Chapter Text
“Pleaaasse Anne…. I’m begging you.. In the name of friendship! And.. saving me from myself! I don’t want to do this alone!”
A serene smile graced the face of the bright haired girl as she tossed her thick braid behind her shoulder and pulled a blue sundress off the rack
“Oh! What do you think of this Di! For Ruby’s birthday next week? I could hem it a bit higher… Oh, I’d have to re-enforce that.. But I think it would be really good for park hangs…”
“I know you heard me, Anne! I’m not giving up”
Anne did hear her, but she had been avoiding responding to the request as long as she could and she draped the dress over her arm adding to the collection of bright colours and floral patterns cascading there. She looked back at her friend
“Ok,.. I think I’m ready.”
“Ready to join?!”
“Ready to try these on.”
The dark haired girl wilted like a flower under the hot early May sunshine that was beaming outside the consignment store they were pursuing. Diana Barry had thought that she would possibly be able to convince her friend of her masterful summer plans if she could just get her alone for a bit and she would understand that it would be so much better and possibly couldn’t even do it without her. Was that not obvious? Anne always made things more interesting and frankly she just needed someone who wouldn’t judge her to be a part of this whole scheme. What wasn’t as obvious was the tiny line of consternation between Anne Shirley’s auburn eyebrows.
Diana trailed after Anne as she walked lightly towards the back of the warehouse and watched her disappear behind a curtain, the whisk of metal signalling a finality to the conversation at the moment and Diana instead slumped into a plastic chair set off to the side letting out a sigh of disappointment. She knew Anne was stubborn but she usually jumped at the chance to help a friend. Perhaps she would actually have to explain her nervousness a bit more but she could’ve sworn she understood from the beginning. She could hear her shimmying off her clothes and the clanking of the hanger that held whatever she decided to try on first and Diana looked down at her nails. Ghastly. Hangnails all over the place and the paint was chipped. Looking at them made her even more anxious and she absent mindedly started chewing on the corner of her thumb.
“You know you hate yourself when you do that.”
Anne had reappeared in a bright yellow floral romper. Diana threw her a guilty look and automatically removed her thumb dragging it across her shorts as Anne stood in front of the mirror. Diana got up and peered over Anne’s shoulder to look critically at the reflection staring back across at them, grey eyes searching her’s out. Diana took a moment to think but quickly affirmed.
“Stunning. Drop dead gorgeous. You are a ray of sunshine and no one could tell you otherwise.”
Anne went slightly pink and laughed appreciatively, smoothing the fabric down her stomach.
“Don’t think flattery will get you anywhere”
Diana cocked an eyebrow daring her to continue
“And get me where?...” but tilted her head critically and paused for a moment before continuing
“No…seriously, I actually really like yellow on you… I think you could pinch it in here” she commented, taking a fold in at the waist “That’ll accentuate your figure a bit more to keep you from looking boxy, but overall it’s a nice piece. Long enough on your thighs that you could wear it with a sweater to work I think.”
Anne pivoted looking at it from different angles
“I need to show off my figure at work…? Di, I didn’t know you were into the whole sexy Librarian thing..”
“Ha-Ha. You’re the one who's always the one complaining about how you’re too skinny, not me. I would be thrilled to chop off even half my chest…” Diana shot back, letting go of the waistline and stepping back to look at the outfit as a whole again “ya, I think you should get it. Next!” and she turned and sat back down, getting into the role of fashion critic, letting go of her ulterior motives for the moment.
Anne went behind the curtain unbuttoning the romper and hanging it on one of the hooks in the stall. The pile was substantial and Diana was right, she did need some new clothes for her summer job at the University Library, but before she picked up another find she critically looked at herself in the mirror and the same person she had always been looked back at her judgmentally. She was thin… and pale… and still redheaded but no.. that’s something she decided she would not care about anymore and she blew a few strands off her face with a puff of air before impatiently pushing them back off her forehead with one hand. She pivoted again looking critically over her body. She wasn’t terribly out of shape she supposed, she had always been slender but it wasn’t completely lacking in muscle. She lifted one arm hesitatingly and flexed her before groaning and letting it fall immediately feeling foolish.
“For fucks sake…” escaped under her breath. That was maybe a little pathetic considering what Diana wanted her to commit to. She twisted a bit more and looked at her legs searching for any sort of definition there recalling the conversation almost two weeks ago.
She and Diana had been sitting under the shade of their favourite tree on campus, happily unwinding after exam season and relishing in the feeling of having absolutely nothing to do academically for another four months. Anne was excited, it was the first summer she was able to afford to stay since she got a high enough paying job to hold her share of their apartment and save for the next year. Diana had been able to stay the two previous summers since her parents paid her half of the rent and sighed dramatically all summer about how much she missed her… how much school wasn’t the same without her… how the subletter she found NEVER wanted to do Sangria Sundays or even just coffee mornings. Anne knew she was being overly dramatic and had a great time the past two summers. And while she always enjoyed her old job as a Camp Coordinator at the same camp she lucked into during her fostering days, she felt like she wanted to be able to have the same young adult experience in the city that everyone else she went to school with seemed to be having. She always missed so much whenever she got back from the summer. Including when new people were added to their girl group, such as Josie Pye. Anne scrunched her nose thinking about her. She was sure if she had stuck around the first summer Josie wouldn’t have made such inroads with sweet, forgiving Ruby. And now she just had to suck up all the digs at her whenever they went out as a group. But she looked fondly at Diana who was unscrewing their mason jars full of wine and passing one over.
“Cheers!” Diana took a sip “To an actual whole year together!...Almost.. At the end of the summer. You know what I mean”
Anne grinned back and took a sip of her own letting the too warm wine wash away irritations that weren’t worth thinking about at this happy moment
“I’m so excited I almost can’t bear it!” she leaned down across the grass “I want to do everything and nothing all at the same time”
“We're going to have so much fun, I promise.” Diana said leaning forward earnestly “I think the first thing we should do is look at the City summer festival list. We’re definitely going to the Cider festival at the end… It was so fun last year… And we should do a road trip!”
“You think so? Where?” asked Anne laughing “Is this something that I’ll have to take time off work?”
“Oh god no. I don’t know yet, I haven’t thought that far ahead. Maybe if my parents let me we could use their sea-side house one weekend. They usually rent it to tourists but if we ask we could probably get the girls to join… Ruby, Josie, Jane would come I bet.”
“That sounds wonderful dearest…” Anne said, taking another sip of the wine doing her best not to think about a whole weekend trapped with Josie “I am honestly up for anything. This will be my first summer that I feel like a real grown-up with a real job and my real apartment.”
Diana must have heard the slightly wistfulness in her voice because she reached over and took her hand.
“I know it's harder for you because you don’t feel like you have a place to go often… but your home is our apartment. With me and Rusty. Your life is still just beginning Anne, we’re so young, and it's going to be great! Starting with this summer!”
“Thank Di. I really am ok. Even though I aged out I know Marillla would take me back but I don’t like being a burden and it's been hard for her to manage since Matthew died… Our apartment is actually one of the places I’ve felt the most at home since I left their house after high school… so cheers again!” she said reaching across “To the best friend Redmond housing could’ve ever paired me with, and the start of the best summer ever”
Diana nodded as solemnly as she could with a happy smile that was unable to be contained and took a sip glancing around before accidentally inhaling it and she started to gasp and choke. Anne rounded on her in interest as she turned more red than a bit of wine could account for and she looked around too spying a burly dark haired boy talking to curly haired one whom he bid goodbye to before looking down at his phone and slowly starting to walk their way.
“Isn’t that Fred? The guy from your History tutorial?” Anne asked as casually as she could
“Hm? Where?” Diana asked in a spectacularly non-affected voice for someone who was just coughing a moment before
“Over there, by the Athletic Centre doors, he’s walking down the path towards us.”
“Oh ya,.. It is”
“Is he staying for the summer? You should go say hi!”
“Um.. ya I think he is.. And no.” Giving Anne a look “That’s awkward.”
“It’s not awkward, he’s walking on the path that's going to go straight by us! And you said you studied together! Just go ask him how he did!”
Diana looked contemplative
“Di if you don’t I’m going to call him over myself” Diana’s panic was enough to spur her into action
“Alright! Fine…just let him get a bit closer…Should I not bother him since he’s on his phone…”
“No! Who cares, just call him over! I want to meet him too!” They were whispering loudly to one another now as Fred slowly came closer still scrolling through his phone
“Who made you so pushy all of a sudden!”
“Di I know you want to say hi!.. Do it… now!” The last statement came out louder and Diana had to overcompensate when she called out face going redder
“Fred! Hi!!”
Anne smiled with her own satisfaction as he looked up and around and when he found the two of them lounging in the shade he immediately put his phone in his pocket and his face slowly blossomed into his own smile and he crossed the grass over to them.
“Hey Diana, I was just actually thinking about you.”
“Really?” It was good they were in the shade, thought Anne, because Diana couldn’t get any pinker “Did you see your marks for Modern France?”
He let out a good natured laugh
“Oh ya, sure did. It's lucky I worked with you or it could’ve been a massacre” he fiddled with the shoulder strap of his bag and bit “No I was wondering… are you staying here this summer?”
“Ya I am! This is actually my roommate Anne, the one I told you about!” She said gesturing to her “I always stay but this is Anne’s first year staying the summer”
Anne could tell her only barely caught what Diana was telling him about her but he gave her a smile and nod
“Great to meet you finally Anne” and his attention shifted back to Diana “Ya so… I was wondering… do you play sports at all” Diana’s face dropped into confusion
“Uh. Well. My dad signed me up for softball and soccer when I was little… maybe skating lessons too at one point why?”
Fred was obviously feeling awkward too
“So my friend, he always runs a softball team in the summer… It’s through the university so he says it's pretty chill. Nothing super competitive or anything… unless you want to be…?” Anne snorted then hastily took another sip of her wine when they both glanced at her.
“Do you think you’d want to join? It’s Thursday evenings starting the second week of May… they’re all on back campus so you don’t need to drive anywhere or anything....”
Diana had already started looking excited
“Sure! That sounds fun!”
“Really? That’s awesome! I’ll get Gil to add you to the roster!” Fred looked equally pleased as Anne felt since she was the one who had to convince Diana to say hi and she took another satisfied sip of wine
“You could join too Anne! We’re looking for girls” Now it was her turn to choke and by the time she was done spluttering both Diana and Fred were looking at her speculatively
“Oh… no, thank you so much but I’m really not an athlete at all. In fact I’m quite terrible. But I’ll be the best cheerleader every Thursday if you want!” She said with forced brightness
“Don’t be silly Anne! Of course you should join! Fred said it’s just for fun!” Anne was trying to telepathically tell Diana to shut up but she just ignored her and turned to Fred again
“She’s also not that bad of an athlete as she claims, Anne can run really fast” Fred looked back at Anne
“You know… everyone thinks you hit a ball far because of arm strength but really it all comes from the legs… you’d be more than welcome Anne” he said giving her another encouraging smile.
“Thank you Fred, that’s kind of you… but I don’t know if I’ll have time this summer”
Diana interrupted
“Anne! Come on! This will be fun! You were just saying how you wanted to do everything this summer” she said cajolingly “It could be just one of the fun things we do this summer”
“I’ll think about it. How about that” she replied with finality, hoping to buy herself some more time
“That's fine,” said Fred, apparently none too aware of the slight tension sparking between the girls “I’ll use your school email if that’s alright Diana?” She nodded in reply “Great, you’ll see an email tonight maybe. I’ll see you in a few weeks then! Anne, seriously, we definitely need more girls so join if you’d like! And let me know if you have any other friends who’d play Diana! We need at least three and apparently Gil doesn’t want the same girls as last year.”
“Why, they not good enough for him?” Anne asked a tad viciously, her annoyance at her friend leaking out into the conversation
“Oh, Um.. no. I think one was his ex so he’s not keen” Anne felt a little silly and shook herself
“Ah yes, I think everyone can relate to that,” she let herself smile at him “It was really nice to meet you Fred, I’ll definitely think about it”
“Cool.. Thanks. Sounds good.” He awkwardly stood there for another moment looking at Diana as if he wanted to say something else but abruptly turned and said “OK, bye Diana, I’ll text you!” And left the two girls looking at one another with slightly narrowed eyes.
The next week Diana led a solid campaign on why Anne should join the team with her. Everything ranging from it’s good to try new things to it's more of an excuse for people to hang out anyways. What she didn’t think Diana understood was that Diana actually played for a little bit in her youth, Anne was the girl who showed up in a class who didn’t know the rules and had never even put on a glove before. She could still hear the jeers from her classmates at how she didn’t know anything and feel the weight of being not good enough. It wasn’t something that she wanted to relive any time soon. Fred had already asked Diana if she had any girls who would be interested because the rest of the team wasn’t having much success finding anyone who was staying for the summer. Eventually she asked Josie because she liked sports and most things came pretty naturally to her. Josie also questioned Diana about the guys on the team and after looking at their social media, deemed them hot enough to spend a summer hanging out with them. And while that bought Anne a few more days, Fred had just messaged Diana once more that morning asking if she knew anyone else because they were still looking for one more.
Diana didn’t say anything more the rest of the time she was trying on clothes and was commendable at keeping a lid on the nagging that Anne had so far endured the start of the summer. She didn’t want to admit it yet but she was slowly being worn down. As much as she didn’t like sports she did like a reason to be outside. She adored Diana and secretly wanted to see how her crush on Fred panned out and it was obvious if anything was going to happen it was going to happen either on the diamond or the potential boozey parties that usually followed collegiate events since neither had made any effort to get together otherwise despite the obvious interest from both of them. Having to commit to an evening with Josie was a point against but she thought herself weak if she let one annoying person stop her from doing things she wanted to do she tried to ignore that point.
Anne tapped her debit card on the counter and she watched Diana try on different sunglasses while she waited. She really was dear who went out of her way to make her feel included, welcome and valued despite the differences in their background. Perhaps she could sacrifice one evening a week to someone who wholeheartedly supported her. The door chimed as she led them into the sunshine and she abruptly turned around to face Diana who stopped in confusion.
“Fine. I’ll play. But you should know I’m only doing it for you!”
Diana squealed in laughter and threw her arms around her jumping up and down slightly
“Yes!! Yes yes yesssss! We’re going to have the best summer ever!!”