Down by the water • TWD

The Next Step.

The street was dark and quiet when Avery finally convinced Glenn she could walk home alone. Most of Alexandria had gone still for the night, porch lights glowing dimly in windows, the sound of people laughing carrying faintly from farther up the road. She kept her arms folded over herself as she walked.

Then she saw Pete sitting on his porch. He was leaning back in a chair with a drink in his hand, his sleeves rolled up, watching the street like he had been there awhile. He must have left the party early.

Avery looked away immediately and kept walking.

"Avery."

She kept going.

"Avery."

Her chest tightened. She heard the porch steps behind her a second later.

"Can you stop for a second?" She slowed, turning reluctantly, and Pete stopped a few feet away from her, one hand resting on his hip.

"You heading home?" he asked. She nodded once, Pete looking down the street before looking back at her. "You and Ron have been spending a lot of time together."

Avery's stomach dropped a little. "We're friends," she said quietly.

"That's what he says too." Pete nodded slowly, and she looked down at the ground. "He likes you," Pete said. "He looks up to you." Avery stayed quiet. "And that worries me."

"Why?" She frowned.

Pete sighed, like he hated having to explain it.

"Because Ron's a good kid. He's sensitive. He listens to people." He paused. "And you... I can tell you've had to grow up fast." Avery looked up at him then. "You've seen things people your age shouldn't have to see, and you mouth off when you shouldn't."

"I'm not trying to mouth off." Her jaw tightened slightly, holding back her anger.

"But you do anyway," Pete said. "You're a bad influence." His voice turned to a hiss as he stepped towards her. "You don't follow rules. You do what you want. And he notices that."

Avery shifted backward uncomfortably.

"He's angry," Pete continued quietly. "At me. At this place. At everything." He shook his head a little with a cold smile. "And the last thing he needs is someone like you telling him it's okay to act on that."

She backed away slowly. "I would never—"

"Don't lie to me," Pete cut in, following her. "Kids like Ron see someone like you and they start thinking maybe they should stop listening. Maybe they should push back. Maybe they should stop respecting their dad."

Avery's chest felt tight. "We just talk," she whispered softly.

"I don't care." Pete stepped even closer. "You're bad for him." She looked away. "Ron needs structure," Pete said. "Not people who fill his head with ideas."

"I don't do that." Avery swallowed hard.

Pete let out a restless laugh. "Don't be dumb."

She hated how small her voice sounded when she spoke again. "I'm not dumb."

Avery stared down at the road, avoiding eye contact with him. She felt so small in front of him, all her confidence drained away. She felt weak, and she hated herself for it. Pathetic, she told herself.

"You think you know everything...but do us a favor and just stop," Pete said. "Never go near him again."

She nodded a little, mostly because she didn't know what else to do. The last thing she wanted was to be here for any length of time. So she took a deep breath and stepped around him, walking away.