𝐔𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 ➶ 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐢

t w e n t y - t h r e e

The morning passed in a blink, hours becoming seconds as the two settled into the lodge. As noon approached and Cheryl got lunch out of the way, she glanced around their vacation home. Her chestnut hues searching for her momentary companion, finding the outline of the pink haired girl on the back porch. A twinge of a smile tugged at the corner of Cheryl's lips, the slight urge to suppress the spark of warmth that flared inside her almost getting the better of her. But here, in the middle of nowhere, it didn't matter that Toni was her college student, and it didn't matter that she was her professor.

"Hey."

It took Toni less than a second to turn her head, whatever she'd been thinking about as she stared out at the glistening lake before them, now vanquished from her mind. The stoic expression faltered and almost like she'd been caught doing something that she shouldn't, the petite woman blushed.

"Oh. Hi, I was wondering where you'd got to." The sunkissed woman smiled sweetly, her attention falling back to the view before her.

To see the typically closed off woman like this, somehow free from any struggles she usually fought, felt like a reward to Cheryl. Being able to view someone in a light that they so rarely revealed to others - had been something the redhead was always fond of. But feeling that sort of satisfaction about Toni left a different feeling in her chest. One she hadn't felt in a short while.

"What were you thinking about?" It was a risky question, one Toni would either brush off, or answer honestly. Conflict filtered over her features for a moment.

"What it would be like to live out here - to be one of the creatures living carefree in the woods, no worry about affording a home, job...or even really caring for family." The confession came softly, her fingers twiddling against one another subconsciously. "I've always envied that about animals, they've never put expectations, or pressure on themselves to be anything more than free."

"I guess that's what makes being human all the more complicated," Cheryl agreed, she understood the brunette completely, "Our consciousness refuses to be as far away from simple as possible, everything needs an explanation, a solution, an emotion. For us, we'll truly never be free, as much as we'd like to be. But we've done this to ourselves."

The hardwood bench that had been pressing against Toni's spine caused her to shift uncomfortably, the topic wasn't something lighthearted. It was something that she found herself thinking about often. The world was hard and cruel, but there were parts of it that could be rewarding too. Something told her she'd look back on this, and think of it as one of the rewards for her early hardships.

"But, as difficult as we've made this life. It's still ours for the taking, we still have a choice. Always remember that," With those few words, Cheryl laid a hand upon her student's knee. It was accompanied by a knowing gaze in her professor's face, "You can do whatever you want, despite your upbringing, Toni. I'm more than happy to help you in any way I can along the way."

"I graduate in a few months. What happens then?"

It wasn't a question about moving onto the working world - it was to do with her living situation and they both knew it. Silence hung in the air, nothing but the chirping of the birds in the pine trees filling the space between them. They'd been living together for a handful of days now, yet the tension clung to the air like they'd spent the last few months together.

Cheryl sucked in a breath, the inhale being used as a change of subject, "Let's go swimming, we can't come to a lake and not at least take a dip in the water."

"I don't have a costume..."

"I think I'm quite offended that you'd assume I hadn't brought you one," The redhead grinned playfully, hauling herself to her feet with ease. A hand extended for Toni to help her to her feet, "I put your things in the closet of your room, quickly change and I'll meet you on the pier, I've got mine beneath my clothes."