Greetings Fellow Anne-Fans!

I was asked some time ago now if I'd ever consider writing my own modern day Anne series. I don't know if it was a hint from the person or not, I don't even know if they'll read it, but I know its been on the back of my mind, until now! I actually have most of the idea planned out until the end of university, and obviously not everything shows up in the same order either! But its mine! For the time being this is chapter one of my 2017 Anne of Green Gables!

My story at least to start with, focuses on Anne's and Gilbert's developing relationship, they have a very hot and cold relationship because you know something... you can't avoid the boy you hate in high school!

I hope you all enjoy

love

Carrots x

"Heyyyy Gil-man!" Charlie shouted as Gilbert came through the door at in the high school. "Finally decided to join us here in the junior year!" He finished high fiving his friend.

"Finally!" Gilbert replied with a cocky grin to his friend. "Hey, get me to my locker…" he started with his friend.

"No fear its right next to mine, on the jocks line." He said with a smile.

"Thanks man. Just as well I got elected before the end of last term, otherwise I never would have made class president." He said sweeping the hair from off his forehead as Charlie showed him his locker.

"Nor the football team captain either, especially above a senior." Charlie commented, though secretly delighted in the news Gil wouldn't be starting junior year right on time, it meant he as his number two got to be class president and football team captain, even if it was temporary. "How's your pap doing now?" Charlie asked out of genuine concern. "All better? I know the last few rounds of chemo can be rough."

"Yeah, tell me about it." Gilbert almost muttered but knew better then to moan to a Sloane. "He's getting there, we were over in Toronto they have the best hospital there for the treatment. Hence, home-schooling for two months!" Gilbert said wincing to which Charlie laughed.

"Not your thing?" Charlie asked.

"Well…" He started. "Oh hey boys…" he greeted as other football team members came over to greet their captain back.

"Glad to see you…" Fred smiled.

"Welcome back Gil…" Moody smiled.

"You've been in good hands I take it?" Gilbert falsely asked knowing Charlie wouldn't quite do the job as he saw fit but would keep the boys on target. The boys started to describe the kind of training Charlie had led them in when his concentration momentarily distracted as he saw Diana Barry walk by, but it wasn't Diana who caught his eye.

A girl who was so slender it boarder on skinny walked with her. She had a pair of jeans on with… was that a 'the clash' tee shirt, very cool! Vintage bands! He liked it! She wore her red hair in two long pigtails and wore huge framed glasses (atop her perfect nose which… did she have freckles?) which he was sure was magnifying her eyes because no one had eyes that big! He watched them talking and walking as they went past when he noticed the girl with the eyes and hair watched him as he watched her. He flashed a lopsided grin which won every girl over, except her. She was frowning at him! Did she disapprove of him already?! He bit his lip down watching her for a second before his bottom lip protruded, he smiled and gave her a wink (Which was sure to charm her right?) To which she gave a scolding look and she instantly turned her head away as she continued to listen to Diana Barry chatter on.

His heart nearly fell onto his sleeve!

Did she just ignore him?!

On purpose!

No one had done that to him since he was six!

"…well I'm glad I left you in such good hands." He said to make sure the boys knew he was actually paying attention to what they were saying.

"Gilbert!" he heard a sweet and whining voice coming from the door as it opened.

His heart dropped as the head cheerleader and her cheer friends came over.

"Oh, hey Josie…" he said to her, "how's the cheer squad doing?" he asked the group of girls hoping to start a group conversation between the two groups rather than having to face a one on one discussion with Josie. It worked for all of about 30 seconds when Josie pulled him out of the group.

"You know Gil…" she trailed coming closer to him then he liked so he stepped back trying to be a gentleman until he was backed into the lockers and he couldn't back off any further where he found himself pressed against them. "There's an expectation or a high school myth really that the football team captain dates the head cheerleader. I'm the head cheerleader now you know?" she said battering her eyelashes at him.

"Really?" he said almost choking on his own breath. "Dating you say? I'm afraid I never heard that one before."

Josie giggled in a high pitched which made Gilbert's hair stand on end. "You have now!" she squealed.

"Yeah thanks for that Josie," he tried as she continued the high pitched laughter.

The school bell rang where he almost sighed in relief.

"Oh hey what do you have first period?" she asked him.

"Oh advanced Chem." He told her.

She huffed "Oh that's a real shame Gil." She sighed. "I have gym, you know I'm majoring in gym, it means I only have to take another two classes all semester!" she fluttered as they entered their home room.

"Oh?" he said. "You don't say?" he said. "Just two." He said flatly. "well as always a pleasure Miss Pye." He said with a smile as he sat next to Moody. Who he noticed was sitting at a perfect angle to Diana and the redhead.

"Hey Bud?" he said to his friend. "Who's the redhead with Diana Barry?" he asked him.

"Oh, that's Anne Shirley, she transferred in at the beginning of the semester."

"From where?" Gilbert asked him.

"I dunno." He said honestly. "She's a bit of a mystery nerd."

"Nerd?" Gilbert said looking at Moody thinking he was being rude.

"Yeah she's into all this literature stuff and science, she's super smart and she's into all the sci fi stuff. She's in advanced chem next with us"

Gilbert swallowed. That kinda sounded like his ideal girl if he was going to be honest. Yet he couldn't be. He was a closet geek you see, never shared that part of him with anyone else. He saw what jocks did to the nerds and geeks, he never did it himself, he was powerful enough to stop the jocks before they did anything to the nerds but all the same, he didn't want to stand against his whole football team. Especially since he's captain. "What's she majoring in?"

"Duel, actually, English and politics."

"Then why is she in advanced chem?" he asked as they entered the classroom.

"Because she's just that smart." Moody told him.

The register was taken and announcements made, they quickly filed back out into the corridor and into their classrooms. Charlie sitting with Moody, Diana was sitting with Anne there was a free desk which he promptly decided to take, right behind Anne.

Gilbert's eyes drew to her as he walked past her. 'were those eyes even real?' he thought to himself as he sat directly behind her. She turned and looked at him again as if she was trying to figure him out, so he gave her the same smile as before and winked again. She quickly turned around on her stool and whispered something to Diana.

"Firstly," the teacher greeted "the test results from last Thursday's test." The teacher started walking round handing back papers and he notice Anne's came back in hand and a big smile come across her face. He couldn't help but lean forward and check out the mark himself.

His bottom lip protruded impressed. 95%. 'Holy cow!' he thought to himself. 'she is smart!'

"There's some promising result." The teacher said. "And some not so promising." He looked to Gilbert "Hello Gilbert!" He said with a fake smile. "We've missed you."

Gilbert grinned. "Thank you Mr Phillips. Its good to be back." He said honestly.

"And some who have yet to prove themselves." He finished with a smile.

His arm went up to his hand, his elbow resting on the desk in front of him, his chin resting on the ball of his clenched hand. 'Surely, there was a way to get this girls attention?' he thought to himself. He went to his note pad and ripped tiny pieces of paper off it crunched them up and flicked them in Anne and Diana's direction.

Diana looked alright, her wide eyes in shock that Gilbert Blythe could be trying to get their attention, he looked at Diana and pointed at Anne.

"I think he wants your attention Anne." He heard her whisper.

"Some of us are trying to listen!" Anne almost hissed back ignoring the urge to look behind her. Diana looked back to Gilbert and shrugged.

This however, didn't deter his determination. With this full size paper balls were being thrown at her hitting the back of her head every so often as the teacher spoke. Diana looked on in shock. Gilbert Blythe was trying to get her attention! Gilbert Blythe!

"Anne…" Diana whispered.

"Not now Diana," she whispered back. "He'll get bored eventually."

Gilbert chuckled at this, clearly she had no idea just how much will power he had.

So the lesson when on, and as it did soon the slate boards were out (to protect the wooden desks) and the Bunsen burners were going full force as they came to conclusions over the experiments. Gilbert of course working hard to complete the work but also when time given was trying to grab this girls attention. Nothing of which worked.

No paper balls

Or paper Airplanes.

He was finally fresh out of ideas by the end of the class so he tried the very old fashioned "psst Anne." He whispered.

"Anne…" Diana tried again.

"Ignoring him again." She whispered back to Diana.

"Hey, Anne!" he tried again a little louder. But nothing was working. With this he got so frustrated he picked up one braid of her hair and tugged at it. "Hey Carrots!" he exclaimed.

Little did he know this would break her temper, she had forgotten to put away the slate slab which she had been doing her experiments on which was still laying in front of her on the table. She jumped out her stool and turned and looked at him, her face red as her hair she practically shouted, "How dare you!" she picked up the slate slab and whacked it over his head, it clear broke clean into two pieces.

Gasps abounded the classroom along with a deadly silence before Mr Phillips walked behind her "Anne Shirley!" He said in his stern voice, "I've never seen such a display of bad temper." He told her.

Gilbert's face still red, head still pounding now had a guilty feeling enter his gut "It was my fault sir I was teasing her."

Seemingly Mr Phillips ignored it. "It will not be tolerated. The principal's office NOW!" he yelled.

Anne's face by now was as red as her hair she picked up her bag and things and walked out the door.

Gilbert was stunned into silence, he couldn't believe what happened just did. He just wanted to say hello.

"Why did you have to tease her over her hair?" Charlie whispered from behind Gilbert. "She's really sensitive about it!" He hissed.

"I didn't know that!" Gilbert exclaimed back. "You might have warned me."

"Oh come on Gil, use some sense!" Charlie hissed again. "The girl has red hair what do you think people tease her over?"

"Why would anyone seriously bully her over her hair?" Gilbert gasped.

"Come on Gil, its an easy target."

"But I wasn't bullying her, I was just teasing a little to get her attention!" Gilbert swallowed again as his friends turned from him.

He burned as he waited for the period to end then hotfooted it to the Principal's office.