Choices [ENG]

12.

The next day, I wake up more relaxed than usual. I look at my watch: it's 6 am.
I slept less than 5 hours and I'm not even fully rested, but last night was truly unforgettable. I sit up in bed and see Ashley turn to the center of the room and open her eyes.

"Good morning!" she says stretching.

"Good morning? Is that the only thing you can tell me after the placing two days ago? We haven't had a chance to talk about it yet ..." I say. Ashley snorts. "Do you really want to talk about it now?" she asks. "Yes" I reply, undeterred.

Ashley sits up, straightens her hair, and after rubbing her eyes, looks into my face. "Listen, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have but this is the only way I can get noticed ..." she says without believing it either. "You don't need to be a bitch to make friends ..." I reply. "In fact, you should do the opposite but I'm sure you know better than I do. What's the real reason you said those things?" I ask resting my elbows on my knees.

Ashley looks around and then with an embarrassed look, she starts talking. "I just got some bad news ..." she says. "What is it?" I ask, tilting my head. "My group, the one I've spent the last two years with, have been found killed near an outpost. I told Tommy that to recognize them all he needed to do was identify people with yellow armbands, and they found a group of infected. in an abandoned house with one of these, "she says pulling a yellowish band out of his backpack with an A engraved on it.

"They're all dead, they didn't make it. I'm alone now," she says, her voice cut by tears.

I sit next to her and hold her tightly in my arms. "You are not alone, Ashley. There is me, there is all Jackson ..." I also say a little touched. "I'm sorry for how I behaved, I'm so sorry" she says now lost in desperate tears. I don't understand why she didn't tell me about it before since it's something that makes her feel so bad. "I want to apologize to your friends, I didn't want to do it ..." she continues between sobs. I make her turn her face towards me. "Ashley, you will have plenty of time to apologize but now you don't have to worry about it. Now let off steam, cry and then let's go have breakfast together" I say hinting a smile. "Okay?" I ask. She nods, wiping the tears from her face. I kiss her on the cheek without thinking about it. "Thanks Charlie" she says, blushing.

We arrive in the canteen and sit at a table by the sun. We talk about this and that, trying to avoid the topic that could make her cry again. Suddenly, Joel joins our table. "Hi Charlie," he says dryly and strangely cold: he has never addressed me like this. "Joel, hello" I reply already on the defensive. "There will be an urgent meeting at the new barn in 10 minutes," he says. "Do I need to worry?" I ask. "You should tell us this ..." he says with a piercing look. Sigh. "Okay, see you soon," I say. "Bring her too," he says turning to Ashley, before walking away. A shiver runs down my spine and my stomach closes immediately. I don't eat anything anymore but I at least wait for Ashley to finish.

I open the door of the new barn and I find myself in front of a lot of people, including several completely unknown faces. I see to the right Ellie, Dina, Jesse, Glenn, Alison Austin and Nick looking around suspiciously. We get closer to them. "Oh Charlie, finally!" Nick exclaims that nervousness is eating the cuticles around his nails. "What happens?" I ask anxiously but trying to contain it as much as possible.

"Maria has to tell us something" Glenn says worriedly. "Do you think we've already found out?" I ask almost in a whisper.

"Good morning!" Maria exclaims in her usual cold and detached tone. Everyone present turns to her. Maria is standing on a chair so that she is superior to everyone else.

Beside her, like two hit men, are Tommy and Joel, also very serious.

"Last night I had left my office in order as every day but then this morning, I found not only the facade smeared with a fire red and a sign that called me a bitch, but all the documents of more than 20 years scattered throughout my office "she explains. "I don't care how the manager or managers got in considering that there is only a copy of the key to my office, and that I keep it in custody all night on my bedside table, but more than anything else I care WHO but above all WHY ! If this is a joke just to get attention, I assure you that you are in the wrong way! "She screams angrily.