The conversation wasn't going the way I wanted it to as Daryl quickly caught me halfway through a rant, "Didn't mean it like that Jenna ya just surprised me that's all. Of course you can stay here as long as you're okay with sharing a room." I laughed feeling relieved, "Really D? I've shared a room with Casey and Zach for years I think I'll be fine." We both lay down quietly thinking until I forced myself to do what I'd been mulling over. I rolled toward Daryl pulling him into a hug as I kissed his cheek quickly mumbling, "Thank you Daryl I really don't know where I'd be without you guys." He awkwardly hugged me back with one arm as he lay his head on my shoulder, "S'alright couldn't leave you homeless now could we." I chuckled a little, "Well you could have but thank you." Daryl laughed a little, "Now don't go hugging on Merle unless you're looking for an ass grabbing." I pulled a terrible face as we both laughed. "No thanks I learned my lesson on that one. Besides I thanked him earlier." Daryl casually asked me as I started dozing off, "So you looking to get work or go back to school, or what?" "Umm I don't know really I guess I could go for my GED but that seems like a lot of work. I can't really get an actual job because I'm still underage, plus that fucking cop is going to be keeping an eye on me." Daryl turned to look at me, "The one from the hospital?" "Yeah he said he was going to be watching me for a while making sure I stayed out of trouble or some shit like that. He seemed alright I guess he just acted all high and mighty because I was willing to stay in that shithole to keep my kids together." Daryl wrapped an arm around me again as my voice broke at the thought of all my siblings having been split up and put into strangers homes. I tried to pull myself together but as I felt him warm arms envelop me I let the tears fall. I sobbed quietly as he rubbed my back lightly, trying to comfort me. I had no idea when or if I was ever going to see my siblings again and the thought that Casey and I endured all that abuse to have it end like this was just salt in an open wound. Daryl was the only person, other than my Casey, that'd ever seen me cry but I needed to let it all out. It was too much for a fifteen year old girl to be dealing with but then again we'd never had the luxury of being children. It just wasn't the way our family worked. I thanked whoever was listening every single day for bringing the Dixon brothers into my life, they made the unbearable seem bearable.
Getting used to life without my siblings was the hardest thing I've ever done. It took me almost three months to track down all my siblings, who'd been split between four separate foster homes. I bawled like a little girl the first time I saw Casey. Daryl was carting me all over Atlanta looking for all of them. We'd become even closer, if that was possible, in the time I'd been living with them and have to say I was falling hard. Since the first time I saw him around the back of the house that day I'd thought he was ridiculously attractive and the closer we got the harder I fell. Amazingly two years flew by with the blink of an eye and a few days before my eighteenth birthday I got a phone call from Casey telling me social services were turning him loose the day after our birthday. We'd kept in contact as much as possible over the years as he bounced from home to home before landing in juvie when he was sixteen. He spent over a year there for assaulting his foster brother with a baseball bat. I'd gotten a job at the auto body shop where Daryl worked not long after I turned sixteen and finished my GED almost a year later. Both boys were very proud of me and practically forced me to do homework and such. The annoying Officer Walsh kept true to his word and dropped by the house and shop every couple weeks keeping tabs on me. We hadn't exactly become friends but I came to dislike him a lot less over the years, we were even on a first name basis quite quickly. Daryl never really took a liking to him but after I talked him down he stayed outta sight when Shane came around. I remember one incident in particular when I seriously thought they were going to come to blows. It was a very hot June day after a few days after my seventeenth birthday and we were celebrating me graduating my GED classes. Merle was already passed out in the house but Daryl and I were still yucking up around the backyard. It was only late afternoon but I'd begged Daryl to start a bonfire so I'd cranked the stereo and was dancing around pleasantly toasted on homemade moonshine. Daryl was sitting on a lawn chair laughing as I wiggled and bounced to the music, singing along to the songs I knew. Our relationship was still very strong but as we both grew a slight tension had been building between us. I felt it grow a little every day though neither of us had ever acknowledged it out loud.
That day was nothing out of the ordinary as I threw on some jeans of Daryl's I had turned into cut offs and a bikini top under my wifebeater before going for my daily run in the woods behind our trailer. When I'd returned Merle was grilling out back and had already broken into the moonshine. So I laughingly joined him when he told me we were celebrating. After he'd passed out is when we broke out the stereo and started the fire. Since I'd been living with the boys I'd come to embrace myself scars, and all. So I finally started dressing my age, doing my hair and such, which is when the tension started.
As I danced singing along to Sweet Home Alabama at the top of my lungs I grabbed Daryl by the arm. "Come on dance with me D." He chuckled quietly, "Naw you know better Jenna I don't dance." "So you're just going to sit back and enjoy the view?" I asked brazenly as the liquor loosened my lips. Daryl's cheeks flushed as he averted his gaze. "Oh come on Daryl you know I'm only kidding around." I joked as I hugged him tightly. He froze for a moment before hesitantly hugging me back. After a moment I felt him relax, laying his head on my shoulder as he quietly said, "Listen Jenna…" Just as he started talking I heard a gruff voice calling my name from the side of the house. "Jenna, Jenna you around?" I reluctantly pulled away from Daryl as I recognized the voice. "I;m around back Shane," I called back. I saw his dark head peek around the corner before he came sauntering into the yard. "Well hell darlin' sounds like you're having a party back here", he laughed as I saw his eyes roam over my exposed skin. I slowly walked toward him trying not to show how much I'd had to drink. Of course with my luck I tripped within arms reach of him, thankfully he caught me before I hit the ground. He immediately said, "damn girl you're shitfaced drunk." I laughed a little too loudly as I gripped his arms for support. "No no just caught my shoe on a root." Shane's smile widened as he glanced at my feet, "Oh yeah and where would your shoes be?" "I'm barefoot aren't I?" I giggled as I wiggled my toes, feeling the stiff grass beneath my feet. I was still leaning on Shane, thankfully for the support of his strong arms. I could tell Daryl was getting frustrated with Shane's presence as he paced slowly around. I ignored him as I dragged Shane along with me as I stumbled toward the bonfire. "Have a seat, so to what do I owe the pleasure?" I asked quickly. Shane rested a hand on my hip as he chuckled, "Well I heard through the grapevine that you passed your GED test so I thought I'd come b and congratulate on graduating." He handed me a card and a small box as I carefully sat next to him. "Oh come on Shane you didn't have to do anything", I said bashfully. I tried to clear my head a little as I opened the card chuckling as I tried to decipher Shane's chicken scratches before opening the box to find a beautiful dragonfly charm on a silver chain. "Oh my god this is gorgeous. Thank you so much Shane this is so thoughtful of you." Shane smiled sheepishly as I gushed about my new necklace. "Here put this on for me" I said quickly as I pulled my hair aside and handed the necklace to Shane. He secured the necklace but I felt a weird feeling in my belly as his hand lingered on my shoulder rubbing softly. I opened my mouth to say something but as I did Daryl came toward us grabbing my arm and pulling me to him as he barked at Shane. "Alright 5-0 you said your piece, checked up on her, so you can be on your way now." I was trying to pull my arm out of Daryl's grip but he wasn't letting up. Shane stood mimicking Daryl. "Jenna's got a mind of her own she can ask me to leave if she wants." They were almost toe to toe as I finally sputtered. "Daryl let go you're hurting me." He turned to me quickly as his face softened and he immediately released me. I'll admit I was a little shaken as Daryl had never been possessive with me like that before. I felt tears welling in my eyes as I looked over the bruises forming on my upper arm. Glancing between the guys quickly I mumbled something about too much to drink and going to bed. I picked up my card and kissed Shane on the cheek and thanked him again as he gave me a small hug. Daryl called after me as I heard Shane mumble something before heading toward his jeep at the front of the trailer. I ignored him as I went into the house and crawled into bed as the tears began to fall. I knew he didn't meant to hurt me but one thing he promised me years back was that he would never hurt me and he'd inadvertently broken that promise over a stupid jealousy.