Part 5: You Kept Me Like A Secret, But I Kept You Like An Oath
Daryl dropped her off outside of her apartment building and left without saying a word. She carried her things back up into her room, threw them inside as hard as she could and headed for the bar. There was no way in hell she was going to sit around and sulk about what just happened when she could just stay busy instead.
Amy was an older woman that dyed her hair black from a box, she'd been helping run the bar when her uncle owned it. Then stayed on to help her when he died, she looked up to her as mother figure, but it technically was the only mother figure she had.
As soon as she came through the back door carrying cases of beer, Amy whipped around, pulled the cigarette from her mouth and sat it down in the ashtray. "What the hell are you doing here? Ain't you supposed to be on some romantic getaway for the weekend?"
"I don't want to talk about it, Amy." She said, sitting the beer down and going for more.
Amy chased her out the back anyway, "Now you just wait one second, what the hell happened?"
"Please drop it, I didn't need to go anyway, I have work to do and we have that live show tomorrow, it's for the best anyway."
Amy just shook her head, "Girl, that boy is gonna break your heart, and then I'm gonna have to break his neck." With that she turned and headed back into the bar and grabbed her cigarette before going back to work.
An hour after she arrived Merle walked through the door and started hanging all over one of her newest bartenders, Kimmy. She made a mental note to herself to keep an eye on that situation, any girl that will sleep with Merle will also steal from her.
"How long has that been going on?" She asked Amy tilting her head towards Merle and Kimmys make out session they were having beside the pool table.
Amy looked over and chuckled with her cigarette hanging from the side of her mouth, "A few days, I think. I caught her trying to steal from the tip jar last night, told her she was on her last leg with me."
Alba started shaking her head, "Jesus, I sure know how to pick them, don't I?"
"Oh always, friends, employees, men," Alba shot her a dirty look and she lifted her hands in the air, "What? You gonna tell me I'm wrong? Last boyfriend you had was selling drugs in the bathroom and almost got us shut down. Now you're all tied up with the Dixon boys again. Baby girl, I'm just saying.."
"Enough!" she slammed both her hands down on top of the bar, getting a few customers to turn and look at her curiously.
"All I'm saying is, you better not give up that internship in Atlanta over him, and I mean it." Amy then tossed the bar rag down and went out the back door.
She rubbed both hands over her face and took a deep breath. That internship in Atlanta was at one of the best hospitals in the state, she was extremely lucky to have been offered the spot. She'd heard that she got it 2 weeks ago but had been dreading talking to Daryl about it. She knew he'd never go with her, nor would he just sit around here and wait on her.
The next night Alba was there early getting everything ready for the live show tonight, the band was already there doing their soundcheck too.
Kimmy walked in an hour late, stumbling as she came behind the bar. Alba raised an eyebrow at her, "You alright there?"
Kimmy let out an obnoxious laugh, "Oh you just ignore me, I'm just so clumsy."
Alba could tell from how she was acting she wasn't 'just clumsy' she was high as a kite on who knows what. "Kimmy, I think you need to just go on home."
Kimmy turned around and glared at her, flipping her blonde curls over her shoulder before giving Alba a good look up and down. "You think just cause you go to college you're better than everyone else, well I'm here to tell ya that you're just a fucking orphaned bitch that everyone just feels bad for, including Daryl."
Alba stood there stunned for a minute, "Oh wait, you think no one knew? You should ask him about Lanie, cause he sure told her everything after fucking her last night."
Alba wasn't sure what came over her, next thing she knew she was standing over top of a bleeding Kimmy who was holding onto her mouth. Amy came running in at the noise, seen what was going on and shoved Alba into the back room while kicking Kimmy on out the front door.
"What the hell were you thinking? Do you want the cops here tonight?" Amy said as she busted into the back room.
Alba was running her hands up and down her face and pacing back and forth, adrenaline still coursing through her veins. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, just….fuck! Give me a minute to calm down and I'll be right back out."
"Well you better get your attitude in check, we're about to open." She walked out and slammed the door behind her.
Alba took a couple deep breaths, looked in the small mirror that was beside the door, cleaned up the makeup from under her eyes, tossed her hair up in a messy bun and walked out.
The band had already started when Daryl walked into the bar with Merle, he immediately spotted Alba behind the bar digging out some beers from the cooler and handing them to a couple in front of her, all while smiling that beautiful smile of hers.
He hadn't talked to her since he dropped her off at her apartment last night, but that didn't mean he hadn't stopped thinking about her.
He took a seat at the bar and watched as she kept trying to blow a stray curl that was hanging down out of her face while she was pouring some whiskey in some shot glasses.
"What do you want, boy?" he looked up at Amy, who was shooting daggers at him while wiping a glass dry.
"Good to see you too, I'll just have a beer." She gave him another dirty look before heading down to the beer cooler. Alba still hadn't looked at him, and when Amy whispered something in her ear, she moved her entire body facing away from him so that she wouldn't see him even on accident.
Amy slammed the beer down in front of him and walked away without another word as the band stops playing. Daryl shook his head, confused, as he lifted his beer to his lips to take a drink, at the same time the singer of the band walked up to the bar and flashed a bright smile to Alba.
Daryl felt his adrenaline start pumping, and was even more confused as to why he wanted to go over there and put a stop to Alba laughing and smiling back at him. He didn't even realize his hand was shaking or that he was still holding the beer to his lips without even taking a drink yet, he was too busy staring.
Until Merle walked up, "Well I'll be damned, Little Brother, I'd heard the rumor, but didn't believe it. You really been fucking Baby Bird?"
Daryl finally took a drink at the beer before shooting Merle a dirty look, "No, I ain't."
"Oh please, you can see the jealousy rolling down your back cause she's over there flirting with that fucking hippie. I thought I taught you better than that, Boy. You don't ever let that pussy get to you, ever."
"Shut the fuck up, Merle, I ain't jealous, and I sure as hell ain't in love with her." He said pushing backwards from the bar and standing up.
Merle threw his head back and started laughing, "Hey Boy, I didn't mention love, but you sure as shit did. Little Brother done fucked around and fell in love, ain't it fucking cute?! I guess you hadn't heard she was gonna up and leave you for some fancy fucking job in Atlanta?"
Daryl felt his heart stop as he turned his head to look over at her, she was still standing there smiling back at the singer.
"Yeah, this is why I told you to never let some bitch get to you, they ain't good for nothing but wasting your money. Anyways, it looks like she's done moved on anyway." With that he nodded his head towards Alba and walked away.
"Hey Alba, thanks for having me again tonight."
Alba turned her head and smiled back, "Oh you know you're always welcome here, Arlo. I love hearing you sing."
Arlo sat down on the stool in front of her and smiled, brushing his long brown hair over his shoulder and ordering a beer from her. Alba had known Arlo for a few years now, meeting here in the bar when he played open mic night. Now he's got a CD out and has been touring the country, but he still always comes back here and plays for her. Arlo was pretty handsome and he'd never been shy about flirting with her, he would've been a much better match for her if she'd have been smart.
But here came her reason, pushing through the crowd towards them. She sat the bottle down she had in her hand and started around the bar, but she was too late. Daryl had done sucker punched Arlo and Arlo was on the floor, looking around confused holding his jaw.
Alba got in between them and pushed Daryl back with both hands as hard she could. "Get the fuck outta my bar, Dixon!"
His eyes were wild, and he went to shove past her again, but she threw him back. Looking around, she could see Merle pushing towards them, right as Amy was coming around the back of the bar with a baseball bat.
Her bouncer, Cowboy, finally made it to Daryl and grabbed ahold of him and started dragging him backwards to the door. Alba grabbed the bat from Amy and followed them out the door. Cowboy tossed Daryl out and stepped back to let Alba past him, "Keep an eye on the other Dixon."
Cowboy nodded his head and went back in, shutting the door behind him. Daryl was walking away from her, but she yelled to make him stop, "What the fuck, Daryl?"
He whipped around so fast and started coming right at her, pointing his finger towards her face the whole time. "When were you gonna tell me you were taking a job in Atlanta, huh? You just gonna leave, run off with that hippie, and live your very best life?"
She took a step back like he'd smacked her in the face, "How did you hear about Atlanta?"
He threw his arms up in the air, "So it is fucking true?!" he pointed his finger back at her face again, "You are the biggest fucking whore I've ever met!"
With that he turned to walk away from her again, "Do you want to tell me about Lanie though?" he stopped in his tracks.
Alba threw her head back and started laughing, fighting the tears that were trying to come through. "Yeah, I'm this horrible fucking whore, but you run from anything real in your life, Daryl Dixon, that's all you know how to do, run away and ruin everything you ever touch."
He dropped his head, but didn't turn around and say anything else to her, just walked off into the darkness.