Lost in the dark of heart 🖤

Chapter 3 - I Guess We're Buddies

Cheryl's POV
I was so confused, until Toni stated that "I guess we're buddies then Cheryl." with a big, bright smile on her face.

"Wait, you're Antoinette?" I ask, probably looking so confused at the moment, but I thought her name was Toni.

"Yeah, Antoinette is my given name, but I prefer being called Toni." she explains, still with that smile on her face, causing butterflies to erupt in my stomach.

"Oh, that's okay." I said, immediately cursing myself for being so freaking lame! Who says that!! Oh, that's okay.. Obviously it's okay, it's her name.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard her giggling, and I immediately turned towards her, feeling confused yet again.

"You're cute." she said, and oh my God! My face is burning up.

And after our teacher explained the assignment, everyone started moving around the room to sit together with their partners. But me and Toni didn't have to since we were already sitting together.

"So, what do you want to do for our assignment?"

"I don't know.. What's your favorite art form?" I ask, because after all, we're in art class.

"Easy, mine is photography. You?" she asks, and I blush yet again because of all of the attention put on me.

And I'm pretty sure that if it was anybody other than Toni, I would feel uncomfortable, but it's just something about this girl, and I knew that ever since I saw her down in the lake behind my property.

"I'm mostly into drawing" I admit, fiddling with my hands nervously.

"That's cool, so, what about the topic?" she ask, quickly grabbing her notebook and a pen, ready to write down our ideas.

"What about, freedom?" I ask, gulping visibly after realizing what I said.. Great. Now she might think I'm weirder than she already thought.

"Why freedom." she asks, curiosity immediately becoming the most noticeable expression on her face.

"I, I don't know.. I just think it's a great topic, you know, everyone sees freedom differently.." I explain nervously, not letting it be a complete lie. Because lies always find their way back to bite you.

"Oh, okay. What about you?"

"What about me?" I ask.

"How do you see freedom?" I know that I brought this upon myself, but that doesn't mean that I'm comfortable talking about it.

"When you're finally allowed to be happy.."

"Oh.." yet again, I can hear nothing but concern in her voice, which is making me nervous, because that is just who I am.. That is who my father have turned me in to.

---
After class ended, I quickly grabbed my stuff to leave, because I could really use a cigarette right now before my next class, especially after that embarrassing conversation about freedom with Toni.

And Toni didn't get a chance to stop me before I was out of the room, hurrying towards the double doors leading outside to the parking lot.

And the second I stepped outside, I started digging through my backpack, desperately searching for my cigarettes. And when I successfully found them, I grabbed one and took my lighter out of my back pocket.

But I was shaking so much that I couldn't get the fire to start, which only made me even more anxious.

"Ugh!" I groan, tossing the ligher down besides my bag, immediately digging through my stuff to find my matches instead, but I couldn't.