Other Worlds - The Wilds

Chapter 24

AN: Okay, so I feel super guilty that this has taken so long. I thought about writing this everyday and then just didn't. That is what ADHD does to a person, in case you were wondering! Anyway it is out. Thank you for all of the comments I'm not sure I would have had the motivation to do this without them, so honestly thank you so much I love reading them and I have been reading them every day! I am back on track now! Enjoy xx 

The usual trigger warnings which I'm sure you're aware of if you've gotten this far but I'll say just in case: Mentions of conversion therapy and... that's it. It's a pretty chill chapter :)

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  Toni made her way to the table with Shelby, jacket in hand. Hopefully no one had already noticed that she hadn't come with a jacket. A decision that she had regrettably made in a bid to avoid Carol that resulted in her being pretty fucking chilly in her hoodie all morning.

  The pair made their way to the table, Shelby still looking slightly flustered from their encounter in the doorway. Toni couldn't help the slightly satisfied smile that tugged at her lips knowing that she could affect Shelby like that so easily. "Hey, Shelby and I are gonna grab a different table so we can study. I'll see you guys later." Toni announced when they reached the group.

  "Alright see you tomorrow," Dot said right as Fatin's head shot around to look at Shelby. "Damn, you're paired with Toni? Have fun doing the whole project yourself."

  Shelby shot Toni a look.

  "Are you kidding?" Toni retaliated, "I remember that project very differently. I seem to recall redoing your entire section myself because you somehow referred to the wrong Catherine as Heathcliff's lover throughout the whole essay."

  "Seriously? Wow, I was wondering why they had assigned such a kinky book to a group of 14 year olds. Wait, so there was more than one Catherine in that book?"

  Dot laughed, "Yeah, Shelby you're in good hands. Toni knows her shit. Fatin on the other hand-"

  "-wouldn't have put two main characters with the same name in one book," Fatin interrupted.

  "Okay." Toni held her hands up in mock surrender. "You absolutely could have written Wuthering Heights better."

  Fatin nodded. "Exactly! Thank you. With that settled, enjoy your study date."

  Almost everyone at the table rolled their eyes. With the exception of Shelby, who looked bewildered by the whole exchange. And Toni didn't miss the way her eyes flitted to the exit at the word 'date'. Way to go Fatin, thanks, Toni thought to herself, peeved at her friend's comment.

  Toni flipped her off and grabbed Shelby's hand to lead her to a different table without thinking. It wasn't a shock when Shelby immediately snatched it out of her grip and stepped further away, but it still sent a pang of despondency through her chest. She shook it off. She was in the wrong and she knew that; she would just have to be more careful. If anyone understood complex home situations it was Toni and she was going to respect Shelby's.

  They sat down and pulled out their books in silence. Shelby wouldn't even look at Toni. After a few minutes of feeling like she was sitting opposite a mannequin, she decided she couldn't stand it any longer. "Okay, what is going on?"

  Shelby looked up from her book, eyes darting away from Toni's as soon as she met them. "Why did you do that? What happened to 'nobody needs to know'?"

  Toni could tell by her tone that this conversation was going to go one of two ways: An argument, or... Actually, never mind, that was the only way she could see it going.