Chapter 7

Walking through school with her friend Anna, she noticed some longing looks from one of the football players Ed Peletier. "He's staring at you." She whispered excitedly into her ear.
Her stomach lurched nervously, no one had ever taken an interest in her, she highly doubted he saw her in any romantic sense. "No…Don't be stupid."
He grabbed her shoulder while she walked by, pulling her close to him, she exchanged worrying glances with Anna. "I've noticed you a lot lately. We should go out."
It wasn't really a question, more like an instruction but she found herself nodding obediently ducking her eyes from his and smiling quickly. Anna grabbed her hand, pulled her down the hall and they ran through the school planning her first date. She was actually going on a date.

"What the hell ya doing with him?!" he bellowed reaching forward to grab her arm but she swung it quickly out of his way, giving him a dangerous look.
It must've worked on him because he faltered and looked at her questioningly "It don't matter what I'm doing with him, Ed. None of your concern now." She snapped crossing her arms tightly against her chest, taking an angry breath.
"Ya think ye can send me to jail. So you and that redneck bastard can go fuck each other. You slut!"
Daryl like a haunting shadow stepped forward nearly growling, he grasped Ed's arm wordlessly squeezing it tighter and tighter, twisting it towards his back. He tossed his arm away causing Ed to lose his footing nearly to the edge of the road; Ed's gasped sharply holding his arm delicately to his chest. "You'll pay for that…" he roared but Carol sensing trouble cut across him.
"Just go Ed. You can't hurt me or I'll make you pay for it. You've no idea what I can do when I'm not with you." She whispered menacingly.
She could feel Daryl's eyes on her, she didn't know if he was disapproving or proud but she couldn't look at him with Ed watching their exchange like a hawk.
Ed curled his hands into fists but stomped away, waving madly for people to get out of his way and people parted the way for him, quivering. She blew out a breath she wasn't aware she'd been holding, let her arms stretch towards the ground, causing the bags to plonk on the ground beside her. She rubbed her face tiredly. "There is always something with me, ain't there. Sorry, you should really just avoid me in future." She smiled half-heartedly.
His hair fell forward into his eyes but he just kept staring at her with a little glint in his eyes. "Not a day to be hung over, huh?" she quipped.
He chuckled quietly, reaching down to pick up her bags. He silently handed them over to her their fingers brushing silently, a little jolt of that cursed electricity passed through them. They looked at each other shyly, he reached back to run his fingers through the back of his hair absently. "I ain't never gonna avoid ye." He said in his southern drawl.
Her heart raced in an uncontrollable way, her hunched shoulders relaxed, it put her at ease a little bit to know that he wasn't eager to get rid of her. "We'll see about that."
He bit back another smile, tension building with each silent second passed between them "Flossie he'll take my head off, if he ain't got his grub…I should maybe get going. Ye need anything ye let me know, I can take care of him if he throws his weight around."
She could tell he nerves were building as he spoke he started to turn more and more away from her "You're like my knight in shining armour. Make sure you dress accordingly next time."
Her tone was laced with amusement as she started walking backwards away from him, "Ain't no way in hell." He said in basically a snort.

Carol walked through the doors of Wendy's diner with excitement bubbling in her stomach; she took in the diner with so much enthusiasm she must've looked desperate. This was her first real step to freedom though; nothing could make this go bad. A woman in her fifties with brown scraggly hair thrown into a messy bun on top of her head rushed towards her, she had soft brown eyes to match and a round, plump face but she radiated a gentle vibe. "Carol. Oh sweetie your poor face. How any man can do that is just beyond me. I'm so excited to have another helper, Andrea thank god just quit. Didn't have the nerve to fire her myself…" she laughed putting her hand softly on her shoulder to lead her around the diner. The diner had a homely country feeling to it and as she listened to Wendy babble on she let out a content sigh.

"Boy. Your brother is coming just thought I'd warn ye." Flossie stepped out of his office Bubba peering out behind his legs, scurrying back inside as Flossie ducked back in.
"Lil brother. Always hard at it. I know I am. Why don't ye come out and hang with yer big brother or ye to busy snuggling up with that beaten up little house wife." He smirked widely his yellow stained teeth gaping at him; he hid back inside the engine of the car.
Always some motivation to come see his brother, how the hell he find out about Carol anyways, the man is never conscious but now he's as lively as a man on speed. Maybe he goddam was. "Don't go hiding now. I never tell ye not to act like a goddam coward. Almost acting like a foreigner." He said disapprovingly basically pulling him out of the car.
He wiped his hands with his rag vigorously, looking away from whatever was coming next, he couldn't stand his smug look. "So ye knocking boots with that little auld women. She be moving fast, under estimated that little mouse. Auld Merle knows what's knocking about the town." He laughed disheartendly at him making Daryl look up sharply at him.
Something was off with him. Normally he was eagerly pushing him "to knock boots" with any old woman he could find but he almost sounds as if he was actually scolding him.
"What's up your ass?"
"Derlyna, the question is what ye got up yours…." He laughed without any feeling "Don't ye think maybe yer taste be lacking a little bit of spice need a sexy mewchacha instead? Ain't she got too much drama hanging off her? Ye don't need that."
He arched his eyebrow at him wiping sweat off his brow "Ye ain't telling me something Merle."
He swung his around smiling but dodged his eyes "Got myself a little detective. Ye in the wrong profession Derlyna."
"Whatever Merle. Ain't nothing going on."

Wendy's was hectic especially around lunch but she found she loved being able to busy herself with something again, to allow her brain to shut off. Unfortunately someone always spoiled your buzz and it died when Lori sauntered into Wendy's. That was enough to make her groan but soon followed Flossie who had just got the door thrown into his face, which meant a very aggravated Daryl was hot on his heels. Wendy noticed her face drawn tight with stress lines "Guessing there is a story behind your crew over there."
Before she could answer Wendy was gone helping the other worker her son Jason with the tables, she kept her worker smile on walking towards Flossie and Daryl's table. Butterflies I will burn you she nearly muttered to herself out loud. "That outfit is a bit boring," she joked praying he'd get the reference.
He looked taken a back as he smiled shyly at her and barely muttered a "Yeah. All I got."
She turned head to Flossie instead who was looking very amused over in his side of the booth, "Lovely to see you Carol quick on your feet I see. Like myself a strong woman. When you're feeling up to it I must take ye out on a date…" he smirked sitting up prouder as he spoke.
Daryl shook his head embarrassed "Unless of course Daryl beats me to it."
He looked at her quickly gauging her reaction before snorting and returning back to the menu "I'll just have to see who musters up the courage first now won't I."
An annoying tap on her shoulder forced her to turn her head and look at Lori's angry glare, her brow was furrowed and she snapped "Are you actually going to come home tonight after work. Or run around town all night,"
Carol apologetically looked at Flossie and Daryl who were listening in on her conversation with peeked interest "I'll be home. Lori it was one night. I'll talk to you when I get home."
She finally noticed Daryl sitting there and uttered a condescending laugh "Well I see you took my advice. A Dixon, Carol really."
Anger erupted inside her she slapped the menu across their table, sharply turning to look at Lori "What the hell is wrong with you? Why gives you any right….any right at all to talk like that. I'm working so unless you're getting something to eat, leave."
Lori's mouth gaped open looking as if she'd just been slapped across the face she looked to Daryl almost blaming him for her rash behaviour. "You can't be serious?"
She turned her back on her until she finally heard her walking away, more like storming. "Sorry. What can I get you's?"
Daryl coughed loudly finding his voice nudging a smirking Flossie.

"I like her." Flossie whispered as they slapped some bills on the table.
He shook his head at him urging him to stop this setting up he was doing, "Boy wake up. Pluck up some courage and just organise to meet up with her again."
He looked quickly at Carol who was hurriedly bustling around the diner, his heart clenched painfully and he didn't know what the hell was the matter with him. She was some woman he'd admit that and no one had ever defended him like that before. He was no good at this, he could pick a fight alright and probably win it but he couldn't do the whole small talk. Still his feet pulled him towards her just as she was passing in some empty plates, "Ye want a job?"
"I was actually well, I ain't to great at…"
"Forming sentences?"
"Stop." He smiled shortly. "I ain't gonna be able to get this out. Thanks for defending my Dixon ass from olive oil there, didn't have to…."
She rose her eyebrow cutely at him looking amused "She was being a….what was it before….a bitch."
"Yeah that'd be the one. I'd like to if ye ain't got anything else better to do, to hang out or I ain't a clue what ye call it." He rubbed the back of his head nervously he always lost his set of balls when he was talking this woman anyone else he'd be able to manage fine, not turn into a goddam pussy.
She always looked like she was laughing at him but at least she looked happy even if it was at his own fucking expense. She pursed her lips at him "It's okay pookie. Is it too kiddie to just give you my number I don't know about these things anymore."
"I guess. Ye asking the wrong person."

He paced incessantly around the living room, it just a phone, it's just a phone call, grow a set of balls and just ring her. He'd never been so afraid of a phone in his whole life, what in the hell was this woman doing to him. Merle was lying passed out on the couch in a drug induced coma as per usual, with his arm falling limply off the couch. Nearly causing his whole body to tumble off it, the bags under his eyes were getting more and more pronounced. He looked….old and genuinely troubled, didn't know you could feel anything after taking so much. "Go do it Dixon. Grow a pair." He mumbled snatching up his phone in one aggressive swoop and dialling her number.
It just kept on ringing, what if she didn't answer? Did that mean he'd have to call again? His nails on his hands were getting considerably shorter as it rang on. "Hello Carol's phone." Said that olive oil…bitch who couldn't mind her own business.
"Yeah is Carol there."
"Who's this?" she asked playing dumb.
You know who I am he snapped in his head swallowing back the retort that was sneaking its way up his throat "Daryl. She there?"
"Oh. No."
"Okay just tell her I called then." he said shortly hanging up before he could reach down the phone and wring that stupid ladies throat, she didn't even know him just a bloody town gossip.
He'd have to wait for Carol to call back like a bloody son of a bitch, he sighed and fell back onto a chair. When did you turn into such a pussy?

Carol felt at total ease when she got back to the house, until it dawned on her that she'd have to deal with the wrath of Lori Grimes. When she walked hesitantly into the kitchen thankfully it was just Rick sitting hunched forward with his hands intertwined at the back of his head. "Hard day?"
He jumped and turned and gave her a weak smile "Carol. Good day?"
"Yeah it was. I only feel bad for snapping at Lori today and making things hard for you it seems."
He shook his head in protest but it was a feeble attempt. "She's looking out for you. She don't want to pick a fight."
She nodded with great effort "Is that why she's talking through you?"
"She's not….I guess. She just doesn't want to see you get hurt again."
Oh because of her huge involvement the last time. "She doesn't know him. She should learn not to make such a snap judgement about people. If she wants me to leave, I'll go."
She didn't know Daryl either but for some reason she couldn't shake him.
"No of course not." Exclaimed Lori finally coming out of her hiding place behind the door why didn't she just do things herself? Instead of ordering everyone around.
"I don't want to fight but you can't control what I do or say. I'm a grown woman not a twelve year old. Believe it or not I'm smart enough to learn from my mistakes."
She wasn't letting up and rolling over, she done enough of that. Lori held her hand to her chest in "shock" but continued in her you could melt honey in your mouth voice. "Honey of course not. I'm sorry."
She forced a smile "You seen my phone, left it here."
She handed it over silently and she had an odd look of guilt across her face. "Anyone call?"
"No."
She gave Rick a smile before she headed upstairs, trying to hide her disappointment that Daryl hadn't called. God what was she acting like?