Their next semester starts up and between the upcoming SATs, basketball, and regular school bullshit, Toni lets Shelby slip to the back of her mind for a while. They still don't talk except to argue, most of the time won't even look at each other, and Toni swears she doesn't even really miss the sex beyond a faint desire to feel wanted. Valentine's Day is a bit of a bummer, but she honestly spends more time thinking about Regan that day than about Shelby; she catches her ex-girlfriend looking at her sometimes and wonders if maybe there's still some hope for them somehow. Regan had told Toni she was too angry and temperamental, and Toni's genuinely been working on it, channeling her emotions into basketball instead of fighting with people who make derogatory remarks about her. Soon she starts waking up a little earlier to run in the morning, which does wonders to help her blow off steam, and she doesn't acknowledge at all where she got that particular idea from.
Eventually she notices Shelby seems a little more tense and uptight than usual—even catches Shelby shouting at Andrew in the parking lot one evening over something stupid that wouldn't even bother Toni on most days, and Toni actually doubles over with laughter, which confuses the both of them until Toni suggests, in passing, "You need to get laid, Shelby," and Toni doesn't really expect a reaction from Andrew but then he's laughing too like he isn't an asshole to Toni 99% of the time, which makes Toni wish she hadn't said anything at all. Shelby's cheeks are red and her eyes are stormy, and Toni knows for sure then that she's right even though she knew already; Shelby's sexually frustrated and Toni's apparently the only outlet she's got access to.
Toni tries not to think about what that says about Shelby's sexuality, because obviously she has access to Andrew, too—as much as they both pretend to care about abstinence and are both definitely cheating on each other off and on—and clearly she hasn't been utilizing it. That night Toni shoots free-throws in the gym until her arms don't work anymore; she has a game coming up and it's really fucking important, more important than this Shelby bullshit.
The seventh time it happens is after they win; the school throws a bonfire to celebrate and keeps a little side-building with the weight-lifting room and a set of bathrooms unlocked so that students can pee. Martha's busy with her other friends that night, but Rachel gets access to a six-pack of beers somehow and she, Toni, and Nora split them two apiece and watch the fire from a distance. Nora catches Toni staring at Fatin, who's running around wasted in a lacy bra, swinging her shirt over her head and screeching something to Dot about school spirit, and she asks quite brusquely if Toni's turned on, which earns her a slap on the arm from Rachel and makes Toni choke on her beer.
They talk about sex for a little while, and Nora says she's only had one sexual partner, this guy she met online named Quinn who's their age and kind of a nerd, and Rachel says that phone sex doesn't count before admitting that she's too focused on school and basketball and diving to bother with relationships. Nora asks Toni how many sexual partners she's had and Toni says five, then looks alarmed when Nora starts listing, "Regan, Fatin, Chandler, that girl who plays basketball for Bakersfield, and...?" She thinks for a moment, falls short of an answer, and Toni stares at her.
"You're fucking creepy sometimes, Nora," she says, and Nora seems unbothered but Rachel gives Toni a look as she finishes up her last beer.
"Imagine sharing a womb with her."
Toni runs into Shelby in the bathroom minutes later and it's been so long that Toni isn't even sure if them doing this is a thing anymore, but she's a little tipsy and it's just too fucking convenient to not at least try for it and see if Shelby's still down, because she really is starting to miss it now and the alcohol has her resolve totally shot. She settles next to Shelby by the sinks as Shelby washes her hands, rests her palm against the edge of the counter and just looks at Shelby, feeling a little bit like Fatin on the prowl at a party.
