In the morning, I woke up to the view of all of Ricks group doing chores. I didn't know if I should join, I was in their group, but I've got family now. I sleep inside anyways. I went downstairs and out onto the balcony to see if anyone would ask for my help.
"Hey" I hear Ana say and I turn to see her sitting on the railing.
I stayed quiet.
"What I said to you wasn't fair. I know it's something that's really sensitive-"
"I wouldn't ever think me being beat by my dad was a sensitive topic"
"I'm sorry, and if you don't want to be sorry back, you don't have to. I said mean things and was pissy. But please don't let this affect your decision to stay or not"
"Your boy is in his tent. Maybe you can apologize to him too"
"Thanks" she said and hoped off the porch and made her way to his tent.
I walked around camp to see what was happening. It seemed like some people were going for gun practice, Carl got in trouble, sucks on his first day back on his feet, and Glenn was acting weird. He had this gaze on the barn for some odd reason.
I walked to the barn to see for myself. It was padlocked. I touched the red barn door and something pressed back, and harder and growled.
"Shit" I mumbled to myself
There were walkers in the barn. I pulled my hand away and quickly turned to go talk to Glenn. I stopped when I heard Glenn talking to Dale. I cleared my throat and Glenn turned to me.
"You've had a pretty close eye on the barn recently" I say.
"Y-yeah" he said and chuckles nervously.
"Why?"
"No reason"
"You know I'm part of your group"
"There's walkers in the barn" Glenn blurts "and Loris pregnant"
"Does Rick know, about either?"
"None, b-but don't tell him"
"The barn is full," I say stepping closer to Glenn "of flesh eating reanimated corpses and we're not gonna tell Rick?"
"I'll tell him, Isabelle" Dale says.
"Why you?" I ask as Glenn slides away from me.
"I can discuss it with him in a calm manner"
"You don't think I can?"
"You come off a bit harsh"
"That's honest" I say and turn to walk to the house.
I walked in with my only focus being Dad. I needed to ask him about the barn. I found him eating his damn peaches while reading the bible.
"Walkers? In the barn? Are you trying to kill everyone?" I say and he slowly looks up to me
"They're just sick, Isabelle. I can make them better"
"You're a vet. Not God"
"I saved Carl"
"That wasn't the work of God. That was a lot of studying and good luck"
I sighed and rolled my eyes. He was right. I turned away again from another person.
"Please don't tell anyone" he begged.
"Dale and Glenn know already. Before I did" I say as I exit and find myself back on the porch.
•••
I walked around to a tree where I saw Lori and Dale. I didn't know my intentions until I got there where I decided to listen in. Dale confronted her about the pregnancy.
"It could be Shanes but I know it's Rick's. Even if it was biologically Shanes, it will be Ricks kid" she said and I felt my breath hitch.
I walked around to the back of the RV and turned around to walk back towards the house to make it look like I wasn't listening.
I went into the house, this time looking for Rick. I hadn't seen him all day. I found him in the living room and I sat next to him.
"Good afternoon, Grimes" I say.
"Good afternoon to you too" he says with a smile and leans into me.
"Rick" I mumble as he leans in closer, I hold my hand to his chest to stop him.
"What?" He says and backs up.
"Two wrongs doesn't make a right" I whisper.
"What does that mean?"
"Like. If someone wrongs you and y-"
"I know what it means. But why does it apply to us?"
"Nothing" I say sitting up.
"You gotta say something now, Isabelle" he said getting upset and angry.
"I can't say it!" I said standing up while raising my hands in surrender.
"Tell me" Rick says standing up and walking closer to me.
"It's gonna hurt you" I say running into a wall and Rick was at my chest. I had nowhere to go.
"If you can't take being hurt in this world, you're not meant for it"
"Lori" I say putting a hand on his chest "was sleeping with Shane" I say slowly and softly, raising and lowering my hand onto his chest in between every word
His face filled with sadness. His eyes were beginning to water. He said he doesn't love her but it still hurts, or he still really loves her. Maybe he was playing me.
"I'm sorry" I say with my voice cracking.
He raised a hand to his forehead.
"Dammit" he mumbled "I fucking knew it"
He takes a deep breath and runs his hand down his chin and over his stubble.
"Rick," I say.
"Don't" is all he says.
He walks down the hall as I slide my back down the wall to the ground. I watch as his feet leave out the door he swung open violently and then slammed it, the breeze ran through my hair. I put my face into my knees. I could use a friend, but it looks like my only one was mad at me.
"You okay?" I hear a voice and look up slowly to see Ana. She sits next to me.
"I'm sorry for being a bitch"
"You don't need to worry about that. What's wrong?"
"I-I had to tell Rick that Lori slept with Shane and I hurt him" my voice cracked saying that I hurt him "he said he didn't love her but if he didn't he wouldn't have cried and been angry he played me" I shouted doubt my tears
"Either way, he has a kid with her and lived with her a long time. Love her or not, he's gonna have some feelings"
"Or he was playing with my head. Fucking around with me" I say standing up
"Isabelle, don't do anything"
"I just want to think. Or cry. Or yell. I'll be fine"
I leave the house and go to the barn.
