my angel ➶ ➶ daryl dixon

t w e n t y f o u r

Aspen's POV:
I walked through the rest of the day with a daze. I hadn't just thought it, I had said it out loud that I wanted Daryl. I spent the day, and even the one after that, wandering around in a haze.

Glenn had told the group that there were walkers in the barn and Rick and Shane had fought for hours on what to do. Shane eventually lost it and opened the doors. Walkers came streaming out, but the group had no problem killing all of them. Then the last one came out. As the last walker fell, a small figure came stumbling out. As the realization hit each one of us, I saw Carol collapse. I turned my head slightly and saw Daryl's arms wrapped around her. I know that her daughter just died, but he was showing more emotion towards her than he had ever shown me. I felt tears burning my eyes and I couldn't take it any more. I sprinted away from the group as I heard one lone shot ring out.

I sprinted out the gate, and into the field. I didn't stop until I could see the sun dropping in the sky. Once I stopped running, I dropped to my knees. I wasn't to the forest just yet, so I wouldn't have to worry about a walker attack. I finally let the tears stream down my face as all the emotion I had been storing hit me like a brick wall.

I said that I wanted Daryl, and yet he would never want me back. He thought I was just a child. A kid who has no idea what they're talking about. And maybe he was right, maybe it was just a crush. I don't know what love is. He has Carol and no matter what Glenn says, he doesn't feel the same way about me.

As I was wallowing in my self pity, I heard someone coming up behind me. Their footsteps were light, so I knew it wasn't a walker. I found myself hoping it was Daryl, just to prove that he cared just a little bit about me. But when I turned around I saw it was Thomas. I know I shouldn't find myself feeling disappointed, but I couldn't help it.

He walked up and sat down beside me. We sat just like that, looking out at the surrounding forest and dropping sun until he put an arm around me. Even though my thoughts were about Daryl, I found myself leaning into him. I just needed someone at that moment, no matter who it was.

"Are you okay?" Thomas disrupted the silence. I turned just a little so I faced him.

"Yeah, I just needed to get away and think." I turned away again and stared into the forest. I couldn't believe that a night this peaceful could be in a world where people come back from the dead and try to eat your face.

Thomas cleared his throat and I scooted away from him so I was facing him again. "I need to ask you something Aspen." I froze.

He nervously rubbed his hands together and sighed. "Well here goes nothing. Aspen, from the moment I saw you in school, I knew I wanted to get to know you. However, I never had the nerve to go up to you. I know right, the most popular guy in school is nervous about a girl." He chuckled nervously. "Well, when the apocalypse began, I found sanctuary here at my grandfathers farm. I was so focused on surviving that I forgot all about those who used to matter so much to me. But then your group showed up and as I was walking up the stairs that one afternoon, you literally fell into my arms." He paused and looked up at me. I smiled slightly to encourage him to keep going.

"That moment, all the feelings that were hidden came rushing back to me. I knew that I wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. Aspen, would you like to be my girlfriend?" He stopped talking and I was shocked into silence. Thomas just asked if I wanted to be his girlfriend! I thought back to today. Daryl didn't want me. He was happy enough with Carol. As I looked into Thomas' eyes, I knew that he could never be Daryl, but I couldn't try to hold onto someone who didn't feel the same way towards me.

"I would love to." And as the words left my mouth, I knew I had just changed my future. It was like a weight dragging me down into a sea of unknown. Wether my future would be better or worse with that decision, that wouldn't be known for a while.