Hey there! So, I wasn't sure about this one but since I had it ready to be published I figured I could just do it. It's probably going to be the last one in this collection but I have a new idea for a one shot so maybe I will come back again with that.

Beth can hardly believe it when the day is through. She is so completely tired, she just wishes for her comfy new bed and a few good hours of sleep. What's unbelievable is that she's not exhausted after fighting for her life against some walkers or trying to run away from them: she's worked at the school all day. And it was amazing. Deanna had assigned her a job at the makeshift school after she told her how she loved taking care of kids during her interview. It was the only thing that she could be useful with in Alexandria, really, since her other skills included singing and playing two instruments. So it was more than okay with her to take the job. On her first day she'd finger-painted, sang cartoon themes, read fairytale books and tried to teach the alphabet to the smaller children that luckily seemed pretty well-behaved and eager to be entertained. She wasn't alone, another girl from there was helping her out (or more the other way around since she was new) but it had been a long day just as well.

Now she is fixing her messy blonde hair in a high ponytail and getting ready to go back home. As she gets out of the building she bumps into a guy that is entering. "Oh, sorry!" she apologizes right away, shifting so he can pass. It's a guy her age, maybe a couple years older. He's tall, dark haired and he looks familiar. "What the-" As he focuses on Beth's face his expression changes from annoyed to interested. "Hi, are you new?" he swiftly catches up in a more friendly tone.

Beth nods. "Yeah, I'm in Rick's group."

The boy holds the door open with his hand. "That's right, I figured you were. We don't get many newcomers 'round here" he comments, he takes a look at the building like he's remembering just now where they are. "You're working here?"

"I just started today"

"Damn, my mother gave you one difficult task. I personally wouldn't be able to handle all those hyper-active kids!"

Beth rises her eyebrows connecting the dots. "Oh, you're Deanna's son?"

"Guilty as charged" he confirms. "I'm Aiden, and you are?"

"Beth. And working with the kids doesn't bother me at all, it's the opposite in fact" she answers giving him her hand to shake, which he takes.

"Nice to meet you Beth and, if it's cool for you than it's really cool for all of us. Poor Aly was almost losing her mind doing everything on her own" he explains referring to the other girl at the school.

"I'm glad to help" replies Beth with a smile.

He smiles back at her and leans a little closer. "So, are you going home now?"

"Yep. 'You going in?" she asks gesturing to the inside of the school.

"Mmh? Oh, no, no I was just stopping by to check on something but that can totally wait. Do you mind if I walk you home? I guess you don't know your way around so well since you just got here" he offers.

Somehow Beth feels that if she says yes he'll read too much into it. While she's just being nice to him, he's acting a little...flirty? She shrugs. "It's okay. Alexandria's not that big anyway."

She steps away from the doorway. He follows right behind her. "I didn't wanna come out too strong, really. You seem sweet and I wanted to get to know you better, that's all" he retorts flashing his most reassuring look.

Beth turns around giving him half a smile. "That's so nice of yo-"

"Is everything all right?"

Aiden and Beth's heads snap towards the voice that interrupted their conversation. Daryl is standing on the sidewalk eying the two of them with a weird mix of emotions playing on his face. Worry, suspicion and a bit of something else that Beth can't quite grasp.

"Daryl, hey" despite the awkwardness arising she's really happy to see him. "I was just making my way to the houses."

He's still not appeased, his gaze is on Aiden. If looks could kill...

Beth takes a tentative look at the boy behind her and notices how he's staring right back at Daryl with curiosity. "I wanted to walk Beth home" he says, although not sounding so sure anymore.

"And why the hell is that?" he snarls.

"Daryl!" shock would be a good word to describe Beth's reaction right now.

Aiden raises both hands in surrender but his face is smug. "Hey man, what's the problem? The lady's not taken, she can make her own decisions!"

Daryl slightly stiffens. His gaze travels from Beth's face to the ground, conflicted. She has no clue of what's going on. But it's Aiden that suddenly gets it.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't...I didn't realize.." he blurts out like he's just discovered the most obvious thing in the world. He even seems a bit embarrassed. "I had stuff to do inside anyhow, so...see ya" and just like that, he walks in closing the door behind him.

Beth doesn't know what to make of it. All she knows for certain is that now Daryl is visibly more relaxed. Weird, she thinks while going towards him. "You just scared that poor guy" she points out, scolding him a little.

"The 'poor guy' is a jackass." Daryl counters back quickly.

"What? He was just being nice!" she says forgetting for a moment that she'd had the feeling he was flirting two short minutes before.

"Well, I don't like him. He put at risk Tara's life while he was out with her and Glenn and Noah. Just so you know" he explains serious.

"I had no idea."

"Well, now that you do..."

Beth takes in his words while they get going. The silence stretches on and on as they're heading home. Then it hits her, what she couldn't pinpoint earlier. "Was there more?" she asks him out of the blue.

"Uh?"

"were you...jealous?"

He grunts something unintelligible while directing his gaze anywhere but at Beth. She laughs under her breath though, and elbows him playfully before taking his hand in hers.