It wasn’t a secret that Toni Shalifoe was a flirt. She classified it as a sort of self-aware defense mechanism, a way to keep everyone at a distance while providing herself with a fun time. Toni knew it was an unhealthy mechanism, but whenever she ran into another cute girl it was like the flirtations just slipped out.
Of course, these were just flirtations, nothing more. Toni never actually dated any of these girls she flirted with because, well, you could say she really only had feelings for one person. As cheesy as it sounded, and Toni really hated cheesy things, her heart already belonged to someone else.
Shelby Goodkind.
The two girls had known each other since elementary, but they had never really been close. While they shared many classes, they’d always found themselves in different circles. Despite this, Toni couldn’t help how she constantly stared at the blonde during classes and looked for her in the crowded high school hallways. She was like a moth to a flame, unable to look away or end her fascination.
Toni knew that her and Shelby would probably never actually meet personally and that she would never gather the courage to ask Shelby out. She was pretty sure the blonde was straight anyway. And to make matters worse, she is the daughter of Jobeth Goodkind the school principal.
Just her luck to fall for someone as unattainable as Shelby Goodkind.
Because Toni had grown resigned to her fate of never actually talking to Shelby and just flirting and hooking up with random girls to get the blonde out of her head, Shelby was the last person she expected to see at one of her Basketball practices.
The brunette was the captain of their high school’s basketball team, falling in easily with the jocks of the school from the very beginning. The field was where she could take out all of her anger and fuel her energy. It was a lot better option than punching walls or screaming at family members and it was just a coincidence that she was actually really good at the sport.
Therefore, as one of her ordinary basketball practices started with drills, the practice suddenly turned less than ordinary. Taking a breath after finishing a drill, Toni turned her head towards the benches...and she froze.
There sat Shelby Goodkind on one of the benches in a jersey and polyester shorts that she was somehow pulling off. A cart full of water jugs sat next to her. Toni felt like she couldn’t breathe as Shelby’s green eyes roamed over the field and passed over Toni.
Toni almost thought that Shelby’s gaze stopped momentarily on her but she figured she was just making things up.
The basketball player spent the rest of practice trying to show off or just generally not make a fool of herself. Her mind was still racing with possibilities of why Shelby was at her practice when she’d never even stepped foot on this field before.
When Coach Gretchen called for a water break, Toni made sure to avoid Shelby and sit on the opposite side of the benches. Hopefully the blonde would just go about whatever her business was and Toni wouldn’t make a fool of herself.
However, Toni had no such luck.
Not a minute later, Shelby was suddenly standing before her with a cup of water and a smile on her face. A smile that seemed to always be on the blonde’s face and that always sent butterflies throughout Toni’s stomach.
“Water?” Shelby asked, still smiling
Toni raised an eyebrow, trying to control the blush threatening to spread on her face. “Are you the waterboy now?”
Shelby just shrugged. “It’s 2025, Shalifoe. Girls can be anything.”
Toni couldn’t help the smile on her face. Shelby Goodkind was definitely a very surprising person.
“Very true.” Toni nodded. “But why does a princess like you want to spend time with a bunch of sweaty basketball players?”
Shelby looked slightly offended by Toni’s words, which was definitely not the brunette's intention. “I’ll have you know, Shalifoe, that I happen to love basketball and this counts as an extracurricular on my resume so…” Shelby crossed her arms and looked proud, like she had somehow proved Toni wrong with her assumptions.
Of course, since Toni was at a loss for words, her brain immediately fell back into what it was used to.
Flirting.
“Why do you say my last name so much? Is it because you want it?” Toni winked and felt a sense of accomplishment as she watched Shelby’s face go as red as a tomato. The blonde looked so adorable with her red cheeks and flustered appearance that Toni just knew she needed to make her look like that again.
Shelby scoffed but she was stumbling over her words. “Whatever, Toni. Drink some water so you don’t pass out.”
The blonde quickly passed the water to Toni but not before Toni allowed their fingers to slightly touch in the exchange. Shelby quickly jerked back and began to walk away hurriedly.
Toni, feeling accomplished, simply waved back at Shelby’s retreating figure. “Nice to know you care about me, Princess.”
The basketball player quickly chugged the water and spent the rest of her break staring unabashedly at Shelby as she went around the players and field. Toni found it almost hilarious how hard Shelby was trying to not look at her, but a small part of her worried she took the flirting too far with her crush.
All throughout that week's practices, Toni and Shelby danced around the same routine. Toni would watch Shelby, Shelby would pretend like she wasn’t glancing at Toni every minute, and during the water break Shelby would bring Toni water while Toni shamelessly flirted with her.
Toni didn’t really know why she was flirting so much with Shelby. Because she actually had a crush on this girl, shelby made her so nervous and she felt like she was going to throw up from anxiety each time they made eye contact.
Thankfully, whenever they talked it was only word vomit that seemed to come out of her mouth. Word vomit in the form of flirtations.
“Looking good today, blonde.” Toni called during Friday’s practice. Shelby just rolled her eyes and proceeded to ignore her. Taking this opportunity, Toni walked behind her as Shelby made her water rounds around the basketball players.
“You know what would make you look even better?”
“Not possible.” Shelby argued, giving out a cup of water to Rachel. “I already look too good.”
Toni chuckled at the blonde’s confidence, definitely finding her snarky comments attractive. “True, but a jersey with my last name would definitely top this shirt.”
Although Shelby wasn’t directly facing Toni, the brunette could still see the slight smile that ghosted her face for a second before she put her serious mask back on. Toni felt a rush of excitement flow through her body. If she could make Shelby smile even once, she considered her day successful.
Toni glanced towards the coach and saw she was still talking with one of the basketball players, and figured she still had time for a few more flirtatious comments.
Toni really didn’t understand why she had always been so taken by Shelby, but it was like with every eye contact or brush of fingers, electricity ran down her spine.
“You want to make a deal, Princess?” Toni grinned as she saw Shelby’s characteristic smile arise.
Shelby, being the competitive person she was, couldn’t help the smirk. “What is it?” However, she knew that whatever the answer, she would say yes. Shelby was always up for a challenge.
Toni thought for a moment before her eyes brightened with an idea. “We win the game tomorrow, I get to take you on a date.” Shelby scoffed but Toni continued. “We lose, you get to take me on a date.”
Now shelby really scoffed, whirling on Toni in a motion so fast Toni wondered why Shelby wasn’t in basketball as well. “In your dreams, Shalifoe.”
“Oh, you already are.” Shelby’s eyes went wide at Toni’s implication.
Shelby stared at Toni for a moment, as if thinking, before finally speaking. “How about if I win, you have to quit with the flirting?”
“Oh, you’re breaking my heart, princess. You know you’d miss it.” Toni put her hand over her heart dramatically and smiled once again at seeing the amusement in Shelby’s eyes. “It's a deal then.”
Toni and Shelby just stared at each other for a second, both of their eyes bright with the idea of a challenge.
At the game the next night, Toni played harder than she’d ever played in her life. She played like her life depended on it, and, in a way, to her it did. After each points or successful pass, Toni looks at Shelby and gives a cocky smile.
The blonde sat at the bench in her hopewell lake jersey the whole time, the yellow lines on her face making her look extremely adorable despite the sheer incredulousness in her eyes. Shelby had never expected a person to work so hard to just go on a date with her.
The cheering of the crowd, Shelby’s shock, and the excitement of her teammates only egged Toni on. She was on fire, like she’d been blessed by the sports gods. Her feets were like quicksilver, her hands skilled, and her brain clear.
By the end of the game, hopewell lake was up 89-70. The cheering of their team was loud enough to deafen Toni but this didn’t stop the grin that passed over her face. She couldn’t believe how great the team had played that night and part of her believed it was the universe’s way of helping her with her love life.
While Toni was taking off her uniform in the locker room, she suddenly heard the door open. She looked curiously at the entrance, used to being the only person in the girl’s room.
However, surprise quickly covered her face as she saw a familiar blonde enter the room and make her way over to Toni.
“Good job out there.” Shelby said, her green eyes narrowed slightly.
Toni smiled, suddenly shy. She hadn’t wanted Shelby to see her with her sweaty hair, sticky undershirt, and fumbling post-game self. “Yeah, well, I had some motivation.”
Shelby chuckled slightly, like she had been expecting this answer. For a few seconds, they both stood in silence just staring around the room and at each other. Toni realized suddenly that she had spent all her time flirting with Shelby this past week that they hadn’t even had a real conversation. Part of her hardly expected Shekby to actually hold up her side of the deal.
After a few seconds, Shelby nodded her head ceremoniously and let what looked like a genuine smile onto her face. “So when is our date, Shalifoe?”
Toni’s eyes grew wide. “Wait, really? You actually want to go on a date?”
Shelby laughed, the sound sending butterflies all throughout Toni’s stomach. “Well, don’t look so shocked. I never back out of a deal, especially when it includes a cute girl with nice muscles.” Toni blushed furiously at Shelby’s words, suddenly understanding what it’s like to be on the other side of the flirtations. Part of her was extremely embarrassed and another part just wanted Shelby to keep talking. “Plus, I’ve always wanted to be part of a power couple.”
The blonde looked wistfully towards Toni and Toni found herself stumbling over all of her thoughts. Shelby wanted to be a couple. The blonde was still talking to her and smiling and flirting back .
Toni’s heart raced in her chest as she smiled and stuttered out, “Ummm, I’m free tomorrow night. A movie?”
Shelby nodded her head. “Movie it is. See you then, Shalifoe, and as much as I like the sweaty look, please take a shower.”
Toni scowled in Shelby’s direction as the blonde laughed and quickly retreated from the room.
However, as much as Toni was offended, she was also extremely giddy. In all those times Toni had stared at Shelby wistfully in class, or talked endlessly about her to Marty, or even imagined different scenarios of the two having a conversation, she had never thought she would actually be going on a date with the blonde.
But here she was.
Her flirty defenses had finally come in handy. As she took a quick shower and rushed out of the locker room to meet with Martha, Fatin and Rachel, she couldn’t help the grin on her face or the excitement that bubbled inside of her all due to Shelby Goodkind.