13 years old
"You know I never realized how messy your brother is." Michonne admitted as Maggie ushered her in her brother's bedroom. Worn clothes had been carelessly tossed on the floor. Revealing photos of women in two piece swimsuits that were barely concealing their breast covered the navy walls. Maggie rolled her eyes slamming the door shut twisting its lock for assurance.
"All guys are messy" she let out a frustrated sigh "I remember seeing some in here earlier." Having been best friends with Maggie since moving here Michonne became accustomed to Maggie's insane ideas. Maggie wanted to experience everything ever since Hershel bought her a desktop she's been experimenting doing god knows what since then. When Maggie's mother died three years prior, Michonne always made it a point to stay over on weekends since Hershel was always pulling the night shift card at the vet and Maggie's brother was always missing in action.
Michonne ventured further into the room stepping on worn boxers, she grimaced. "What exactly are we looking for Maggie? You know your brother never wants us near his room much less in it." Michonne scowled thinking about Maggie's brother. He was intense and brutally honest as Hershel would put it which is probably why his mouth got him into so much trouble.
She watched as Maggie began opening her brother's bag digging through its contents, dragging her fingers through her long black hair in frustration. Michonne brought a hand up to her own hair feeling the short coarse mini twist between her fingers. After all this time she still envied the length of her best friend's hair resulting in a long struggle with perms and straighteners. It wasn't until Sasha, their fifteen year old neighbor cut her hair shoulder length announcing to everyone at the neighborhoods 4th of July celebration party "Everyone by the way I'm going natural." They all cheered. Six months later Michonne cut all her off and got starter locs.
"Michonne you always worry about what Rick has to say," Maggie stopped mid closet search to start her rant. Michonne rolled her eyes oh god what have I done, here we go again. She sighed inwardly preparing for her friends onslaught of words. "Rick's not even here like always he's with Daryl and asshole Shane plus I locked the door" Michonne braced herself knowing she wasn't done. "The only thing he's going to do is shoot daggers at us with his eyes." Maggie grinned wickedly raising an eyebrow. "Besides if he does catch us. I'm sure dad wouldn't approve of him bringing Lori over." Michonne groaned rubbing the back of her hand over her forehead.
"Okay but I still don't know what you're looking for, maybe I can help."
"Condoms." Maggie shrugged resuming her search. Mouth gaping Michonne stared at her as if she sprouted a fourth head. Trying to insure she heard Maggie correctly she spoke slowly. "So we broke into your brother's bedroom for the second time. Where there's a chance he-
"A twenty percent chance he'll catch us." Maggie interjected scavenging through his dresser.
"It's still a Chance!" Michonne exclaimed rushing to throw everything back in its original place. "Why are you even looking for those things?" she asked picking up clean clothes Maggie threw on her hunt.
"You mean condoms? Remember in health class Mr. Alec told us to practice before we did anything. Well I remembered seeing a box lying around here plus we have bananas." She shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal.
Eyes wide Michonne didn't know if she would ever stop being surprised at her friend's spontaneous schemes. "So just like that we're stealing his stuff? Oh god he's going to kill us."
Maggie glanced at her. "What's with you? You're always like this when I 'borrow' things from him" she paused "Did he tell you something? Because if he did I should know?" She crossed her arms, piercing her mouth covered in strawberry lip gloss she stared at Michonne intently.
Shoulders limp Michonne looked away quickly as she tried to hide from Maggie's searching eyes. She groaned as she recalled her encounter.
12 years old
Michonne looked in the mirror, her dark skin glowed as the bathroom light bounced off its wet surface. They always said you will always be your worst critic. She frowned, her thick lips making her resemble an ugly tiki rock as asshole Shane would say. She stared at her stomach, viewing the stretch marks that marred her skin. Her mother would always call her beautiful, anytime she'd complain about the boys at the end of the block calling her chubby, tiki rock and everything in between. Her mother would always scowl, kneeling down in front of her taking her face between her hands. "Now listen here" Raberta whispered calmly "Don't let anyone bring you down ya hear? You're as strong as me even stronger." She grinned, her thick lips and dark brown eyes resembling her mother's. Time passed as she observed her physique, an echo of a ringtone brought her out of a trance. Hastily throwing on her clothes she rushed to answer her phone.
"Michonne you better be getting ready." Maggie shouted through the phone.
"I'm done, jeesh, I just have to ask mom to fix my hair." Michonne sat down at the edge of her bed, one arm holding a phone to her ear the other struggling to coat her toes with blue polish. Ocean club Drive was the street where everyone knew everyone. They were all family. Four years have passed since her parents, Raberta and Terrance decided to move here. A calm somewhat wealthy area with a lot of kids their daughters age seemed like an amazing place to be. Michonne can recall everyone's name and birthday. There was Rosita the sassy latina, Bob was just bob, Abraham the red giant, Eugene the ultimate weirdo, Sasha and Tyrese the twins, catman Glenn don't ask, Gabriel the snitch, and let's not forget the boys at the end of the block Daryl, asshole Shane and Rich asshole Negan. Then there was Beth, Maggie and Rick. The only person she haven't seen since moving here is miraculously moving back with his father after his extended stay in Georgia. Although he usually came back home during the summer. Maggie told her the story of how Mr and mrs greene had adopted rick before she was born which explained the lack of pictures of said person. Also that he would often stay with his blood relatives back home where he came from. Without further explanation she said it was "A long boring story thats too boring to finish" Michonne never brought the topic up again.
Maggie breathed heavily through her flip phone. "The prodigal's son is due to return on the day of celebration!" She spoke dramatically. Michonne doubled over laughing at Maggie's exaggerated tones.
"Honestly Maggie I thought you would be excited." She finished off her last coat of nail polish examining the finished look
"Oh I am. He's the only one that treats me like an adult. Even though he tends to be miles away." She giggled recalling the time Maggie told her over exaggerated story of drinking liquor with Rick at the age of ten.
"Hmmm I never believed that story you told"
"That's because every summer he's here your living it up in Atlanta" She could almost hear the eye roll over the phone.
"I wouldn't call basic law classes living it up." She blew at her drying toe nails. Every summer her parents sent her back home to Atlanta for summer classes. Every year it was different from science to fine arts. It wasn't until last year Michonne expressed interest in law. Her father jumped thanking the heavens for his baby choosing a path of 'wealth'. She shook her head on a smirk.
"Whatever you say Michonne. Besides all he does is lock himself in his room. This reminds me, we gotta get in there."
"Really?" A look of confusion covered her face. "And where is Beth staying if we're going to the Halloween party?" Only ocean club drive could ever pull off a Halloween in July. Michonne glanced at the gold crown resting on her bed, she wore a dark green frilled dress that touched her knees. After ages of nagging she had finally decided on going with Maggie so she could 'stalk' her crush.
"Beth is with nana trick or treating with the old folk, I hope Glenn's gonna be there." Maggie let out a dreamy sigh. "Just come over and I'll tell you what we need out that room". With that the line went dead. Michonne put on her crown walking down the hall careful not to mess up her look. Passing through the front door Michonne paused and watched as the sun began to set. The street was already crowded with kids from other streets in search of candy others for parties.
She skipped op the steps ringing the doorbell at Maggie's house. She wasn't surprised when the door opened to a tall white haired man bracing himself on a single crutch with a red line on his neck along with a missing leg. She raised her eyebrows in amusement at Hershel Greens appearance. He smiled kindly.
"Well if it isn't Queen Michonne." She smiled widely as he bowed making a gesture for a lavish entrance.
"Thank you Mr. Greene, mom helped with the costume."
"Well she did a fine job at that." Closing the door Hershel leaned toward her covering one side of his face urging her to bring her ears toward him.
"Now remember I told Maggie this already. No boys and wild parties or whatever it is preteens do." He straightened then chuckled. Michonne already knew he was serious despite his laughter. Footsteps echoed through the house as Maggie came running down the steps winded. Grabbing her hand she dragged Michonne with her upstairs. "Hurry, we don't have much time he's in the shower." She breathed. Stopping in front of her door she shoved a walkie talkie in Michonne's hand. "I'll keep watch and you get my pink piggy bank that's in the closet." Racing down the hall all Michonne could do was stare at her, eyes wide and mouth open.
"Michonne you should hurry. Over" Maggie said through the talkie. She look down the hallway at Maggies bouncing leg then stared at her brother door twisting the handle the room was encased in darkness. She let the door close behind her feeling her way through the room. After reaching the closet she called Maggie.
"Maggie?" she said in a hushed tone. The line was dead. She rolled her eyes. "Maggie? Over"
"This is she. Over."
"Where is your piggy bank? Over."
"Uhhhhhh michonne?" She began her search on the floor of the closet feeling around for an object shaped like a fat pig. "Uhhhh Michonne? I lost sight of target. Over"
Michonne's entire body froze, goose bumps rose at the sides of her arm. "You never had him in your sight. What do you mean lost him?!" She proclaimed quietly. Lowering the volume on her talkie, she was met with silence. "Over", she growled.
"I'm talking going to stalk my crushes page to see if he's going the party only to come back and find the bathroom door open lost him, Over."
The hinges on the door started to sound as light from the hallway bounced into the room. Without closing the door on the closet she delved further into the closet praying the jeans and suitcases covered her body. She watched as darkness was replaced with light with a simple switch. She covered her mouth with both hands to stifle her breathing.
By all means this was not how she expected to see Maggie's brother. Rick Grimes. She watched as he dragged a towel over his medium length curly black hair. His brow furrowing as he dialed a number on his phone. Rick pulled on his gray sleeveless shirt letting air hit his chest. After getting through he put the phone on speaker.
"Wassup man?'' A raspy voice filled the room. Michonne watched from the corner of the room as rick dug through his dresser looking for clothes.
"Not a thang. That's why I called. I heard there's a party." His voice laced with a deep southern drawl as he responded to Daryl.
Daryl chuckled "Lemme guess pretty boy came back lookn for pussy. Lori hasn't heard you in town yet?" not waiting for a response he continued. "Negan's having something but the ass is charging folks at the door. Some kind of pool shit." Michonne gasped at daryl's crudeness. I really hope Maggie's not hacking into her bank to get in 'that' party. "You down?" Daryl asked.
"Hmmm Shane's gonna drag me there once he finds out am back anyway, even if he knows I fucking hate that guy." Rick stopped searching through his dresser then headed toward his suitcase near the door. Michonne watched as his bare feet hit the wooden floor as he made his way. "He's just a rich asshole tryna fuck everyone's girl. That stuff I'm not up with." Rick murmured, scowling as he searched for something to wear. "Besides Lori doesn't know I'm here I wanna enjoy this peace before the 'you need to talk more' storm." Both Daryl and rick chuckled then fell silent.
"Michonne, are you there? Over!" Maggie shouted. Despite lowering the volume the static from the talkie pierced through the once silent room.
"What the fuck was that man?" Daryl asked genuinely curious. Rick froze and turned toward the source of the noise. He glared at the closet. "I'll call you back later." His drawl ending the phone call.
'This was the end' Michonne thought as she tried her best the blend in with the concrete wall. Rick stared intently at the dark closet as he approached it. He stooped to a squat and moved the suitcase hiding the culprit. His titled sideways as his eyebrows rose. "What the fuck you doing in here?" he demanded.
Michonne cursed Maggie in all the languages she knew, French and of course English. Her heart felt stuck in her throat as she struggled to speak. Rick's blue eyes stared directly at her. His pink plump lips pierced waiting for a response.
"Those eighteen year olds love stealing girls huh." Rick stared at her in confusion, his brows furrowed. She made a move to nudge her elbow to his shoulder as she let loose a dry chuckle. "Get it?"
Standing Rick grabbed her arm and yanked her up. He inch closer to her bending down to get in her face, his minty breath fanning over her face as she tried not to cower away. His voice deeper when he spoke. "The next time I catch you in here doing whatever thangs you and my sister do I'm locking you both in my closet." Rick said as he latched onto her tense shoulders. His face straight as he pulled back from hers. He spun her around, towering over her form, he gently pushed her out the room and slammed the door. Michonne stood frozen outside his door eyes wide making sense of what just happened.
She cursed Maggie to seven hells.