sparks fly [toni shalifoe, the wilds]

a flight risk, with a fear of falling

Toni. She turned the name over in her mind, examining the curve of every letter from every angle. It wasn't really a common name in England, unless it was short for Antoinette or something.

"Is that everything?" Toni blinked, dangerously close to Grace's face. Grace blinked back.

"Yeah, I mean, unless you wanted to look around the music block." Grace ventured, oddly hopeful that she would. Grace adored music, she often had dreams of becoming a musician. Her nerves held her back, but it was nice to escape to the one corner of the school where she wasn't totally introverted. It'd be nice to share it with somebody.

Toni sighed and gritted her teeth, "I don't think so. I have class obviously, and then I'm supposed to meet my friend before the end of the day."

Grace shrugged and folded her arms, "Yeah, it's whatever. I didn't want to show you it anyway, it's cool." 

Toni laughed, slinging her rucksack and sports bag over her shoulder. 

"What?" Grace snapped defensively, keeping her wall high and strong. Toni simply shook her head and began to walk away and down the stairs, just as the bell chimed 3 o'clock. 

Toni found it ridiculous how easy it was to read Grace. I mean, she'd never had any experience with British girls in the past but the conservative stereotype she'd heard about most definitely lived up to its' name. Grace was a flight risk, with a fear of falling; scared of letting go or falling in love so she clung onto pleasing her parents. Painfully closeted.

She wasn't anything special to Toni, if anything she was old news. Toni had already met a girl just like her and it was so fucking exhausting taking the effort to 'fix' her. No, a relationship with all that trust and balance and compromise sent Toni to sleep. She was here to play around.

Class dragged on for Toni. Her head was basically empty, apart from a few bemused thoughts of Grace and a handful of unfinished business back in Minnesota. She'd taken PE, RS and Biology for her 'A-Level's (whatever the hell those meant), but she was sincerely starting to regret taking Biology. Private school was proving to be far more difficult than what she thought it would be. However, finally the bell tolled 4 o'clock and she was free from the hellhole.

"How was your day?" 

Toni's head jerked to the side, where her friend, Rachel Reid had suddenly appeared. Toni was now outside, walking towards the lush green fields in the far North of the school. 

"Painful. British girls are so-"

"Annoying. My tour guide was way too happy. I told her, you know, I'm here to train, get my fucking PE A-Level, become an athlete - but no, it's all 'here's the canteen, we have vegetarian options, here's our science block, here's our fancy fucking common rooms'" Rachel ranted, ploughing on down to the field with Toni trailing in the distance.

Toni swallowed, quietly hoping to pick up some of Rachel's enthusiasm. She'd barely even wanted to go to England for the sporting aspect but her best friend, Martha, had convinced her to go. It wasn't exactly like the hockey programme in Minnesota was up to scratch. At least here, she could try to focus and make something of herself. 

"Mine was quite the opposite actually." Toni remarked as the two dumped their bag on the cold soil. Toni hugged her knees, her eyes travelling the crowd of girls in identical blazers and kilts.

"Mmh?" Rachel mumbled, urging her onwards. 

"Ah, I don't know. I think she's got a little crush on me." Toni chuckled, licking her lips with a level of self-assurance that Rachel was way too used to.

"Toni, you've been down the straight girl route before," Rachel criticized, rolling her eyes. "And what about-"

"Okay, I never ever said I liked her. God. She's just really fucking predictable, it's funny." Toni smirked, turning to face her friend. "Okay, I bet five bucks she's looking at me right now. She's brunette, fringe, blue eyes, cheekbones..."

Rachel reluctantly scanned the field from the corner they were sat in. She saw blonde boys playing American football - or rugby, she supposed - and she saw perfect, glossy girls gossiping and talking in the corner. And sure enough, to the side of the gaggle, she saw Toni's mystery girl staring right at her.

"Fine!" Rachel complained, reaching in her wallet. "I guess you get five pounds now, which is worth more." Toni grinned as she was handed her money, and she stuffed it into her pocket. God knows she needed all the financial aid she could get.

"Should we go? I want to check out the court at the park near the boarding house." Toni said, getting up with a shiver. The weather was going to take some getting used to. 

"Sure," Rachel replied, pursing her lips. Once they'd gotten their bags, Rachel stopped Toni. "Look, if you want to be a player here and fuck with the straight girl, that's on you. But we're here to play, to make something of ourselves okay?"

Toni's nostrils flared, as she knew Rachel all too well. "I know the drill. I won't screw it up for you. I am focused, I swear."

Rachel nodded and smiled grimly at Toni and the two started walking down the gates of the school at the South end. 

As they walked, Toni let her mind wander and think about Grace. God, she wondered, how fun would it be to fuck her without all the bullshit of a relationship.

She couldn't help but steal a look at Grace, whose eyes pretty much hadn't left hers. She knew two things - how to get through to straight girls. She knew straight girls like the back of her hand. The second thing? Grace was hot, like really, really hot. 

Fuck it. Toni strolled over to Grace, who was sat with who Toni assumed to be her best friend. She knelt down and quickly went to Grace's ear, not even taking a minute to study her expression. 

"I would love to see the music block with you." She whispered quickly, before ducking away and jogging to catch up with Rachel, who shot her an unamused look. 

"You're making a mistake. This is not going to end good, and it better not drag me down too." Rachel reaffirmed, causing Toni to roll her eyes. 

"You're like a stuck record, suck it up Reid."