i could never hate you {toni shalifoe}

11 . waterfalls and revelations

Marley had made the decision to stay walking towards the back of the group, staying away from any temptation she may have felt had she continued walking besides Dot, who carried half of their medical supplies with them, and everyone noticed this but refused to speak it out loud after warning glances from Toni and Martha. Little did Marley know, the girls were all starting to piece together what had happened and her reluctance to sleep beside them the night before paired with her reluctance to walk closer to them was only adding to their theories.

With the heat blaring down on their shoulders, tension was rising and emotions were being heightened more than they had been in days, leading to an anxiety ridden atmosphere among them all. Eventually, Dot had had enough and tried talking Leah down from her high horse. 

"The sun is going to start going down soon Leah, we can't all be out here after dark it's dangerous." Dot spoke calmly, standing in front of Leah who simply looked upon the girls in disbelief, a crazed glint to her eyes. 

"We have to find her. We argued the last time I talked to her. We have to keep looking." Leah stated, not leaving room for debate. Marley had heard enough and made her way to the front of the group next to Dot, ignoring the warning arm she felt Toni try and put on her shoulder. 

"I get that you want to find her, Leah, we all do. But putting our own lives at risk isn't what she would want," ignoring a warning look from Dot, Marley continued, "Fatin may not show it all that often but she knows how to handle herself. If she was in trouble she would have screamed and shouted up a storm until we found her way to her."

"You're only saying that so you don't feel guilty for giving up." Leah spat at her, Marley taking a step closer to her, seemingly not at all phased by the brunette's attitude. Unknown to all but Toni and Martha, who could sense the girl's brewing anger at the insinuation in Leah's voice. "You can pretend that you care all you want but I bet you're just fucking using us for your own personal gain."

"Excuse me." Marley sneered, the girls tensing behind her, nervously watching the clashing duo. "Go on, Leah, say what it is you're thinking. Why would I possibly be using you, Fatin's my friend, you asshole." 

"Girls. Let's all calm down, alright, we won't find her any quicker with the two of you acting like this." Shelby piped up from beside Martha and Toni.

"Shelby, don't," Martha muttered, "it'll only backfire on you if you try to talk them down." Shelby scoffed slightly but still backed down, the group watching on with Toni ready to step in and help Marley if need be. 

"You try and hide your little habits," Leah looked Marley up and down in disdain, the latter quickly uncrossing arms to stop herself from habitually scratching at the skin of her inner elbow.

"I don't know what you're insinuating Leah, but you had better fucking keep quiet." Marley threatened, sensing Toni step forward joining her at her side, Leah merely scoffed.

"I've seen the symptoms before. And we're on a deserted island Marley so all you're private conversations aren't truly private."

"Leah, you had better stop talking before you say something you regret." Marley warned.

"You're a crazed junkie, Marley!" Leah shouted, "Secret's out so let us all stop tiptoeing around you as if you're so fucking fragile!" 

Within a split second, the girls were astonished when Marley had Leah pinned against the tree, arm slung across her neck just tight enough to be uncomfortable, rage clear as day in her eyes.

"You don't know shit. You claim to care so much about finding Fatin and yet all you're doing is looking for someone else to blame for shit so you don't feel as responsible for being the reason she left in the first place! Maybe you're the fucking crazy one!"