Barely Alive // TWD // Daryl Dixon

Chapter 19 -- Attacked

"It can take years to mold a dream.

It takes only a fraction of a second for it to be shattered."

– Mary E. Pearson, The Kiss of Deception

The first person that noticed the ring was Carl. We were helping Rick with the crops two days after Daryl proposed when he saw it and asked about it. When I told him, his lips turned into a huge grin and in seconds I had his arms around me, he was probably more excited about it than Daryl and I put together, I begged him not to tell anyone and he promised he wouldn't tell a soul.

Daryl and I knew we couldn't keep this a secret for long but we didn't know how to break the news, so, every time we tried we ended up backing away and saying nothing.

Daryl told everyone about us being together almost a year ago so I decided it was my turn to tell them this time. About ten days later after Carl found out, I told everyone at breakfast and showed them the ring. Rick smiled but he didn't look surprised like the rest of them.

Beth and Maggie had their mouths wide open in shock but once they recovered, they hugged me and even hugged Daryl, who looked a bit taken aback and slowly and awkwardly hugged them back.

Glenn was as surprised as everyone but he was the first to congratulate us and to hug me, telling me I should make him my 'maid of honour' but in a male version because I was his 'best woman' at his wedding, and honestly, if I ever have a wedding I couldn't think of anyone better than Glenn.

Hershel congratulated us too but he didn't look just as happy as everyone, I always knew he didn't fully accept our relationship because of the age difference but he still respected our choices and didn't even give his opinion, which I was thankful about. Oliver flashed me a small smile but he was still in his depressive mood.

Michonne was one of the happiest people, she congratulated us both with a big smile on her lips, she hugged me tightly and patted Daryl's back. Sasha acted pretty much the same as Michonne but she hugged us both while her brother just shook our hands but he was also happy for us.

When I told them, Mika and Lizzie, were also pretty excited about the news. They hugged me both at the same time and told me how amazing it was, later when they saw Daryl, they hugged him too. Daryl even lifted Mika off the ground and carried her with one hand while he had his other hand around Lizzie's shoulder while they walked towards me.

But all that was about another ten days or so ago, everyone had gotten used to the idea of our engagement by now, even the people that didn't know us well. It was still talked every day but the fuss about it wasn't as big, except for Carl, who kept being the most excited about it.

"Earth to Cici," Michonne said as she waved a hand in front of my eyes, I blinked and shook my head.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

At the moment, Sasha, Michonne and I were on the tower keeping watch but apparently I wasn't doing my job that well.

"What are you thinking about?" Michonne asked me but she returned her gaze to the woods in front of us with her gun raised.

"I, uh, I don't remember," I lied as I looked at the woods too.

"You have been lost in thought since we came here," Sasha added. "Something must be up."

"It's silly," I muttered. "Nothing important."

"It must be," Michonne told me. "If it got you like this."

I sighed in defeat, knowing that Michonne wouldn't let it go, she was like that. If I wasn't ready to share it, though, she would still make sure to get it out of me later, mostly because she knew that bottling things up wasn't healthy for me.