November 30. 2000. Harrison Estate
"Now why the hell do I have to wear this, girl!?" Shane grumbled, tugging at his dress shirt.
"Because, Shane, daddy will kick you out of here if you dress like you usually do," Andrea spat, rolling her eyes.
"You weren't complaining when I had you by the pond the other day and-"
"Shut up, moron!!"
Rick rolled his eyes at his best friends bickering with each other. Everyone knew Shane and Andrea were two peas in a pod. The male and female equivalent of one another.
He smoothed down his suit, and used the clear glass of sparkling water in his hand to look at his reflection. He looked sharp and handsome as ever, at least according to his mama. Or as handsome as a gangly fourteen year old could get. Although his wild curls were slicked back to perfection for once, giving him a whole new look.
"What's going on, anyways?" Sasha asked, smoothing down her black dress. She'd traded her usual low bun, for a looser look of curls resting down her shoulders.
"I told you, daddy is hosting a party for his new co-owner at the firm. It's not 'Harrison' anymore, it's 'Harrison and Hawthorne'", Andrea huffed, flipping her blonde hair.
"My mama made me wear my best dress," Maggie beamed, spinning around, "I wish Glenn was here tonight, he would've loved this party."
"You mean he would've loved that pretty 'lil green thang you're wearing," Shane winked, "Looking like Poison Ivy and shit."
Andrea scoffed, "God, you're becoming worse than Abe."
"What? You jealous?"
"Of you? Pfft, please."
"Are you sure your daddy is okay with us being here, Andrea?" Rick asked, tugging at his blue tie.
"Daddy likes you, Rick. He says you're a good church boy, Glenn too. It's just the ginger, Daryl, and Shane he doesn't like."
"Hey! Daryl ain't even that bad," Sasha defended.
"Awe, now I thought you put in a good word for me," Shane smirked.
"I'm not a liar," Andrea scoffed. She waved her hand, and led the five of them into the courtyard of her Spanish villa.
It was a unique sight when passing by King county. In comparison to the small town's rural appearance, her estate looked like a castle. It was even grander than the city hall itself.
The aroma of food wafted through the air, making the group of teenagers' mouths water. Whatever they were cooking, was definitely not something that could be found at the local diner or steakhouse.
"You live like this, 'Drea?" Sasha asked in awe.
"And I thought my daddy's farm was somethang'," Maggie squealed.
"Yeah, pretty much. Now. I expect all of you to be on your best behavior. Shane. No loud noises, no cussing, no horsing around, and no smoking or drinking," Andrea warned, "I mean it. We have our guests of honor here, and we want to make a good impression."
"Who?" Rick asked, tilting his head.
"Have you guys been listening to me for the last few weeks at all? The Hawthornes! Charles Hawthorne is the new co-owner of the firm alongside my father!"
"Wait, Hawthorne? That fancy lawyer from Atlanta, right?"
"Yeah! And that girl I was telling you guys about, Michonne Hawthorne."
"Wait, that's the girl you're friends with! The one you always talk about at your fancy summer camp," Maggie smiled.
"Finally! At least some people pay attention," Andrea sighed, "She's supposed to be here, but I haven't seen her."
"She hot?" Shane asked, combing his gelled hair back with his fingers.
"Stop brushing your hair, idiot. And yes, she's very pretty."
"Save it, Shane. Ain't no uptight city girl gonna deal with your country ass," Sasha laughed.
"Look at Drea," he smiled, "I gotta her wrapped around my finger, and my-"
"Andrea," a deep male voice called out, interrupting Shane's lewd speech.
"Daddy!" Andrea ran to her father, and gave him a blinding smile. Gene Harrison was a distinguished man, confident in every word he spoke. His slicked back sliver hair, spectacles, and dark suits gave him the appearance of a mobster rather than a lawyer. And based on who his daughter chose to hang around, he didn't mind that presumption.
He owned the only law firm in the county, and made a great deal of money investing in the King county government when business got slow. He was a very respected man, influencing the country and even city folk from Atlanta.
"Nice to see you again, Gene," Shane grinned, holding out his hand, which was covered in hair grease from his brushing.
Gene glared at him and is blatant disrespect, and snarled, "Wash your hands before touching anything, boy."
"That include your daughter-?" Rick elbowed Shane's ribs, and gave the older man a tense smile, "I'm sorry about his behavior, sir."
"Hm. Rick Grimes. Tell your mother that Gladys enjoyed that carrot cake she made at church."
"Yes, sir. I'll make sure Mrs. Harrison gets another one as soon as I let her know."
"Good. Good. Maggie. Sasha. How are you girls liking the party?" Gene's eyes softened at the two girls, in comparison to their male friends. He'd always been fond of the two ever since they befriended his daughter as kids, despite Andrea displaying rotten behavior as a child.
"It's absolutely beautiful, Mr. Harrison!" Maggie beamed.
"It's a sight to see," Sasha added.
"There's food and drink all over if you girls get hungry, alright? Andrea. Do you know where Michonne went? Charles is looking for her, he thinks maybe you've see her somewhere."
Andrea shook her head, "I haven't. Have you asked Siddiq?"
"He couldn't attend tonight. Well then, I trust you can find her. She seems to take a liking to you for whatever reason," Gene said in all seriousness.
Shane snickered, while Andrea glared at him. Rick noticed a tall dark-skinned man walking around with a confident stride in his step. He looked as though he was searching for someone, but still displayed charisma and patience to those who stopped him for a conversation.
"That must be Charles Hawthorne," the teenager thought, wiping his sweaty palms on his suit.
"Rick," he was startled out of his thoughts, as Gene stared directly at him, "I'll hold you to the promise of the carrot cake, son."
"Of course, sir," Rick nodded.
Gene gave the group one last stern glance, and walked off to host his party.
"He's still got a stick up his ass after all these years, huh?" Shane chuckled.
"You crashed your bike into his mustang," Maggie stated, "Last year."
"I said sorry! And I paid off the repairs!!"
"No, Shane. My daddy did."
"I earned a good grand for that son of a bitch."
"Shane," Andrea said sternly, "You all go enjoy yourselves. I'm gonna go look for Michonne. I'll introduce her to you guys when I find her."
"Hopefully she'll tell us what them girls be up to in them summer camps," Shane grinned, wrapping his arm around Rick's shoulder.
"Relax, playboy," Rick chuckled, "I think I see a booze station over there."
Shane didn't even bother waiting for Rick, as he dashed off to find the liquor. Rick smiled, and walked off to explore the party.
Rick had only been to the Harrison's home a few times with his mama, but he'd never been out in the grand courtyard before, let alone a formal ceremony.
He had garnered some attention from the older female guests, as they giggled amongst themselves when he smiled at them out of courtesy. His mama wasn't lying about him looking good.
Rick headed over to the long white tables containing silver platters of finger food, and picked up a cucumber sandwich. It was surprisingly not as good as the ones his mama made, but damn near close. He picked up a few more, and stuffed his face with the snacks.
"Careful, you might choke," a sweet and smooth voice warned. Rick looked up, and nearly choked on the food in his mouth out of sheer embarrassment.
A dark-skinned girl around his age stood with her arms crossed, while staring at Rick in amusement. Her almond brown eyes sparkled under the lanterns that shone right above them, and slightly widened as she continued analyzing the boy's face.
"You have a little-" she motioned towards her mouth, before grabbing a handkerchief out of her little black purse. She shyly looked at Rick's frozen face, and wiped the mayo off of the corner of his lips. His face was beet red from the sudden touch of a pretty girl.
"Sorry," she smiled, "You don't look like you go to places like this often."
Rick's cheeks burned, as he swallowed the last of the sandwiches in his mouth, "I- I'm Rick Grimes."
The girl paused, before laughing, "Rick Grimes, you shovel three sandwiches down your throat often? Or is that just a one time thing?"
"I'm sorry, my mama didn't teach me to have ill manners like that."
"Please, don't be. Come on, walk with me. Oh, and bring that whole platter. I'm kind of hungry."
"Am I allowed to? It's just there for display? Or...?" Rick nervously asked, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Trust me, they won't miss it," she winked. Rick swore he felt his heart skip a beat while she tugged on the sleeve of his jacket.
While following after her, he noticed Maggie and Sasha sitting near the orchestra band. They both did a double take at their shy friend walking by, with a pretty girl on his arm. Maggie gave him a knowing smile, and Sasha raised an interested eyebrow. Rick knew he would never hear the end of it.
"So let me get this straight, Shane crashes into Mr. Harrison's car, pays off half his debt, and then crashes into it again?" The girl giggled, holding her stomach.
"That ain't even the whole thang'", Rick smiled, taking a sip from a beer the two had snagged discreetly, "He got caught in his daughter's bedroom too."
"Shut up!"
"Mhm, I don't know how in the Lord's name Gene doesn't hate me as well, considering I'm the retard's best friend and all. Thank goodness for cake."
"Now you gotta let me try some of your mama's famous desserts. With the way you make it sound, it sounds like a great deal to me."
"Amazin'," Rick tilted his head, and further looked at the girl. Her pale pink dress contrasted greatly from her umber skin, and brought out the ivory shine from her beaming smile.
It wasn't often that Rick was stunned by a beautiful girl, especially a girl so close to him. There was something calming yet strangely unsettling about the way she stared at him. Like she had a great deal of intriguing mystery behind her. Rick was curious to know more, as much as he could.
"So, you're not from around here, are you?" He cautiously asked.
She smiled, "Is it obvious?"
"You're a city girl all in all. I ain't ever met no girl like you before."
"How so?"
Rick blushed, "You're so sure of yourself. And you got money written all over you."
"Are you gonna use me and our new acquaintanceship as an opportunity for a piggy bank?" The girl asked, narrowing her doe eyes.
Rick's irises dilated even more, "N-no! I don't mean it like that!!"
She chuckled, using her fingers to splash water on him from the fountain they sat next to, "Relax, country boy. I'm just messing with ya'."
"I got a weak heart, city girl," he muttered softly, looking at her through his lashes.
The girl smiled shyly, and plucked a daisy from the grass, "You live around here, Rick?"
"Yeah, I'm a few blocks away. My house ain't as grand though," he joked.
She nodded, and starting tearing off the soft fleshy petals. Rick furrowed his eyebrows, and snatched the flower from her hand.
"Uh?" She looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and tilted her head, "You a vegan or something?"
"The hell is a vegan? No, why are you ripping the flower like that?"
"Is it against the law, Officer Friendly?"
Rick bit back a smile, as the bitter aftertaste of beer burned his tongue, and the inevitable buzz of drunken confidence coursed through his veins.
He leaned in closer to her, and carefully put the stem of the flower through her thick hair. The head of the plant sticking out directly above her ear.
"Why destroy something so beautiful?" He whispered, his lips brushing the outer shell of her ear. He leaned back, to see her eyes widened in shock. Rick felt a sense of pride swell in his chest.
Unbeknownst to him, she felt as if her heart was going a million miles per second. A single glance, and she was pulled into this unbreakable spell of getting lost in his azure irises.
Before she could utter a single word, an annoying voice interrupted their moment while calling out his name.
Rick cursed Andrea, as her increasingly irritating presence neared him. To make matters worse, she wasn't alone. The rest of his friends, plus the dark-skinned man from earlier;Charles Hawthorne, and Gene were to following closely behind.
"Rick? You found her! Michonne!!" Andrea waved, jogging up to the pair.
"Michonne?" Rick asked, looking back and forth from his friend and the beauty, "Michonne Hawthorne?"
"'Drea," Michonne squealed, throwing her arms around the blonde, as they spun around in a tight embrace, "I haven't seen you all night."
"You can say that again, I was looking all over for you," Andrea smiled, "I see you met Rick."
Michonne looked at the boy, and smiled, "He's sweet. He's your friend?"
"Mhm! Rick, how do you like Michonne? You gotta remember all those stories I told everyone about us in summer camp, right?"
Suddenly feeling nervous, Rick gulped, "Yeah."
"Michonne," a stern voice boomed. Everyone's head turned towards Charles Hawthorne nearing his daughter.
"Father," Michonne responded, locking into a more neutral emotion.
"Where were you? I thought I told you to stick closely to me or Andrea if anything. Didn't I tell you not to run off?"
"Yes, father. I'm sorry," she apologized, "I was just distracted by the ambiance of the festivities."
"Your safety is your priority, girl."
"Mr. Hawthorne? Rick was with her the whole time, I can assure you she's safe with him," Andrea said, pointing to Rick. Both Michonne and Rick gave the blonde a cold glare, and avoided eye contact with the tall man.
"Is that so?" Charles glared, burning a hole into Rick's skull with just his gaze.
"Charlie. He's a good boy," Gene defended, "Michonne is more than safe with a good church boy like him."
"Mhm," Charles grunted, seemingly unconvinced at the words defending the teenage grunt sniffing around his daughter. "'Chonne, I have some people I would like you to meet," he walked off, not bothering to check if she was following him.
Michonne's ears were burning, as she felt twelve pair of eyes on her. Nodding her head, she got up from the fountain, and followed her father. She gave Rick a discreet glance, and lifted the corners of her full lips up for a small smile.
Rick blushed for about the eightieth time that evening, as he watched her walking away. He was completely mesmerized by the gentle swaying of her hips.
As if he had a sixth sense, her father abruptly turned around and glared harshly at Rick. The boy ducked his head, and pretended to be throughly interested in his hands.
"If you're thinking about it, save it," Andrea shrugged, "There's no way you have a chance with him around."
"Geez, 'Drea," Maggie scolded, walking away back to the party. Sasha just shook her head, as she gave Rick a thumbs up, and followed Maggie's lead.
Gene chuckled, as he witnessed the blossoming moment of young love. He took it as his cue to leave as well. All there was left by the water fountain, was Rick, Andrea, and Shane.
"I'm sorry, Rick. It's not gonna end well if you pursue it. As adorable as it may be, Charles isn't a force to be reckoned with," Andrea smiled sadly.
"It's not like she's stayin' anyway," Shane said, trying to reassure his best friend.
"I didn't tell you? Michonne is staying here. Her and her daddy moved from Atlanta to King county. She'll be sticking with us."
Rick didn't know if he wanted to rejoice or shrink into a dark hole. How was he going to act normal around her now? That sudden burst of confidence was mainly due to the reassurance of him never seeing her again after that night just in case his flirting backfired. How was he supposed to... exist? Especially with assholes like Shane and Abraham every step of the way.
Andrea took his silence as acceptance, and skipped off to find Michonne and the rest of the girls.
Shane's lips curled up into a smile, as he clapped Rick on the back, "You got yourself a pretty 'lil thang' there, Ricky. Your mama's gonna be mighty happy when she notices your socks ain't as dirty as before," he laughed.
"Man, shut the fuck up," Rick scoffed, shoving Shane's arm. He smiled as he thought about Michonne, and the supple skin he gently touched, while he put that daisy in her hair.
"C'mon, I don't wanna miss my 'pretty 'lil thang" before the night is over," he smiled, getting up, and walking to the entrance of the courtyard.
"'Atta boy!" Shane proudly exclaimed, following after his best friend.
Author's Note: Hi! I had a desire to write for the meeting of young Richonne, and came up with this lil prompt of how I think it would go. By the way, this story is in the same universe of my 'Blue Lagoon' story, but it can be read as a stand-alone as well. I thought maybe since I did drop some mentions of them knowing one another even as kids/teens, maybe I could write a cute short prompt :). Anyway I might write about their first date in Ricks truck as well if I get anymore ideas. Also TF having a heavy country accent? That's so cute to me lmaooo. Especially young Rickkkk I think that's so damn cute. But sorry I'd mess the southern dialogue up, I'm from the west coast so Im not exactly an expert in dialects. Leave reviews and comments if you can, thanks for reading! -Starlight