𝐀𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐃 || 𝖈𝖆𝖗𝖑 𝖌𝖗𝖎𝖒𝖊𝖘

005: grief

  Rosalie was lost in thought, her fingers absentmindedly fidgeting with her mother's necklace that was tied around her neck as she remembered back to before the outbreak when she would sit on her windowsill every morning, watching the sun rise with her favourite music blaring into her ears. She could feel the warmth of the sun on her face, twirling the necklace around her fingers, caught up in the memories that it provoked.

Rosalie suddenly felt a brush against her bare arms, causing her to flinch away from it. A loud gasp left her throat as she clenched her fists in shock, ready to swing. She slowly turned her head to the right, looking over to see Liam, sitting next to her, one leg crossed with the other on top, his hands resting against his legs.

Liam let out a low chuckle at the girl's reaction, playfully putting his hands up as he smiled, his lips curling upwards into a lopsided grin. Rosalie couldn't help but laugh herself as she took off her headphones, leaving them to rest on her neck. She stopped her music, the smile still evident on her face.

"Hi, Carrot-Top!" He greeted, as a light giggle left Rosalie's mouth. She pretended to hate the nickname, but in reality, she enjoyed being called it — it helped her feel more normal, more human.

  "Hey, dickface." She jokingly retaliated with a playful grin spreading across her face, her eyes sparkling with mischievous delight. Liam joined in on the playful banter, gently shoving her shoulder with a grin of his own. The two of them erupted into a fit of laughter, the sound echoing against the walls.

  "What are you doing up here? Isn't it dangerous?" A single eyebrow arched on Liam's forehead as he questioned her, "If Daryl finds out you're up here, he'll kill the both of us." The girl merely shrugged as she returned his gaze with a playful glint in her eye.

  "Oh well, it's calm up here." She murmured, her voice soft as she gazed into the sunrise. She smiled at the older teenager, her lips curling into a playful grin. "He can try and kill me if he wants, I'll just chop his dick off whilst he's sleeping." The girl let out a small laugh, her eyes crinkling up in amusement. Liam wore a jokingly surprised expression on his face as he smiled at the girl.

Liam's playful response was immediate, his tone lighthearted and teasing. "Daryl sleeps?!" he joked, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he pulled up his other leg and wrapped his arms around his knees. He began to tap his feet against the roof, filling the air around them with the beats to one of Liam's favourite songs.

  "Yeah — he snores too." Rosalie grinned ear to ear, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, away from her face in a graceful motion, "Really loud too." She added, widening her eyes in emphasis.

Liam chuckled in response, a soft sound that filled the air between them. "Somehow, that makes sense," he joked, nodding his head gently. A comfortable silence settled between them, the lack of words not awkward but instead soothing. Rosalie felt at ease in Liam's presence, his existence alone providing her with a sense of comfort.

  Liam's voice broke the silence, his friendly tone filled with concern. "You okay? You look... lost," He asked, a gentle smile gracing his lips.

  Rosalie tried to sound convincing, but Liam knew her too well to believe her. "Me? I'm fine!" she said, her voice laced with a hint of defensiveness. Despite her words, Liam could tell that something was bothering her.

  "Rose— " He started, but before he could say much, Rosalie interrupted him by speaking loudly over his voice. It was clear to Liam that she was struggling with something.

  "I'm fine, I promise. I was just thinking about... before, y'know?" Rosalie's voice was quiet and slow, just above a whisper, as she began to open up to Liam, "I just miss my mum, not so much my dad, though."