Cowboy

3) Questions

Most of the ride was quiet, only talking a few times. But Alicia found she liked it. It was comfortable sitting with Daryl in silence. The only sounds being the tires on the pavement and the flow of the music.

They were on their third CD now, changing them out when they ended. Alicia loved music, and Daryl was just happy to ride along with her without having to speak much.

Alicia raised her eyebrows holding up a CD. "Weird Al?"

Daryl grunted. "Merle's. Bastards got pretty weird taste in music."

Alicia laughed. "Wow just lie to me then."

Daryl turned to her. "Wha- I'm not lying." He saw a smirk grow on her face and shook his head. "Whatever."

She just laughed and leaned back in her seat, propping her feet back up. "What's your favorite color?"

"What?" Daryl grunted, looking over Af her.

"Your favorite color. What is it?" Alicia looked back at him.

He just grunted and shrugged. Alicia rolled her eyes. "You've got to have a favorite color."

"I guess... maybe it's black... I don't know." He shrugged again.

Alicia was beginning to realize that Daryl was a quiet and reserved person. He was strange in a way. A mystery that Alicia would very much so like to solve.

"What... what's your favor color?" He asked quietly. Almost like he was afraid to ask her.

She smiled at him, turning in her seat. "Green."

"Green?" He scoffed. "Why?"

She feigned shock. "Because! It's the color of life! Look at the trees. Look at the grass."

Daryl snorted, finally meeting her eyes. "There ain't much life left no more."

She sighed, twisting some hair around her finger. "That's why we have to appreciate the little life this is left."

"You some kind of conservationist?" He grunted.

She laughed. "No. I was a marine biologist."

He looked at her, raising his eyebrows. "What the hell you doing in Georgia then?"

Alicia rolled her eyes. "Daryl I was still in college." She watched as his eyes widened.

'You've been hittin' on a little girl.' He groaned internally. "Damn... what are you like nineteen?"

She bursted into a fit of laughter. Only laughing harder when Daryl looked at her like she was crazy. "I'm twenty-six." She laughed. "I went back to college to get my Ph.D."

He let out a breath subconsciously. "Oh."

"Thanks for the compliment though." Her laughs were beginning to die down. "I'd like to still be nineteen."

He shook his head. "Naw... I wouldn't."

"Why?"

Apparently she had asked the wrong question because he went silent. She could tell his breath had quickened. "Sorry." She mumbled looking out of the window.

—————

After a while everyone began to stop their vehicles. Daryl looked over to Alicia but realized she was asleep.

He couldn't help but smile at how peaceful she looked. How pretty she was, her mouth slightly open and her hair falling in her face.

"Alicia." He muttered. She stirred slightly but didn't wake up. "Hey." He grunted, lightly nudging her.

Her eyes fluttered open and she cringed at the light. "We there?" She said groggily.

"No. We're just stopped." He said irritated. "Cmon." He got out of the truck, waiting for her to follow him. He looked over and saw she was still stretching.

With a huff he walked to her door and opened it, watching her clumsily climb out. "Thanks." She yawned.

The two walked to the front of the group. "What's wrong?" Alicia asked. She leaned against the RV.

"Radiator hose is busted." Dale groaned. "I told you we'd never get far on that hose. I said I needed the one from the cube van."

Rick walked up to Dale, looking over the Rv. "Can you jury-rig it?"

"That's all it's been so far. It's more duct tape than hose. And I'm out of duct tape." Dale sighed, looking around at the group.

Shane pointed up ahead. "I see something up ahead. A gas station if we're lucky."

Jacquie walked out of the RV, her face laced with concern. "Yall, Jim... it's bad. I don't think he can take anymore." She said, referring to the man who was bitten the night before.

"Hey, Rick, you want to hold down the fort? I'll drive ahead, see what I can bring back." Shane suggested.

T-dog walked up, standing beside him. "Yeah, I'll come along too and I'll back you up."

"Y'all keep your eyes open now. We'll be right back." Shane nodded the rest of the group before he and T-Dog left.

Daryl ran a hand through his hair, obvious tired. "Want me to drive when we head out?"

Daryl scoffed. "Naw."

"What?" She gasped. "You don't trust me?!"

Daryl smirked. He pulled himself up onto the hood of his truck. Alicia watched as he drew his knees to his chest. "Nope."

"Why not?" She asked stubbornly, pulling herself to sit beside him.

"Because." He pulled out a cigarette. "Jus' don't."

"Well then." She huffed. "I hope you fall asleep at the wheel." She watched as he chuckled, lighting his cigarette. "Got another?"

He looked up. "You smoke?"

"Yeah." She nodded, holding her hand out. He nodded, placing a cigarette in her hand.

She place it between her lips, taking his lighter and lighting it. "Thanks." She said, watching the smoke she exhales swirl around in the air.

He grunted in response.

"You know you're not so bad, Dixon." She said, leaning back on the windshield.

He chuckled. "I guess you're pretty alright."