Something Missing [Daryl Dixon Love Story]

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

Being back in the woods and not worrying about fighting for my life was nice. I was back in my element and it felt so good. I found myself closing my eyes and letting my surroundings sink in. It was as if I was trying to press it all into my mind, like it was the last time I’d ever see anything like it.

“You look like you belong out here.”  Daryl said from somewhere beside me.

“I kind of grew up in the woods, so to speak. My dad and I always used to come out to hunt. I loved those times so much because my dad was always busy most of the year.” I was quiet for a moment as I thought about asking him more about his family. “Where did you learn?”

“My older brother taught me before he first started leaving me alone with our parents. He wasn’t too bad of a guy back in the day. I looked up to him, I wanted to be him. He had it made in my mind.”

“So that was your and his “thing”?”

He chuckled bitterly. “I suppose you can say that.”

I glanced at him briefly and turned back to the woods with a grin on my face. “You’re not so bad, Mr. Dixon.”

He snorted. “Mr. Dixon?”

“Yeah. Mr. Dixon.” I repeated it and the smile widened. I sat back against the tree I’d been watching for deer from.

“That sounds like the name of some stereotypical nerd/math teacher.” He scuffed his boot in the dirt. “I hate math.”

“So you’re just a stereotypical nerd then?”

“Not really… I mean yeah, I read a book occasionally.”

“Wow, one whole book, amazing.” I said voice laden in sarcasm. “What was it The Last Song, by Nick Sparks?”

“No, close though.”

“Seriously? There is no way. You’ve got to be shitting me.” I kept spouting variations of the same point. There was no way he read a cheesy romance novel.

He chuckled. “It was a classic romance. Wuthering Heights, ever heard of it?”

“There is no way in hell you’ve read Wuthering Heights.”

“I mean it took me almost a year but I finished it.”

“There is no way. I don’t believe you.”

He laughed again. “I swear. I read it when I tried to impress a girl who refused to talk to me unless I read at least one book so I got the title of her favorite book and I read the damn thing. Turned out to be a waste of time when she screwed my brother.”

“Oh, damn, that’s gotta blow.”

“Whatever.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. I found it hysterical. “So, you read one of the hardest works in romance to impress a girl who repaid you by doing your older brother. Shit, you are one unlucky bastard.” We were both quiet for a few moments. “So, did you like it?”

He looked at me with an incredulous expression. “That she screwed my brother? Hell, no.”

“You’re a dumbass. I meant the book. Did you like the book?”

“Oh.” He scratched his head. “I guess. I mean Catherine was kind of a bitch to Heathcliff, but yeah it was okay.”

I was dumbfounded. “Really? You think that Catherine was the bitch? Heathcliff was a stalker.”