Simple Pleasures

Jake Bugg

Chapter 2

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Rick was right. She was better than this. Driving around town searching for her "boyfriend" and his whore was not the answer. Announcing it on social networks wasn't either. Andrea could not erase the hands of time, but this was a start. Phil was not at his apartment. It was now 11 o'clock. They had to be at Rosita's. The girl they rejected because of her immaturity and boy crazy ways. This was all a game to them, but she would not be their toy.

Smirking, she saw his car in the parking lot. Grabbing her eggs, memories rushed of their road trips in the nice Corvette. How he would let her drive. That was over now. Her fingers opened the carton.

Splat.

It was the sound that gave her comfort. Watching the yellow and white film ruin his car, she cried. But that didn't stop her from throwing as many eggs as she could. He was in for a nice surprise when he woke up.

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They were already Facebook friends. Weird, but true.

So, looking through Daryl's pictures for the first time was not a crime. It was public access. Great. Now she sounded like one of those stalkers who was memorized by their prey. Shaking her head, she had to admit it to herself. She liked what she saw. So many pictures of him hunting with his father and one friend in particular. Rick Grimes.

As many times as Rick, Andrea and her used to hang out, he was never there? How come he didn't pledge with Rick? She had to stop herself. Not everyone wanted to join a fraternity or sorority. Plus, he was a transfer student. Her mouse was on "send message."

"Yeah Michonne. Just tell him you enjoyed talking to him today. You don't sound desperate at all." She laughed at herself. "Andrea. Where are you when I need you?"

But she needed to do this by herself. It was just a paragraph. No need to be dramatic about it.

Hey Daryl. Thanks for the help today. Sorry it took me this long to actually talk to you. See you this weekend.

Michonne released her breath as she sent the message. No point of hoping he would respond, because she knew he wouldn't. She had to stop beating herself up like this…

Ring, ring

"Hey Rick what's up?" She held herself.

"I really need your help. If I tell you, you can't ask questions?" He breathed heavily.

Rick knew Andrea was grown, but he could've done a better job. She was explosive and impulsive. He didn't have to think as to where she was.

"What happened?" She sensed his urgency.

"I know you and Andrea aren't talking. But I need you to help me talk some sense into her. Right now she is about to do something to Phil and I don't know how he will react."

"Alright. Alright. Come pick me up." She grabbed her jacket.

"Already here." Rick stated.

What was Andrea about to do? Even if it should have happened a long time ago, she would not let her friend do something she would regret. Michonne saw the concern in Rick's eyes as she buckled herself . He cared for her ex friend dearly.

"I should have stayed up until I knew for sure she was sleep. " Guilt engulfed him.

"You aren't her keeper Rick."

"I know that but at least it would have given her time to think and change her mind. She's really lucky to have a friend like you. I hope you know that."

"We aren't friends anymore, but I can't let her ruin herself like this."

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Daryl put a pillow over his head as he heard the moans through his thin walls. Rosita and Phil's nightly rituals were still getting the better of him. One day he would be able to balance school, work and his community service. Sitting up, he laughed. As a man, he had to give the graduate his props. The way he ran both of those girls was clever.

Daryl wasn't the guy who strung girls along or took advantage of them because he could. If anything, he was the guy who was content being alone until now. He was a redneck who was destined to end up in jail, but college saved his life. New learning experiences exposed him to many things. He was no longer ashamed of wanting more for himself than community college. His father was proud of him for that.

His father was the man he wanted to be. He did everything in his power to make ends meet. Moving in different trailer parks. Switching different shifts on dead end jobs. Daryl owed that man this life. He would soon be the first in the family to graduate college. Even high school.

Splat

The abrupt noise outside caught his attention. He walked to the window as he looked through his blinds.

"O shit." He saw Andrea throw eggs at the car. An evil smile was plastered on her face. "Phil is gonna shit a brick." He laughed.

He saw why his best friend was so taken with her. She was gorgeous, but not his type. He liked girls who were strong-willed and easily spoke their minds. Girls like Michonne. The fact she was not the stereotypical sorority girl made her more attractive to him. He had reread her message about 10 times, but he was scared to respond back.

Daryl shook his head as he watched Rick pull up in the parking lot. He always had to save everyone. He couldn't complain because their friendship saved him. Rick was man who had typical car troubles on the side of the rode and he decided to help him. The rest was history.

But Rick had to finally see that girls like Andrea only say they wanted good guys. That good guy had to come in a certain package. Anything else would not be up to par for a girl of her status.

"Michonne..." He instantly noticed her get out the car. Of course they would be friends. They were both in the same sorority. Which was why he avoided hanging with the three of them when Rick invited him. He couldn't be around too many people at the same time.

That was lie. He just didn't want to say something stupid around Michonne.

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"Michonne. Rick." Andrea stopped dead in her tracks. Rick grabbed the mustard from her hands and the empty cartons off the ground. Why was she here to witness her downfall? Anyone but her.

"Andrea." Michonne covered her mouth at the sight mustard and ketchup on the windshield. "You've got to stop. Please. Before Phil wakes up and calls the cops."

"I deserve it Michonne. For being a terrible friend to both you and Rick. I deserve some type of punishment."

"No you don't Andrea." Rick touched her cheek. "Let's get you out of here before someone else comes." He wrapped his arm around her.

"No wait. I need to write something on the windshield." He let her go.

That didn't make the pain go away. It only worsened it. Rick was right. He always was. Why couldn't Phil be like him? Why couldn't he look at her like she was the only woman in the world? Why couldn't he be supportive of her aspirations?

It was irrelevant. The point was that Phil didn't love her in the same way she wanted to be.

"If it's any constellation, he is going to feel some pain tomorrow morning." Michonne tried to make her laugh as she drove. "Maybe a couple eggshells left scratches. Pretty badass of you."

"That's the plan. At least I didn't use the bologna like I planned." Rick held Andrea as their laughter lit up the car.

"Thank you for being there for me Michonne." Michonne frowned at her words.

"I will always be there for you but I cant' be there at your convenience. Every time you meet someone new you do this to me. I deserve a better friend."

"You do. Michonne you have always had my back and its time I have yours. Can you please forgive. I'm not ready to throw away years of friendship. I need you in my life to show me how to be stronger and to love myself. Please….let me make it up to you. let me be the friend I know I can be. You don't have to say anything."

She would believe her because she wanted to. But what would happen when she betrayed her again?

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We are over you lying pig

"That bitch!" Phil wiped the smeared ketchup and mustard off his windshield. He wanted to throw his phone on the ground at the sight of the video. Andrea had never gone this far before. Running his hands through his messy hair, he saw the residents look through their windows. Daryl Dixon in particular. Rick would enjoy hearing about this.

Though Rick never addressed his feelings for Andrea to him, Phil was no fool. But he wasn't worried, because Andrea would never go for a guy like Rick Grimes. She wanted spontaneous, not predictable. Despite this, he knew his fraternity brother wouldn't send it to her. Despite what he did to Andrea, he was loyal.

Who then?

He smirked at her useless attempt to shame him. Didn't she know that he knew she would never leave him? All this would be forgotten after a week of good sex. He had her mind.

"Phil." Rosita touched his shoulder. She could not hide her excitement anymore. This was a sign for him to choose her.

"What?" He broke free.

"don't you see we can be together now?" She jumped in his arms as he put her down. This sophomore was too gullible for words.

"Rosita?" She knew what that annoyed tone meant. His back to her told her everything she didn't want to hear.

"Don't do this to me again? All of these bullshit excuses Phil. I'm sick of it." Her voice grew louder. They were spectacle as people carried on with their lives. Pretending not to listen, but she knew they were.

"Sick of what? You knew what this was the minute we started this." Rosita wiped her tears.

"Screw you." She walked off.

He shook his head. Not out of sorrow or regret, but arrogance. Let's see how long it would take for both girls to want him back. Two days tops.

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Andrea kissed Rick's forehead as he slept on her couch. He stayed up with her the whole entire night. He deserved better than her. That was why she ran away from him so. She had hoped he would find someone else to love him the way he needed. Girls like her came a dime a dozen. Only men like Phil could be good enough for her. Placing the cover over him, Michonne handed her the coffee cup.

"You guys always go the distance for me." The two sat on the other sofa. "And I never make it easy."

"You are right about that." Michonne didn't hold her tongue. "To be honest I am still waiting on you pick Phil again."

"That's not going to happen again Chonne. I give you my word." Andrea gripped her hand.

"That's what you always do. Give me your word. But we both know you are waiting for Phil to call. And you will answer. And I will be left alone. All because I was a friend to you and you were never a friend to me. It's like me and Rick are a part of this game to you."

It was the wrong time to tell Andrea this. She didn't believe in kicking someone who was already down, but she had every right to speak up for herself. Andrea had to know she was done with all of her emotional baggage.

"Michonne."

"No. do you know how you hurt Rick every time you chose Phil? Every time you turn you turn a blind eye. You aren't naïve. You knew about him and Rosita the whole time. The whole sorority did. I'm not saying you should like Rick because he likes you. But for once get over yourself and grow the hell up." Michonne's voice raised. She didn't mean for it, but all her emotions unleashed.

"I'm not strong like you Michonne." Andrea yelled back. "I don't know how to pretend to be ok even when everything is falling a part."

"and you think I do?" Michonne asked. "I'm just as self-conscious as you. But I keep moving because I have to. Because if I keep telling myself I deserve better, maybe one day I will believe it."

"Michonne you're freaking gorgeous. Anyone who doesn't see that is an idiot. You have strong beliefs and you don't waver. I admire that. I'm envious of that because I'm the opposite. I need you to show me how to be strong. How to let go of Phil." Andrea held her hand. She was searching for forgiveness in Michonne's eyes.

"I will, but only if you mean it Andrea."

"I do Michonne. Please help me." She hugged her friend. For once it seemed like she wasn't being taken advantage of.

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It was clear Phil didn't care for her. Unlike Rick. The best friend. That was all he was ever going to be. It was time for him to let his feelings go. If only he believed those words. But at least Andrea and Michonne were back friends again.

"Dude yah got to move on." Daryl joined him inside of the student union. Much to his unliking. Public places weren't his taste. Especially when others would give him that look that meant he didn't belong here.

"I am."

"Says the guy who practically stopped her from catching a charge. And before yah lie. I saw the whole thing. I don't know why yah keep doing this to yourself?" Rick shook his had at Daryl's concerned words.

"Daryl even before these feelings, I was her friend. Nothing is going to stop that."

"I get it. But stopping yer life for hers has got to stop. Yah can't keep saving her." Different girls walked by their table as they flirted with their eyes.

"Looks like those girls were interested." Rick teased.

"Ain't interested in fake girls like that."

"How do you know they were fake? You assume too much. It's like a defense mechanism you developed so you wont' be disappointed if it doesn't work out. You always find fault in some girl."

"I don't."

"Yeah you do. Your life can not just be school, work, community service. You have got to put yourself out there. Everyone takes the risk of getting hurt. Look at me. But I am not going to let that stop me."

"Rick I don't want to talk about this." Daryl stated.

"O so now you want to change the subject when I start calling out your faults. Daryl you can't keep….."

"Rick I come from single parent house hold. Me and my dad lived from paycheck to paycheck. Every time my dad found someone he claimed he loved, it was over in months. I have no other choice but to get my diploma if I don't want to be a statistic."

"That's not going to happen, but you can't keep hiding behind that. You aren't as happy as you should be."

"Newsflash Rick. Neither are you. Yah know I don't get how selfless yah can be. You want everyone happy but yourself. You can't make that sacrifice."

"Daryl…you're right." Defeat was in both of their eyes. Both knew what needed to be done, but didn't know how to accomplish it.

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Step one to gaining her strength back was to go to class and focus on her professor's lecture. Step two was hitting the ignore button every five minutes on her phone. Phil would not make her lose sight of what she came to school for. Her education. Her career. Her future. Michonne was right, she would keep repeating these words until she believed them herself.

Another encouraging text from her savior Rick Grimes made her smile.

Don't give in ever.

And she wouldn't. Not with him and Michonne at her side.

"Watched where your going." Rosita bumped into.

Andrea kept walking. She would not entertain her immaturity. Actions spoke louder than words.

"Stupid bitch." Rosita whispered underneath her breath as Andrea kept walking. What was it about Andrea that made him claim her in public? Why not her? Was she not intelligent enough? Was she only an exotic possession to him?

"If you have something to say. Say it to my face." Andrea yelled down the hallway as Rosita turned towards her.

"You really think you have won, but we both know Phil is coming back to me." Rosita approached her.

She was tired of girls like Andrea. Girls who thought they could get whatever they wanted when they wanted. They didn't understand what it meant to actually work hard and make sacrifices. She was glad they didn't pick her for their sorority. It showed who they truly were. Catty girls who only believed rumors.

"Keep telling yourself that you dumb bitch. Don't you get it?" Andrea paused. "Phil doesn't want either of us. He uses us because we let him." The girl really couldn't comprehend it.

Neither could she until now.

"You are just as weak as Phil told me you were." Rosita laughed as hurt appeared in Andrea's eyes.

"And you are still the slut. The conniving slut who loves my sloppy seconds." Rosita raised her hand to slap her, but Andrea easily caught her hand.

"You pretentious bitch." Rosita defended herself. No one would disrespect her. "You took everything from me."

"Yes Rosita. It is my fault you didn't get in our sorority. Not your own for flirting or sleeping with the majority of boys on campus. A box of cereal has more sense than that. Sorry but not sorry." Andrea wished Michonne was here to see her like this.

"You went after Phil because he was last on your list."

"He didn't stop me." Rosita folded her arms.

Her smugness made Andrea want to slap her.

"So apparently I'm doing something that you can't. He was right about you Andrea. You can't make him scream like I can."

"And for the record, I flirted with the others, and slept with just yours."

Andrea would not break at this. She took a deep breath. Staring the other in the eye, she approached her slowly.

" You can have Phil. I don't want him. And if you ever try to hit me again, I will make your life a living hell." Andrea walked away.

She should have thrown her down the hallway, but her conscious wouldn't let her.

Rosita was in love with Phil as she. But unlike her, she was ready to leave the past in the past.

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Daryl reread her facebook message. He had to respond back to her. What would he say? Chewing his thumb, he never thought this hard for any upper level Marketing or Management exam. He licked his chapped lips as he headed to his truck. It had been two hours of a boring lecture. Placing his phone in his back pocket, he shifted his thoughts.

Michonne didn't know if she should speak or not. She was a few feet behind him. He wasn't paying attention as he typed. That had to be one important text. Probably to his girlfriend. That was why he didn't write her back. Whoever she was, she was lucky to have a strong man.

"Crap." She hit her forehead. It was just infatuation.

"Daryl." Michonne watched his phone fall from his back pocket. He looked at where she pointed.

"Thanks." He picked it up. "Are yah heading to a class? Need a ride?" He didn't want her to walk the big campus. The average person took about 15 minutes to get from building to building. He remembered how lost he was last year.

"No. I'm finished for the day. I am going home. Well. Walking home. My apartment is about 15 minutes from here." Daryl licked his lips. It explained her gorgeous body.

"Well hop inside." He opened the passenger door for her.

"No. I don't want to incon….."

"Michonne get in the car." He was surprised when she did.

If Andrea was trying to be stronger, she would try to be more open. Fidgeting with her fingers, she felt his eyes on her again. Folding her lips, she returned his stare. She had no business in his truck staring in those deep eyes.

"I think I know why yah have a hard time letting meh be nice to yah." He stopped at the red light. "Someone really hurt you."

"Daryl." Her soft voice wavered. "Stop doing this."

"Doin what? I am tryna get tah know yah."

"Stop looking at me like that. And stop trying to get in my mind. I can walk the rest of the way." He grabbed her wrist as she turned to open the door.

"Michonne listen please." He locked his door back. "Yer. Yer right. You do intrigue me. It's because yah remind meh of myself." He stumbled over his words.

"How do you know that?"

"Because yah like to hide like meh."

"Is your major Psychology?" She bit back. His intense eyes made her want to talk and shut down at the same time. What she felt was dangerous.

"No it's Business with a minor in entrepreneurship and small business management." He proudly said.

"O." She bit her lip.

"look. Yer right. Yah don't have to tell meh anything. But fer some reason, I like talking to yah. I think yah like it to."

"What makes you think that?" She barely whispered. No way was she going to give in to a man that could not return a message or even mention it.

"Because you didn't jump out the car when you could have. Michonne. I ain't a serial killer. I'm not gonna hurt yah."

"So I'm just supposed to take your word for it."

"Says the girl who got into a car with a so-called stranger." He bit back.

"I…..I….I'm sorry, but can you just take me home without the conversation." She folded her arms.

Her eyes forward. His eyes told her she could trust him, but her mind kept flashing terrible possibilities of the future. It was hard to not be attracted to a man like him.

Michonne only hoped Andrea was having better luck than her.