Dixon's Girl- TWD

Temper

Jody Pov

It had been a few months since maxwell arrived. He was staying in a motel just on the outskirts of town but visited the trailer often. Honestly, I tried to avoid him

"You need anything from the shops?"

"Why? You going?" Mama asked me

"It's Monday, I have school." The shops were on my way. It took me and daryl about 20 minutes to walk to school so it really wasn't that bad. But sometimes we would take the long route through the woods which added about 30 minutes to the journey. Either way, we always passed a small grocery shop

"Oh right, of course. I think we're good, thanks honey. Have you spoken to your brother?"

"Mama-"

"I know you don't like him, but he's a good lad. He means no harm. Besides, it might do you good to get in with his crowd."

I scrunched up my eyebrows and turned to face her. "What do you mean?"

"I love that you and daryl have ambition. And I pray to God every night that the two of you find yourselves a better life. But, it might be easier to do all of that if you let your brother help out."

"I am not a charity case! Me and daryl are just fine on our own!"

"Jody!" My mama called after me, following me out of the trailer. She had a cigarette between her fingers, rollers in her hair and was still in her pyjamas

I didn't look at her until she said, "please. Just look at me."

When I turned around, she had a frown on her face. "I didn't have any help when I was your age. I had to do it alone. You have people who wanna help, baby girl. Don't make the mistake of being too proud to accept a little bit of help."

"I know. I'll think about it. I gotta get to school"

"Right. Of course. Have a great day, my beautiful girl." She blew me a kiss and then walked back to the trailer.

Once me and daryl were ready to go, we began walking to school. We both hated school. The boys didn't like daryl, and the girls didn't like me, so we only had eachother. I didn't mind it just being the two of us. But even with daryls company, I could still hear the nasty comments

"You alright?" He asked, his arm around my shoulder as we walked

"Wanna ditch?"

"Nah. I can't. I promised merle I'd do a full week this week."

"Oh, okay."

He quickly realised what was going on. He pulled my closer to his side and kissed the top of my head. "You gotta learn to ignore them, Jody. They ain't worth it."

"That's easier said than done. Ya know, Mama was asking about max today."

"Oh yeah? What did she say? Same thing I've been telling you, by any chance?"

I rolled my eyes at that comment. Merle and daryl had been telling me to get to know maxwell for months. They didn't like him that much. Thought he was a posh prick. But, they kept saying how he's my brother and I'll regret it if I don't speak to him

"Maybe. She wants me to speak to him. Thinks he can help, financially."

"Nah. Don't need his money. But you need a sibling."

"No I don't. I have a family. What about that don't you understand?" I asked him. I could see him get angry and he eventually lost his temper

"I ain't gonna be around forever, jody! Alright? People like Max, they can look out for ya and you know that he's always gonna be around. You can depend on him."

"I can depend on you," I said quietly reaching for his hand but he pulled away

"No, you can't. You've seen my family. We ain't good men."

"That's not true! Merle's done good by me!"

"But he ain't good. He's a good brother and he treats you well. But how many times has he left us for juvie? Or the army? Huh? He leaves. Jody, what if I get locked away like all the other men in my family? Then what? You'll be by yourself. Please. I need you to have more family than just me and merle."

I hated every word he said, because it wasn't true. Glaring at him, I set him straight. "Listen to me, Dixon. You ain't gonna get locked up and you sure as hell ain't gonna end up like your daddy. You're good to me, and I love you. If you can't see that, then shame on you. If you keep thinking like you're a criminal, if you keep assuming that you're gonna turn bad, then that's exactly what'll happen."

"Jody I-"

"You what? You're sorry?"

"No. I'm not. You may be able to see the good in me, but that don't mean it's there."

"I didn't have to search for that good. You showed it to me. Time and time again. When you let me stay at yours, and protected me from both our dads. When you held my hair back after my first time getting drunk. When you refused to have sex with me because you know me so well, that you knew I wasn't ready. I love you, and you're my family. You're not gonna let me down."

He took a step backwards, shaking his head. He couldn't even look me in the eyes as he said, "you're an idiot."

"What?"

"You're an idiot for thinking you don't need your brother, for thinking that me and merle are enough. I let you stay at mine because if you're there, there is less chance of me being beat. I held your hair back so you wouldn't puke all over the both of us, and I didn't have sex with you because you just didn't turn me on. That's the truth. Now fuck off, and leave me alone."

Daryl stormed off, leaving me on the outskirts of the woods, alone. I didn't know where all that had come from. He had never been so harsh towards me and it came on so suddenly.