Never Stop (Shoni)

Chapter Ten

"How is she doing today?" Fatin asked as Toni took a seat next to the rest of the girls at the lunch table.

"Same as the other day. The exhaustion is really starting to set in now."

"I feel so bad, I wish there was some way we could make her feel better." Rachel said while taking a bit of her sandwich.

"Trust Me, I do too but we just have to let the chemo runs it's course and hopefully shrink the tumor. It's been a month of chemo sessions and still the tumor hasn't shrunken."

"But it hasn't grown right?" Martha asked.

"No it's hasn't grown" Toni said unpacking her lunch.

"Well then there's a positive right?"

"Yeah I guess so. Maybe we could all have a movie night after school? We can just relax, eat and watch movies. Keep her mind off things." Toni said perking up a bit in hopes to make Shelby feel a little better.

"I'm down." The others said in unison. They all knew it depended on how Shelby felt when Toni went there after school but they were hopeful she'd be down for a girls night.

"Perfect, once I get there I'll check with her and then text you the plan." All the girls nodded and continued their lunches.

School went by slowly. All Toni wanted to do was to get to the house of the girl she loved. They've hung out none stop recently. Most of the time it consisted of small talk in between the blondes naps but Toni didn't care.

Knowing that she was comforting the girl in anyway was enough for her.

The bell rung signaling the end of the day. Toni hoped on her bike and started her 10 minute ride to Shelby's house.

When she knocked on the door she was greeted by an upset Mrs. Goodkind.

"Whats wrong!?" Toni asked in a panic, automatically thinking the worst.

"She's upstairs, she-" Toni didn't wait for an explanation, instead she ran upstairs as fast as she could stopping outside the door of the girls bedroom.

She heard crying and things clashing so she pushed open the door and saw Shelby crying on the floor cutting her hair with a pair of scissors.

"Hey hey babe, what are you doing?" Toni asked taking a seat next to the blonde putting her hand on hers signaling for her to stop.

"It's falling out, I can't, I have to cut it. It's falling out Toni. My hair is falling out!" With that she started cutting large chunks of her hair.

"Babe, hey look at me." Toni desperate to get the girl to look at her for the first time today, but not luck.

"I have to cut it off. All of it, I can't have it fall out. I can't!" Shelby cried.

"Look at me!" Toni half yelled now grabbing Both the girls hands. Shelby finally looking up.

"Breathe with me okay... inhale....exhale." They did this a few times until Shelby's breathing started to even out.

"Talk to me, what's going on?"

"I went to brush my hair before I took a shower and large chunk came right out. It fell out Toni. It fell out!" Shelby cried.

"Okay hey hey, it's just hair babe."

"No it's not just hair, this is the hair that's won me pageants, the hair that got me noticed, the hair you love!" Shelby went to pick up the scissors again but Toni stopped her.

"That's not true. You won those pageants. You, not your hair. You got noticed by people for being this amazingly kind and beautiful human being, your hair was just an add on accessory. I fell in love with you for you. The girl that snores when she's exhausted and the girl that gets the hiccups when she laughs for more than five minutes. I fell in love with that girl, not her hair... Its just hair baby." Toni pulled the girl into her lap and into a tight hug rocking them soothingly back and forth.

"You don't get it. This, all this, my hair falling out makes this too real. Yes I knew I was sick, yes I knew I had cancer and was getting treatment but my hair, this was my waking point." Shelby started to tear up again.

"If it bothers you so much than screw the hair. Let's get rid of it, that way you can focus on yourself getting better and not on your hair."

"I can't be bald are you crazy?" Shelby lifted her head and looked at the Brunette.

"Why not? You'll look hot."

"You're just saying that."

"No I'm not. But I don't want to walk into another moment like this Shelby. I'll be honest, your hair is going to continue to fall out and everytime it does you're going to continue to break down so why not solve the problem right now? I get that this is a big decision and it's completely up to you but-" Shelby cut Toni off.

"Fuck it. Let's do it. Let's shave my head."

"Are you sure?" Toni asked now getting a little nervous with her suggestion.

"No you're right. It's going to fall out, that's going to happen. I've already chopped half of it. Let's just get my dads razor and get rid of it." With that both the girls made their way downstairs to set up the impromptu barber shop, her parents just allowing the process to happen even though it pained them.

"You ready?" Toni asked while turning on the razor and looking at Shelby through the mirror she was holding.

"More than ever."

***

"You ready?" Leah asked looking at Shelby in the bathroom mirror.

"More than ever." With that they left the bathroom and made their way into the bedroom with the rest of their friends.

Tonight was the homecoming dance and they all were getting ready and waiting for their dates. Toni was of course Shelby's date and hasn't been allowed to see her getting ready all night, they all wanted it to be a surprise.

Shelby entered the room with Leah and all eyes turned to her. To say Tonis was surprised was an understatement.

Shelby was wearing this simple burgundy dress that was perfectly sculpting all her curves. It ended right above her knee, But flowed just enough to not be tight fitting.

"Well say something?" Shelby said as her girlfriend was still standing there like she saw a ghost.

Fatin elbowed the girl hoping to bring her back to reality.

Toni blinked and few times taking a minute to gather her thoughts.

"You um, wow you look."

"What she's trying to say is that you look beautiful Shelbs." Nora said helping Toni since all she was able to do at the moment was stutter.

Shelby smiled and looked down bashfully.

"Thank you." The girls all went down stairs after hearing the doorbell rings signaling that their dates have arrived leaving Shelby and Toni alone for the first time of the evening.

"You know, you look beautiful as well." Shelby said walking towards Toni.

Toni was wearing a charcoal colored skater dress with the straps crossing in the front creating this cute neck line.

"Thank you but you just wow." Toni said still unable to find her words. She's seen Shelby in dresses before and of course she was always beautiful but tonight she was wearing this specifically for her and for that it made it so much better.

"You guys ready to go?" Martha said breaking them out of their thoughts.

"Let's do this!"

***

The razor shuts off and Toni turns Shelby to look at the finish project.

"I'm bald, I'm actually bald." Shelby said feeling her bare head for the first.

Toni bends down in front of the girl giving her her a loving passionate kiss.

"No you're just simply beautiful."