𝐔𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 ➶ 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐢

s i x t e e n

All Toni wanted to do was sleep, rid herself of this tension that surrounded her. But she couldn't, because Cheryl's silhouette shone down on her through the stream of her headlights. A deep sense of dread curdling in her stomach. If she was honest, she found herself mentally exhausted to even lie anymore.

But she could see it in Cheryl's dark eyes, the curiosity, the wonder and sympathy. The questions would soon come flooding, the thought making her sick. It was almost as though the redhead read her mind, momentarily vanishing into the shadows and returning holding out a bottle.

"Here. You look like you've seen a ghost." There was almost a hint of playfulness beneath her voice. Toni brushed her hand against the older woman as she took it with minor caution.

But still, the brunette forced her eyes not to meet Cheryl's. A small part of her hoping that maybe if she iced Cheryl out, she'd drop the discovery and go home. But it appeared as though she had all night. The woman's chocolate hues not moving from her student.

"This is why you didn't want me dropping you at your front door...because this place is your front door." Cheryl finally broke the silence, watching Toni with intrigue as she ground her foot in the wet mud below her feet.

Toni took in a deep breath and nodded, twisting the bottle cap in her hands.

"And River Valley...do they—"

"You can't tell them." Toni's voice rose in panic, forcibly meeting Cheryl's warm eyes now. Her blood running cold. No part of her was ready for this discussion with the college board.

"I-" Cheryl paused, seemingly fighting an inner war wading in her mind, "I won't, but I should. I could lose my job for knowing this type of thing and not telling anyone."

Toni scoffed, bitter seeping into her veins as she felt threatened, "You don't want me in your personal life, so stay out of mine. I'm fine, Cheryl. None of this concerns you."

This earned a direct reaction from her professor, her arms that were once at her side now folded. "It concerns me because I was already worried about you, knowing this...that you're living here, Toni. It tips the scale."

The serpent shook her head, running a rigid hand through her sopping hair. As much at her heart lurched to stammer in her chest, when she processed Cheryl's words. It was still clear that the redhead wanted to inform someone of her situation. She couldn't allow that to happen. The rain echoed as it hammered the dirt around them.

"Like I said, Cheryl. I'm perfectly fine."

Toni had attempted to ignore the warmth that wrapped itself around her heart. Somewhere within her was thrilled that Cheryl cared enough to worry about her. It fuelled the slither of hope inside her that maybe one day, they could be more than what they were in this moment. When Toni thought the redhead might have finally given up, she spoke up once more.

"I won't pretend to know what you're going through," She began, her eyes dropping to her mud ridden boots. "Because I don't, money has never been an issue for me. But I've been watching you for a while, I've noticed things...I knew something was off that day in the shower room. I just couldn't pinpoint it."

"Stalker much." The brunette grumbled childishly. Cheryl simply ignored her remark.

"I'm not trying to antagonise you, Toni. Or make you feel any sort of way...but this isn't how you should be living. It's cold, damp and probably riddled with diseases." Toni felt heat rise in her body as Cheryl made her way towards the steps the petite girl was sat upon. A hand soon placed on her shoulder, "I can't turn an eye at this. No matter how much you might want me to."