Chapter 1:

Gilbert Blythe sat on his seat and stared blankly at his reflection in the window as he felt the soft bumps of the train against the tracks. He was finally returning home.

"Home... Wow..." Gilbert whispered to himself quietly enough so that nobody could hear him (lest they think he was a lunatic). It had been four years since he had slept in a bed he could call his very own. He father had been diagnosed with a case consumption, causing them to leave their home and go live with Gilbert's grandfather on the far side of Prince Edward Island, near the ocean. The doctor's told his father, John Blythe, that the fresh air would be good for his lungs.

Well, John Blythe was now as jumpy and active as a ten year old boy (or four year old boy for that matter) and was quite ready to return home. Gilbert was excited and a bit nervous because he had not been attending school regularly ever since they left, making him far behind in his studies compared to a normal sixteen year old boy.

The train gradually started slowing down as it got closer and closer to the Avonlea train station. Gilbert knew that their journey was finally coming to an end.

"Gilbert, is one of my little bags is right behind your suit case?" asked Gilbert's mother as they started collecting their luggage once the train had stopped (obviously).

"Yes mum. It is." Gilbert said after a quick glance behind the suit case.

"Be a sweetheart and take it for me, won't you dear?"

Ugh, not those words. He never really did enjoy being called those ewey-gooie mushy names. It made him sound like some kind of baby. He was sixteen years old!

Gilbert brushed away his fleshly contemplation about the aforesaid nickname and focused back down to earth.

"Yes mum, I'll be glad to."

Gilbert didn't really didn't pay much attention to what happened once they got off the train. Instead, he focused on the beauty of the things around him. He had never really known that little humdrum Avonlea was so beautiful! All his life he took this indescribable beauty for granted, and now it came rushing upon him like a flood!

Thank you for this beauty, Lord. He quickly prayed as he looked upon his surroundings.

And where was he? Oh yes. Some boring old cousin (probably twice-removed or something) that had been taking care of the farm while they were gone had picked them up in his horse and buggy from the train station. Gilbert had been polite, said hello and all that and then returned to his thoughts.

What if the other kids at the school laugh at me? I'll probably be three grades behind what I should be and they'll talk about how stupid Gilbert Blythe is. Well I won't care. I'll just show them how well I can beat them at three-legged races.

Now Gilbert had always been quite proud of how he could beat anyone in a three legged race, even if he had the lousiest partner on this side of Halifax. He thought that if he got paid a dollar for every three-legged race he did (and if people did enough three-legged races), he might become the richest boy in all of Canada. The only thing he was prouder about than his skill with races and balance were his good looks.

Every girl in Avonlea would give their right arm if Gilbert walked them home from school or a prayer meeting... Or at least he thought they would.

Ok, honestly, he really hoped they would.

It didn't take very long for the Blythe family to get settled in their home once again, since that cousin-whatever-his-name had actually taken good care of the farm and the strawberry-apple orchard. The house was in need of a good dust, but besides that it was in good condition too.

The house was quite a pretty house, with its brown doors and shutters. When you walked into the back door (which was the door they commonly walked into. Gilbert always wondered why you had a front door and a back door if you never used the front one) you went directly into the kitchen near the family table which was made out of maple, which gave it a beautiful color. At the end of the table to the left there was the small kitchen that his mother adored so much. But on the right side was the den, Gilbert's favorite room.

He always loved being in the den in the afternoons when he was younger because you always saw how pretty the sunsets were. The sun would slowly sink into the west giving its encouraging and gentle warmth to Gilbert, which made that room the most fun to read an adventurous novel in.

Many old friends came to greet the Blythes, one of them being Mrs. Lynde. Now Mrs. Lynde was the kind of person that knows about everything and everyone in Avonlea, and she certainly didn't mind telling people about it.

In plain words, she was the town's gossip.

Gilbert's mother and Mrs. Lynde were very happy to see each other (hey, Mrs. Blythe needed to know about all the Avonlea news. She had been away for four years!), even though they had had a few tiffs in their past. They didn't really get talking until Mrs. Lynde had heard the news about Gilbert, commented about how handsome he was, and "did declare he looked near a half-foot taller!"

Honestly, Gilbert didn't pay much attention to Mrs. Lynde and his mother chew the fat for near an hour until Mrs. Lynde told his mother that "Marilla Cuthbert had adopted an orphan. I told her she was crazy and didn't know a thing about raising children, that's what. She such a homely looking little thing, with hair that looks like carrots! And has such a temper!"

Gilbert looked out the den window and saw a house that was christened “Green Gables”. It didn’t take Gilbert long to remember that it was Mr. Matthew Cuthbert's house! They would see each other everyday driving the cows back in! And Marilla Cuthbert was his sister!

Will he even remember me?

This girl that Mrs. Lynde was jabbering on about interested Gilbert, even though he made himself look like he couldn’t care less. When Mrs. Lynde started talking about how this little creature talked her head off, uses words she may not know the definition of, and how she lives in her own she “never keeps her mind on solid ground”, Gilbert thought that this little girl must be either absolutely crazy, or not understood.

She’s probably crazy. Gilbert thought to himself.

Mrs. Lynde and Mrs. Blythe continued talking and Gilbert zoned out and started thinking about the changes made in his life so far and the new adventures the next day would bring him.