Oral Interp Final

DIANA: It's just school.

ANNE: I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!

DIANA: It's math and spelling and regular boring school stuff. But this year's teacher is nice.

ANNE: My other fosters were homeschoolers, which meant I did the schooling. I've never been to a real school, and I imagine it's all kinds of fun.

DIANA: You can get a head start at Queens School. If you get good grades and pass the test, you go there for senior year.

ANNE: I'd love to be a teacher, even if one person can never teach everything there is to know.

DIANA: What do you mean?

ANNE: If I'm still here.

DIANA: So how long are you staying?

ANNE: Foster situations are temporary. They worry about kids getting attached.

DIANA: You've been here for two months already. Maybe they'll adopt you.

ANNE: I don't know.

DIANA: Not always. My sister Minnie May is my cousin. My parents adopted her when my aunt and uncle died.

ANNE: People don't adopt big kids, just babies.

DIANA: We need to turn here.

ANNE: I'm older than Minnie May and I'm not family.   

(Diana shrugs.)

If I got high enough grades for Queens School, Matthew and Marilla would be so proud, they'd have to keep me.

DIANA: It's called—

ANNE: I hate to leave the flower path. I'm going to name it Violet Vale.

DIANA: Ooh, what's that?

ANNE: It doesn't matter. Violet Vale is what it is to me. I love making up names. Lake of Shining Waters. Whispering Woods.

DIANA: Those trees are haunted?

ANNE: The haunted trees between our houses.

DIANA: No.

ANNE: You ever been in there?

DIANA: I'll listen closer.

ANNE: Good thing. Don't you hear the whispers when you pass? That's the ghosts and creatures making grisly plans for evil trespassers.

DIANA: I promise.

ANNE: Not too close! When we visit each other, promise you'll take the long way around. Always.

DIANA: Willowmere.

ANNE: We'll call this one Willowmere, because that sounds like something out of an old novel.

DIANA: The path between our houses has birch trees on it. How about...um...Birch Path?

ANNE: Do you want to do one?

(Diana is elated.)

They can be our secret names because best friends have secret names.

DIANA: Really?

ANNE: Birch Path... Well, yes. That's a great name.

DIANA: Yay! Did your parents really die, Anne?

ANNE: Oh yes! Wonderfully serviceable.

DIANA: Almost.

ANNE: Yes, and it was perfectly tragical. Are we almost there?

DIANA: I'm not allowed to swear! My mother would send me to my room for a year!

ANNE: Then I have to know: Will you swear to be my friend forever and ever?

DIANA: Well, I feel like I already know you better than any of the girls at school, even the ones who aren't mean like Josie Pye.

ANNE: Not that kind of swear. The kind that means a solemn promise.

DIANA: I do, Anne!

ANNE: Kindred spirits! The chocolate Matthew bought me for my first day of school will be our bond. Even when we're old, we'll remember the day we swore on chocolate because promising on chocolate is forever.

(Anne removes chocolates from her bag.)

Do you swear to be my best friend and most kindred spirit forever and ever?

DIANA: Do you swear to be my best friend and most kindred spirit forever and ever?

ANNE: Now you.

DIANA: Mmmm. Can I tell you a best friend secret?

ANNE: I swear!

DIANA: Gilbert Blythe is the cutest boy at school!

ANNE: That is the most solemn thing a best friend can do.