Broken Pieces || Ron Anderson - Carl Grimes TWD

[10.]

||Frankie's POV||

Today Glenn, Noah, Aiden, Nicholas, and a couple others are going out on a run, and I'm terrified. 

Most of the time when Aiden takes out people on runs something bad happens. It's why Heath does most of the runs. Aiden only takes his group out whenever Heath isn't back and we're running low on supplies. Today they're going out to find something for one of the grid's.

I stand next to Maggie and Glenn awkwardly as they share a kiss.

When they pull away, Glenn ruffles my hair like he used to do when I was little. "Be careful out there." I say and he nods and hops in the back of the van.

Aiden drives the van away with the radio playing some old radio mix. I roll my eyes.

Once the group is gone, I turn to Maggie, Deanna, and Reg and smile. "Well. I think I'm gonna go find Ron. See what he's into." I tell them and turn the other way to Ron's house.  

When I get there, I find Ron on the couch staring at the TV. There's nothing on it, he's just staring at it. Something must of happened.

"What's wrong?" I ask, he jumps. Porbably didn't hear me come in. Now that I think about it, I should have knocked.

"Dad's on a warpath again. He and mom got into an argument last night, I'm pretty sure he tore up the owl sculpture we were making with Mom. I think it has something to do with Rick." He shrugs, turning back to face the blank TV.

I sit down next to him and stare at it too. "I'm sure it's nothing, you know how he is."

"Do you trust them?" Ron asks out of nowhere.

"Who?"

"The new group."

Now I turn to face him and he does the same.

"If my brother trusts them, then I trust them." I tell him. He sighs. "Yeah, I'm aware of that. But ever since they've got here, things just seem different. They have different ideas than us."

I stand up and smooth out my jeans. "Hey, where's Sam?" I ask, trying to change the subject.

"I think he went to Carol's to get more cookies or something." Ron tells me and I nod.

Jessie walks in with a smile. "Hey Frankie. How are you?" She asks.

I nod. "Great."

She notices Ron and sighs. "Ron. It was just an owl." She attempts to talk to him but he interrupts her. "It may of been just an owl, but the look on Sam's face when he found out." Ron says running a hand through his hair.

Ron rarely gets upset. Only when his Dad and Mom get into it again, or his Dad hits his Mom or Sam. But this Owl meant something to him, it was a bond he shared with his brother or something. And it kills me to know that even in this world we live in, he's in more pain now than he was in before. 

Ron stands up next to me and looks at his mom. "We're going for a walk." 

Before I can protest, Ron's already pulled me out the door. "What are you doing?" I ask as we walk. 

He shrugs. "I don't really know. I just want to hang out with you alone for a while I guess. We've not really spent that much time together lately. I miss my best friend." 

I smile a little at that. "Yeah. Me too."

Ron and I walk around Alexandria for what feels like hours. We talk about random things like the grass or other stupid things, just like we used to before the group showed up.

I know it seems boring, but when that's really all there is to do without power, you find some amusement in it.

Now, we're sitting on Ron's front porch in silence.

"Frankie, can I tell you something?" He asks, looking at me.

"Yeah, of course." I say. He grabs my hand and looks me in the eyes. Oh no.

"I don't know how else to say this, but I really like you. Like, more than a friend." 

I feel sick.

"Ron, I-" I start, but I'm at a loss for words.

Ron's smile fades and he looks away and lets go of my hand. 

"Oh." Was all he could say. I feel terrible now.

"Ron, listen please."

He looks back up at me. There aren't any tears. Just regret. 

"I've never thought about you like that. I've not thought about anyone like that really. I just see people as friends and foes nowadays. I'm sorry." I whisper and he shakes his head.

"No, you're right. Just forget I ever said anything. I didn't really know how this would go anyways." he says and before I can reply, Carol comes running up the porch, probably after Sam, who just ran in a few minutes ago.

She looks at Ron and I with worry written on her face. "Ron, is your dad home?" She asks and he nods.

"Yeah, he's inside."

Carol knocks on the front door and seconds later Pete answers.

"Oh, Carol, hi." He says, glancing over at Ron. "Do you uh need something?" He asks.

"Is Sam okay? I was just with him a few moments ago." She tells him.

Pete's expression changes in an instant. "Why wouldn't he be?" He asks in an accusing tone.

"Can I talk to Jessie?"

"Now's not a good time, Ron come inside, Frankie you can go on home too." He says.

Ron stands up to protest, but his father cuts him off with a sharp glare. "Inside. Now."

Ron mutters unpleasant words under his breath and then tells me bye before heading inside.

I stand up and Carol stares at me. "What's going on?"

I follow her down the steps and onto the sidewalk. "Pete's just on his period again." I mumble. I feel her eyes boring into the side of my head.

"Frankie, I know you know something. Tell me."

"I know nothing. Honestly."

"You're lying."

I can't tell her. I promised Ron.

"No. I'm not." I try to keep my voice even, but it's no use. She knows.

"He's hitting them. Isn't he?"

I squeeze my eyes shut, but continue walking at a slow pace beside her.

"You said it, not me."

Carol lets out a sigh. "I have to tell Rick."

"Please do." I whisper.

Luckily, when we walk through the door to the house, Rick's already there.

Carol doesn't hesitate to speak.

"Pete's hitting Jessie. Probably Sam and Ron too."

Rick doesn't say anything, just stares at Carol and I, as if thinking on what to do.

"I know how this will go, there's only one way it can go. You and I both know that way. You have to do it." Carol says.

What does she mean? 

If she means by killing Pete, then Ron will hate me even more than he already does. And if he doesn't hate me now, then he will. 

What have I done?

---

[A/N: I realized, I write these authors note things, and if they talk about something corresponding to that day, I probably wouldn't have published it on the day I wrote it.

Can I get a round of applause? I'm such a genius omg. *note the sarcasm.