Before The Storm ( wlw / lesbian )

Chapter 7

"Come on let's get a move on, Deere!"

With a groan, Toni swallowed the remaining bite of burnt toast and drudged out the door, ignoring the stark contrast from her dusky trailer home to the strange burst in weather. It had been raining for the past few days, and now it was as if God was genuinely smiling.

"How did you get out here faster than me?" She moaned, flopping down in the passenger seat beside Grace who drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, flexing them every now and then. 

"I was raised to be perfect, in case you forgot."

Toni lulled her head back after switching the stereo on, taking a deep breath of fresh air while her two Raven friends chatted animatedly in the back.

Toni tried to think of something else to say but nothing seemed good enough. She glanced over a couple of times, taking in Grace's side profile as she drove, lost in her own thoughts, a stoic expression in her normally expressionless face.  She honestly couldn't remember ever being this captivated by someone's face: her lips, her eyelashes, her nose, her jawline. But ever since she walked out of the school and saw her, she'd been charmed by some kind of magic that she couldn't understand.

"So, guys, did Dan tell you about the musical this year? It's a um," Shasta snapped his fingers, brow furrowed in thought. "A showcase!"

Toni smirked, watching the same expression creep up on the redheads lips as she peered over her sunglasses into the rear view, at the blushing-badass "Oh? Dan huh?"

They didn't say anything else, the car bustling with laughter. The rest of the ride to school was filled with singing, and quite a few aweing's from Wonderboy and Shasta every time the two girls would interlace their hands and look at each other at a stop light, still unsure of what they were. The sun was warm on pale skin, and Grace couldn't help the small smile when it found its way to rouge lips. She pulled back into a space, and shifted into park. "Ready for the interrogation?" She joked meakly, and as the boys piled out, Toni brought the redhead into a hug. She smelt like mint and rose and her shampoo. She wanted to chase away every bad thing that could ever steal Grace's warmth again. 

 "Everything's going to be okay,"

Susie and Veronica found the two girls standing by Grace's locker. "What did you guys get up to this weekend?" Veronica smirked, gouging the light pink that dusted Grace's cheeks without her usual foundation in place to hide it. "Drank. A lot.." rubbing her temples, she gratefully accepted the coffee Susie managed to conjure up, flashing a weak smile.

Sensing the discomfort, Toni cut in. "What about you guys?"

"Ugh, Matt's been hanging around with my dad far more than respectable. I get he wants in on the business, but he's my ex! I swear, it's as if they're having a love affair!" Veronica huffed, Susie giggling.

At lunch, the seniors gathered in the lounge to survey Veronica Marano who stood perched on the table. With a loud clearing of her throat, the chatter subdued, "As you all know, we're seniors." She paused as a few of the jocks started cheering. "And since we're seniors, and with all that's going on in our town, I've decided to throw a party at The Pinpoint, next Friday night at 7. Sharp." Her eyes narrowed at Matt who slouched down into the couch. "No bringing outside influences, or you'll be escorted out." She put a hand up to silent the oncoming groans. "Don't worry, we have plenty to drink courtesy of the Marano rum."

The three Raven boy's barely concealed their disgust as they whispered their hatred for the family's emporium, Toni shrugging it off like a duck to water. She would handle it on her own time, but she knew there was little to be made with that. The Marano's were dickheads- but they'd never be able to overpower him. She wouldn't tell her friends that, though.