Even though he looked calm on the outside Tinashe could feel his agitation as she may on his back. She honestly couldn't tell whether it was because he was scared for her or if he just feared explaining to her parents if anything were to happen. It had already been more than thirty minutes when she heard the sound of water from a distance and she suddenly jumped off his back. The dizziness was gone and she was energetic again.
"Tinashe..." Jin was dumbstruck when he saw the woman he thought was dying smiling mischievously. When she saw the fear and confusion on his face she couldn't hold in her laughter. "You... you are ok?"
Tinashe cleared her throat taking a step back then asked, "Why? Disappointed?" she took her bag from Gavriel, "I was bitten by a copperhead so of course I'm fine. Thanks, Gav, the wound doesn't even hurt that much because of your herb." Everyone was dumbstruck but she didn't seem to mind.
Gavriel frowned in confusion, "You are really fine?" he asked and Tinashe nodded.
"Do you think this is a joke?" Amy suddenly asked resentfully, "You made Jin carry you for so long and you think it's funny? Do you really believe it is a joke making people worried for no reason?"
Tinashe smirked then turned to check Jin's reaction but suddenly felt strong arms wrapping around her waist. She could sense his uneasiness with the way he was holding her. "Han?" his behaviour made her confused.
"Are you really ok?" he asked as she tried pushing him away and he tightened his hold on her then lowered his head and pressed his lips on her forehead. "Thank God you're fine."
"I know right?" she sniggered, "Otherwise how would you have told my parents that you let a snake bite me to death while you were keeping your mistress warm in the jungle?"
When he heard her words, Jin pulled away and looked into her eyes in worry, "You are really fine?"
The woman rolled her eyes pushed him away, "Freed you from the guilt, right?"
The man swung her around so that they faced each other, "I said I love you. How many times should I say it before you believe me?"
Everyone around went silent and the excitement Tinashe thought she would feel after hearing him profess his love publicly was no where. All she felt was awkwardness. "Amelia is right over there."
Jin rolled his eyes, "So? Amy and I are just friends. I don't know how your mind works but seriously, let go of all your weird thoughts and be good, ok? Amy and I have never had anything between us other than friendship."
Tinashe looked at him in surprise then at Amy but that woman looked like she had been betrayed. She wanted to believe him and felt a little hopeful too but it was difficult especially seeing Amy's reaction.
"What do you mean, Jin?" Amy stepped forward and her eyes were reddened, "Jin, you promised my brother that you'd take care of me! When we were in college you said you'd marry me after that accident."
"What? When?" He asked, "Is that why you called Tinashe on our wedding night pretending to be with me? Last night you appeared in my arms out of nowhere to cause a misunderstanding between us? What if the snake that bit her was actually venomous?"
Amy scoffed, "What misunderstanding? You don't love her anyway." She cried, "You always took me everywhere and talked down on her to make me feel better, right? So what now? You are going to divorce her and marry me like you promised, right?"
"I take you everywhere because it's concerning work. You're my secretary and if I take you out to dinner with some college friends it's because we went to the same college and I consider you my friend." He explained, "Amy, be reasonable. I treat you the way Andrew did. Why would I promise to marry you?"
"But that day in college after the accident you told me to marry a good guy. I said that you were a good guy and I'll only marry you and you smiled and held my hand." She said.
Kylie rolled her eyes and stepped forward, "And so what? Why is your mind so twisted? How does that sound like a proposal or a promise in your head?"
"Shut up, Kylie. You weren't there! You didn't see his smile!" she screamed, "All of you are treating me as if I'm unreasonable here!"
"That's because you are being unreasonable at the moment." Said Ash, "You should have been more like your brother. If Andrew was here he wouldn't be pleased with what you have become."
"It's your fault that my brother isn't here!" she screamed and everyone went silent.
Tinashe had never seen Amy so aggressive. She had always seemed sensible and sweet but today she was a completely different person. She had somehow gotten a hold of Tinashe's dagger that she let Jin keep when he had skinned the rabbit and she held it in her right hand tightly.
"Amy, don't do anything stupid. If you hurt yourself what will Andrew think?" Jin stepped forward try it to get close enough to take the dagger but she stepped backward, "Amelia..."
"Get away from me!" she screamed and Jin did as he was told, "If it wasn't for all of you my brother would be alive and now you can't even keep your promise to him?"
"I treat you the way your brother treated you, don't I?" said Jin, "We all treat you like a sister."
"Jin, you were supposed to marry me!" she cried.
"Why don't you guys talk calmly. Can I have my dagger?" Tinashe stepped forward and when she saw that Amy didn't react and seemed to want to give back the dagger she walked even closer, dodging Jin's hand when he wanted to hold her back. "There is water over there and I need to drink and soak myself. I need both my daggers to protect myself." She said and took a few steps even closer.
Amy's hand that was holding the dagger shook and her eyes teared, "There... is water nearby?"
Tinashe nodded.
"Good then," she dagger she was holding aimed at Tinashe's left side of the chest and pierced inside her flesh while she still had her guard down. She pulled the dagger out and tried to stab lower but this time the dagger didn't get as deep because Tinashe k1icked her away before she fell on her back. Amy chuckled, "Good thing there is water nearby, Mrs Han, we can just dump your body there." She mocked.
"Tinashe!" Jin was first get to her side and pressed the wound on her chest, "Amelia why did you do that?"
"A life for a life! Do you think I didn't see you trying to pull her back just now because you didn't trust me? You were right. Why would I kill myself? It was her I wanted to eliminate from our lives." she said resentfully, "My brother gave his life for you and all your friends when he died in that fire. He was burnt alive after warning all of you. Especially you, Jin. He even went back in trying to save you! Even though you guys never talked about it I know that he pushed you out right before the house collapsed. I'll take her life in return." She sniggered, "You said you love her, right? Good, after she dies you and I can start afresh and get married then."
Ash and Jin looked at the woman as if she was a clown. "And who told you that fabricated story?" asked Ash, "Jin and I were the ones who went back in trying to save your brother but he had locked himself inside the safe room. We tried to call him out he only came out after the fire broke out everywhere and we realised that he had probably been looking for the safe that we gave to you at his funeral. Yours, his and your parents' memories plus the money he had saved. Nobody owes him anything."
"What? But that policeman... He said...He..." Amy looked like he had just been hit and tears fell from her eyes, "He didn't save all of you?"
Ash scoffed, "No and we are just nice to you because he was our beloved friend but we weren't obligated to. He died before he could even ask any of us to take care of you."
"But that police officer said he did..." She cried dropping to her knees, "What are you talking about though? I can't believe it."
Jin's eyes were bloodshot and his eyes never left Tinashe's, "It was my fault." He whispered and a tear dropped from his eye to her cheek. "I'm sorry but please hold on. I'll make sure we get out of here and get help as soon as possible."
Tinashe nodded with a smile, "You purposely made me misunderstand? Did you hate me so much?"
"I love you. Focus on that." He whispered.
She looked at his face and couldn't help feeling worse, "When you tried to pull me back were you suspecting she would hurt me?"
More tears gushed out of his eyes and he pulled her closer, "I overestimated you thinking you'd be able to protect yourself that's why I didn't insist." He lowered his forehead to hers. "I told you to stay close to me but you are so stubborn. Do you know how it hurts to not be able to protect you three times already? Did you want to scare me so much today?"
Tinashe smiled sadly, "Don't cry, you look weird." She turned her head away so she didn't look at his face. "She didn't stab my heart. I wasn't even supposed to be here in the first place. It's my fault for insisting."
"If it weren't for this moment I'd be completely glad that you came." He used his shoulder to wipe his tears as he couldn't remove his hands from her wounds, "I should have just protected you, right? I should have just given our marriage a chance from the beginning then maybe we wouldn't have been in this situation, right?"
"Crying doesn't suit you." She raised her hand to wipe his tears, "You look more familiar when you are cold." She laughed, "Shooting daggers from your mouth."
The man smiled through his tears, "Is that why you called me Dagger in your diary?"
"You read my diary?" she didn't even look upset.
Jin nodded, "I kind of hacked your phone to look for some memories I thought you were just not talking about." He said, "You didn't like me at first but I was kind of crazy about you. I was just being stubborn. I read every entry in your diary until one that you wrote at the hotel. You met your crush and I was so upset that's why I wanted to leave you at the hotel thinking I left. I wasn't even going to board the plane if you hadn't come."
Tinashe smiled, "Why?"
"Well, after knowing almost everything I need to know about you and add on how much you seduced me, it'd be weird if I didn't fall for you, right?" he smiled, "And that night too..." tears gushed out of his eyes.
He lowered his head and kissed her forehead. She was trying so hard to not look hurt but she was sweating profusely. She could not even smile anymore when she weakly asked, "Why were you so violent after the plane crashed?" she closed her eyes.
"I didn't know you were stuck. I thought you were playing around to get my attention." He whispered then gently shook her gently, "Tinashe?"
"I'm back." Gavriel rushed over with a few herbs. "Remove your hands, this should stop her bleeding. How is her condition?"
"Bad." Jin gave way for him to apply the herbs but he kept his arms around her and could feel that she was in pain when the herbs were being applied. Her whole body shook and her eyes opened but she couldn't focus. "Tinashe? Tinashe..." He held her face on his hands, "It will be fine."
"Jin Nan..." her voice shook, "It hurts..."
"I know, it will be fine." He whispered and couldn't stop his own tears. "Hang on, my love." He gently patted her head until Gavriel was done and Tinashe seemed to not be able to hold on any longer and passed out.
******
Thanks for your support by reading.
❤Millie