Goodbye // Carl Grimes

Chapter Three

Lain's POV

—Three Months Later—

Carl and I were sitting on the porch swing outside his groups' house, it was quiet but it was a comfortable silence. He was reading a comic, and I was drawing. When I remembered something.

"Carl?" I tapped my pen on my sketchbook.

He glanced up from his comic book, but almost instantly looked back down, "Huh?"

"When Glenn, Rick, and Daryl found me, they told me you weren't really nice to people until they got close to you..."

"Okay, and?"

"You were never rude to me. Why?" I turned to look at him.

He wasn't reading his comic book anymore, instead he was giving me a confused look.

"I don't know, I haven't really thought about it. You just seemed... like a good person I guess."

I nodded, I don't know if I should believe that or not. The way he said it sounded like an excuse and not an answer, which kind of– really– annoyed me.

"I'll be right back." He stood up and placed his comic book on the swing.

I returned to my drawing, and he walked inside, as he did Maggie walked out. When the door closed she looked down at me.

"What's on your mind?"

"A lot of things," I bit my lip, "I just don't know what's more important."

"Which do you think are the most important?"

"Finding out what my brother is going to do, going with him to keep this group safe, or..." I trail.

"No, don't leave. We can take care of ourselves, besides Carl needs you. He hadn't been this happy since... his mom..."

"You don't have to tell me. I get it."

She smiled, "I'll se you later."

"Yeah."

A few minutes later, Carl returned with two sandwiches, and two bottled waters. He hands me one of each and sits back down.

"Thanks," I mumble.

"I heard you and Maggie talking." He picked at the sandwich.

I looked up at him and he continued.

"I don't want you to go."

"I don't either Carl."

"Then don't."

"But I want you and your group to be safe! And that won't happen if I'm here."

"But I–" he stopped.

"But you what?"

"Nothing, it's not important."

"Carl, tell me."

"I have to go my dad needed help in the garden." He got up leaving his food, water, and book behind.