My Redneck Angel

13. Best Friends

I made my way over to Rick, as did Daryl and Stephanie. "What's up?" I question when I get there. "In a few days," Rick glances at Daryl. "When your a little more healed, I'm gonna have you three go on a run. Okay?" We all glance at each other for a second. "Alright." Daryl simply says before walking off. Great...just what I need, a day out with my 'best friend' who hates me.

I wait for Rick to leave before I look up at Stephanie. "Are you mad at me?" I asked, even though I knew the answer. "No..of course not, why would I be mad?" She sarcasticly says. "And what did I do?"
She gave me a stupid look. "You slept with Daryl.." My mood immediately changes. "I didn't sleep with him." I yell quietly. "Oh right, you just happened to stay in his tent?"

"Whatever." I role my eyes, turn on my heals before being stopped by Dale. "Are you okay?" I shrug and continue to walk. "What was the argument about?" Once again I stop, I pause for a second debating weather to tell him or not. "Daryl.." I finally respond. "Oh..fighting over Daryl, I see." I shake my head. "No, its not like that."

I took about a hour to talk to Dale about Stephanie and Daryl. After, I decided I would hangout with Travis because it seems like we never get any brother sister time. "Knock knock." I look at him from the opening of his tent. "Hey.."

"What have you been up to?" He shrugs and continues to pace in his tent. "Why are you p.." I was cut off by Travis blurting, "I don't really want you to go on the run." He stoppes pacing. "I'll be fine."

"I know, but I don't wanna worry about.." I stop him. "You'll be fine." I chuckle. "But Rick, T-Dog, and Glenn are going on a run the same day..what if something goes wrong with you, Daryl, and Stephanie? We won't have enough people to go after you guys. And Rick won't let me go with him because he doesn't trust me.."

"You worry WAY to much, lighten up a bit."

He gave me a small smile. "I know I do, it's my job to worry about you.."

*

It has a been a few days and Rick decides that Daryl's healed enough to go on the run. I start by grabbing my sword, knife, and gun. I make my way to the inner circle, meeting Lori. "Here you are." Lori hands me a bag to take with me. "Thanks." I take the bag from her and head to Daryl's tent. I stop at the entrance cause Daryls facing the other way, before I get the chance to say anything he takes off his shirt, revealing a scar covered back. I let out a quiet gasp, but not quiet enough because Daryl pulls his clean shirt down quickly, snapping his head in my direction; his eyes filled with anger and pain. He looks down at the ground, I take a step forward putting my finger under his chin so he looks up at me, his eyes now filled with pain and sadness. I brush my thumb across his cheek, causing him to look down then back up at me. I slowly lean forward and Daryl hesitates for a second before doing the same. Just as are lips touch, "You guys ready?"

I let out an annoyed sigh and Daryl grunts. "I guess we are now.." I step out of the tent just as Stephanie reaches it. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"Nothing, let's just go." She shrugs, "Okay."

"Rick, were ready to leave." I call out. The wind was knocked out of me when a small pair of arms collide with my stomach. "Be safe." Carls small voice calls from below me. I ruffle his hair, "I will bud." Carl releases from the hug, backing up to his dad. "You guys leaving?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, thanks for letting me know. Me, Glenn, and T will be leaving soon, hopefully your back before us." Rick gives me a quick side hug. "Be carefully guys." Carol says from beside the dying fire. "Yup." I call, walking past Daryl and Stephanie. "You to Daryl."

"Always am." He begins to walk to the car. "I mean it." Her response from Daryl was, "Mhm." With that, we all climbed into the car and began are trip to the school..that was forever away.

On the way there I fell asleep in the passenger seat. I was woken up by Daryl gentally shaking me, "Come on, where at the school." I sit up trying to wipe the sleepiness out of my eyes. "How long was I asleep?" I yawn. "Couple hours."

"Let's go guys." Stephanie calls from the other side of the car, I role my eyes. Before we go I check to make sure I have my knife and gun.

After we entered the school, somehow we thought it was a good idea to split up. So here I was, alone with Stephanie wandering the school looking for the cafeteria. "I think its up ahead." I whisper. I hold my sword out, peering into the room in front of me. "Yup, its the cafeteria. Now hopefully they have some food." I continue into the cafeteria; heading to the kitchen, Stephanie shortly behind me. I point to the stock room. "That's where all the food should be."

"Yeah I got that, thanks." She roles her eyes and brushes past me.

Just stay focused and ignore her. As soon as I see all the food, I instantly forget to stay focused. I start observing the different kinds of food, then moans become audible. One by one walkers start running out of the freezer. "Run."

I begin to run, I check behind me to see Stephanie and a dozen walkers not far behind. I sharply turn into anouther part of the stock room, but only to be tripped by a walker under a tipped over shelf. I felt my ankle twist and a heavy wait falling on it. I scream out in pain, but act quickly. I pull out my hand gun shooting the walker that tripped me and a few others charging in my direction. Stephanie gets the boxes that fell over on me, as fast as possible. "Can you walk?" She shoots another walker down. I shake my head, "I--I don't think so." I try to get up, but instantly regret it.

"We need to get Daryl," I pant. She nods her head in agreement. As we sit there in silence trying to figure out what to do, more groans could be heard. "Here's what we'll do. We'll kill the rest of, or most of the walkers..I'll set you in a room and go find Daryl so be can come back and get you. Okay?"

"Well I don't really have much of an option." I try to get up, pushing all my weight on my left leg. Stephanie helps me up, we take a few steps before she leans me against the wall, killing a few walkers that were getting to close.

She sets me down in the kitchen. "I'll be right back." I nod my head but have a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. I heard her shut the kitchen door then the cafeteria doors.

*Daryl's POV*

I was on the complete opposite side of the school. On my side I didnt find anything we really needed so I decided to go check on Jess and Stephanie. Running foot steps became autible, I squint my eyes. Stephanie was running at me with tears streaming down her face.

"Where's Jess," I ask quickly. More tears stream down her cheeks. I shake my head in denial, "No..sh--shes not dead." My eyes water but I refuse to let them fall. "She can't be." My voice cracked. "I have to see." I begin walking in the direction Stephanie ran from. "Don't.." She puts her hand on my chest to stop me. I push her hand away, "I have to be sure.."

"I am sure..and I can't let you see her like that." She gulped. Moans start coming in our direction, I pull out my knife throwing it at the walkers head as hard as I can. I pull the knife out of the walkers head and stab it repeatedly. "Daryl.." Stephanie touches my shoulder. I flinch away from her touch, I push my back to the wall. I rest my hands on my knees, letting my head dangle between my knees. "She can't be dead.." I mumble to myself. "She just can't be."

I wipe my eyes so no tears can fall. I get up, out of my spot on the wall. "Where are you going?" I shake my head. "I don't care what you say, I have to know that she's really dead."

"Daryl I put her down myself..she's dead." Stephanie whispers, hanging her head. "I don't care."

"Do you want your last memories of her to be as a walker..with her flesh torn off, blood dripping from her neck, bullet whole in her head?" She gave me an angry confused look. "Well maybe she wouldn't look like that if ya didn't let her die." I yelled, getting closer to her. "You think I let her die? She was my best friend." She yelled back. "Best friend? Ya were always sendin' glares at 'er, some best friend." I scoffed.

I heard more moans and shuffling feet, "We need to go, there's to many." Stephanie nearly drags me outside. She gets in the drivers side and I get in the back, she can't be dead...shes the only one I can talk to, the only one who understands.