Other Worlds - The Wilds

Chapter 18

AN: Wow, I am so sorry I feel terrible for the delay. I was reading all your comments. They are very motivating thank you! Anyway, I could tell you the all the reasons and excuses as to why this is so late but I won't bore you with my life story! Enjoy, hopefully the next chapter will be a little less delayed than this! xx

TW: Implications of sexual abuse

--------

  The next day Toni was hanging out with her friends in the parking lot after school. She was constantly on edge now and her friends were starting to notice. Little side glances and concerned expressions, questioning looks that said, "are you okay?", and avoiding the topic of Regan like the plague. Bottom line, Toni was starting to feel like everyone was constantly watching her which made her even more anxious because she had so much to hide but was feeling too vulnerable to do it properly.

  There was one person that seemed to hover more than anyone else and that was Dot. All throughout the day it seemed like Dot was about to bring up something serious but someone else would interrupt. Which is why it came as no surprise that Dot offered to drive Toni home. An offer Toni was hardly going to turn down in this freezing weather.

  They both got in Dot's car and Toni waited for her to pull out but she just sat there, hands on the steering wheel, gazing out the front window. "Toni, I-" Dot signed and twisted in her seat, facing her. "I need to tell you something but I don't want to set you off or you to do something you regret."

  "What is it?" Toni's heart was beating a mile a minute but she kept a cool composure.

  "Yesterday, Shelby told me that she knew what was going on at your house and that she saw Carol hit you. I don't know how though, she refused to tell me anymore than that."

  Toni saw red.

  She had asked Shelby not to do one thing. One thing and she almost instantly did it. She didn't even give it 24 hours.

  Toni's body just started to act on its own accord. She punched and kicked at the dash. not even remotely aware that her knuckles were starting to bleed. She could hear muffled shouting from nearby but she could mostly only hear her own blood pumping in her ears. Suddenly she was being pulled out of the car.

  Dot tried to hold her, but Toni knew that the second she stopped fighting, the anger she felt would be replaced by the emotions that she was actually feeling: Sadness, betrayal, weakness, desperation and hopelessness. Anger she could manage, at the very least she felt almost powerful. The pitiful emotions lying under the surface wouldn't help her.

  She struggled out of Dot's grip. "I need to see Shelby," She practically growled, making her way back into the car. She was starting to regain control, perspective. At least Shelby had told Dot and not anyone else. She was lucky in that sense. That wasn't the point though, it was the principle of the situation; she had lied to her. Maybe Shelby had worked out that Dot knew. Either way, Toni needed to see her.

  When Dot finally climbed into the car Toni took a deep breath and said, in a much calmer tone, "I'm sorry Dot, I promise I'm fine now I just need to see Shelby."

  Dot sighed, "Okay, but next time we have a deep conversation, we are having it a few metres away from my personal property." Dot chuckled but cut off immediately she she took in the state of the car, Toni and herself. "Toni what did you do? There is blood everywhere!"

  Dot frantically grabbed Toni and searched for the wound, finally finding a variety of open cuts and scrapes on her knuckles. Toni hardly felt them, but she didn't realise the damage she had done earlier.