Atlas || carl grimes a.u.

0.4 - in trouble

"I hope you know I didn't need you protecting me." Carl spoke up while looking at me.

He had an ice pack on his eye while we waited for them to talk to us. They're currently talking to Ron and his mom.

"I wasn't trying to protect you, I was trying to get you two to stop before it got worse." I explained to him.

"Well, I can handle myself." He tried to tell me which made me scoff.

"It looked like you were getting your ass beat." I lean my head against the wall.

It was silent for a moment. "You've been here for what, a little over a week and you think you know me?" I raise my head and turn my body to him.

"I know you're angry and you're scared to let people in." I could see him shift in his seat.

"You don't know anything." He spoke. Before I could say anything, Rosita busted into the office.

Her eyes scanned the room as she looked for me. When her eyes land on me, she rushes over.

"You're not hurt are you? You didn't hit her did you?" She asked Carl sternly. I felt the need to defend him even though he's an ass.

"No one hit me, I'm fine Rosita. I just broke it up so I don't even know why I'm here." I complain.

She stares at me for a moment and looks over at Carl. "She's telling the truth. She broke it up." Carl defended me.

She sighs as she looks at me. Before she could say anything, I saw Carl's dad walk in wearing his police uniform.

"Carl, what the hell were you thinking?" His dad spoke sternly. I made sure to avoid looking at him.

"He's been pissing me off all year." Carl defended himself. "So you get into a fight?" His dad argued with him.

I wanted to defend Carl but it wasn't my place. I feel bad for Carl right now. I know I shouldn't but I can't help but speak up.

"He didn't start it." His dad looks over at me. Carl does the same thing and looks at me.

His dad stared at me for a moment. "Who are you?" I gulped from feeling a little intimated.

"Vanessa Espinosa. My sister and I just moved here." I pointed at her causing Carl and his dad to look.

"Carl and I have a few classes with each other. I saw the whole thing and Ron instigated the whole thing." I explained.

I looked at Carl to see he was looking at me a little softly. "Is she telling the truth?" Carl nodded his head at his father.

"I appreciate this information. I still wanna talk about this." A moment later, Ron walked out of the office with his mom.

He glared down at us two as he walked past. The principal asked to see Carl and his dad so Carl stood up and walked in.

I leaned my head back on the wall as we wait. "I don't understand why they need to talk to you." Rosita shook her head.

I just shrugged while we waited. I checked my phone to see the groupchat was blowing my phone up.

Enid was telling them what happened and Henry was complaining he missed it.

Fifteen minutes later, the two walked out causing me to stand up.

I start to head inside before Carl stops me. "Thanks for defending me." I smiled and nodded at him one time.

It didn't take as long for our principal to interrogate me. I just told her what I saw, and that Ron started the whole thing.

I did say Carl threw the first punch but Ron started it. I told her how I didn't see anyone join in so I went and broke it up.

"We did see the footage so I know you and Mr. Grimes are telling the truth." She had a British accent which surprised me.

I look at her name plate on her desk to see Yumiko Okumura. "I appreciate your honesty." She seemed serious, all business.

"Is she getting in trouble?" Rosita asked, speaking up. "No punishment for you. I just wanted to thank you for stepping in." She smiled.

She dismissed us causing us to stand up. As I was about to walk out, I turned to look over at her.

She was looking through some papers. "How long will Carl be suspended? The two of us have a project to do." I asked.

She debated on telling me but she softened up. "Three days." Great, it's Tuesday now so he'll be gone for the rest of the week.

"Thank you." She nods her head as I walk out with my sister. I'm just happy I wasn't in trouble.

When we get to the parking lot, I see Carl leaning against a car with his arms crossed.

"Hey, I'll meet you there in a second." I tell my sister. She nods and tells me to take my time.

He was leaning up against a Jeep Wrangler. "So, how much trouble are you in?" I ask while grabbing attention.

Carl looks up causing me to look at his already black eye.

"I'm pretty much on house arrest for the next week but that's fine with me." He tells me.

It was quiet for a moment. "Look, I just wanted to thank you for defending me." I'm surprised he's thanking me again.

"I would have done it either way." I laugh while folding my arms.

"You have been sorta a dick." He nods his head in agreement.

"Yeah, I guess you're right about what you said. About me being angry." I'm glad he's admitting to something.

We stand there for a moment. "I thought about your offer about doing the project at your house and I don't think that'll be a bad idea."

A small laugh escapes my lips. "I wonder why." The ends of his mouth curved up in a small smile while rolling his eyes.

I think this was the first smile I ever saw on him, and it didn't look bad on him either. "Don't make me regret this." He teased.

I wasn't used to this side of Carl, and I didn't know if I should be.

"Since you're on house arrest, I can come over and we can work on it together this week."

He nodded his head in agreement. "I just don't know where you live." He sighs as he pulls his phone out from his pocket.

We exchanged numbers and saved them. "I'll see you tomorrow then." I tell him as I start walking away.

He tells me bye as he gets into his car. I climb into the car as my sister looks at me.

"You ready, Nessa?" I nodded my head while buckling myself in. We head to the apartment as I update the groupchat.

I told them how Carl was suspended for three days and I didn't get in trouble at all.

As we walked into the apartment, my phone dinged signaling a text message. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and looked at it.

I looked to see it was Carl which surprised me. I couldn't help but laugh whenever I read it.

He said how he wanted a video of the fight so he could watch it.

I wonder if this is us becoming friends.