Beyond Terminus (Book Two)

Chapter 49: Old Fears

I open my eyes slowly, seeing Daryl getting out of bed. I yawn, stretching.

"Morning," I murmur.

He smiles. "Mornin' beautiful."

I sit up, smoothing the blankets on my lap. "Where are you off to?"

He looks down briefly. "Out."

I frown a little. "Well...ok. That wasn't vague at all."

I hop out of bed, we both get ready, and we walk to the door together.

"What'll you be doin' all day?" he asks, swinging his crossbow onto his back.

I smile. "I thought I'd train Buttons."

He nods. "Cool."

He turns to leave as I cross my arms. I trust Daryl completely, but I can't help but wonder where he's going and why he doesn't want me to know. I bite my lip, watching him head down the porch steps.

"I love you, Daryl," I call after him.

He looks back, smiling. "Love you too, Hope."

He disappears down the road. I hitch my jeans up higher on my hips, scratching my nose as I look at the waking town. I head down the steps and head to Buttons' pen, knowing that Elliot and Pete gave me the day off.

Buttons whinnies and gallops to meet me when I reach his pen. I stroke his velvety nose, chuckling.

"Hey, I missed you too," I say.

He snorts and snuffles my hair, to which I react with a laugh. I hop inside the fence, noticing a box nearby. Upon opening it, I find bits, stirrups, a saddle, and basically the essentials for horse care. I pull out a curry comb and various other brushes, cleaning Buttons' dirty coat. After a long while, his coat glistens and his mane is free of tangles.

I sigh, pushing my hair out of my eyes and patting his flank.

"I'll come back soon, alright? I'll bring you some rations."

He nickers softly, to which I smile. I hop out of his pen and head down the road, waving to people when they go by. I see Rick patrolling nearby, and I call out to him.

"Rick! Hey!"

He notices me, a small smile on his face. "Hey Hope."

"What're you up to?" I ask, hooking my thumbs in my belt loops.

He shrugs. "Constable stuff. You?"

"Things." I smirk. "Have you seen Daryl?"

"Nah. He might still be out with Carol."

My breath hitches in my throat and I swallow nervously. "Oh, thanks."

"I'll see you later, alright?" he asks.

"Yup," I respond, my voice airy.

He takes off. I urge my feet to move, my stomach churning. A sick feeling settles over me, one that I know isn't my morning sickness.

I had a boyfriend back in grade eleven. He asked me out, I said yes, we went on dates. It was a typical high school relationship, complete with the feelings of "he's the one". It ended badly, mainly because I caught him cheating with some girl from our school. After that, I steered clear of relationships.

I haven't thought about Bennett in ages. Now, the old memories race through my mind, reminding me of the heartbreak I went through.

He's honestly the reason I was so worried about Carol's obvious affections for Daryl. Bennett saw that other girl, Kelly, at soccer games. I never played sports, Bennett and Kelly did. I'm positive he started seeing her during soccer season, whenever I wasn't around. I don't like thinking about him.

Now, those same fears that I felt for so long around Carol resurface.

You need to stop, right now. Daryl wouldn't cheat on you, the softer side of my brain says.

Then again, the other side mentions, both him and Carol weren't around the other morning either. Plus you haven't heard anything about any sort of plan about what to do if this place goes to shit.

I swallow nervously, touching my forehead and scolding myself. My emotions are working on overdrive, meaning I'm not thinking straight.

The front gate rolls open as Carol and Daryl enter, side by side. My chest seizes up and I spin on my heel, not wanting to talk to either of them. I go back to Buttons' pen, wanting to take him for a ride.

Daryl's POV

I let out a long breath, keeping an eye out for Hope. She's probably still with Buttons.

Carol walks with me to the house, looking at me every now and then out of the corner of her eye.

"What's up? You seem...distressed," she comments.

I clench my jaw. "I hate lyin' to Hope like this."

She purses her lips a little. "It's better off for her not to know."

"That doesn't mean I won't worry. What if she catches on?"

"She won't."

"She's smart, Carol. She can read me like a book." I shrug my crossbow up on my shoulder, gripping the strap. "She'll figure out soon enough."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Live a little for now." She punches my arm playfully. "Same time tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

She walks away and I climb up on to the porch of my place, heading inside.

Hope's POV

I lean against the outside wall of my house, my hand over my mouth and my eyes wide.

"I hate lyin' to Hope like this."

"It's better off for her not to know."

"Same time tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

CHEATER! CHEATER! my mind screams. IT'S BENNETT ALL OVER AGAIN!

"No..." I mumble. "No, I don't want to believe it."

How can you not? It's staring you straight in the face!

I shake my head, clamping my hands over my ears. My conscience needs to shut the hell up.

But...everything they just said sounds so much like what I heard Bennett whispering to Kelly by the locker room. It was the championship soccer match and I had decided to come and cheer him on as a surprise.

"Hope's smart. She'll catch us," he whispered.

"We've been doing this for weeks. Why don't you just dump her already?" Kelly pouted, trailing her hand down his chest slowly.

"Well, I don't want to just dump her. It seems kind of heartless."

"She's gonna figure out. It's not like you like her anymore."

He smirked. "That's true. Come here, babe."

She grinned as his lips met hers, and I swear I felt my heart shatter into a million tiny shards.

But that was high school. Daryl is a full grown man! He has morals...he-

Shane and Lori? They cheated, I remind myself.

She thought Rick was dead! I retort.

But they still cheated.

I whimper and sink to the ground, hugging my knees.

Carol and I made peace. She said she wasn't interested in him romantically.

What if she only said that so I'd let my guard down? Would she stoop that low?

"I don't know what to think," I whisper to myself, burying my face in my knees.