Mushaboom • Daryl Dixon

20

Rachel

Everyone was choosing their own rooms. Tara quickly asked if I'd be up for sharing a room when Rick announced to the group that it was okay to split up, and that four of us would have to have a roommate. Noah and Milo were quick to volunteer after we did. The rest were divided into the two homes and quickly cleared out.

"I thought it would be nice to have my own space." Milo said to my brother as everyone began to move about.

Ricky nodded understandingly but I could see right through his animated face that he was a bit hurt, "Yeah man, I love that, you need that." He lightly grabbed and shook his shoulder before reaching down and grabbing his backpack off the mostly cleared floor.

I grabbed my bag and made my way to the door. Daryl was leaning his back against the wall right there, watching everyone slowly disperse. His eyes caught mine and without missing a beat, his arm shot out and he opened the door for me. He stood there awkwardly, attempting his best smile he could while everything said from the night before still hung through the air for us both. My heart raced at the sudden quiet moment with him. I dipped my head in appreciation, "Thanks." And attempted the same smile he had given me. Unsure. But genuinely kind.

I let out an uneven breath as I stepped through the door and headed down the steps. Ricky, Milo and Noah followed behind me.

Our home was nice and spacious. It had a different layout to the other house we were staying in, and was a bit darker in terms of natural light. Rosita and Abraham were already getting things in order in their room down the hall.

Milo closed the door behind me and Tara called out, "Rachel?!"

The corners of my mouth rugged upwards and I called back, "Yeah?!"

"We're up stairs !"

I grinned like a kid and made my way up.

"I called dibs on the sunniest room for us." She said smugly. I nodded, taking in our new space. We had two big windows and a nice bookcase. "Deanna said there were a couple of twin beds in the basement. Abraham's gonna bring them up in a bit and take out this one."

"It's perfect." It really was, for having to share it, it was spacious and we'd be able to set it up nicely. I smiled to myself as I set my box of keep sakes and my book on a shelf and put my other pair of pants and two shirts on top of the dresser. I watched as Tara began to unpack her backpack. She also had a tiny pile of new clothes. "It's gonna feel so nice to be settled.. Like really settled. I haven't had that since I left my home.."

I nodded, "Yeah... It'll be good"

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Everyone took the day to fully settle into their own spaces.  It was fun rearranging the furniture in the room after Abraham brought the beds and took the big one out.

We each got a window on our side of the room, and used the bookshelf to divide us a bit. The bed was comfy and it felt so nice to just take up space. I ended up taking an unintentional nap.

When I woke up, I went through my box and looked through some pictures in my envelope. There were a couple of frames for us to use if we wanted. I let my fingers flip through each photo. I decided on a picture of Julian, and Mi on Mi's 6th birthday.