Man with the Bat || a Negan novel

Chapter 15: Fighting Feelings

The truck rolled to a stop with an ear splintering squeal of the brakes. Parked in the exact place it was parked a week ago, oh how quickly things changed over time. Negan hopped out of the truck, his boots smacking against the rough pavement.

"Ahh" he sighed, glancing around the area, "Home sweet home, aye Mia?"

And it was.

As soon as we arrived, I was overwhelmed with this sense of security and familiarity. The same green trees, the same pastel colored houses, the same winding streets. It all felt so welcoming. The only thing I was more eager to see was the people who made this place feel like a home.

Carl hopped out of the truck next, leaving just me who hadn't yet gotten out. Negan turned towards me, offering his hand out as usual to help me out. I took it without realizing it, it had become like instinct to me now. But I couldn't ignore the look on Carl's face when I did so. Not only did he look appalled, he looked plain annoyed.

Giving me a look as if to say, "You'd honestly take the hand of our enemy Mia?"

But I shook it off, and walked past Negan. It was quiet, oddly quiet.

"Let's go check your home for daddy-o, shall we?" Negan clasps his hand onto Carl's shoulder, leading him in the direction of his own house. Rather than follow them, my feet remain stagnant as I glance around Alexandria. My heart was beating against my chest, knowing that I was going to see Rick again. But, when, how?

More importantly...how did I feel about him now? Sure, it had only been about a week since I saw him last. But things had changed since then. Now I knew for sure Negan was invested in me...but was the feeling mutual? I had come to terms with myself that yes, Negan was highly attractive. At times he was a pathological maniac and yeah, he killed two of my best friends. At the beginning I told myself over and over, this man was evil. Just a plain ol' malicious man.

But how come every time I glanced at him to find him staring at me, butterflies fluttered in my stomach. How come I couldn't help but smirk when he referred to me as his.  How come I witnessed all the horrible, inhumane actions he initiated, like the ironing on Nigel, but yet I didn't flinch when he touched me? Why was that? Did I have feelings for him? Or was it all in my head?

"Mia" his strong voice called, snapping me from my thoughts.

Negan and Carl were a ways down the road now, but Negan had stopped in his tracks to turn back to me.

"Ya comin' sweetheart?" he hollers to me, my heart giving way at his cute name calling again.

I nodded, beginning the walk towards them. When I finally caught up with them, we were already in front of Carl's and Rick's house.

"Looking forward to my little reunion with Rick" Negan smiles, deviously at Carl.

You and me both.

Negan pranced up the steps, Carl and I in tow. He pauses in front of the door, knocking authoritatively on the oak. Only a few seconds tick by before Olivia pulls open the door, her face conforming to horror as she sees Negan. He smiles, whistling his way past her and entering the house.

"Mia" she gasps, and I smile at her in response, "We all thought you would be dead by-."

"Great, great, great, great, great, great!" Negan admires the house, myself smirking at his overzealous ways. He abruptly turns to Olivia, "Where's Rick?"

"Uh, I - I'm just -" she stutters from nerves, as Negan sighs, rolling his eyes at her.

"Don't care" he sing-songs, "Where's Rick?"