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.::.

It was just before dark and I found myself deep in the quietness of the woods with Jimmy, tending to the plants. "You talked to your dad any?" He asked me, wiping a light layer of sweat from his dirty brow.

I shook my head as I finished trimming the lower half of a particularly large and healthy plant.

"He know you're stayin' with me?" I recognized a hint of concern in his question.

"Nah."

"Good. I don't want him to come up there and kick all our asses."

I snorted. "Nah. I think we both know your dad would mop the floor with his ass." Jimmy's dad was 100% Italian and tough as nails. Not to mention, he was 6'5 and 300 pounds of muscle. Motherfucker's built like a brick house.

Jimmy laughed and we finished up the last bit of pruning together before walking to a nearby stream to wash our hands of all the dirt.

"Hey, so, I think I'm gonna ask Klara out tomorrow at lunch. I like her a lot."

"Good fer you, man. She seems cool." I flashed him a genuine smile to show my support as we both wiped our hands dry on our jeans and started making our way out of the forest.

"She was tellin' me about this one girl in her English class. Says you'd prolly like her."

I scratched my ear and blew a wad of spit down by my feet but didn't respond. Didn't really know how. Jimmy knew I wasn't much of a ladies man.

"Damn, man. Ain't ya ready to get a girlfriend?"

"I'unno. Yeah. Maybe. Just gotta find the right one." Unfortunately, the one I want is my fuckin' teacher. Not to mention, she's a decade older.

"Well how 'bout ya meet this girl? Her name's Jennifer."

"I dunno, man. I..." I was at a loss for words. I didn't want to meet no other girl when I had my eye on someone else. "I kinda got my eye on somebody else."

"What?" He looked surprised.

Don't ask. Don't ask.

"Well look at'cha, stud. Who is it?"

Shit. "Just a girl from school." I hesitated to reply.

He thumped the back of my head, almost knockin' my hat clean off. "Ow, goddammit." I furrowed my brow, annoyed.

"Daryl Dixon, I'm yer best fuckin' friend. You really ain't gonna tell me the name of the first girl you've ever liked?"

I let out a long, frustrated sigh as I stretched my arms high into the air and hung back my head. "It...it ain't that I don't wanna tell ya, Jim. I jus can't." I took off my hat in one swift movement before running my fingertips through the ends of my hair. Shoulda jus kep my fuckin' mouth shut.

"Why the hell not?"

"'Coz it ain't no good." I replied honestly.

"Because? Just tell me who the hell it is."

I rolled my eyes, knowin' full well that I got myself into this mess and his ass was guaranteed to pester me 'till he turned blue in the face. "Alright, listen." I licked the salty sweat from my lip. "If I tell ya you gotta fuckin' promise not to tell nobody."

He laughed at my seriousness. "Damn, buddy. She the fuckin' president's daughter or some shit?"

"I'm serious, Jimmy. Swear to me ya ain't gon' say nothin' to nobody. ."

"Alright, fine man. You oughtta know you can trust my ass anyway."

We spit on it.

"Well? Who is it?" He pressed.

"It's Ms. Roberts."

"You're shittin' me!" He guffawed with wide eyes. "The fuckin' history teacher?"

I sighed and nodded, feeling somehow relieved yet also slightly more stressed.

"Damn, man. I mean, she's hot 'n all but you can't be goin' after no teacher. Besides, ain't she married or somethin'?" His look of shock was quickly replaced by a look of concern.

"Nah. I mean, not that I know of. Ain't never seen no ring on her finger. Plus, I was at her place the other night and I didn't see nothin' but a bunch'a girly shit all over the place."

"Wait-you was at her house?"

I nodded, sticking a cigarette between my lips and lighting up. "Yeah." I exhaled. "Sold her some green and she asked me to smoke with her." Somehow, sayin' it all out loud made me realize how fuckin' crazy this shit sounded. No wonder why Jimmy's starin' at me like I got three heads.

"Wait." He stopped suddenly and scratched the apple of his right cheek. "Yer tellin' me that you got a fuckin' crush on the teacher that yer also sellin' pot to? Do you realize how fucked up this all sounds?"

"Yeah, I fuckin' do. But she's the one that came to me. I dunno, I just...I'm just startin' to like her. I know it ain't right but I can't fuckin' help it."

He sighed. I could tell he was completely unsure of how to react or what else he should say. He lit up a cigarette of his own and spat at the ground. "Did ya fuck her?"

"Nah. It ain't like that. Not yet anyway."

He chuckled and shook his head with a bewildered smile. "Damn, Daryl. Yer daddy must'a hit ya one too many times. You done lost yer mind."

"Just...just promise you ain't gon' say nothin'. My life's already fucked up enough as it is. I'unno what the fuck I'mma do."

"I ain't sayin' shit. I promised ya that. And if ya need to talk about it you can come to me. I ain't gon' try and stop ya. I jus don't want to see ya get into trouble."

I nodded my head appreciatively as we came upon the mouth of the forest. The sky was beginning to darken and the crickets were chirpin' loud as ever. "C'mon." Jimmy prodded. "Dinner's prolly ready and mom'll kill us if we ain't there before it gets cold."

.::.

I tossed and turned for what felt like the hundredth time so far. It was getting close to eleven and I had been unsuccessful at falling asleep, despite the fact that I'd had a nice shower and a warm meal. My mind was racing with too many excited thoughts that made it just about impossible to lie still.

Jimmy had taken the news about like I'd expected him to. Supportive, yet concerned. He was the closest thing I'd had to a brother in years, what with Merle never stayin' outta trouble and all, and I knew that I could trust him with my secret, even though I was scared like hell.

I remembered all the times I'd go huntin' with Merle, specifically the time we saw that fearsome black bear deep in the woods and we had just ran outta ammo. That bear chased us a good while before it finally gave up. We were two lucky ducks that day. Coulda' been goners.

Next, I thought of bein' out in the backyard at dad's house, fuckin' around with a sheet of plywood for a school project when a fuckin' Cottonmouth sunk its teeth right into my ankle. I had to call Jimmy to get his parents to take me to the hospital half an hour away 'cause dad was too drunk to drive. Doctor said if I had been 10 minutes later I wouldn't have made it. I was in the hospital for close to three days 'till I fully recovered.

Funny that fear was the furthest thing from my mind on both occasions, but here I am nervous as all get out over a high-school history teacher.

I glanced over at the mahogany night stand, staring intently at the ripped piece of paper next to the home phone.

Maybe Jimmy's right. Maybe this really is just a little too fuckin' crazy. Even fer a Dixon.