04: WE ALL TURN A BLIND EYE TO IMMENSELY LARGE BODIES OF WATER SOMETIMES
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ALLISON IS OF the personal opinion that school trips are some of the most pointless things ever to exist, right up there alongside putting cushions on beds and involuntary public speaking and musicals (although she's very sure that if she ever said the latter to Toby she would be treated to many long weeks of pointed silence and hurt puppy-dog eyes).
At the very top of her list of things I do not ever want to do in my life time is the senior year's adventure to the local farm.
The local farm.
Allison had no idea that farms are a thing in a city such as New York. But apparently they are, because here she is with her entire senior class on a grey and rainy morning, in front of Anderson's Farm, where they're all meant to be picking their own strawberries.
Call her stupid, but she doesn't think strawberries can be picked halfway through September.
"Alright, guys, listen up!"
People are reluctant to turn their attention to the teacher - but really, they're reluctant to do anything, because it's half past nine in the morning and it's raining and they're all missing their beds. Looking around, Allison can't see anyone who looks even close to happy - Lydia is annoyed because farms deprive her from wearing her custom four inch heels and she doesn't like being shorter than everyone else, Daniel is still mourning the decision to leave his raincoat on the bus, Emmett doesn't like being told by Lydia not to stand near her because he's 'too nerdy' because he feels like he's being subjected to a restraining order and either way he wasn't planning on standing near Lydia, anyway, Derek, quite frankly, looks like he may have overdosed on the medical marijuana that he announced the discovery of in his father's study two months ago and has been taking ever since, and Laura looks like she'd very much rather be anywhere else on the planet.
At any rate, the only person who doesn't look severely depressed or exhausted to the point of collapsing is, predictably, Toby.
And Allison very much wants to punch that stupid happy smile off his stupid face.
"This is so cool!" she hears him whisper far too loudly to Daniel, who's standing next to him.
"No, man," Daniel says tiredly. "It's not cool. It's rainy. And dark. And cold."
"You just aren't positive enough," Toby tells his best friend. Allison wonders absently whether there's a ever a scenario during which Toby isn't annoyingly optimistic. Their current situation (on a strawberry farm in upstate New York standing in what is bordering on torrential rain) doesn't exactly encourage positivity, but here he is, grin and all, trying to pass on some of his cheerfulness to his best friend.
Allison is equal parts creeped out and awed.
"So, a volunteer to hand out the baskets...thank you, Mr Martin!"
Toby relieves the teacher of the aforementioned baskets with a wide smile. Allison rolls her eyes.
"Hey Allison, hey Lydia!" he greets the pair of them happily, handing them each a basket. "Excited for strawberry picking?"
"Totally," Lydia says dryly. Toby, however, doesn't seem to catch onto the sarcasm.
"Me too!" he exclaims. "I love strawberries!"
Lydia nods with a wry smile, showing amusement for the first time that morning. Toby leaves them with a parting smile and wave. As soon as he's moved away, Lydia raises her eyebrows at Allison.
"Remind me of Toby's age?"
"I'm pretty sure he's seventeen going on seven," Allison responds thoughtfully.
"Hm," Lydia hums in response.
"So," Allison grabs Lydia's wrist with an uncharacteristically playful grin. "Wanna go pick some strawberries? Because I bet I can pick more in five minutes than you will in the whole day."
"Oh, it is on."
✦
Three hours later, and it must be said that both Allison and Lydia's baskets are looking despondently empty. The word fruitless has never had more poingnancy for the entire senior class, who look even more dispirited than they did that morning. As always, Toby is an exception to the rule, his basket somehow actually full of strawberries. He gives her a beam as he passes, but she only growls under her breath in response. He clearly took all the strawberries. She knew there was a reason he'd somehow disappeared into the depths of the strawberry farm and not told anyone where.
"Okay, guys, I think we're just going to head back," the teacher tells them tiredly. "The weather isn't exactly ideal."
"Oh, now you make that decision," Lydia snarls to herself. "After we've spent three pointless hours trudging around in this shithole - "
"It wasn't that bad, Lydia," Toby interjects, slipping in between the two of them with a smile. "I mean, I thought it was - "
"Toby, shut the fuck up," Daniel joins the three of them, his arm grazing Allison's as they walk. She tries to suppress the feeling of warmth that passes through her at the contact.
"But Danie - "
"Toby," Lydia says, her voice tight. "We'd all appreciate it if you stopped talking."
"This isn't fair!" Toby whines. "Hey, Allison, you're on my side, aren't you?"
In Toby's defence, on a normal day, the probability that Allison would be on his side was pretty good. At least fifty-fifty. However, this isn't a normal day; this is a cold, dark, and rainy day that she's just spent three hours of trying to pick non-existent strawberries for no apparent reason. She isn't feeling particularly charitable.
"Not really," she tells him.
"I see how it is," Toby says with an injured sniff. "Does our friendship mean nothing to you? We watched Sister Act together, Allison! Do you know what that means?"
"I wonder," Allison says dryly.
"It means we are now bonded as sisters!"
She stops walking, shooting Toby an incredulous look. "Did you really just say that?"
"Maybe," he looks sheepish. Good, Allison thinks. No one should be able to get away with saying something like that and not being ashamed. But before she can comment, the force of an entire human body slamming sideways into Toby gets in the way.
"CANNONBALL!" Derek cries, and Toby shrieks as he's sent flying into the artificial pond situated near the entrance of the farm. Allison winces as his head disappears beneath the grimy surface, feet already moving to the edge of it, but Daniel is already moving five times as fast, jumping in after him and hauling him out.
"Toby!" He hunches over his best friend, pressing at his chest. A few moments pass, and Toby's eyes fly open as he lets loose a heaving cough. The entire class stares in silence at the two boys who are now dripping wet.
"Well," Toby says through a runny nose, rubbing at his eyes with a grin. "That was dramatic."
"Move out the way! Toby, are you alright?"
Toby pauses to cough once more, but nods through it. "I'm fine, Miss Lewis," he assures her with a watery smile. "Just kinda...shocked."
"Dude," Derek says with wide eyes. "I'm sorry! I didn't realise there was a pond - "
"Mistake easily made, Derek," Toby says dryly. "We all turn a blind eye to immensely large bodies of water sometimes. No harm done."
"Mr. King," Miss Lewis glares at him. "I hope you understand the consequences that your actions could have had."
"Yeah, Miss Lewis, I do," Derek nods. Allison shakes her head inwardly. So this is what drug addiction does to you.
"Well, you've still landed yourself with two months' worth of detention," the teacher smiles pleasantly.
"But - !"
"Sadly, this is not up for discussion, Mr. King. Unless, of course, you wish to take this to the principal..."
Derek pales. "Uh, nope," he stutters. "Two months sounds....great."
"I'm glad you agree. Now, let's get back to the bus before either of these two boys die from hypothermia."
"She didn't even send him to the principal's office!" Lydia fumes as they resume their trudge back to the bus, handing Toby the shawl she had brought with her without even a second thought.
"It's okay, seriously," Toby accepts the garment with a grateful smile, wrapping it around his stuttering shoulders. The sight looks almost comical, heaving shoulders under a too small, bright pink piece of fabric. Lydia and Toby pair off, leaving her with Daniel. Allison can already feel the awkwardness settle over them like a blanket. A very thick, unwanted, suffocating blanket.
She glances sideways at him, and softens when she notices he's trying to suppress shivers, shrugging off her jacket in one fluid motion. "Here," she says, holding it out to him.
"Uh, n-no," he manages through chattering teeth. "I'm okay, seriously."
"Okay, firstly, you're not," she points out. "Secondly, I don't want you to die from hypothermia or pneumonia or something. Thirdly, how come guys can offer their coats to girls and girls can't do the same back?"
"Okay, " Daniel relents, sending her a smile that makes her insides do very stupid things like practically melt. "You got me," he takes the jacket from her, choosing to drape it over his shoulders instead of even attempting to fit inside something clearly too small for him. "Smells nice," he comments lightly.
Allison looks away. "Thanks," she murmurs.
They continue to walk in silence, until she breaks it again. "So...why'd you jump in after Toby?"
"Hm?"
"Did you not think he could get his own ass out of a pond that's, like, five feet deep?"
"Ah," Daniel brings a hand up to scratch the back of his neck, something Allison knows he does when he's considering something. "Okay," he casts a furtive glance around, and moves closer to her. She tries to ignore the things their close proximity is doing to her heartbeat. "If I tell you something, d'you promise not to tell anyone else?"
Allison quirks a brow. "Daniel, this is me we're talking about. I'm not exactly the core of the gossip mill."
"Okay," he nods. "But you also should probably promise not to mention to Toby that I told you."
"Fine. But I can mention it if it comes up and it's relevant."
"Alright," Daniel rolls his eyes. "Just don't bring my name into it."
"Obviously," Allison waves her hand dismissively, surprised how bringing up Toby with Daniel somehow puts the two of them at ease. "Now spill."
"Toby, ah...Toby can't swim."
She blinks. "He what?"
"He can't swim. He's pretty terrified of it, actually."
"So...when he fell into the pond, even though it was pretty shallow..." Allison trails off, piecing it all together.
"I went in after him anyway, because he could've probably had some panic attack and hit his head or something."
"I..." she manages, before slipping back into silence. It's strange, somehow. There is something about Toby Martin's ridiculous optimism that makes him seem almost invincible. Being reminded of his weaknesses has left her shaken.
"Just...I wouldn't mention it straight off, okay?" They've reached the bus now, people already beginning to file on. "Thanks for the jacket, Al," Daniel gives her another smile, and paired with the use of the old nickname, she feels practically weak at the knees.
"No problem," she says breathily, before clearing her throat. "I mean, wouldn't want you to go dropping dead for saving your best friend," she jokes.
Daniel laughs, even though it's not funny. They both board the bus, and she heads straight for her place next to Lydia.
"Allison, why are you bright red?" Lydia looks suspicious.
"Must be the cold," she manages in response.
Lydia looks skeptical, (Allison can practically hear her think it's not that cold), but for once employs the very small part inside of her that is able to display tact, and decides to leave it. They spend the rest of the journey back in a comfortable silence.
✦
"You sure you're okay?" Lydia asks when Toby insists that she take her shawl back after they arrive back at school.
"Oh, yeah," he waves it off. "No problem a hot shower can't fix," he smiles. "Thanks for the shawl, though."
"You're still shivering," Allison points out.
Toby shakes his head. "I'm fine, seriously."
Still skeptical, Allison touches her hand to his forehead. The contact makes her feel strangely warm. She frowns, before pressing her hand more against his head, eyes widening with the realisation that she doesn't feel warm - Toby does.
"You're burning up," she says.
"I - what? No," his frown mirrors hers, "I'm fine."
"No, you're not," Allison says, letting her voice harden so that Toby knows she's in a no-nonsense mood. "You most definitely are not." She pauses, pursing her lips. "Right, I'm coming home with you."
"You're what?"
"I'm driving you home, idiot," she repeats, rolling her eyes. "There is no way you're getting yourself home like this."
"Allison, seriously, I'm - " Toby's protest is cut off by a violent sneeze from his part. Allison gives him a pointed look.
"What about your car?" he protests.
"I'll take it home," Lydia chirps. Allison narrows her eyes at her eagerness to assist. She digs the car keys out of her pocket and drops them into Lydia's outstretched hand, taking the opportunity to lean over and places her lips near her ear.
"Whatever you're thinking," she mutters. "Stop."
She feels Lydia's lips curve into her custom knowing smirk. "Have fun," she replies in a similar tone of voice.
Allison pulls back suddenly, sending a glare in her best friend's direction. "Let's go, Toby," she almost growls, not removing her eyes from Lydia.
"I...okay," Toby sounds vaguely terrified. It may or may not have something to do with the lethal look on Allison's face.
✦
"You didn't have to do this," Toby manages through a coughing fit as they enter the house that Allison has become familiar with over the past week and a half.
"Couldn't just leave you to die, could I?" Allison brushes off with a roll of her eyes, pushing Toby towards the couch with her hand on the small of his back.
"I won't di - " he relapses into his coughing fit. Allison gives him a knowing look.
"Okay, Toby." She casts around for a blanket, grabbing one she finds nearby and throwing it over his reclining frame. "Go change or take a shower or whatever. I'll get you a drink and some medicine or something."
"Seriously, Alliso - "
"Shut up," she calls, heading into the kitchen. She can make out some muttering from the couch, but it's muffled by Toby's constant coughs and sneezes and the sound of him plodding up the stairs. She feels a pang of sympathy for him and begins to cast around for some medicine and a hot drink.
It doesn't take long to find both; like everything else he owns, Toby's kitchen is so organised it's almost uncomfortable. Soon she's heading to the TV room with a steaming cup of lemon tea (which she has never heard of before but is assuming Toby likes) and an array of pills and syrups.
"Alright, Martin, let's see if we can't bring this fever of yours down," she sets the things down on the coffee table. Toby sits up - she notes with some surprise that he's already showered and changed (she guesses boys don't need as much time as girls in the shower?), with a thicker blanket wrapped around him than before.
"Thanks, Allison," he says earnestly, voice distorted from his cold. "Seriously, I owe you big time."
"You know it," she hands him the tea and sits down as he takes a sip.
"I don't even know how Derek managed to push me into the pond without realising," he shakes his head with a smile. "Man, I felt like Charity being pushed in by her boyfriend with all those people watching her," he says ruefully, bringing the mug to his lips.
"Charity...?"
His eyebrows rise at her blank expression.
"You haven't watched Sweet Charity, have you?" he groans.
"Can't say I have," Allison says resignedly, knowing what's coming next.
"Okay, while you're here, just put it on," he shakes his head, like he predicted it (she'd be a little worried if he hadn't predicted it, to be honest). "You know where the musicals are."
Sadly, she does - Toby has an entire two shelves plus a rack dedicated to musicals, all alphabetised and clearly labelled. It doesn't take long for her to find Sweet Charity, a sixties film with a ginger beaming up from the cover.
"Charity is ginger? We're watching a film about a ginger?" Allison doesn't mean to let the unimpressed tone seep into her voice, but it does. Toby opens his mouth, but what would've been his undoubtedly emphatic defence of Charity and the colour of her hair dissolves into yet another coughing fit.
"Just put it on," he manages to wheeze after some time. "And consider reassessing your judgemental outlook on life," he adds. "Because there is nothing wrong with gingers."
Allison raises her eyebrows but says nothing, doing as he says. It seems an ill Toby is also an irritable Toby.
✦
"Prostitutes. Prostitutes. Toby, you did not mention this film involving prostitutes!"
"Ssh!"
"But -"
"Ssh!"
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a/n: I FINALLY UPDATED
the musical for this chapter was originally going to be guys and dolls but recently i have fallen back in love with sweet charity because our school is doing it for the senior musical and i love watching all the beautiful perfect seniors rehearse it and sweet charity makes me happy basically
dedication for zhideai because she very accurately pointed out that toby is basically me
vote comment make me HAPPY
ilu
- mariam