𝙵𝙻𝙴𝚂𝙷 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙱𝙾𝙽𝙴 | 𝚃. 𝙾𝚃𝚃𝙾 𐂃

Chapter 7

Cristine was lost in thought, filled her tray with some bread, fruits and walked in the direction of the coffee dispenser. Coincidentally, not believing such a thing when it came to him, Troy arrived at the self-serving machine at the same time as her. The fake surprise on his face made her nose wrinkle when she was reminded of his disdain towards her caring for Luciana.

"Ladies first," Troy gestured politely.

There were people around, so Cristine was sure Troy wouldn't behave too irrational in the open or make snide remarks. She stepped in front of the dispenser and pushed on the tap and watched the dark fluid slowly fill her cup.

"It's a shame about Charlene." Troy stepped in line next to her while he waited for her to finish. His blue eyes lowered on the shorter woman with a thoughtfulness that was a bit difficult to decipher.

"Yeah," Cristine agreed with a nod.

"Is miss Mexico still cuffed?"

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and the grip on the sides of her tray tightened. It was as if Troy never heard about personal space sometimes and deliberately disturbed the briefest moments of her peace. Truth was, Cristine felt incredibly good to defend someone that was her meager months ago. She'd also seen the look in her father's eyes; with the hope his Birdie was still salvable and not a corrupted monster that killed so easily and an ounce of remorse. So for Luciana and herself, she would get the job done and it was time to shove it in Troy's face he was wrong.

"If I didn't know any better, I would mistaken your curiosity for Luciana as jealousy. I can check your eye if that's what you want...." Tilting her head, she looked at the injured eye in question. It didn't bleed as severely anymore, was clean and showed discoloration of his skin. The swollenness was heavy and almost fully shut his eyes. It looked as it hurt, but she didn't feel sorry for Troy as he had gotten himself in the mess anyway. It was time Troy finally came across the wrong people. Just a pity the injury wasn't worse. "At least you did something right and listened to Martha. It seems to be healing nicely."

"I'm not here to argue Cristine, just making sure you follow protocols. Ones which you adviced we install." The tone of his voice sounded sincere, but the woman followed his line of sight as his eyes trailed in the direction of Nick. He was busy filling his tray with an extra serving of porridge and fruits.

Cristine turned off the tap and stepped aside. "You made sure of that right? You have the keys to let her go after she's in the clear." She shrugged nonchalantly.

Cristine brushed him off for strangers she didn't know from heaps of dirt and Troy didn't like it one bit. It was weak, pathetic, and downright sentimental. It wasn't like her and Troy regretted not having killed the Mexican woman on sight. He shouldn't have listened and just put her down, even when Nick came between. Troy didn't pick Nick either. He didn't deserve this place. Not when he was with strangers instead of family. What did that say about the Clark son? To Troy, it said he didn't care about familial loyalties. It said he rather choose strangers who weren't blood over a mother that showed him loyalty and unconditional love. He wanted to know why Madison would still love and care about a son with such disloyalty that much. It didn't make any sense to him.

Now, even Cristine voluntarily stayed on the Ranch to look after his girlfriend when she couldn't be bothered to stay even a day before all this. She rather be at the outpost by herself and abandon the militia when they all build it up to what it was now. Strong, orderly, and with a clear chain of command and an example of discipline and hope for the community. But Cristine ruined that by leaving. The palms of his hands rested in their usual place and Troy stood in his typical hands on hips pose and answered, "unwillingly, after this mess was allowed. A mess you unfortunately backed." Troy knew that she must have had a reason to do what she did. That the woman he vouched for and picked to become a worthy Survivalist must have a deeper motive. He just didn't get what they were. Why care and pick the side of strangers to defy them... defy him?