Other Worlds - The Wilds

Chapter 7

  Toni really tried but by the end of the school day, Shelby was grating her last nerve. After the memory of Shelby's kindness at the party, Toni convinced herself that the girl could be tolerable as long as Toni didn't instigate. Boy was she wrong.

  It all really started in her science period where she had been paired with Shelby the previous day. Toni had had almost been looking forward to the lesson. Not because she was eager to seeing the other girl, but because she really just wanted the see what would happen. Expecting some change in their usual unsavoury dynamic. She didn't know why though, they had fought that morning with Shelby fully aware of her behaviour last night. Toni thought that maybe she was the problem, so she decided to take a friendlier approach than the morning.

  She felt incredibly awkward as she took her seat next to Shelby, who, unlike Toni, looked put together and was dressed in clothes that she hadn't worn for the past two days. Toni decided that was a good place to start, "You look nice today," she whispered, cringing immediately after the words exited her mouth. It sounded like she was hitting on the blonde girl.

  The compliment earned Toni an appalled glare but nothing else. Okay, in fairness she kind of deserved that. Her attempt at being a decent human being was off to a sour start.

  The teacher at the front of the class rattled on for a few minutes, Toni taking notes before making another attempt with her frosty desk partner. "So, last night was pretty wild." She bit her lip and waited for a response.

  "You embarrassed yourself last night." Shelby didn't stop taking notes as she replied.

  With a huff Toni angrily turned the page of her text book. So maybe it wasn't Toni's bad attitude that set off Shelby. It was just Shelby being a boring bigot. It didn't explain Shelby's kindness from the previous night though. At this point Toni was getting too pissed off to care. She spun her pen in her hand, contemplating her next move.

  She decided to give it one last chance. She leant over and whispered sincerely, "Spending the night with the boyfriend, things must be getting pretty serious."

  Shelby's pencil stopped scratching along the paper as her hand stilled. Finally, a reaction. Not a positive one though, Toni realised as Shelby turned to face her. "My relationship is none of your business. Also, you smell."

  Never mind, apparently the Shelby from last night was a drunken mirage. Toni wasn't going to play nice for no reason anymore.

  Running her hand through her hair with a smirk Toni shot back, "Well, I worked up a sweat last night."

  "Wait, you said that you didn't..." Shelby looked mortified.

  "So gullible. That's probably how Andrew gets away with all his sleeping around."

  It was many steps too far. Toni knew that even before Shelby ran out of the class without warning. Everyone watched her as she fled. Toni tried to sink into her chair as the teacher caught her eye.

  "I know that this is your doing Miss Shalifoe. Frankly this doesn't surprise me; your behaviour so far this year has been unacceptable. Go find her and meet with the principal at the end of the day. I'm sure your parents are going to love meeting with you and Principal Evans this afternoon."

  My parents? A wave of panic soared through her body causing her to outwardly shudder slightly. That meant that Carol was going to get a call. Just another thing to add to the list of reasons for Carol to beat the shit out of her.

  What she did next was not any source of pride for her. In a fit of anxiety, frustration and anger, Toni balled her fists, about ready to deck the sarcastic, self righteous teacher. Luckily she executed a small amount of common sense and redirected her anger. Unfortunately she redirected it to one of the most expensive things in the room as she swept everything off of her table. Including a sophisticated scientific microscope.