One Bullet....Two Lives... (A Walking Dead Fanfic)

I Thought We Were Okay

          "Dont ever get your hopes up too high...because the world loves to throw curveballs."

                                                Chapter Twenty-Six

~Angel's POV~

       I never knew how much I missed being clean until I took a good look at myself. How I missed peeling off my clothes at the end of the day and stepping into a warm and relaxing shower. To feel the water hitting your back and to just close your eyes and...think. To just think and stand there in the steam, not worrying about if your dead mother with rip their way through the door and drag out your insides.

   "Angel?" Carl's voice snapped me out of my daze as I turned my head to look at him. His mop of hair was matted down with globs of mud and dirt and his face was caked with runny slop. The mud on my skin had begun to dry and crackle on my skin and I had an urge to itch all of it off. I sighed and tried to rub most of the mud off of my arms. Glenn and Daryl were on each side of Rick who was sitting on the ground, moving his fingers through the dust. His lips moved silently as he looked over his shoulder every few minutes.

   I caught Carl staring at him and I could literally feel the anger rolling off of him. I watched Daryl hand Glenn the baby girl and he took it awkwardly. I saw a small smile light up his pale face as he gently grabbed her small hand and talked to her.

   "While you guys get cleaned off, Im going to go hunting. See if I can grab us a snack or two on the way to the camp." We said our goodbyes and watched Daryl head off into the treeline. I opened my mouth to talk but Carl grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the pond. My words caught in my throat and I decided to not say anything else.  As we stumbled down the hillside we finally reached the side of the pond.

"I am so ready to get this muck off of me." He stated, his voice quiet. I turned to look at him when his hands grabbed the hem of his shirt and he pulled it over his head. Before he got it over his head, I was already looking the other way. I felt my cheeks blaze with color as I stared at the still green water.

"Angel? Are you okay?" I heard Carl come up behind me and I took a step away. I tried telling him, but the first couple of seconds were stuttering and mumbles. I wrapped my arms around myself and coughed.

   "Ummm....I-I uh....I d-dont.." I sighed, deciding to give up on telling him and just turned completely around. I heard him chuckling behind me and I felt a pair of warm hands grab both of my wrists. He turned me around and I was looking at him in the eyes. I couldnt help but let my eyes travel down to his chest, his shirt on his arm. I noticed scar that started from the middle of his collar bone, to the start of his chest. Before I knew what I was doing, my fingr lifted up and gently traced the swelled line. As my finger traced, my eyes noticed the bruises scattered along his abs and scratches from past wars.

   Finally, after a minute or so, his hand stopped mine and I felt his soft lips touch my forehead. I felt like I had stuck my face in an oven as I turned away from him and shoved him off. He stumbled away a few inches but stopped himself. He put on a mock anger and scowled teasingly at me. I heard a giggle slip past my lips and covered my mouth. I do not giggle, only girlie girls giggle. Before I could react, he charged at me and scooped me up in his arms. I squealed in shock and my reaction was to lock my arms around his neck.

   "You are going to pay for that." Carl threatened playfully, glaring down at me but a smile twitching in the corner of his mouth. I slapped his chest and started trying to wiggle out of his grip, but he was already knee-deep in the water. I gasped as the cold water lapped at my toes and I started pleading for him to let me out.