𝐔𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 ➶ 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐢

s e v e n t e e n

The car journey to Cheryl's apartment complex was quiet, the tension clung to the brunette's muscles as she picked at the flaking skin on her thumb. It wasn't like this was the first time Toni had been to the woman's home, but to step in it this time, knowing it would soon become the place she called home. It made her anxious. Uncertain, even. The guilt that she may become a burden on her professors shoulders, eating away at her mind like a disease.

She knew Cheryl could sense her anxiety, her brown eyes side glancing the petite woman every few minutes. Almost as though she thought Toni might leap out of the passenger seat - all James Bond like. The professor finally pulled up in a familiar parking lot, her brown eyes automatically travelling up the towering building. Whilst Cheryl powered the car down, the warmth of the car was sucked out as the redhead stepped out of her seat into the cold of the night. Toni couldn't help but wonder if this was a prank, the opportunity to live with her goddess-like English professor - that had to be a joke, right?

The sound of her own car door being opened startled the brunette, her frightened eyes rose to meet Cheryl's. The woman's soft smile comforted the fear fizzling inside her, a hand extended for her to take. Toni thought she was going to faint there and then, her earthy hues widened as she stared at the hand before her. It had been a long time since she'd held the hand of someone who had crept their way into her closed off heart.

"Let's get you changed into something warm." Was all Cheryl said, seemingly not phased to the fact that Toni had slipped her hand into hers.

The sensation of the touch sending all kinds of signals through her body. Toni was certain that if her heart managed to beat any faster, she'd have to be rushed to Riverdale Central for a heart attack. It was painfully impossible to miss how clammy her palms had gotten, the sudden heat of her teacher's hand in hers causing her to blush furiously. She bowed her head in an attempt to hide it.

"Listen, Cheryl, you really don't have to do this, I was fine where I was..." Toni tried but her words fell silent when she noticed how the older woman's jaw tightened.

"I might not have planned for this, but it's happening whether we both like it or not. I don't have the heart to inform anyone of your situation, out of my fear of what could happen afterwards." Cheryl sighed in confession, her hand falling from Toni's as they reached the front door of her apartment. "You will stay with me until you're financially stable, if you won't do it for yourself then please, Toni...at least for now, stay for me."

It was a carefully chosen choice of words. They both knew Toni would cave, the way she fought the redness that danced across her cheeks already told Cheryl everything she needed to know. The younger woman needed saving, whether she'd like to admit it or not. So Toni found herself reluctantly nodding in agreement.

Cheryl stayed silent for a while after they wandered into her apartment; her plump lip laying waste beneath teeth as she gnawed on it. It was weird. A student and teacher standing before one another, their hearts both secretly delighted about the new living arrangements. But their minds remained at war, how long could they last living under the same roof? They'd spend everyday together, bond more and more as the days passed on and even Cheryl knew her attraction for Toni would get the best of her. The fire between them was inevitable and harder to resist than she cared to admit.

"I should...um, where was my room again?" Toni cleared her throat, breaking the staring match they'd accidentally stumbled into.

"Right...just head down that hallway and to your right, it has an on-suite if you need to clean up or anything." Cheryl replied rather quickly, her thoughts getting the better of her. "I'll just grab your things from the car."

Cheryl was gone before Toni could say anymore, watching as a flash of ginger vanished through the door that closed with a heavy slam. As the serpent twisted the knob leading to her new bedroom, her eyes fell upon a queen sized bed. It was neatly made with fresh linens, and not one thing appeared out of place. It almost resembled a hotel room Toni had seen advertised at Pop's one time. All but the scent, that could only belong to one woman, the sweetness almost making her dizzy. Cheryl unintentionally fills all of her senses. It felt foreign as she ran her hand over the clean bedding, she knew the moment she climbed into the bed she'd fall into a heavy slumber.

The partial brunette absentmindedly began to undo her blazer, placing it neatly over the heater hoping it dried out overnight. The buttons on her shirt turned out to be more of a struggle, she couldn't help but mumble out a curse as the hard plastic pressed sharply into her skin. Her slender fingers still icy from the prickling air that had consumed her outside. It reminded her why she hated new clothes. But when she finally managed to free herself of what felt like a trap, allowing the shirt to fall weightlessly from her shoulders she turned to find Cheryl staring blankly back at her.

On any other occasion, Toni knew she'd be scrambling for her shirt to cover her bare chest. But the way Cheryl's eyes darkened as she trailed her eyes gradually up Toni's torso, she found herself set alight under the woman's gaze. It was only when her eyes lingered upon the numerous scars scattered among her perfectly toned skin, that Cheryl's mouth fell open.

"Toni..." Her name fell from Cheryl's lips in an unexpected breath, the sound practically flooding an ocean in Toni's underwear. "I-I'm sorry, I should've knocked, I have your um, I brought your stuff from the car."

The pink haired girl felt pride inflate within her at the older woman's reaction, surely she wasn't the reason for Cheryl being so lost for words. Toni's brown eyes never left the woman as she fumbled nervously into the room, pushing the gathering of clothing and her ragged backpack onto her bed before darting out of the door without another word. It shouldn't have amused her so - but it did. A part of her wondered if that's how she behaved around Cheryl on a daily basis. Hardly able to form a coherent sentence as her face lit up like a Christmas tree. It was the first time she'd truly made her professor speechless, a grin began forming at the corner of her mouth as she mentally noted to make that happen more often. It was nice to see Cheryl flustered for once.

Toni reached into her backpack, knowing a lot of her new clothes Donna had treated her to were stuffed in there somewhere. Thankfully they'd had common sense to pick up some pyjamas, a set that Toni couldn't help but blush at. Donna had been the one to choose them, the vibrant shade of pink was something Toni thought she'd never wear in a million years. Yet she slipped the cosy jumper over her head and tugged on the matching pants. As hideous as they were, she was just happy not to wear the same grey t-shirt and joggers to bed that she had for the past few months.

She'd be lying to herself if she said she wouldn't be embarrassed if Cheryl saw her looking like this. Considering her pyjamas were a lot more lace related than Toni's own. The brunette lifted the covers as she slipped beneath them, her body falling at ease feeling like she was sleeping on a cloud. Not even Donna's bed was this comfortable. The memory foam mattress matched her figure, allowing any angle she slept to feel perfect against every crevice of her body.

"I could get used to this." The student whispered to herself as she drifted into her dreams. Hoping maybe this time, she'll find a red haired woman awaiting her arrival.