This Is How I Disappear (Negan/OFC)

Chapter 34

Chuck turns over in the bed and can tell that Negan hadn't slept in it at all. She lets out a huff and looks at the time, just past 10am. She gets up, showers, dresses, eats breakfast, throws up breakfast all over herself, redresses, then finally sits down with her knitting. She does that for a while, thinking that Negan would come in at some point.

But he doesn't.

Chuck is so confused about what had happened the night before. Negan had acted like he wanted to say something to her, but he wouldn't get it out. Then when she told him that he could open up to her because they were friends, he left. And he seemed angry.

What did I do? I don't understand what I did that could make him angry enough to want to avoid me. Ugh.

Is it me or is it him? Did I mess up or is he going through something? Like... is he having second thoughts about me and the baby?

Chuck tries to push all those thoughts out of her head and heads downstairs. She thinks that maybe she'll visit Carson. Or Amber. Or maybe she'll just wander around to try to keep herself occupied.

Heading down the hallway on the first floor, Chuck sees Simon talking to Dwight down the hall. She gives him a little wave and continues walking, not wanting to interrupt him.

"Hey, Chuck," Simon calls out after she passes him and walks down the hall.

Chuck turns around and walks back to him as he walks away from Dwight and towards her. "Hi."

Simon looks her up and down before he says anything else. "What are you doing down here?"

She shrugs. "I was bored." She doesn't think it would be a good idea to mention that she thinks Negan is avoiding her. "So what's on your plate today?"

"Well, I gotta run shit since Negan's off site."

Chuck's stomach drops. He didn't even tell her that he was leaving today. "Oh?" is all she can reply.

"Yeah." Simon looks a little confused. "He's off helping this community with something," he elaborates rather vaguely.

"Hilltop?"

Simon seems to relax a little."Yeah. Hilltop." Chuck figures he doesn't want to be responsible for telling her something that Negan doesn't want her to know.

"He found the women?"

"Uh." He shoves his hands in his pocket. "Maybe. We got word back that they found the guys. They're gonna watch them for a while before they take them down. And get the women out of there."

Chuck nods. "That's good."

Someone down the hall calls for Simon and he bids his farewell. Chuck continues on her way and gives a quick hello to Carson, but he's just as averse to small talk as ever. So on she goes. When she realizes that she's near the laundry room, she wonders if Amber is there. She walks in and looks around.

The room looks like a typical laundromat, but with only five sets of washers and dryers. And from what Chuck knows about how the laundry works, there are people that wash, dry, and fold the laundry. Then there are the people that deliver the laundry to everyone. It costs points to have clean clothes, so most of the laundry that goes through this place belongs to the saviors. And Negan and the wives, of course.

Chuck sees Amber at a large table folding clothes. "Hey, stranger!" she calls out.

Amber looks up and smiles wide. "Chuck!"

Chuck heads toward the table and starts to pick up a shirt. "Can I help?"

"Yeah! We're pretty laid back down here. No one will mind."