𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝟐. carl grimes

11 - ENID

On our first night in Alexandria, Rick decided that we all should stay in one house, just to be safe. I don't complain, I've gotten used to being with all of them. It makes me feel more secure. We all pile up in the living room. Carl was sat on a chair by the table, with a comic book in his hands.

I sat next to him and opened my book, but not before making a comment. "Comic nerd."

"Book nerd." He remarks, making me roll my eyes at him playfully.

The house is pretty noisy since almost everyone is talking, but it's okay. We haven't been this cozy in a while, hearing them talk and some laugh is good to hear instead of rustling leaves and growling walkers.

"How long was I in there for?" I heard Michonne, making me look up. She looked clean, just like everyone else does. Well, except for Daryl. The damn redneck is too stubborn to shower and get comfortable.

"20 minutes." Rick answered the lady and only now that I've noticed that he shaved. I haven't seen him like this since the farm, I think.

"Could not stop brushing." I feel you Michonne. After Jessie gave me a cut, I came back to the bathroom and brushed my teeth again. Michonne looks at Rick in surprise, only now that she had a good look on his face. "I've never—I've never seen your face like that."

I smirked again, I can totally see this happening. I just need a perfect time alone with Michonne to tease her.

"That's what I felt, before and after." Rick tells her and I go back to reading.

I laid the book on the table and my hands along with it as I read. Carl suddenly grabs my hand, making me look up. "You have your hair down."

I decided to let it down maybe just for today. It doesn't seem like we're gonna run into some walkers, so I figured I'd give my hair some rest. It falls down to my mid-back, slightly wavy and I have some hair tucked behind my left ear. "Yeah, you looked surprised."

"You look beautiful." Carl states, making my heart flutter and cheeks blush. Since when did he became such a cliché? I playfully rolled my eyes at him. "What? It's true."

"No, but thank you. You look great." I tell him before looking back at the book and continued reading, but kept holding onto Carl's hand.

Deanna soon enters the house and she was surprised that we were all there. Rick told her that no one said we couldn't, and he has a point.

"You said you're a family. That what you said." Deanna tells him before looking at everyone around the room. "Absolutely amazing to me how people with completely different backgrounds, and nothing in common, can become that. Don't you think?"

She's pretty right. All of us are different here, but not completely. We all have something in common. Like the fact that we all care for each other, we all lost someone, and we're all trying to make it till the end.

Rick mentions about jobs and my eyebrows furrowed. Deanna never mentioned a job to me when I had the interview. Maybe it's for the adults? But nonetheless, I can help.

I looked back at Carl and squeezed his hand, making him look at me. "You have a job?"

He shakes his head no and I look back at Deanna. "I just haven't told you yet. Same with Michonne. I'm closing in on something for Sasha. And I'm just trying to figure Mr. Dixon out, but I will."

Good luck with that. It's been what, like years that I've been with Daryl? But I still haven't have him figured out yet. This damn man is hard to crack, I'll give that to him. But I do know that Daryl beats himself up and puts the blame on himself whenever someone he cared for, dies. Just like me.

— next day

Today we're exploring the neighborhood as we were told. Mom is dressed up is something ridiculous looking uniform and she tells me it's a part of her job. I snort when she walked pass me and she gave me a playful glare, before walking off.

Carl and I decided to explore the neighborhood with Judith, and we were passing by a house with an old couple at the porch, but then they called us over. Once we were at the porch, they introduced themselves.

"This is Bob," the lady points to her husband. "And I'm Natalie."

I smiled at the old woman as she looked at the baby in mt arms. "I'm Farren. This is Judith and that's Carl."

"She's adorable." Natalie tells me and I saw the way Bob glanced at me and Carl. Natalie soon looked at me and Carl like that too. "Are you two her parents?"

Carl and I looked at each other in surprise before I look back at the couple and shook my head. "No—she's not mine. Judy's his sister."

I can feel my cheeks flaming up as I let out a small chuckle. Natalie and Bob nods, before the latter spoke. "But are you two together?"

Unsure of what to say, I looked back at Carl. He smiles at me before answering. "Yeah, yeah we are."

Carl and I soon saw Rick with Jessie walking towards us. The latter tells us that her son, Ron wants to meet us. We gave Judith to Rick before Jessie leads us to her house. When we got in, a boy about Carl's age and slightly taller than him, appears from the living room.

"I'll leave you kids to hang out." Jessie smiles before leaving.

Ron walked towards us with a smile and held out his hand. "Hey, my name's Ron."

Carl shook his hand and introduced the both of us, before Ron leads us upstairs. Apparently his friends are in his room. On our way up, Ron tells us that he and his friends go to school, making Carl and I look at each other before looking back at him.

"You go to school?" I asked the guy.

Ron nods. "It's in a garage. Little kids go in the morning and then it's us in the afternoon. Probably you too, right?"

Carl and I shrugged. "Probably."

We entered his room and inside was another boy, then a girl who looked around my age. "Guys, this is Carl and Farren. That's Mikey and this is Enid."

Mikey stands up and greets us while Enid doesn't even look up as she says 'hi'. I saw the look Carl gave her and I became confused. "Enid's from outside too. She just came eight months ago."

Carl pulls out the comic book he was reading last night and asked if it was Mikey's or Ron's. Turns out it was Enid's and she took it without a word, pretty rudely may I add. Ron suggested that we should play video games while Mikey suggested that we can play billiard at his house.

I don't know what to say. They sure do have a lot of resources around here, but how? Carl looks overwhelmed while I'm just confused. They have running water, electricity, video games, pool tables... how long did it take for them to have Alexandria a place like this and how long will it take till the electricity goes out?

Carl goes and plays video games with the boys while I figured maybe I could talk to Enid. I haven't seen girls at my age since the prison. I sat on the other side of the bed and awkward silence sits between me and Enid.

"You his girlfriend?" Enid asked quietly beside me, making me look at her. Her eyes are on the comic books.

I nod my head but still somewhat unsure. "Something like that. You and Ron?"

She shrugged. "Something like that."

The sound of cheers and laughter came from the boys and I smiled when I saw Carl loosening up. I playfully rolled my eyes at them. "Boys."

I looked back at Enid and take a good look on her face. She catches me staring and asked 'what?' but I shook my head. "Nothing... You don't talk much, do you?"

She shook her head. "No."

"I used to be like that, pushing everyone away." I state, making her look up at me. "And I thought it was better that way, but it's not. It's... it's always better to have people understand you."

Enid blinks, her face softened for a second, before she clears her throat and looks away. We don't exchange words after that, I just watched as Carl smiles and laughs along with Ron and Mikey.

In that moment, I want us to stay here. Because I want to see Carl like that everyday. Happy.