothing her wild hair down.

"What are you doing?" she yawned as her eyes adjusted to the light, Gilbert was pulling his shirt on as she blushed slightly.

"Bash and me are building onto the barn, since school was cancelled today." Gilbert stated as he tossed Eleanor her petty coat.

"Wait what? Why was school cancelled?" she asked as she crawled out of bed and tossed her petty coat beside her.

"Today is Prissy and Mr Phillips wedding, how did you forget that?" Gilbert chuckled as he flopped down beside her and started lacing his boots up.

"Shit shit shit! I was supposed to help Prissy get ready! What time is it?" she asked as she slung herself out of bed and squeezed on her corset and petty coat.

"Calm down darling, it's only 7!" Gilbert stated as he gently placed his hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down.

"Oh thank sweet lord...I don't have to be there till two." she sighed out.

Gilbert chuckled and placed a kiss on her forehead before getting up and following the sound of the banging. Eleanor heard Bash and Gilbert laughing at something as she stretched and glanced at the bathroom attached to Gilbert's room.

"Gilbert? Do you mind if I go through your closets?" she yelled from the window.

"Of course not, just make sure-"

"Not to touch John's stuff I know I know." Eleanor nodded before shutting the window and walking towards the closet.

She pulled the doors open and stared into Gilbert's messy closet, she scoffed and shut the door before walking down the hall to John's room. Her eyes glanced towards the window and seen Gilbert and Bash hard at work nailing something into the wall, she quickly turned back around and opened John's wife closet.

Mrs Blythe died way before Eleanor came to Avonlea, at the ripe age of eight. Eleanor often heard Gilbert going through her stuff, and he loved to visit her grave and talk to her about things that's going on in his life.

Her eyes fell upon a beautiful baby pink dress, it had short and puffy sleeves with a long pink lace puffet.

"I'm sure he won't mind." Eleanor thought to herself as she pulled it from the closet and brought it back to Gilbert's room.

She gently placed it down on the bed before walking to the bathroom and starting the bath water.

(Time Skip: One Hour)

Eleanor walked out of the bathroom with her face freshly steamed and cleaned. She had a towel wrapped tightly around her body with her hair flowing naturally behind her. A tune coming from her throat as she hummed.

"Eleanor? Where did you find this dress?" Gilbert's voice made Eleanor squeak out in shock.

"Gilbert! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" she gasped out as she wrapped the towel tighter around herself, grabbing a blanket from the bed and pulling it infront of her.

Gilbert's face heated up slightly as he looked down, trying to not look at her figure.

"Where did you find this dress?" Gilbert asked.

"I found it in...John's room. I think it was your mothers." Eleanor answered truthfully.

"Eleanor...I told you not to go in there." Gilbert sighed.

"I-I know but I-" Eleanor started but Gilbert stopped her.

"I'm not mad, so stop shaking. I just...I-I don't want to look at her dresses." Gilbert exclaimed as he stepped closer to her.

"Gilbert, it's been eight years...don't you think it's time to allow yourself to move on?" Eleanor asked as she gently stroked his cheek.

His face almost melted into her touch, his cheek squished against her palm as he placed a kiss on her hand.

"I know, and you'll look beautiful in this dress. Try it on, I'm sure she would want someone to wear it rather than it just sitting in an old dusty closet." Gilbert chuckled

Eleanor beamed and grabbed the dress before hurrying off into the bathroom to get dressed. After squeezing into her corset, petty coat, and undergarments, she walked out wearing the dress.

Gilbert let out a long sigh as a lazy smile drew from his lips, he held his hands out as Eleanor reached forward and grabbed them. He spun her slightly, making the dress proof up and fall back down in a lovely pattern.

"You look gorgeous Eleanor." Gilbert smiled as he tucked a strand of Eleanor's slightly wet hair behind her ear.

"Thank you Gilbert, but...are you sure you're okay with me wearing her dress?" she asked.

"It's a little hard, knowing that she once wore this dress. But I know her, she would love for you to be wearing something that meant so much to her. This was the dress she wore when she first went out with my father." Gilbert smiled as he touched one of the lace roses that were pleated on the dress.

"Oh Gilbert, that's so romantic." Eleanor sighed dreamily.

"And now your wearing it, the day I fell in love with you." Gilbert whispered.

Eleanor gasped slightly and covered her mouth with her gloved hands, her eyes glittered with excitement as she leapt forward and hugged him tightly. He stumbled back slightly, chuckling, before picking her up and spinning her around, making both of them laugh.

"We're only known each other for a few months, but that's all the time it took for me to realize I'm in love with you Eleanor Parks. Fully and totally in love with you." Gilbert explained.

"Oh Gilbert, I love you too." Eleanor smiled.

Gilbert instantly made a loud "whoop!" noise before picking Eleanor up and placing kisses all over her face.

"Eleanor Park's is in love with me!" Gilbert yelled, making Eleanor laugh.

"Can you two please be quieter? Some of us are trying to work here!" Bash's muffled voice came flowing in through the window, making the two teens laugh.

Eleanor and Gilbert turned back to each other after laughing, their eyes meeting and a smile etching to both of their faces.

"I can't wait to be with you, forever."

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"Eleanor finally! I thought you weren't coming!" Prissy squealed out as Eleanor came rushing through the doors of their large home.

"Pris, I am so sorry! I got caught up with Gilbert and Bash-" Eleanor started but was instantly pulled through the house by Prissy.

"My wedding starts in less than three hours Elle! I was waiting so you can help me with my hair." Prissy breathed out as they finally reached her room.

"Is anyone else here yet?" Eleanor asked but instantly go there answer as she walked through the door to see all the girls sitting on the bed giggling about something.

"That a good enough answer for you?" Prissy chuckled as Eleanor slightly nodded and led Prissy over to a chair infront of a mirror.

"Eleanor that's a beautiful dress, where did you get it?" Diana asked.

"It's actually Gilbert's mom's dress, he's letting me wear it for today." she smiled slightly to herself as she started brushing out the brides hair.

"Gilbert's letting you wear his mother's dress?" Ruby sniffled.

"Oh come on Ruby, you know me and Gilbert have been dating close to nine months now." Eleanor scoffed.

"I-I know...but it still hurts." Ruby sobbed out.

Eleanor and Prissy made eye contact in the mirror, they both rolled their eyes and laughed.

Anne and Diana tried to calm Ruby down as Eleanor worked on making Prissy's hair beautiful. Prissy has decided to go with a lovely curled hairdo with small braided strands lapping over themselves to create a "V" shape.

"Can you believe that I'm getting married?" Prissy sighed out dreamily as her eyes glazed over.

Eleanor glanced back at the rest of the girls, who were giggling about something and staring dreamily at Prissy's wedding dress.

"I really can't, especially not to Mr Phillips." Eleanor shuttered slightly, making Prissy giggle and playfully slap her.

"He's actually a very kind man Elle, you just need to get to know him better that's all."

"Yes because I want to spend my free time talking to a grouchy old man with a large forehead."

"I don't think that's anyway to speak of my husband, especially not when you're a bridesmaid!" Prissy giggled.

"Maid of honor, thank you very much." Eleanor smiled and pinned the last braid into place before backing away.

The group of girls instantly ran over and stared at Prissy's hair, admiring it as she spun around dreamily like a princess.

"Time for makeup!" Mrs Andrew's voice echoed through the halls as she came speeding in.

Eleanor quickly moved out of the way, along with the rest of the girls, as Prissy was forced into a chair and makeup was being done on her.

"I'll be right back." Eleanor whispered to Anne before sneaking out of Prissy's room.

Her shoes clicked against the floor as she walked down the hallway and stairs, the sound of gentle music was wafting off of a large turn table with a golden horn. She swayed slightly to the music as her eyes admired Prissy's beautiful home, it was a large and majestic home built a few years ago by Mr Andrew's himself.

"Eleanor? What are you doing here?" Billy Andrew's voice made her jump slightly and spin around.

"I'm here helping Prissy prepare for her wedding day." she answered dryly as she picked up a small glass bottle and admired the careful etchings.

The clicking of Billy's shoes grew closer as Eleanor glanced up, soon, he was standing right infront of her.

"Billy what are you doing." she scoffed as she straightened her back to try and look more intimidating.

"Just admiring the view, nothing wrong with that is there?" Billy asked as he glanced down at Eleanor's chest.

She quickly slipped her hand over her bust and scoffed, trying to move around Billy.

His arm moved up and grabbed both sides of the small side table that Eleanor was standing infront of, his eyes moving up and down her body.

"Billy, move your arms." she demanded.

"No."

"Billy I said-"

"You heard her. Move." Gilbert's voice made both teens look in the direction of the door.

Billy glared at Gilbert before backing away slowly, the room was quick to fill with silence and tension as the two boys glared at each other.

"Eleanor, come on. We're leaving." Gilbert's voice seemed much thicker than usual.

Eleanor nodded and quickly made her way over to Gilbert, he wrapped a secure arm around her waist as he glared at Billy once more before ushering her out the door.

"Are you okay? Did he touch you?" Gilbert's voice seemed to instantly get softer as he used his hands to turn her face and examine her.

"Gilbert I'm alright, he didn't touch me." she sighed.

"Good. Stupid Billy Andrews, he's going to get hurt one of these days for being an asshole." Gilbert huffed.

"Gilbert, I'm fine. So just leave it, please?" Eleanor asked, her hands rubbing up and down her arms as she kept her eyes glued to the ground.

"Do you want me to take you home?" he asked.

"I have to help Prissy get ready for her wedding...I really should stay."

"But Eleanor...what about Billy-"

"I can handle him, really. I'm fine."

"But-"

Before Gilbert could argue, Eleanor had sighed and walked back into the Andrew's residence. Her eyes were glued to the ground as he made her way back upstairs to Prissy's room.

Gilbert stood outside for another minute, watching the door as it slowly slid shut and clicked into place. A sigh escaped his lips before he turned back around and headed home, only for Bash to not be there.

He was at the Bog.

There, he met a beautiful lady named Mary.

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"Eleanor you look darling." Mrs Gillis smiled as she patted the young girl on her shoulder.

"Thank you Mrs Gillis." Eleanor smiled and handed her a small brochure.

Prissy had asked Eleanor to stand and greet a few people at the door while they wait for Billy, who was the one who was SUPPOSED to be greeting people. But leave it up to Billy Andrew's to be late.

"What are you doing up here Eleanor? Shouldn't you be back there with Prissy?" Marilla gasped as she and Mathew walked into the church, an excited looking Anne following.

"Yes but Billy is late, so I'm forced to take over for him." Eleanor chuckled uncomfortably.

"That boy is a menace, here dear, you head on back with Prissy and I'll hand these out." Marilla smiled as she grabbed the brochure's from Eleanor and gently nudged her down the isle.

"Thank you Mrs Cutherburt, hello Anne." she nodded before hurrying off to the back of the church.

Her heels clicked softly on the gravel as she walked to the little house near the church that Prissy was finishing getting ready in. As she walked in, it felt like all hell had broken loose.

Women were yelling orders, small girls dressed in bright pink dresses were crying while tossing flowers, and Prissy was glaring at everyone as they passed.

Eleanor quickly made her way through the crowd and over to Prissy, she grabbed the bride's hand before pulling her through the back door of the home.

"Thank the lord for you." Prissy sighed.

"Your very welcome, what is even making everyone go ballistic in there?" Eleanor huffed as she brushed off her bridesmaid dress.

It was a long and lavish pink dress made of silk, it hugged her body tightly and flowed down at the end.

"Because I couldn't find my vail, mother insisted for everyone to look for it. But once everyone couldn't find it, they started yelling and arguing that someone took it. If I'm being honest, I think I might've left it in the carriage on the way here." Prissy giggled.

The two girls laughed as the yelling inside slowly calmed down, the sound of someone screaming made Eleanor and Prissy both jump.

"I've found it! I've found it!" the yells of an elder lady was overheard.

"Guess we better head back in then shouldn't we?" Prissy grumbled as she pulled up the top of her beautiful white dress.

"Guess so." Eleanor huffed out.

The two girls linked arms before walking into the little home, Prissy was instantly swept away as Eleanor stood watching her best friend slowly drift away.

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