The Great War, Carl Grimes

𝟬𝟮𝟰 you drew stars around my scars

   "We're gonna need another setting," Negan informed Melanie.

   Melanie furrowed her brows until she realized that Negan wanted Rick to be joining them. Melanie got the extra setting and placed it on the table. Olivia came over carrying a sleeping Judith and a pitcher of lemonade. She poured some for Negan, looking angry and scared about it. Negan happily took a sip and Melanie sighed, wondering when the nightmare would be over. She was also seriously starting to regret going with Carl to see Negan. She wished she had tried harder to stop him.

   When everything was set up, they all took a seat at the table. Judith was still fast asleep in Olivia's arms and Melanie envied her for not having to see the evil in front of her. Melanie sat beside Carl at the table in silence as they waited for Rick. Melanie was hoping that Rick would get back soon as she was not looking forward to hanging out with Negan for hours.

   Negan waited for a good twenty minutes before deciding he didn't want to wait for Rick anymore. Melanie watched as Negan got angrier and angrier before finally deciding, "I'm not waiting for your dad anymore. I don't know where the hell he is, but Lucille..." Negan picked Lucille up and placed the bat in Rick's chair. "... is hungry."

   Negan placed a napkin in his shirt before looking at the rolls, "Carl, pass the rolls." Carl just stared at him until Negan raised his eyebrows. "Please."

   Carl sighed angrily and grabbed the rolls, passing them to Negan. The awkward family dinner started and Melanie hated every single second of it. Melanie didn't want to eat as her body was too busy focusing on her anxiety to be hungry but Negan had forced everyone to eat. So, Melanie grabbed some spaghetti and a roll and started to eat. The spaghetti was surprisingly good but Melanie wasn't about to compliment Negan. They ate in silence as Negan praised his own cooking. Melanie kept trying to look at Carl but he wouldn't look at her. Melanie looked at Olivia, sensing that she was incredibly nervous. Melanie felt the same way but she couldn't show it. She couldn't give Negan the satisfaction so she shut up and ate her food as they waited for Rick.

🥀🖤

   As Negan continued to wait for Rick, Spencer had come to talk to him. They grabbed a pool table and started a game. Melanie, Carl, and Olivia watched from the porch as they started to play, everyone gathering around. Margot watched from her porch as well, keeping an eye on Melanie. Some Alexandrians and some Saviors stood around, watching it all go down. Melanie rubbed her wrists, very nervous about what was going to happen. She had a very bad feeling about all of it and Carl still wasn't talking or looking at her, so she couldn't just talk to him to calm her anxiety. But Melanie was starting to grow sick and tired of Carl ignoring her especially when she did nothing to deserve it. She wanted to talk to him even if he didn't talk back. She wanted to know why he was acting that way and she wanted him to know that she didn't care what he looked like. She knew that was what he needed to hear.

   One of the Saviors racked the balls as Negan and Spencer chalked up their pool sticks. Melanie didn't know why Spencer was playing pool with Negan after everything he had done but she wasn't questioning it. She just hoped Rick would get back soon.

   "I could never do this with Rick!" Negan explained as the balls got racked. "He would just be standing there, scowling, giving me that annoying side-eye he gives me."

   "That's actually what I came to see you about," Spencer explained. "I wanna talk to you about Rick."

   Negan was the one to break after he chalked up his pool stick. Melanie had to admit it was a good break, the balls spread around the table nicely and Negan even got one of the balls in from the break, "Okay. Talk to me, Spencer. Talk to me about Rick."