UNSTEADY .. n

18

The sound of a tired engine and tires scraped across the dirt roads, jostling the people inside. Amelia sat slumped with her eyes glued to the floor. There were three other men in the back with her, but none of them spoke. No one moved except for the occasional sway from road bumps.

Negan and Dwight were in the front. They didn't speak either. Negan was too busy thinking of how he was going to get across to Amelia that pulling something like that was not okay. He was pissed, but a part of him was also decently impressed. She had managed to get away without notice for a decent amount of time.

Dwight knew his place, but a part of him wanted to suggest that Negan burn her. He knew that if any of the other saviors tried something like that, they'd be lucky to be shot. Then again, Dwight knew that his boss did find himself somewhat attached to Amelia. If he so much as offered the idea of punishment in normal terms, Negan would no doubt get in his face about it.

Meanwhile in the back, Amelia had gotten somewhat curious about the guards with her. She had seen two of them before, but there was one who was sitting closer to the exit that seemed vaguely intriguing.

He was staring out and watching as the road kept appearing from underneath the vehicle like a conveyor belt instead of staring ahead like the other two. Amelia furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to deduce something notable from his otherwise blank appearance. His attire matched the others, and his posture did too. But something seemed off. The girl noticed a small scar dragging from his cheek to his jawline, appearing like some animal scratch. His hair was a messy brown, laying carelessly on his head, and his eyes were tired.

A part of her wanted to try and catch his attention so she could see his face a little better, but she didn't dare try something. Not now. She knew that she was on thin ice as is, and if Amelia so much as gave a savior a wrong look, he life could be on the line. Or worse-- her family's.

--

Back at the sanctuary, a group of workers in the courtyard had paused their work in order to watch Negan be the one to take Amelia back in towards the housing. The girl kept her head down, trying to ignore the snide whispers she knew would be shared between the locals. A part of her just wanted Negan to get the punishment over with. At least then she wouldn't have to over think what it could be anymore.

When they got inside, the small group seemed to disperse. Amelia started towards her guest room with a knot forming in her stomach when she heard her name called from behind her.

"Amelia." Negan said." The girl stopped in her tracks, waiting for the blow to the head she was certain Lucille would provide. But after a few seconds without a sharp pain to her cranium, she let her lungs release the breath she didn't know she had been holding in. "Come here."

His voice was oddly calm. Amelia spun on her heels, eyes locking with Negan's. He was sitting in his leather love seat just visible through the doorway. Amelia was slightly confused at his exasperated expression, but she didn't question. She only begrudgingly followed his order and took several slow steps towards his location.

"Hi." She said simply. Negan looked at her before sighing.

"That was some stunt." He commented. Amelia shrugged.

"It wasn't too hard." She admitted. Negan flickered his eyes down at her jeans which had dark patches of dried mud intertwined with the fabric.

"Did you fall?" He asked as a gesture of humor. No one laughed.

"I did." She didn't say anything else.

Negan chewed on the inside of his cheek, thinking of what he was going to say or do. Surprisingly, he hadn't a clue.

"Are you gonna kill me?" She asked in a somewhat curious voice. Negan let out a breathy laugh.

"No." He told her.

"Are you still pissy?" Amelia began to regain her usual persona, slowly but surely. Negan stood up after she said this, but the girl didn't flinch, nor was she afraid. She only kept her jaw clenched as he got closer.

Negan looked down at the girl. Slowly, she lifted her gaze so that their eyes met. A strange feeling began to rise in Amelia's stomach. She wasn't sure if it was nervousness, or fear, or even the remembrance of what had happened between the two of them just days before on the bed behind them. And suddenly, the thoughts were knocked out of her head as Negan's hand came down hard on the side of her cheek.

Amelia slowly reached up, wincing as her fingers grazed the pink mark left from his strike. Her hand shook lightly as a sting started to appear. She looked back at Negan, starting to become angry. Amelia wanted to hit him back, but then she remembered she had told him she wanted to become a savior. She had to prove her allegiance, so instead, she collected herself.

"I'm not a prisoner." Amelia spoke sternly.

"You left without a trace." Negan hissed. It took her by surprise. "You know things about the saviors, you know where our things are. When you went 'head and ran, I was left to assume you had dine-and-dashed me!" He shouted.

"I told you, I'm a savior!" Amelia snarled back at him.

"Then why did you fucking leave?" He shot back.

"I left my family without a goddamn word, and I had to tell them that I was fucking gone!" Amelia screamed. Her throat burned as rage seemed to pour out of her like the fiery breath of a dragon. Negan stopped scowling, and instead look curiously puzzled. "Negan, my sister is pregnant! She has no one! No one. Our old family is gone, our dad was slaughtered, our little sister was shot, and you killed her fucking husband." The words came tumbling from her mouth as if the dam that had been holding them in had suddenly been demolished. Everything was out on the table, cards up, vulnerability showing. And for some reason, Amelia was crying.

"Get out." Negan told the girl. Amelia stood in her place, shivering from every emotion coursing through her body. She didn't move. "I said get out!" He shouted.

Amelia collapsed onto the wood floor, staring at her knees. Her tears were silent, and she didn't speak. Negan had gone silent. Everything felt cold.