The Apocalypse: The First Year

Small Sacrifices

"I'm sorry." She says. "I don't know what came over me." She adds quickly, moving a bit away from me.

"Don't be." I shake my head as she glances at me.

"I am though. I overstepped my-"

"You didn't do anything I didn't want you to." I cut her off. She smiles and looks down at the ground. I think she is the first time I've ever seen shed her cocky and confident demeanor.

"I'm surprised your parents let you out of their sight. If you were my daughter, after losing you I wouldn't ever again." She shakes her head.

"It took a lot of convincing." I smile. "I told them that the entire time they were gone, Glen and I have been taking care of ourselves. No need for it to change." I shrug.

"You're not excited?" She asks a bit confused.

"I am." I nod. "I love my parents and I'm glad they're back but I don't want things to go back to to the way they were before the virus."

"Why not?" Ashley questions.

"My dad was a bit of a control freak, remember?" I say with a smile and she nods.

"Only because he loves you so much." She says.

"Loves to tell me what to do?" I counter.

"Maybe." She smiles.

"Let's head out." Glen says coming out of the house, walking past us.

"Good stuff?" I ask as we follow behind him and everyone else exits the house behind us.

"Tons." Aiden smiles and tosses Ashley a bag.

"What's this?" She turns and asks him.

"That stuff." He says with narrowed eyes at her, all cryptic like.

Ashley peeks into the bag and says a quick 'oh' before closing it back up and throwing it over her shoulder. She gives me a small smile before turning her attention in front of us. I contemplate asking her what's in the bag but I decide against being nosy right now cause there's a shitload of walkers ahead of us.

"Shit!" Tim half yells. "Can we have just one good day?" He asks and I know it's rhetorical but I answer it anyway.

"And miss out on all this zombie fun? Really Tim?" I say and he just laughs and shakes his head at me.

"Let's break left." Aiden says.

"What play you calling, wait is this an audible?" Ashley turns and asks her friend with a grin.

Smart, sexy, handy and funny.

Waaaaaaaay too much for me to handle right now. And I let out an involuntary moan.

I swear I didn't mean to.

"Spencer you okay over there?" Glen asks with a smirk. I really wanna punch him in the face right now. I look at Ashley and she smiles before looking down.

"Go to hell." I say jumping up and hitting him.

"Why did you just jump to punch him?" Ashley questions through giggles.

"Mortal combat shit." Is my reply.

"Oh my God, I loved that game!" Ashley exclaims.

"You know sometimes I forget you guys are all teenagers." Tim says shaking his head.

"If we're done with that, can we run from those walkers headed this way now?" Carmen asks with a smile.

"Annnnnnnd break." Aiden, Ashley, Glen and I all say clapping our hands together then taking off in the direction Aiden suggested. It's like we've all been friends forever.