My stomach dropped into my shoes as I felt the tears pooling in my eyes. Daryl, my Daryl the only person I could always tell everything to, the person who would always protect me from the world, was laying in bed with his arms behind his head and a blonde girl kneeling in front of him. I started sputtering as I saw Daryl's head fly up as he stared at me. I heard him call my name as I turned and ran toward Shane's jeep. I couldn't explain my reaction. I knew Daryl wasn't a virgin but he'd also never flaunted a woman around me before. Maybe it was the fight or the fact that he brought some random bar whore back to the room we shared. Whether his intent was to hurt me or not I still didn't know. By the time Daryl made it out the front door I was watching him through the rearview mirror as I drove away. Before I really thought about where I was going I was sitting in Shane's driveway sobbing my eyes out. I eventually walked around back and flopped onto a chair on the deck as I cried myself to sleep. I woke to a weird sound, my phone was going nuts as I dragged my hands over my face. The list of missed calls was a mile long and I had dozens of texts from Shane asking me what the fuck was going on.

I was not about to deal with Daryl so after letting myself into the house and splashing some water on my face I lit a cigarette out back and called Shane. He answered immediately asking if I was okay, what was going on, etc. "Whoa whoa baby calm down. What's up, why are you freaking out?" I could hear Shane trying to catch his breath on the other end. "Daryl showed up here about twenty minutes ago demanding I tell him where you're at. Said you took off like a bat outta hell. I thought you were going over there to work things out." I let out a dark chuckle. "Yeah well apparently I was the stupid one because I walked in ready to talk things out but Daryl was umm preoccupied I guess I'll say." He started sounding a little panicked again. "You alright J? I ain't really got much going on here I can meet you at my place in about twenty five minutes." "Don't rush Shay I'm at your place already. I took an unexpected little nap out back and I think I'm going to crawl back into bed for awhile so no reason to rush home." I could hear him tapping his desk trying to plan his next move. "Alright I'll finish up here and probably be back in about an hour. You gonna tell me what happened between y'all?" "Yes I'll fill you in when I wake up. I'm just lost I guess I don't know where to go from here. Forget it I'm babbling, I'll see you soon." "Alright I'll be home soon, hey I like saying that to you." I laughed lightly at his silliness, "Well I like hearing you talk, I'll see you soon baby." I hung up, and after stealing a pair of Shane's basketball shorts I crawled into bed, tossing my jeans on the dresser.

My mind wouldn't shut off as I laid there running everything over and over again in my head. It must have been that my body just gave up because the next thing I knew I was abruptly woken by a pounding at the front door. I stumbled down the stairs toward the door. My head was still a little fuzzy as I threw the door open, "Did you forget your keys baby?" I froze in my tracks as the smile fell off my face seeing Daryl standing in front of me. "Fuck off I've got nothing to say to you." He hung his head as he fidgeted with his hands. "Yeah I figured you'd say that. You gonna give me a chance to explain?" I was bouncing back and forth praying that Shane would come home quickly so I didn't have to have this conversation. "I don't really wanna hear what you call an explanation alright. I think I saw everything just fine. Now can you leave before Shane gets home?" Daryl braced himself on either side of the door as he leaned toward me, "Jenna this isn't how it's going to end. Let me talk to you. I know things ain't been good between us lately." I could feel the tears burning in my eyes as I looked up at the man who'd always been there for me, the man to who I owed the roof over my head. "I don't even know what to say to you Daryl. I think I could've handled just about anything but there was one of those fucking bar whores in our room, the room we share. I don't even know if I want to hear your explanation. I just don't know a lot right now I guess." I tried to hold strong but the tears started pouring down my face. Daryl pulled me into his arms even as I tried to push him away he wrapped his arms around me tightly as I cried. "Hey come on now calm down Jenna. It wasn't nothing I was just so mad I guess I saw red, I wasn't really thinking. I sure as hell didn't think you'd come home to find that." I was still whimpering into his shirt as I listened. Finally I looked up into those blue eyes I'd looked into a thousand times and decided to tell him the whole truth and nothing but the truth. "I can't lose you D. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm not letting Shane go but I can't lose you because of him and I. I know you're going to say I can't have my cake and eat it too but I know there has to be some way this can work. You know I love you but I don't know. I guess I just can't lose either of you, it would destroy me." He was running his hand over my hair as I tried to collect my thoughts. I was still whimpering softly as we sat down together on the front porch. Nothing was said for a while as I sat with my head laid against Daryl's chest willing myself to calm down. Then it happened I don't know why but suddenly his lips were on mine as I held back a moan. I'd always wondered how it would feel to kiss him and he was everything I thought he'd be. I caught myself before I got lost in my thoughts.

I slowly pushed Daryl away but as I did I heard a car door slam shut and suddenly Shane was charging toward us. I ran into Shane's path trying to head him off from getting to Daryl but it was no use, he shoved me to the side as he grabbed Daryl by the shirt hauling him to his feet. I'd lost my balance and toppled over when Shane shoved me so I was trying to scramble up off the floor before anyone drew blood. As I started toward them Shane was raging on at Daryl about treating me like dirt and how low it was to use my vulnerability to make a move on me when he knew I had a boyfriend. It was then I noticed the blood on the porch. I looked over the guys before calling out to them, "Hey who is fucking bleeding?" Both their heads whipped toward me as I saw fire flash in Daryl's eyes as Shane rushed toward me. "Aww hell lil' bird I'm sorry. Come on inside and get some ice." I reached toward my face as a dull pain hit me. Shane had smacked me in the face trying to get me away from Daryl. I numbly started letting Shane lead me into the house before I glanced back at Daryl. I pushed Shane's hands off my waist. "No I can't do this. I can't lose you two but I'm not dragging either of you down with me. I have to go." They both came at me about to say something. "No I have to go be by myself, alone. You two need to get away from each other before one of the neighbors calls Rick." Daryl came down the steps toward me as I backed away. "Here take the truck for now I've got my bike." I caught the keys easily and threw him a teary smile. I had no idea where I was going or when/if I was coming home as I pulled away from the two most important people in my life. I didn't have any food, clothes, I wasn't even wearing my own pants, nothing but my wallet and cellphone as I drove for hours.