𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 , 𝐫. 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬

seventy seven -

EPISODE THREE
"i know. do you? i will. will you?"
SEASON 8

CARL GRIMES

the lamp beside my bed is glowing with a warm golden light that stretches far enough to reach the illustrations in the comic i'm reading.

i'm barely even startled when there's a click against my window. my eyes immediately snap over to it and i smile, seeing grey on the other side of the glass. i lay my book face down, keeping the page i'm on so i don't lose it, and sit up on my knees, inching down my bed to the window that i yank up.

the cold air of the night hits my skin and i can hear the hum of cars from the highway.

"what're you doing here?" i ask, having not seen her around in awhile.

"i was on my way somewhere, stopped to get a drink and i found this," she uncovers a pink, tall aluminum can that she was holding beneath her white sweater that's tossed over her forearm. "made me think of you. thought you'd like to try it."

a monster energy drink, strawberry flavored. the can is cold is my hands, wet with condensation and i smile, "cool! i've never seen this flavor before, thanks!"

"you're welcome. just don't let your mom see it, i know she's against you having too much sugar."

i roll my eyes, the smile still lingering on my face as i place the drink down on the wooden window sill, "where've ya been?"

"around." she shrugs, a soft smile on her lips that doesn't meet her eyes. the last time grey was over was a few months ago at the end of summer. now it's november and we're closing in on my fifteenth birthday in a few days.

grey's eighteen, busier and cooler than me. i'm not surprised i don't see her that much, but it's always nice when i do. like right now, i still can't wipe the grin off my face, my cheeks are starting to ache.

"you going out with friends?" i ask, sitting back on my knees, noticing her sweater was probably a cover-up to get out of the house. not that her mom cares how she dresses or what she does, but grey's always been like that—a multitude of layers, surprises tucked up her sleeve. she wears a black tank top, its tiny straps over her shoulders and i wonder how she isn't cold giving that it's mid-november.

"yeah. going to jensen's." she says, resting her hands on the lip of my window, placing her chin on the back of her palm.

"are you two dating?" i scrunch my nose at the thought of her with a guy who, in my opinion, has nothing in common with her. they were in the same crowd in high school, but that's about it, as far as i know.

"no," she laughs, shaking her head. "we're not dating. but he is the only guy i see at night and i'm the only girl he sees at night."

"you're seeing me at night right now." i point out.

"yeah, yeah." she smiles. "try your drink tomorrow, let me know how it is. text me." she suggests, knowing i steal my dad's phone all the time and he lets me.

i pick up the can again, rolling it over as i look at the cool designs and tiny words i won't bother reading, "what do you see in him?" i ask about jensen before she can walk away, wondering what it's like to actually have a crush on someone.

"lots of things. he gets me, he understands things about my dad, and ..." her voice trails off at the thought of her father who's been in jail for the past two years. "plus he's not too bad to look at."

"gross."

she laughs, backing away from the side of my house, "i'll see you around, grimes."