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Leaning against a jagged outcropping of stone, her sweaty legs crusted with warm sand as the waves of pain in her ankle pulsed with her heartbeat, Shelby Goodkind decided not to think about how low her life had gotten. Possibly less than a month ago she had been a regular church goer, and here she was now, stranded fuck knows where, down about one promise to her father, one promise to Jesus, and a good deal of hair. Despite all that, she couldn't really bring herself to feel remorse. Especially when she saw the girl who took up a good deal of her positive thoughts came jogging up to her.
"Hey Shelby," Toni down effortlessly next to her and stretched her legs out. That was one thing Shelby admired about the other girl, she managed to look natural in about every situation. "How's your ankle?"
"I've been... better." Shelby went for honestly.
"Hurts like a motherfucker I bet, " Toni guessed.
Shelby had turned her ankle more than a few times hunting, but that paled in comparison to her current injury. But the worst part of it was being sidelined, she wasn't exactly much help with keeping Rachel alive when she couldn't even stand herself. And what with Leah's lingering mistrust of her and her own less than tip top state, Shelby didn't feel entirely in the loop with the whole Nora's-part-of-plane-crash-conspiracy-and-spies-on-us scandal.
Shelby didn't say any of that, and settled for "yeah."
The two fell into silence. Shelby became unusually interested in sifting grains of sand through her fingers instead of looking anywhere else. Toni looked almost nervous, Shelby noted when she slid her gaze towards her. It was a far cry from the unshakable dirty-mouthed basketball-playing hothead she had originally pegged her for. It was cute. Shelby voiced this, if at least to break the silence.
Toni laughed, and there was no malice in voice when she said, "I had you pegged for a lot of unpleasant things. Also the token Straight Girl. Well, that's probably Leah."
"What?" Shelby was smiling as she shifted herself towards Toni as much as she could without hurting her ankle, "You think none of us are straight except for Leah?"
"Nah, I mean more like Straight, with a trademark or something."
Shelby grinned as she tried to shift some more. "If she's the straight girl, what does that make me?"
Toni titled her head as she studied her in a way that was less sizing her up and more taking her in in a way that sent a thrill down Shelby's spine. She tried not to feel like she was being undone as her heart gave a flutter.
"That makes you Shelby," Toni answered and yep, there goes that heart again. Maybe she needed to get that checked out.
If you took away the layers of mystery and the impending danger and injuries and chances of starvation, this was almost too perfect.
"Toni," Shelby blurted before she could talk herself out, "what's gonna happen to us?"
Toni draws her knee closer and props her arm on it, tapping her chin in mock thought.
"I'm picturing like interviews and shit, like if we thought there were gonna be interview before there's sure as hell gonna be a lot with all this freaky stuff going on, and news stories. Definitely news stories. They'll film one of those special segments on us and we'll make out backstage."
"I don't think that's how that even works," Shelby said playfully.
"Whatever. And then we'll go home I guess."
Toni shrugged. Shelby wondered if she was as chill about this as she acted.
"If we go home, I'll probably never see you again." She regretted saying that when she saw Toni lose some of her carefree expression. Maybe Shelby was just feeling bold, but because she grabbed Toni's hand and added, "I should run away with you."
Tony smiled wistfully. "I don't think my home is the whole two stories and jacuzzi you're used to, Ms. Youth Pastor."
"Well I'm not going back to my house with you, am I! 'Hey Mom and Dad, sorry I broke my ankle and chopped up my hair. This is my girlfriend."
Shelby felt Toni's thumb rub the back of her hand.
"Maybe we'll part for a bit. We can exchange numbers like two girls on the last day of summer camp y'know, keep in touch. Who knows, maybe we'll end up signed up for the same all girls vacation, and the plane will--"
"Toni!" Shelby admonished.
"--fly perfectly safely! You never know!"
The pair sat in silence for a beat.
"Shelby," Toni said, with less humor, and Shelby felt herself being pulled to meet Toni's gaze, "It'll be okay."
And when Toni bridged the gap between them, Shelby didn't have a problem with not thinking.