Fighting for our Future {TWD Daryl Dixon}

119: Bullies

Avalon's POV:

Lydia and I were taking a walk through Alexandria. We had the idea that maybe we would crash the weapons training lesson today. But lately everything has been strange in Alexandria. People have been giving both Lydia and I strange looks ever since they found out the Whisperers are back. Almost as if I'm the enemy.

Obviously not everyone looks at me like that. My parents, my family, and a few others who have known me from the moment I was born don't look at me any differently. But a lot of people do. Even Siddiq looks at me differently. Except when he looks at me, I don't see the hatred I'm getting from many others. I see fear. But I know his look means nothing against me. I just remind him of when we were both forced to watch our family and friends lose their heads.

When we got to the lesson, we listened to Uncle Aaron for a moment while he was instructing the group. Then he turned around and stopped talking when he saw me. I thought he was going to tell me to leave since I'm 'too young' for this training, or at least that's what most of the adults say. But instead Uncle Aaron gave me a small grin and nodded at me before continuing on with his lecture.

"Hey Lydia! Hey Avalon!" Gage a rude teenager called to us to make us look at him. He then put a bag over his head and had cut holes in it for his eyes and mouth. "Do you think Mommy will take me in?" He teased us, causing the other two teens next to him to laugh at us as well.

"That bitch ain't my mommy." I mumbled.

"No, but she did take you. Probably got you on their side." Gage laughed. "Oh wait, that's right. No. She kicked your asses out. Now you're both freaks."

"I- I escaped from her." I tried explaining while also attempting not to cry. Gage has known me my whole life. Why is he treating me like this.  

"We don't care." Margo another teen in front of us stated. "Now get the hell out of here."

Before I could say anything else, Lydia grabbed my arm and started dragging me away. I don't understand why I'm being treated like the enemy. 

What did I do wrong?

Lydia ended up bringing me near the spot were most of our community's laundry is hanging. It's a good spot to hide from the others. I've been hanging out with Lydia more than anyone else, because she gets me. Before everything happened with Alpha I just wanted to be nice to her, to show her that she does deserve to be cared about. But now she's truly the only person who gets me. Well, I guess there may be one other person who does as well.

We were sitting on the ground picking worms out of the dirt. When the whisperers refused to feed me for two weeks, I had to get creative about what to eat. I had never eaten a worm before, but I was being starved. I had to eat something. So I ate anything I could. Including worms.

Soon Negan approached us with a wheelbarrow full of clothes and smirked at Lydia and I. "You looking for a job, kids?" He chucked while joking with us.

"Just trying to clear our heads." Lydia replied for us.

"It's your third visit this week." Negan told us like we weren't aware of how many times we've come to visit him. "You keep it up, you'll find some socks with your names on them."

"Gage and his friends started again today." Lydia told him. "And now they're including Ave."

"This true, Spitfire?" I nodded at Negan's question. "Jesus. Alright, kids, look, obviously you're having a day, but you know, what happened to rolling with it?"

"I'm not just gonna smile and take it." I told Negan while frowning. "I escaped from them and I'm being treated like I'm evil."

"Whoa, I didn't say that." Negan replied. "I also didn't tell y'all to run away and hide. I mean, shit."