Status: Unpaused!
The "Z" Word
Denial
The nights were getting chilly, and, not having central heating and air, due to it being an old house, they had to keep a fire going in the fireplace. The sun was starting to set and Daryl was outside chopping wood for the fire. Slater sat at the kitchen table, a cup of what was now warm chocolate in her hands. Paulo stood at the stove cooking dinner. Lori, Carol, and Rick were also outside with the kids, and everyone else was gathered in the living room talking. Slater watched Daryl out the window, his arms shined with sweat from the job of cutting wood. She didn't realize that she had been staring at him for awhile, watching the muscles in his arms as he worked, which wasn't hard to do since it seemed that all of his shirts had the sleeves ripped off.
"Slater!" her dad's voice broke into her thoughts. It was obvious that she hadn't been paying any attention since he had practically shouted her name, plus, he didn't use his little nickname that he had used since she was a child. Slater turned to face her father, and he put off telling her what he had previously been trying to tell her. Instead, he asked, "You like him, don't you?" He nodded towards the window and she knew he was talking about Daryl.
She shook her head, "No, he just fascinates me."
"So, you like him?"
"Not at all. I find him to be rude and annoying. Always showing up from out of nowhere and asking too many questions. I'm starting to wonder if I should have shot him before I told him to give me a reason not to."
Paulo chuckled, he was used to this kind of behavior from Slater. She was in denial.
"What did he do to get under your skin?"
"Why would I tell you? You're my father."
He sighed and sat down next to her, "Exactly. I would hope that you'd be willing to tell me anything that you wanted to talk about."
"What if I don't want to talk about?"
"You're in denial, anjo, I've seen you act this way before. Remember Davey when you were seven?"
Slater rolled her eyes as she remembered the goalie from the soccer team she was on as a child. She'd had the biggest crush on him, but had refused to admit it to anyone. "I never admitted that I liked him."
"But it was obvious, anjo, and it's obvious now. It's because he's different, isn't it?"
"Okay, I might find him somewhat attractive, but that doesn't mean anything."
Paulo chuckled, "Why don't you go tell everyone dinner's ready?"
Slater nodded and rose from the table to do as she was asked. Paulo was right, and she hated that he was right. She did have a crush on Daryl, but that didn't mean she was going to act on it, unlike him. In fact, she preferred to just turn his attentions away altogether, even if it meant ignoring him completely. Besides, if she opened up and let him in, then what if she lost him to the infection? She'd be heartbroken. And if that didn't happen, there was always the possibility of them breaking up, and that was likely to be nasty.
She thought about what Andrea said about having someone there to feel comforted. Perhaps Daryl could help her with that, without too many emotions being involved.
"Slater!" her dad's voice broke into her thoughts. It was obvious that she hadn't been paying any attention since he had practically shouted her name, plus, he didn't use his little nickname that he had used since she was a child. Slater turned to face her father, and he put off telling her what he had previously been trying to tell her. Instead, he asked, "You like him, don't you?" He nodded towards the window and she knew he was talking about Daryl.
She shook her head, "No, he just fascinates me."
"So, you like him?"
"Not at all. I find him to be rude and annoying. Always showing up from out of nowhere and asking too many questions. I'm starting to wonder if I should have shot him before I told him to give me a reason not to."
Paulo chuckled, he was used to this kind of behavior from Slater. She was in denial.
"What did he do to get under your skin?"
"Why would I tell you? You're my father."
He sighed and sat down next to her, "Exactly. I would hope that you'd be willing to tell me anything that you wanted to talk about."
"What if I don't want to talk about?"
"You're in denial, anjo, I've seen you act this way before. Remember Davey when you were seven?"
Slater rolled her eyes as she remembered the goalie from the soccer team she was on as a child. She'd had the biggest crush on him, but had refused to admit it to anyone. "I never admitted that I liked him."
"But it was obvious, anjo, and it's obvious now. It's because he's different, isn't it?"
"Okay, I might find him somewhat attractive, but that doesn't mean anything."
Paulo chuckled, "Why don't you go tell everyone dinner's ready?"
Slater nodded and rose from the table to do as she was asked. Paulo was right, and she hated that he was right. She did have a crush on Daryl, but that didn't mean she was going to act on it, unlike him. In fact, she preferred to just turn his attentions away altogether, even if it meant ignoring him completely. Besides, if she opened up and let him in, then what if she lost him to the infection? She'd be heartbroken. And if that didn't happen, there was always the possibility of them breaking up, and that was likely to be nasty.
She thought about what Andrea said about having someone there to feel comforted. Perhaps Daryl could help her with that, without too many emotions being involved.