Other Worlds - The Wilds

Chapter 2

  The class groaned but Toni didn't dare do anything that would rile him up further. The teacher started listing off pairings and their tables. Toni zoned out waiting for her name.

  "Shalifoe with Goodkind. At the middle left table."

  "You've got to be fucking kidding me," Toni mumbled, shooting a longing look at Regan who smiled sadly before moving to her new table.

  Well there goes the good aspect of this class, she thought woefully. Now she was stuck sitting on the painful stools and was desk partners with a girl who was about as exciting as a root canal.

  She dropped her bag on the floor next to her new desk and climbed back up on the stool, gritting her teeth though the pain. Shelby was talking before she was fully seated. "Are you okay?" The question coming from the perky blonde had a completely different effect on Toni compared to Regan. Her blood boiled at the whole injustice of her day and this was really the final nail in the coffin. Of every single person in this class it had to be the girl she loathed that she would have to spend the most time with. She truly was a scapegoat to the universe.

  "Shut up and leave me alone," she sneered, dropping her head onto her folded arms. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the other girl flinch slightly. Not another word was spoken between them for the rest of the hour.

  By the time science class ended and lunch rolled around Toni had worked herself into a foul mood. She hated when her attention was drawn to how unfair the world really was. Her mood brightened slightly when she saw all of her friends sitting at their lunch table. It was a miracle that they all managed to get the same lunch break this year.

  She sat down in her spot next to Martha and Dot. There were 6 of them; 7 if you counted Nora's sister, Rachel, who sometimes joined them. They all had very different personalities but somehow they were all just a perfect match. Nora was a bit of a book worm and not always socially adept, similar to Leah in a way. Fatin was confident in everything she did and had a very carefree attitude. Dot had the most similar personality to Toni, only slightly more laid back. Martha obviously was Toni's best friend and had been ever since she and her family found her at 7 years old, curled up on her own porch step after accidentally giving herself food poisoning. Her biological mom had been gone for weeks chasing a high leaving a young Toni to fend for herself with whatever food was left in the fridge. That was when she entered the system.

  "Hey guys," She said with a smile as she sat down and started fishing through her bag for some change.

  "Dot, tell Toni about Andrew," Nora said, taking a bite from her sandwich.

  "Which Andrew?" Toni muttered, concentrating on the contents of her bag. If she didn't find any money she would have to just call time of death on this day.

  "The one dating Shelby," Dot replied.

  Toni looked up from what she was doing. "Are you kidding, I don't care about fucking Shelby." She was still riled up from her ruined science lesson.

  The group fell silent except for Fatin who whistled, "Who pissed in her cereal today?"

  "That would only work if I had eaten," She snapped back and softened her tone realising who she was talking to, "I'm sorry, I'm just hungry. What happened with Andrew?"

  Dot continue the story hesitantly, "Well I caught him making out with one of the other girls from Shelby's Christian Students Society."

  "Oh damn." Toni raised her eyebrows. "Drama in the Jesus club."

  The group laughed, obviously glad that Toni had taken the aggression down a notch. "Why didn't you eat this morning?" Leah asked.

  Before Toni could answer, Martha piped up, "She overslept after studying at Dot's."