Chapter 13: Romantic Shit

A/N: I hope you guys like this chapter! I have some really cool stuff coming up so keep reading!

By the time Carol and Daryl walked home together the night had settled. It was cloudy and windy and the walked close to each other down the sidewalk of the neighborhood they both knew so well. The street lights led the way as they walked slow and lost themselves in conversation.

It's when they had walked inside Daryl's house when Carol said it. The night had been the best one Carol had in months, and she couldn't stop smiling every time she looked at her unorthodox knight in shining armor. The one who had been there for her when no one else was. Sure he wasn't the nicest guy, and sure he had been closed off to her, so she was never exactly sure how he felt, but after he invited her into his home and bought him dinner her heart was beating out of it's chest.

"Hey Daryl," She had said when she quietly shut the front door. Daryl had flipped on the kitchen light, and he turned to her, putting his hands into his pockets. She eyed him discretely, noticing the long shaggy hair that always fell in front of the small eyes that matched his thin lips, a stubble untrimmed facial hair surrounding them. Recently he wore this thin, dark sweater under a leather jacket that fit him nicely, unlike his baggy, distressed jeans that hung loose at his hips. "Can I tell you something?"

"Shoot." Daryl nodded, a subtle smile on his face and Carol could tell he was in a good mood. Her cheeks were hot, and she wasn't sure what to do with her body as he stood in front of her, eying her as he waited for her talk. "Well, spit it out." Carol blinked. Meeting eyes with Daryl and she opened her mouth.

"I think there is something going on here." She said abruptly, looking away from him suddenly. "Between us." She hesitated, trying to explain herself as she rocked back and forth, finding herself putting her hands in her back pocket. "I think I really like you."

"Stop."

Carol's head shot up when he abruptly interrupted her, and her eyes were wide as Daryl head fell forward. He was suddenly completely shut off. Daryl didn't know how to react to this confession, shutting his eyes for a second. "Just shut up."

Carol's mouth hung open as Daryl stormed out of the dining area, keeping his whole body away from her and he stormed down the hallway. She could feel the tears form in her eyes as a door slammed shut.

Daryl had only kissed two girls before. The first was in 3rd grade, and this little blonde girl named Shelley had walked right up to him and his brother had sat in the grass furthest away from the playground during recess. She grabbed him with her chubby fingers and kissed him right on the mouth. She said she had seen it on TV, and she wanted to understand why people did it. She had skipped away as easily as she came and Daryl never talked to her again. Merle punched him in the arm for that. He told Daryl that girls were had cooties, and he might die from them. He was terrified of girls for the rest of elementary school.

But when 8th grade came around, Merle decided you were a loser if you didn't "Get some ass." He bugged him everyday, asking what kind of girls he liked and which ones would give it up to him. Daryl didn't even knew what that meant, and he much less had the confidence to walk right up to a girl and ask her to hang out. Merle had brought the girl he was seeing over to there house, and she sat right next to him while he was the watching the new powerangers episode. Merle said he had to kiss her or he would beat him up.

Daryl recalled those two times when we threw himself into a cold shower. He felt like his skin shattered again the water, letting his head fall to his chest as he leaned against the white tiled walls. He breathed deeply, his wet hair matting against his cheeks, his eyes shut tight. He was hot and confused. He had never had a girl talk to him like that, confess their feelings and suddenly he was frozen and he couldn't breath when she talked to him.

What was he supposed to do? It had been him and his brother his entire life, the only person that cared about him, and when he was gone it was just Daryl against the world; And then suddenly the quiet girl who lived next door was the most important person in his life. All he wanted to do was take care of her, and she took care of him without even realizing. He took another deep breath, and he couldn't decide if he wanted to cry or scream.

Daryl tried to compose himself, brushing his fingers through his hair, molding it away from his face and he let the water hit him in the face. Why did he ditch her like this? Just because Daryl couldn't cope with these foreign feelings, he left the only girl he cared about standing alone in tears. He shut off the shower as soon as he came to that realization, somewhat ready to confront Carol.

At first Daryl thought Carol went home. He hurried down the hallway, kind of expecting her to still be standing by the kitchen table, he drew a breath, disappointed until he saw the back door, slightly cracked open, letting the chilly air inside.

When he open the creek back door, Carol had been sitting on the porch holding her head in her hands, letting bare feet rest on the white painted porch steps. But when he walked out there she jumped to her feet, turning to him with an embarrassed look on her face when she eyed Daryl, a blank expression on his face. A towel hung around his neck, back in the same clothes he was wearing earlier.

"Look, I'm sorry." Carol shook her head. "I shouldn't have said that and I don't want things to be weird now. Just forget I said anything."

"Carol," Daryl stepped toward her, saying her name in this soft, airy voice that Carol didn't know. Her eyes widened suddenly, when Daryl cupped her soft and sculpted face into his hands, and he kissed her. It was a gentle kiss, as Daryl just gently touched his lips to Carol's thin ones, and they seemed to fit together beautiful. It was awkward and she was caught off guard but it was the most perfect kiss she had ever had.

"You kissed me.." Carol mumbled when Daryl took his hands away from her, her eyes still wide and her mouth slightly opened in awe.

"I ain't for all this romantic, talking about our feelings shit. I can't." Daryl started, and he looked at Carol right in her eyes. "You know I feel."

"It's okay." Carol said, lost in every part of Daryl. His eyes and his lips and his hands and he was right; she knew exactly how he felt and he had known for a while the way she did. She didn't have to say it. "I know." Carol could barley finish her sentence as she leaned in again, she rested her hands on Daryl's bold chest as he kissed her again, and she could feel him smile before she broke apart.

"Let's go inside."

The were sitting on the couch, the bodies resting against each other when Daryl pulled out his backpack.

"I know it's not your idea of a great night." Daryl nodded to his school bag, hesitant to ask. "I'm failing all my classes. And with what happened to Sophia, I didn't think school mattered anymore. But I ain't gonna be a drop out like my shit brother. I ain't wanna ask you, but do you think help me?"

Carol's cheeks were pink and she couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she answered.

"Daryl, nothing could make me happier."