It was about ten minutes before Toni had to go meet Regan at the corner store. Carol was still in bed, so there was no risk of her interfering, and her makeup nearly covered every cut and bruise. Martha had called about 20 minutes ago to ask about what was going on with Regan and they chatted while she got ready.
Martha's excited voice blared through her phone's speakers, "So how long has this been going on?"
Toni dabbed a little more concealer onto her jaw and responded, "Well we met like, a week ago? But I don't know we just kissed yesterday."
"So I see you're taking it slow," the other girl joked, laughing.
"Martha! It was a heat of the moment thing. Plus she's really cool and I really like her."
"I want what you two have." There was a longing tone in Martha's voice.
Toni sighed, "Like you said Martha, it's so new."
"Don't diminish this because you pity my singleness. Singlehood? Is that a word?"
Laughing Toni responded, "Well don't rush in to anything you could end up with someone like Andrew. Or even worse, someone like Shelby."
"Come on Toni, she isn't that bad."
"We'll see, because guess who I'm partnered with for my Physics project?"
"No way. Shelby? Does you teacher want you both in a coffin by the end of the year?"
"I honestly think he's banking on it." Toni played with the bedroom lights and lamps to make sure that none of her injuries were visible in any lighting under the make-up. "Marty, I gotta go. Don't tell the other girls about Regan. I don't want to make it a big thing yet just in case it blows up in my face."
"You're a real Debbie downer Toni, anyone ever tell you that?"
"You do. Constantly," Toni chuckled, "I'm just realistic. Call you later!"
She heard Martha's laughter over the line as she hung up the phone.
With a quick look in the mirror Toni tried to tame her curly hair but decided to leave it as is. She didn't want to be late. She wished that she could climb through her window but the hinges were so rusted that it didn't open all the way. Luckily she was light on her feet and was pretty skilled at walking through a house undetected.
The door shut with a quiet click as she stealthily tiptoed through the hallway and out the back door as it was further away from Carol's bedroom. With a sigh of relief Toni exited the house and jogged to where she was meeting Regan.
She was only a few minutes away when she received a text message. She assumed Martha couldn't resist and told the girls, so she opened the message thinking it would be one of her friends.
Shelby: Hi. I saw that we are partnered together for the project. I need to ace this class. where do you live so I can come over today and we can get started.
Toni stopped in her tracks and re-read the text. How did Shelby even get her number. She clenched her jaw and replied.
Toni: I can't today, I'm busy. I guess I can do it tomorrow but at yours, not mine. Also how did you get my number?
Shelby: I asked around. I can't do tomorrow I have pageant stuff to work on. How important are your plans today?
Toni couldn't believe what she was reading. Pageants? She thought those were for toddlers. She wanted to write back that her plans were more important than her sexist parade preparation. Then she thought about how desperately she needed to get back on the team and gave in. As much as she hated it, Shelby had the right idea with starting early.
Toni: Fine. I can be around at about 3? Can you send your address.
Toni continued walking. just as she saw Regan's car, Shelby replied with her address and instructions to be polite and proper with her parents. So act straight then.
--------
Shelby's house literally had a white picket fence. Regan started out of the window and remarked, "Wow, I mean, I shouldn't be surprised. We all knew Shelby was living the American dream."
The comment made Toni wonder where Regan lived. She was sure she would find out eventually. Her brain cycled through a hundreds of scenarios of spending time at Regan's house, meeting her parents and lounging around watching TV before a voice next to her jolted her out of her thoughts.
"Maybe when we do this again we can spend more than two hours together?"
"Oh, next time huh?"
A blush rose to Regan's cheeks. "Yeah, well if that's-" She stuttered before seeing Toni's smiling face. "Yeah, next time."
Toni got out of the car, pulled up her jeans a bit, and tied a knot in the tee-shirt under her unzipped jacket. Holding onto the car door Toni asked, "How straight do I look?"
Regan threw her head back laughing, "Not at all," she managed between bouts of giggles.
Toni groaned and undid all of her outfit adjustments. "Well Shelby's just gonna have to pretend then."
Snow crunched beneath her boots as she walked up to Shelby's front door. She felt oddly nervous. With a deep breath she gave the door four quick raps and waited for someone to let her in.
"Toni!" Shelby exclaimed as the door flew open. "Come in, come in."
Well, that was a sudden change of attitude from what she had been receiving at school. Shelby gestured for her to come inside. Toni noticed a few unfamiliar faces behind Shelby as she stepped over the threshold. "Toni, this is my mom and dad," She said, gesturing to the strangers in the foyer.
The picture perfect pair waved hello to Toni but she hardly noticed. Parents. The word still sent a wave of pain through her chest. Maybe it was jealously? longing? she wasn't sure; but it hurt.
Toni barely registered whatever conversation she managed to maintain with the Goodkinds before she was being dragged up the polished wooden staircase by Shelby. She arrived in a room which was undeniably Shelby's. The walls were painted a soft pink, there were several wooden crosses on the walls and framed photos her Shelby with Andrew and other people that she recognised from the Jesus Club.
Shelby shut the door behind her and turned to face Toni, her expression unreadable. "So who was it that just dropped you off?"
"Are you kidding me Shelby?" Toni sighed in exasperation.
"Whatever you do... At home or whatever is your business." Shelby gestured pointedly at Toni. "But, this is a Christian house-"
"I swear if I hear that 'Christian Household' bullshit again-" Toni clenched her jaw and cut herself off. This partnership needed to work. She needed to keep it together and get through this. Even if it meant shutting up and dealing with whatever homophobic views the other girl threw at her. Toni exhaled, "Whatever, what have you got so far?"
If Toni didn't know better she would say that Shelby looked even slightly relieved that the topic had been changed. "I've started researching the topic but it would probably be a good idea to study what we've already-" Shelby stopped abruptly and looked Toni up and down. "Where's all your stuff?"
Toni blushed. "I was- I mean-" Toni shook her head and gained some composure, why was she feeling so flustered and guilty for not being prepared for a completely unplanned study session? "I was busy, like I said. We can just use your notes and textbook."
"Right, busy with that girl." Toni heard Shelby mumble. She ignored it for the sake of the assignment and the sake of getting back on the team.
Shelby seemed to pull herself together, suddenly springing from the dark, sarcastic and complicated Shelby to the one exuberant, optimistic one that she recalled from the morning announcements. "Right then," Shelby's Southern accent seemed more pronounced with her brighter tone. "Grab the textbook and ask me some questions."
Recovering from the whiplash of Shelby's rapid personality changes, Toni reached for the textbook and sat down on Shelby's pink, floral duvet cover. "Just anything we've covered? Or..."
Shelby grabbed a pen which matched her sequinned notebook and replied with a grin, "Yep! Anything. Hit me."
"I'd love to," Toni muttered under her breath before rattling off questions about topics that had been covered in the few physics lessons they's had.
Before long, the sun began to set. Shelby and Toni both managed to stay civil with only the occasional jibe that they each assumed the other couldn't hear.
The pair studied for around three hours before, out of the blue, Shelby sat her book down. "So..." her eyes flitted around the room, almost as though she was deciding whether to ask Toni something. "Who is the girl?"
Toni was taken aback. and placed a hand on her chest in mock-astonishment, "Sorry, you're actually interested in the life of a real life sinner?"
Her sarcastic comment did not go over well with the blonde girl. "Never mind, I'm actually not. If the cost of being polite is getting my head bitten off with you people then I'd rather not bother."
You people? What did that mean? Toni recoiled, a bit surprised that Shelby had stooped to that level. So what was all of that, "I know you won't remember any of this tomorrow but I'm here for you. I don't hate you" about then? Although she prided herself on being tough, Toni was hurt.
Her heart was pounding when she crawled off of the bed and pulled her coat on. It was a completely involuntary reaction to whatever emotion she was experiencing that she couldn't quite describe.
"Toni?" Shelby questioned, getting off the bed herself.
"My curfew is soon. My fos- my mom will be worried." For some reason she she didn't want Shelby to know that she was a foster kid. Just another thing to judge her on.
As Toni reached for the door it swung open, causing her to jump back. Mr Goodkind was standing on the other side. "Shelby, it's about dinner time, maybe it's time for your guest to get home in time for her own dinner?"
Toni watched Shelby open and close her mouth a few times, searching for a response. Finally Toni decided to reply instead, "I was just heading out. Gotta get home before the food gets cold." She slipped past Mr Goodkind and headed for the steps. Stopping just at the landing she turned around, addressing Shelby's dad, "Thanks for having me."
"Wait, Toni I didn't mean-" She heard before closing the front door behind her, cutting off whatever Shelby was going to say.