My fiery red hair blew into my face, covering my emerald green eyes. Frustratedly, I pushed the strands back and walked out onto the streets of Alexandria. Walker corpses littered the pavement, their blood in pools around them where their heads had cracked open. I wove in between the bodies carefully so as not to step on any of them. It'd been a week since the walker invasion of our town but it was still taking a while to clean up all the carcasses. Up ahead, the road became clearer and I headed to the gang's house where Carl had been recovering.

I admit, I hadn't known him that long. Only since he and the rest of the group had arrived here. But something about him caught my attention. Maybe it was his blue eyes or the way he seemed so brave. I still remember the day we had met...

~ Flashback ~

"I'm Rick." the scruffy-looking man carrying the baby said to Deanna, holding out his only free hand for her to shake.

My eyes had been glued to the boy in the Sheriff's hat since they walked through the gate. His hair was dark and tangled but those electrifying blue eyes entranced me. His plaid button-up shirt was grimy and his pale skin was smudged with dirt. But he was still very attractive. Suddenly, he turned his gaze to me and I immediately looked away in an attempt to hide the scarlet blush that rose to my cheeks. This boy was different, that's for sure.

Rick handed the baby to the boy and he smiled, cooing at her. The rest of the new group trickled in and followed behind Deanna who led the way to her house for their "interviews". The boy in the Sheriff's hat brought up the end of the line, now bouncing the baby girl on his hip. I licked my dry lips before walking up beside him.

"Hi, I'm Emily," I told him, smiling.

He looked a bit shy at first, clearly not having been around anyone his own age in a long time. But he smiled back nonetheless before speaking.

"I'm Carl."

~ End of Flashback ~

I sighed. Things had changed so much since then though. I fought with him constantly. I'd fallen for him hard such a long time ago but...he still didn't know. And it was best that way. What if he rejected me? What if he didn't feel the same? What if I was nothing more than just another civilian to him?

I'd never been good at telling people how I felt about them. And time hadn't changed that at all. Carl wasn't even an exception to that rule because it terrified me to tell him. So we just went on fighting with each other. I'm sure he hated me now because of that... With a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I reached the house and climbed the steps to the front door.

Knocking softly, I waited there on the front porch in my blue Suicide Squad hoodie. I scuffed my sneaker across the wooden floorboards nervously. After a few minutes, the door opened revealing Rick. He smiled when he saw me standing there.

"Hello, Emily. Are you here to see Carl?" he asked, knowingly.

I tried to hide the blush forming on my cheeks and nodded. He stepped aside and I brushed past him.

"He's in his room!" Rick called after me as I climbed the stairs to the upper level of the house.

As I walked to the closed door to Carl's room, I could just hear the faint hum of a video game console. I smiled to myself. Michonne had found it for him on one of her runs. Pushing it open slowly, the sound of Carl singing along the TV drifted over to me.

"Work is never over, work it harder, make it better, do it faster, makes us stronger..."

I rolled my eyes once I recognized it. That boy had a seriously unhealthy fascination with Pokemon. I pushed the door open wider and it squeaked. Carl's head popped up and he paused his game before turning to me. His newly-found bandage covered his empty eye socket, making him look a lot different than he did before. I arched an eyebrow at him.

"You're playing Pokemon again?" I asked, crossing my arms.

He rolled his eye playfully.

"I can stop anytime I want," he told me.

"Yeah, no you can't. You're seriously addicted to that thing," I scoffed, leaning on the door-frame.

He shook his head at me and turned back to the screen.

"I am not!" he retorted, his thumbs flitting across the controller.

I sighed and walked over to him before plopping down on the floor beside him.

"Here, let me play a minute," I said, trying to grab it from him.

He held it high above my head and laughed tauntingly. I huffed and grabbed it, pulling it down to my level. But Carl held onto it tightly.

"I never said you could play!" he said, trying to tear it out of my grip.

I let out a groan as I pulled on it even harder.

"You never do!" I told him, raising my voice.

"Well, it's mine!" he yelled back at me.

"No, it's not!" I shot back, yanking on it again.

"Yes, it is!"

"No, it's not!"

"Who says?!"

"Michonne! She said we could share it!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Well, fine then!"

Finally Carl let go of the controller just as I yanked on it again, sending me sprawling to the floor on my back.

"WHY DO YOU HATE ME SO MUCH?!" Carl shouted as I picked myself back up.

"I DON'T HATE YOU!" I screamed back, throwing the controller onto the carpet.

"THEN WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN TO ME ALL THE TIME?!" he demanded.

"BECAUSE I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU!" I shot back angrily.

A gasp emitted from my lips and I clamped my hand over my mouth with a smack! Carl's ocean blue eyes were as wide as saucers and we sat there in stunned silence. I can't...I can't believe I'd just told him that!

"I...I..."I tried to get the words out but I couldn't.

Finally, I spoke.

"I-I'm sorry. I-I have to go," I stuttered before I ran out the door.

I took the stairs two at a time and flew out the front door past a confused-looking Rick. My heart beat fast in my chest as I ran. I had just ruined my friendship with Carl. A fighting, arguing one, sure but a friendship nonetheless. Tears welled up in my green eyes but I blinked them back, sprinting away as fast as I could. Suddenly, I heard footsteps running behind me and I sped up.

"Emily! Em! Em, wait up!" Carl called after me but I just kept going.

After a few minutes, Carl finally caught up to me and caught my wrists in his hands. He pulled me into his chest but I fought him.

"Let me go!" I said, the tears falling freely now.

"Em, I-" he started but I cut him off.

"Please, don't! Just don't, okay?" I said softly.

I struggled in his grip but he held me tight.

"Drat, Emily, just let me say something!" he shouted and I stopped my squirming.

He sighed and let go of my wrists. Running a hand through his long brown hair, he bit his lip before speaking.

"Why did you run?" he asked.

I looked down at my shoes and stayed silent.

"Emily," he tried again, softer this time, "Why did you run away from me?"

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and answered him.

"I...I've...I've always loved you, Carl. From that first day I met you but...but I didn't know how to say it! I was afraid!" I admitted, brushing the tears away to no avail since they kept falling.

His blue eyes gazed down at me and he stepped closer, making me hold my breath. His fingers caressed my face gently and goosebumps formed on my skin. Ever so slowly, he pushed a strand of red hair behind my ear.

"You shouldn't have been," he said softly and before I knew what was happening, his lips were pressed to mine.

Soft as velvet and tasting like chocolate, those sweet lips glided over mine. His warm hands moved down to my waist, pulling me closer to him. I was in shock but I kissed him back, my own hands finding their way to his long brown locks. After what felt like an eternity, we broke apart and Carl grinned down at me.

"Now, I'll let you play Pokemon." he said with a wink.