Author's Note:

Y'all knew it was coming. So this chapter is not nearly as full of action as the last one. It is mostly dialogue, but I hope you enjoy it! So as always, please leave me reviews and comments and any suggestions for the story because I actually use the ideas y'all give me! SO leave ideas and predictions as to where you think the story is gonna go! Thank you for reading! I'll try to update soon!

Carl's POV

There was a storm brewing in those deep, dark blue eyes of Riley's. Not just a storm. A hurricane. They looked like beautiful disasters.

"What are you doing?" She asked defensively. "Why are you staring at me?"

Well, I'm always staring at you, but you don't usually seem to notice. Was the truthful answer, but I decided to go with, "I'm studying."

She raised her eyebrows at me. "You're studying me?"

"A whole team of scientists could study you and you'd still remain a mystery, Riley." Did she just blush? "And, technically I wasn't studying you, I was studying your eyes?"

I took another bite of my breakfast─ *cue the sarcasm* the best oatmeal in all the land─ as she shot another question.

"Why are you studying my eyes?" she asked with a condescending tone.

"Because you look mad."

"I don─" She never finished what she was about to say, because me─ being mentally exhausted─ was not ready to state three points and support my reasons as to why I was studying her eyes.

"Riley, it's just whatever, okay. Sorry if it bothered you." I said as I stood up. "And maybe I was staring because you happen to be insanely breathtakingly beautiful."

NONONONONONONONONONONO.

I swear I meant to say that last part in my head!

NONONONONONONONONONONO!

Her cheeks reddened and mine did too, so I ran, because idiots like me run from our mistakes.

Riley's POV

"And maybe I was staring because you happen to be insanely breathtakingly beautiful."

You may be wondering how I reacted to that statement. Well, I didn't chase after him. I didn't just stand up and kiss him. I didn't question him.

I sat there alone in the empty cafeteria. Blushing brighter than a ripe tomato. And I smiled to myself. A ridiculous smile that somehow fit on my face. And the entire time all I could manage to think was: OhmyGodOhmyGodOhmyGodOhmyGod.

And then it occurred to me that Carl, the boy with the light blue eyes, called me beautiful. Carl, the good listener, thought I was beautiful. Carl, the boy who saved me, said I was beautiful. Carl, the boy who I've been falling for, said I was insanely breathtakingly beautiful.

And what did I do?

I sat there. Smiling. Blushing. And wondering if he meant what he said.

Carl's POV

I don't like to dwell on mistakes. It wasn't a mistake to call her beautiful, because she is. She is so freaking beautiful, but I think it was a mistake to tell her that. What if she doesn't like me back? What if whatever trust and friendship I got from her disappears?

Dammit, Carl.

So instead of worrying about all the possible outcomes, I decided to work. I grabbed a pair of work gloves and headed down towards the gate. Some guys stood on guard while others were setting up new walker catchers (the spike things made out of wood) near the weak part of the fence.

I was in the process of pulling on my gloves when somebody cleared their throat. I looked back to see the one and only Machonne standing with her arms crossed and a mischievous smile on her face.

"What?" I asked.

"You tell me what." She said. All I got from her facial expression was she was really enjoying something.

"I can't tell you what unless you tell me what I'm supposed to be telling you." I said.

"So," she said as she walked up to my side. "What happened in the cafeteria back there?"

My face reddened, but my tone stayed cool. I kept my eyes on my gloves as I fastened them. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"C'mon, Carl. Don't play that game. You know what I mean."

I looked up and tried to keep the annoyed tone out of my voice as I spoke. "Michonne, drop it. All that happened was I got frustrated and I was tired and in the heat of the moment something slipped out." I said. "So stay out of it. Whatever happened is between Riley and me."

And then I stormed off before she could say anything.

Riley's POV

I spent the rest of the day absorbed in my book. At least that's what I wanted to do. I received a surprising visit from Michonne near dinner time while I was in the library.

"So you're the one that got Carl started on reading?" she says. I just shrug. "I've known that boy for several years and I have tried and tried and tried to get him to pick up something besides a comic book but he never would. And then you come along." She says as she sits down next to Chaco and I. "but then you come along and in the blink of an eye he trades comic books for real books."

"I don't understand what you're trying to get at here."

"What I'm trying to say is that he likes you. And not in the friend way, but I think you know that already."

"Actually, I don't. I mean…I thought about it." I said.

Hoped actually. I thought to myself.

"Well, I wanted to say this. Carl has been a lonely boy for a while. Nobody his age. No mom. A dad that's busy. And I think…I think that you're really good for him." She says. "And I know that what happened in the cafeteria isn't my business, but whether or not you like him like that, don't let things get awkward. Okay?"

I nodded my head.

"I'm going to leave you to this wonderful book."

My eyes lit up. "You've read it?"

"Of course. I love the story. Especially the idea of how Darcy and Elizabeth love each other, but they're so stubborn they don't want to admit it."

And then she was gone.