Everyone in the classroom was focusing on their sums except for Gilbert, Anne and Moody. Gilbert's mind was occupied as he watched Anne, who was gazing out of the window. Moody, on the other hand, was deeply engrossed in carefully dipping the end of Ruby's plait into the inkwell on his desk. Managing to cover the bottom of her hair in black dripping ink, Moody turned to Gilbert for a high five.

"No, no." Gilbert rolled his eyes. Moody shrugged and turned to Charlie, who also declined to congratulate his friend. Finally managing to reach for a high five from Billy Andrews, Moody went back to his sums. Gilbert finally noticed Miss Stacy, who had just reminded Anne to work instead of daydream - somehow missing Moody's activity regarding Ruby's hair - watching him carefully as he finally looked away from Anne. Red-faced, he looked down and carried on with his maths. Miss Stacy smiled to herself as she turned to go back to her desk./p

The next day as the students back sat down after their lunch break, Miss Stacy announced, "I am planning a class performance for your parents at the end of the year. The younger students will be performing the nativity but for you older students, this is an optional activity." She handed out copies of Much Ado About Nothing around the older students of the class, "Who would like to take part?". Anne, Diana, Ruby, Josie quickly put their hands up, the other girls too shy and none of the boys volunteering. Miss Stacy sighed, "Thankfully, there are enough girls. Anne, you will be Beatrice, Diana, you will be Hero, Josie, you will be Margret and Ruby, you will be Ursula." She turned to the boys, "Any volunteers?" They remained silent. Their teacher sighed again, "Fine, I will have to choose. Fred, you will be Claudio, Moody, you will be Leonato, Gilbert, you will be Benedick-"

Anne muffled a horrified gasp, Of all the boys, why did it have to be Gilbert? She felt Diana sympathetically put her arm around her shoulder. Gilbert noticed Anne tense up from the corner of his eye. He put his hand up, "Miss Stacy, please could I swap characters?"

"No, you may not." Miss Stacy replied. She handed out the books, "From now on, I want you to practice once a week during an English lesson outside. Off you go." And with that, she left to go back to attending the younger children.

"I trusted Miss Stacy." Anne huffed as she and Diana walked out together.

Moody shuffled in front and mumbled to Billy Andrews, who was playing the part of the messenger, "I learn in this letter that, uh, Don Pedro of Arragon comes, erm, this night to Messina."

Billy remained looking at the book and said monotonously, "He is very near by this: he was not three leagues off when I left him." The dialogue between them carried on in the same fashion with Anne rolling her eyes at their mistakes and folding her

"...how much better it is to weep at joy than, um, to joy at weeping."

Finally, Anne thought, "I pray you is Signior Mountanto returned from the wars or no?" she asked.

"I know none of that name, lady: there was none such in the army of any sort." Billy replied flatly

Is it impossible for him to use some expression or look up from the book? Anne thought annoyed.

When it finally came for Gilbert to speak, Anne smirked, I bet he's a terrible actor.

"Were you in doubt sir when you asked her?" Gilbert said confidently.

That was barely anything to remember. I'll bet he will be just like the other boys. Anne thought to herself. When he speaks next, I'll be after so it'll just prove that he's not good at everything.

Gilbert caught sight of the smug look on Anne's face,

"If Signior Leonato be her father, she would not have his head on her shoulders for all Messina, as like him as she is," Gilbert said, not relying on reading the text as the boys before him had. He raised in eyebrow challenging Anne. She was unsure if he was actually in character or not but she was determined to be the better of the two.

"I wonder that you will still be talking, Signior Benedick: nobody marks you." she retorted

"What! My dear Lady Disdain," Gilbert smirked, "are you yet living?"

The two carried on, the other students watching them spar through the characters' words. Miss Stacy finally called the students back in as they were about to begin Act II.

"Isn't Gilbert a great actor," Diana whispered to Anne as they sat down

Anne shrugged, "He's alright I guess." she said begrudgingly

"You two make such a good Benedick and Beatrice." Anne shot Diana a look, "Not that I am suggesting that you will fall in love with him." she hastily added.

The second practised rolled around and the cast gathered outside. "We'll carry on from Act II, shall we?" Charlie said Sloanishly.

Miss Stacy had already made masks for the play so each student in that scene was sporting one. Anne had already memorised her dialogue from the next few scenes, along with Diana who had memorised most of her lines, however, that could not be said for the Moody who was stumbling over Leonato's part, dragging out the scenes for a tedious amount of time. Anne could see Josie and Ruby whispering to each other, watching Gilbert, who heeded them no attention as he focused on the scene.

"He looks so handsome with that mask." Ruby giggled quietly to Josie who nodded.

He does look rather mysterious, Anne admitted grudgingly.

"Focus Anne!" she muttered to herself. It was approaching her interaction with Gilbert and she was determined to make no mistakes.

Anne looks pretty with that mask, Gilbert mused.

He stepped in front of Anne and looked down at her, as she said, "Will you not tell me who told you so?"

Managing to gather his thoughts in time to respond, "No you shall pardon me."

In this scene, Anne was glad that she had most of the dialogue between them, it gave her more of an opportunity to prove herself.

Scene II of Act II arrived and Anne was looking forward to seeing how Gilbert could act a more emotional monologue. As Moody, Fred and Charlie exited the scene, Anne waited with bated breath. She didn't quite know why she was so invested in Gilbert's performance. She kept telling herself that she was anticipating him to fail, determined to not admit that he was an exceptional actor.

"...When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I married. Here comes Beatrice. By this day! she's a fair lady: I do spy some marks of love in her." he finished his monologue. Anne frowned, not only was he good at comedy but he was great in romantic parts as well. It wasn't fair.

As they began Act IV, Miss Stacy decided to observe their progress. Diana had given a convincing swoon and Anne demonstrated her talent at crying real tears at will. The others had exited the scene and now it was just her and Gilbert.

"Lady Beatrice, have you wept all this while?" Gilbert said, his tone exuding compassion.

Is there any emotion that that boy can't convey? she pondered, "Yea, and I will weep a while longer."

"I will not desire that."

"You have no reason; I do it freely."

"Surely I do believe your fair cousin is wronged."

How does he do it?, Anne felt herself becoming distracted by the emotion in Gilbert's voice, "Ah! how much might the man deserve of me that would right her." she replied, tears still streaming down her face.

"Is there any way to show such friendship?"

"A very even way, but no such friend."

"May a man do it?" Gilbert asked

"It is a man's office, but not yours," Anne replied, wondering how he would deliver his next line

"I do love nothing in the world so well as you: is not that strange." he mused as he looked deeply into her eyes. He appeared so convincing of being in love that Anne temporarily forgot her next line. Thankfully, she was given time to recover as everyone turned their attention to Ruby and Diana who had just let out a loud "aww".

The end of the year arrived and as Anne was preparing for Queens, she spent half of the time practising Much Ado About Nothing with Diana. She wanted her performance to be perfect.

"Anne, as much as I enjoy running lines with you, shouldn't you practice with Gilbert? He is Benedick after all." Diana said cautiously as they ran through the play next to the Lake of Shining Waters.

Anne whipped around to face Diana, "How can you suggest that! You know that he is my enemy. I want to avoid him as much as possible. Playing his romantic interest is enough torture." she said dramatically, "Anyway, the play is tomorrow, there's no point in starting now." she added. Diana rolled her eyes but said nothing.

The class and parents sat patiently through the younger students' Nativity performance, children waving at their parents from the front, and off-key Christmas carols and hymns. Politely clapping as they left the stage, Anne felt butterflies build up in her stomach. As the walked to the stage, Miss Stacey introduced the play and cast. Anne caught sight of Marilla with a neutral look on her face but a glimmer of pride in her eyes and Matthew beaming at her. She stood up straighter and prepared for a performance that would make her guardians proud. She happened to be standing next to Gilbert off stage, and for the first time in her life, saw him without any trace of confidence. Unable to stop herself, Anne reluctantly gave his arm a reassuring squeeze, "Don't worry, you'll be fine." she said quietly, avoiding eye contact. Before Gilbert could reply, the play had begun.

Anne was impressed, Moody had remembered his lines, not without making a couple of errors of course, but it was his best performance to date. Billy had miraculously managed to speak with some expression and so far, everything was going smoothly. Anne's heart pounded as they were approaching the end of the final act and scene. She could hear the audience laughing as Gilbert said breezily, "Come, I will have thee; but by this light, I take thee for pity."

"I would not deny you; but, by this good day, I yield upon your great persuasion, and partly to save your life, fo I was told you were in a consumption." she countered. Her heart was racing as Gilbert proclaimed, "Peace! I will stop your mouth." and he quickly kissed her on the cheek. They had previously avoided that part of the scene, everybody only running through their lines. They stared at each other, faces both warm, and Gilbert only just paying enough attention to reply to Don Pedro, Anne grateful that she had no more lines for she was certain that every word known to man had escaped from her mind.