don't blame me

one

"Nah I'm just tired." She plays it off, stretching her arms in front of her and cracking her elbows. Cringing at the noise,  Annie kisses her goodnight and shuts the door behind her, leaving Toni with just the company of her phone, which she uses to snap Marty.

TONI: Look who was at mine today.

*ONE ATTACHMENT*

MARTHA: God Toni, you freak. why do you have a picture of her face?

TONI: I needed a character for film homework.

MARTHA: Why was she at yours?

TONI: No clue. Apparently Annie was helping her with English, but I could've sworn that Shelby's smart.

MARTHA: Yeah, I thought she was too. She's probably just nervous for the tests.

TONI: I guess so. Just wish she didn't have to be at mine.

MARTHA: Mhm. Do you think you could try being a bit nicer to her? She hasn't got the easiest life in the world.

TONI: Well, she's clearly not trying to help herself. It's not rocket science that being friendly will get you friends.

MARTHA: Toni.

TONI: It's true though. Anyway, I'm probably gonna go to bed. I'm shattered. Love you <3

MARTHA: Goodnight, love you too <3

Toni plugs her phone in, sets her alarms and hovers over her and Marty's chat, looking softly at the picture of Shelby that she had sent. It's no secret that the blonde is pretty; she literally gets awards for it, but Toni just wishes that it wasn't such a waste of beauty.

Toni's in film studies again and her teacher loves her homework. She's sketching faces on the back of her book and draws the outline of a sharp jaw. "Great work on the profiles, guys. However, for next Friday's lesson I would like you all to take pictures of the same character to represent a certain theme or aspect in your film." Mr Palmer announces to the class, getting groans of annoyance in return.

Toni's heart drops. For fuck sake. Why did she have to take that picture of Shelby. "Sir, does it have to be the same person who portrayed the character in the homework last week?" Toni asks, biting her lip slowly and spinning Marty's black pen around her tanned fingers. Mr Palmer hesitates for a second, thinking it all over. "Yes. Consistency will make it flow more." He finally decides, shooting her a small smile as he leans over to make eye contact. Toni purses her lips and nods. She's so fucked.

Back at home, Toni waits for Annie to leave the kitchen so she can work something out with Shelby. She watches as the woman stands up from her chair and walks through the lounge. "Blondie." Toni rests against the fridge, smirking as she sees the girl flinch from the shock of her sudden appearance.

"Hey Toni." The southerner starts. "You gave me a real shock there." She chuckles whilst she sets her blue pen down on the table. Toni shakes her head disapprovingly. Of course she writes with fucking blue ink. Who in their right mind would choose blue over black?

"I need you to talk to Mr Palmer for me." She bites the inside of her cheek. Shelby looks at her quizzically, evidently deliberating what it could be about.

"Whatever for?" She settles on querying, her eyebrow slightly quirking and her earthy eyes glinting with inquisitiveness.

"You know that picture I took of you yesterday?" Toni reminds her. Shelby nods slowly, urging her to continue. "Well it was for my film homework, but now sir wants us to do follow up pieces based on that character." She sighs, rubbing the back of her neck. "Trust me, if I could have anyone else I would." Toni laughs slightly.

"And what's in it for me?" The corner of Shelby's lips tug upwards, a dimple on her right cheek becoming more prominent. She leans back in her chair and looked up at Toni slyly.

"Not having to work with a lesbian?" The brunette offers back, the same smirk emerging on her face as it fades from Shelby's.

All signs of cockiness swiftly separate from the Texan as she nods her head and shrugs. Her eyes drift down to her work. "Before first period tomorrow." She picks up the blue pen and continues writing her essay.

"Good girl, Shelbs."

Toni's half-running to Mr Palmer's class, dodging students passing by in the opposite direction. She's late. It's almost first period and she was supposed to meet Shelby at sir's class ten minutes ago, but she got caught up in traffic on her way.

"And what's so bad about working with Miss Shalifoe?" She can hear him say, his oh so familiar deep and soothing voice easing the adrenaline that's shooting through her veins.

Toni opens the doors to meet sir sat on the edge of his desk and Shelby standing defensively behind a few desks. "Ask her yourself," She shrugs, turning to glare at Toni. "She just seems real opposed to the idea." She exhales sarcastically.

"Care to tell me what this is all about, Shalifoe?" Mr Palmer inquires, crossing his arms over his slate sweater vest that covered the sky shirt he wore underneath, tapping his rainbow-sock covered feet.

"We don't make the best team, sir." She falls back against the white walls that are slathered with all sorts of posters and student work. "Never have, never will."

"I don't believe you." He shook his head as he got up and situated himself on his desk chair. "Where's the optimism at, Toni? Never say never." He turns on his computer and logs in. Toni feels a pair of eyes burning into her skin. Green eyes. "I think this will be a brilliant excuse for a bit of bonding, eh?" He suggests, smiling knowingly at the pair.

"No disrespect intended her, Mr Palmer, but I'm plenty busy with stuff outside school and whatnot." Shelby tries to salvage the mission, but sir kept shaking his head. "And Toni didn't inform me that she was using me for her homework. I literally didn't sign up for this." She's almost pleading at this point, which only makes Toni laugh more at her patheticness. Shelby's going through all this trouble to avoid working with her for the sole reason that Toni likes girls. But, then and again, Toni didn't necessarily want to work with her either.

"Look, Shelby, I understand completely," Sir glances up from the screen. "But I'm sure that you could find the time of day to work together, whether it's just an hour or so."

For fuck sake.