Is There Somewhere? |Daryl Dixon

003| head in the clouds

Sabrina's wish seemed to stick, because August of that same year Daryl drove the two of them to their first day of school in Merle's old pickup truck. They pulled up to the gates of Mountain Grove High School at approximately 7:40 in the morning. The bell wouldn't ring until 8am, but Sabrina was nervous about finding her classes. 

"I might throw up." She said dramatically and Daryl rolled his eyes at the red headed girl sitting in his passenger seat. Still he reached over her lap and began to crank the window down. His shoulder was sore, a product of being thrown across the room by his father. Sabrina noticed the way he winced but said nothing, knowing it would put Daryl in a sour mood.

"Yer fine," He mumbled, before grabbing a cigarette from his front pocket. Daryl put the thing between his lips, cupping one hand over the end to light it. He could see Sabrina scowling at him from where she sat, but she said nothing. 

The two of them sat in near silence, listening as the radio played Zombie by the Cranberries. This was the beginning of a new chapter for Sabrina. If she wanted to, she could load up on as many extra curricular activities as she wanted just to get out of the house. Most likely though, she wouldn't. The redhead had grown fond of her time with Daryl, especially now that he was able to drive them around. 

Well, technically he only had his permit. Will Dixon didn't give a rats ass what his sons did though. In his mind they were good for nothings. So as long as Daryl drove slow and followed the law, unlike his brother Merle, they were fine to drive the truck. Per Sabrina's rules of course, Will, as mentioned before, never cared. Sabrina didn't want to risk Daryl getting in trouble with the law. He was too good for that sort of thing. At least in her eyes, most of the town viewed each of the Dixon's like they were the rats that brought the bubonic plague. 

"This'll all be over soon won't it?" Sabrina asked exiting the truck. Daryl, ever the gentleman, grabbed her backpack from the truck bed and slung it over his shoulder; right next to his own. 

"Sure." Daryl said, taking a final drag of the cigarette then stomping it out on the ground. When they approached the doors of their school, Daryl held it open for the red head to enter first. She nearly ran into an upperclassmen as she stared at her schedule, but Daryl veered her to the left at the last second. "What's yer first class?" 

"History." She said, smiling widely. How the girl was so excited about coming to school? Daryl had no clue. Maybe it was for the same reason he still even came. To get out of the prison known as his house. Here, his father couldn't come bursting through the door to beat on him for no reason. With Merle being gone, that was happening more often than not. 

Despite the way his shoulder ached something awful, he worried for Sabrina instead. He could take care of himself, he had been since his mother had passed. The boy hadn't noticed any fresh bruises on her skin this morning. Just an old one that was takin an awful long time to heal. Though, he sent a silent prayer to whatever was watching over them, thanking it for keeping Sabrina safe. 

"Killer," Daryl said, leading the redheaded girl to her first class. "Not great first thing in the morning but it could be worse, could be chemistry." 

That's where Daryl was heading after dropping Sabrina off. He'd be back here when the class ended to walk her to her next one too. Even if it meant a tardy for himself. Anything he could possibly do to ease the girl's feelings  of fear. She lived with enough of that at home. He'd probably be late, but that was nothing new. Teachers didn't expect much of him, they never had and never would. 

"Alright, this is you." Daryl said stopping in front of her classroom door. Multiple students were already gathered inside, and only a few desks were still available. "I'll be right here when you get done, and we have the same lunch so don't even worry about that neither."