𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐈𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐝 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐈𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫// 𝐓𝐖𝐃

S4: Not So Friendly

(4 months prior)

(Naomie)

It's been two months since we took the in the Governors people. A lot has changed since then. For one, Daryl is gone so much that I hardly see him anymore. He's gone for weeks sometimes and only comes back for a couple of days.

My nightmares have gotten so bad that I've been sneaking into Carl's room at night to read comic books before we fall asleep at opposite ends of the bed.

Sleepwalking has been worse. Last time I slept walk was a week ago and Maggie had to carry me all the way back to bed, and then talked to me until I fell back asleep. I'm thankful for her, ever since Daryl has been gone, she's been keeping a closer eye on me. 

You'd think in the apocalypse making friends would be easy, considering there's not much of them left. However, I seem to be having the hardest time. At the camp Carl, Sophia and I were close almost immediately, and then Sophia died, and that left just Carl and me. I've gotten so used to it just being us for so long I forgot other kids my age still exists.

Maggie told me it would take time for me to make friendships since I've been without interactions of kids my age for so long. It's been two months, and my progress is only getting worse by the second.

The other day, I attempted to join Bridget and Mika, two of the Woodbury girls near my age, while they were cutting up paper and creating their own dolls. I thought it would be something I was good at, coloring and making things. Turns out it wasn't. When they were done their dolls, they were princess with pink and purple dresses. Mine was of myself with brown messy braids, and a bow in my hand. I thought mine was pretty creative, but Bridget said that it didn't fit their story and practically kicked me out of their make-believe game.

I tried again a little later when Daryl shoved me into the library room with some of the other kids. Bridget, Lizzie, and Mika were all sitting in a corner braiding each other hair. I didn't even say a word, I just sat down beside them listening to them talk. Bridget was talking about how her and her mom used to have a restaurant and how her mom would always let her help serve the customers. Then she asked me how my mom died during the apocalypse. I realized then she must not have known that Daryl wasn't really my dad at all, and I told her about Pop and Mom-Mom. Then I told her how I liked to hunt with Daryl, and I was good with my ears.

I wish I never did that.

Bridget started to talk about me then. Not to my face but she went around telling the other kids that I was an orphan and that my dad and mom gave me up. Then she made a lie about how Pop died. Claiming I'd gotten him killed. Which really hurt my feelings.

I told Daryl about what she was saying, which ended in a huge argument between Bridget's parents and Daryl. It got so bad Maggie and Sasha had to separate them because they were saying things about me that weren't wrong, but I realized how they still didn't sound very nice coming from a stranger.

Bridget's mom said I had a weird obsession with talking about hunting animals, and that I scared the younger kids when it came to walkers and death. I didn't mean to scare them, but they asked so I told them. 

I wasn't even sure why Bridget didn't like me. I assumed it was because she was just mean, but I realized later that every time her dad would ignore her, or shush her away, it was the same day she'd start to pick on me for things.

Even after that I still sucked it up and tried to be their friend one last time.

And this was in fact my last attempt.

__

"Have you ever tried to sneak out this way?" Bridget asks in an almost silent whisper. Lizzie and Mika follow behind her as the four of us snuck through the cell block, into the dark halls. It was past curfew. Well, at least curfew for us. If Daryl found out I was sneaking outside this late I'd be in trouble for life. My luck though, Daryl was off searching for the Governor, so nobody even realized I'd gotten out of our cell block.