Changes // Toni Shalifoe (DISCONTINUED)

2:5

I walked back with Toni to the camp. She was holding my hand as we walked. I kept looking around for clues on things. I felt Toni glance at me a lot. Her eyes trying to find what I am looking for. She doesn't ask me, just keeps an eye on me.

When we got back to the camp. I let Toni move forward without me. Only Fatin and Dot were at the camp. She gave me a look, but I shook it off, "I'm gonna find Leah." Toni wants to argue, but I'm already turned away.

"Buddy system!" Toni shouts.

"I'll be with Leah! I love you!" I shout back and laugh before Toni can comment.

I walk to the last place I saw Nora before the shark attack. The place she was with the phone. I stop and look around. My hand runs along the tree she was next to. My eyes look for anything strange.

But it's just a fucking tree.

"What was I fucking expecting?" I mutter to myself. I let out a sigh and lean down on the sand. My hands trace the sand. I run my fingers along the sand and stare up at the sky. All I can see is Nora on the phone. Her suspicious look when she walked out of the forest. Leah shouting for her in the distance.

Maybe if the attack never happened, I could have found the phone. Too bad it was lost with Nora. God knows where, "Where am I gonna find that stupid proof? So the girls will believe us?" It was only then that I jumped up, "Nora's journal... Nora's fucking journal!" I shout to myself. I get up and run back to the camp. I know it's sitting untouched there.

When I run to the camp, Fatin stops me, "Woah, Emma, slow down dude." She smirks over at Toni and Dot, "We were actually just talking about you."

"What?" I say but shake my head and get ready to speak, but Dot interrupts me.

"You ever think about your wedding, Em?"

"My wedding?" I ask, "Why the fuck do you want to know about that?"

"Nothing!" Toni says, glaring slightly at Fatin and Dot.

"Well, yeah. You know, buttercream cake, I want a simple ring, small wedding, have some dress ideas." Fatin and Dot smirk at Toni but i don't think about why as I shake my head, "Have you guys seen Nora's journal?"

"Yeah, it's just over there. Why?" Dot says, pointing over to the pile of Nora's shit. I nod, running over and grabbing it. I start to rapidly scroll through the pages, "Woah, Em. What the fuck is up with you?"

"We should just be tracking the days. Nora was smart, she definitely had useful shit in here." I make up and excuse. My eyes go through each page, looking for anything important.

"Smart," Toni says, sitting next to me, "You need help?"

"Um, well..." I trail off, not knowing what to say. When I look at Toni's hopeful face, I let out a slight sigh, "Sure... Just let me have a quick look through."

"I'll help. I'm bored as shit anyways." Fatin says. I feel my heart race slightly, but decide that maybe if I can't see something, the other girls might. Nora might have been hiding shit in here. I just send a nod to Fatin, looking back through the pages more carefully.

I keep my attention on the notebook. Toni sighs, giving my head a quick kiss before walking over to Martha. The girl just returned with Shelby after they both went out hunting.

I feel frustrated when I don't see anything. There's just a bunch of doodles. My lip feels raw from knawing at it. My eyes land on one of the drawings. It's a feather, but there's number written in it. Before I can look further, the journal is ripped out of my hand.

"What the fuck!" I scream, jumping up to the person and stopping when Fatin looks at me with wide eyes, stepping backwards with her hands up, "I was looking at that." I say more quietly. I feel the other girls eyes on me, but I try to focus just on the notebook.

"Jeez dude, you're looking like Leah right now," Fatin says, "What's up with you and this? You're like, way too focused on it."

"Nothing, just, trying to look for something useful."

"She just doodled and tracked the days. Guess it was to keep her sane." Dot says.

"Why don't you take a break?" Fatin suggests, putting a supportive hand on my shoulder, "I want you to be more present. Come on, we can have a gossip sesh and you can tell me how good of a bone Toni is while I listen jealously."

"I-" I start to stutter, my eyes stuck on the book. I saw something. It could be something important.

"Yeah, totally need a distraction," Fatin says. She tosses Dot the book, my eyes staying on it, before she turns to Toni, "I'm stealing your girlfriend for a bit! Before she goes down crazy town."

"I'm not going down crazy town." I argue, but Fatin is already pulling me away. I turn to Toni, who gives me a concerned look before trying to hide it and giving me a thumbs up.

Fatin pulls me through the woods. She keeps a firm grip on my hand until we are far away from the camp, "Okay, spill. What the fuck is going on with you? You've been weird for days." Fatin sighs, facing me.

"I haven't-"

"You have. Not only am I worried, but so is Toni. You keep going off on your own and are acting sus. We can't deal with another Leah-"

"You shouldn't be dealing with Leah. She's not crazy." I say. Fatin turns her head, her eyes narrowing.

"Fuck. Don't tell me you're starting to think the crazy shit she is?"

"Could her idea be so crazy?" I say slowly. Fatin leans her head back, letting out a groan.

"Fucking hell. Yeah, it does sound crazy. You need to stay away from Leah. Her ideas are going to bring you down."

"But what if it saves-"

"No!" Fatin cuts me off, "Look, I love you, Em but you gotta stop right here. I get wanting to find a reason for why this fucked up shit happened to us, but this isn't it. No one planned this. No one is out to get us. And at this point, no one seems to be coming for us."

My body freezes. I look at her with wide eyes and I feel everything in me deflate, "Right... I guess I'm wrong. It's... crazy." I whisper the last bit.

"I'm sorry. But cutting it off now is for the better. Just, stick with Toni, me, Dot, Shelby and Martha. Talk with Rachel- she could really use you with what she's going through," Fatin smiles, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder, "Just stay away from Leah. For now."

All I do is nod. Fatin gives me a strained smile. She claps her hands together, "Great! Well, let's clear our heads on this walk and get back to the festivities." I nod again, following Fatin.

There's no way I'm letting this go.