Merle sees what has been on his little brother's mind.
Notes: This one is kind of a slow burn because they are so young and we all remember what first love was like, don't we?
All awkward and devastating on a daily basis.
She smelled like coconuts and the beach. Daryl's mother had taken him and Merle to the beach in Savannah when they were little, and he remembered the smell of the fresh seawater. Gina smelled like that. When he, Rick and Lori had arrived, Shane sat opposite them at the table, and Rick and Lori took seats leaving Daryl with no choice but to sit next to her.
Gina smiled at him sweetly and her blue eyes shined at him, at him. Today was a good day.
"I'm glad you came today Daryl," She said quietly, with her eyes cast down a little, because looking into his eyes this close would make her heart skip a beat.
Gina had a few secrets of her own and she was glad to see him, for all the times he thought she didn't notice him the truth was, she did. He was kind and sweet, not rough like Ray was, and she wondered what being with him might be like.
She looked across the room at her best friend Tara Chambler, the only person who knew she wasn't happy with Ray. Tara was in the stacks a few feet away talking to her project partners Rosita and Abraham, but she glanced over at Gina and saw her talking closely to Daryl, their heads almost touching.
Tara's eyebrows shot up, and she winked at her friend, Gina's face reddened, and Lori noticed it.
"Are you OK Gina?" Lori asked.
"Fine," She said with a small smile, and turned to Daryl to sputter out something to take the attention off of herself, "I loved what you said about Gatsby the other day, you like to read don't you?"
Was she talking to him?
"Daryl?" Her voice pulled him from his panic, and he looked over at her, but his face was burning.
"Huh?" He said and then immediately felt like the biggest ass on the planet.
"What you said about Gatsby in class, very intuitive," Gina said, and Lori nodded.
"I didn't get that at all," Rick said, "But I haven't finished the book yet."
"What are you waiting for, this is due in a week?" Lori asked, and Rick shrugged.
"I like to live dangerously," Rick replied.
"Oh, thanks, Gina," Daryl finally choked out as he watched an evil entity coming their way.
Gina felt Ray's hands on her shoulders then, he always snuck up on her, and she hated that, it was like he spied on her.
"How's the project going?" Ray said as he caressed her shoulders in a way that made her skin crawl.
"Just fine, Parker," Daryl growled, couldn't that guy stay away for five minutes? Rick rolled his eyes, and Gina pushed his hands away. She hated the way he needed to show possession of her, it was like he wanted to piss on her leg if he could.
"Wasn't talking to you, Dixon…"
Gina didn't like the tone of his voice at all, she had heard it far too many times, Ray was getting nasty.
"We'll be done soon Ray, give me an hour OK?" Gina said, and he nodded.
"I'll go find my group and then I'll get you later baby," He said with a wink, and then he was gone.
"What a fucking douche," Daryl mumbled under his breath and to his surprise Gina laughed so hard that Tara poked her head out from the stacks again.
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"It's her; she's the one," Merle said after he picked Daryl up from the library and noticed him watching Gina walk away with Ray, "Gina Gallagher, a cheerleader too, she's in your grade but she's varsity I think," Merle whistled to himself.
"What?" Daryl grumbled from the passenger seat.
"Varsity cheer, love them little skirts," Merle said with a wide grin, "Hell I don't even like football, but that girl's ass…"
"Hey," Daryl turned to him, "Knock it off."
"Yeah, it's her," Merle said, "And now, you're looking at her like your heart is just about broken; you ain't gay after all."
"Gay? What made you think I was gay?" Daryl turned from the window where he had leaned on to look at her.
"When a fine piece like Shelly Watson throws herself at you, and you don't take it, makes a brother wonder."
So she had told Merle, Shelly had a big mouth.
"I ain't gay," Daryl growled, he liked girls just fine, well one girl.
"And you're in love with her," Merle said.
"What are you going on about?"
"You love her," He slung his arm over Daryl's shoulder, "It would have been OK you know."
"What would have been OK?"
"If you liked guys…It wouldn't matter to me," Merle said, "Maybe you would have been better off, that's a big boyfriend she's got there."
"I know," Daryl sighed.
"Welp, the heart wants what the heart wants, remember Mamma sayin that when we were kids?" Merle said pulling out into the street as Daryl watched Ray kiss Gina by his car when they passed by. "Put yourself out there, take a chance, before it's too late."
"It's useless Merle, just keep it under ya hat OK?" Daryl griped, "I don't need everyone knowing my business."
"Listen up little brother, you can either do nothing and pine away for the rest of high school over that girl or you can do something."
"I ain't like you, Merle, I don't have whatever that is you have." Daryl looked back at him.
"You're talking about charisma," Merle said as he ran his hand through his long hair, "But don't you worry little brother," And he smiled that smile that Daryl knew always meant trouble, "I got some to spare."