I stood next to Deanna and Maggie, watching Daryl rev his new bike's engine and lead Aaron outside the gate. The plan was to search for recruits, and they won't be back for a few days. Daryl and I remained estranged even though it's been a week since we fought. This is the longest time we've gone without speaking or making up with one another. I miss him, but I won't be his punching bag. If he wants to talk about what he's going through, I'm here to help, but he needs to make that step.
Next to me, Deanna continued explaining the purpose of searching for recruits, leading us further away from the gates and towards the armory/pantry. We paused in front, watching Glenn, Tara, and Noah load gear for their expedition. Eugene stood to the side with his bag slung across his shoulder. I couldn't help but stifle a laugh as he stood there looking terrified. Then, his attention focused on me, and he ran towards me, his eyes lifting with relief.
"June!" he shouted, catching everyone's attention, "Tell them I won't be of any use out there!" He grabbed a black device and shoved it in my face, his voice still frantic, "Tell them to look for more devices like this!" I shouldn't be amused at his apparent fear, but I couldn't help it. Aiden, Spencer's younger brother, the guy Glenn punched, stood next to me, his teeth showing with how wide his smile was.
"I told him we don't want to drive so far out and come back with the wrong shit," Aiden told me. I nodded, agreeing with him. It'd be a massive waste of time if they got the wrong things. Then, turning my attention back to the terrified man, I clapped his shoulder and squinted as the sun shone in my eyes.
"Sorry, buddy," I gave him a tight smile and leaned down, lifting my pant leg and exposing my knife. Thankfully, they let me keep it, and I've been carrying it on me since. "Here," I grabbed the wooden handle, brushing my thumb over my dad's initials, "This knife has brought me a lot of good luck. Take it," Eugene looked at my hunting knife, hesitantly encasing his fingers around the handle. I watched as he fearfully marveled at it, his eyes focusing on the carving.
"J.G," Eugene muttered, his eyes lifting to meet mine, "June Gomez, you're a damn treasure to humanity." I couldn't contain the laugh that escaped me as I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around him.
"You've got this, Eugene," I pulled away and gave him my brightest smile, "Stick by Glenn, Tara, or Noah, and you'll be fine," He nodded at me and hesitantly got into the back of the van, his eyes still glued to my father's knife. I quickly hugged Tara and Glenn, pleading with them to return safely. Nicholas paused as he passed me, giving me an awkward wave and head nod. Noah nudged me, his lips pulled upwards, and he smiled.
"We're still on for tonight?" I nodded happily at him and looped my arms around him, squeezing him tightly. Noah and I have been hanging out with Michonne, Jacob, and Abraham lately. It would be just us today, and we planned on playing a game of poker on the porch tonight. Unfortunately, I've been caught trying to cheat a few times, so we'll have Rick watch me as an impartial party to ensure I'm a good sport. It's not my fault I suck at that stupid game!
"You bet!" I exclaimed, "Be safe out there, okay?
"You bet!" Noah mocked, earning a playful punch in the shoulder, "I'll see you later. Better be prepared to lose." I scoffed as he walked by, climbing into the van and waving goodbye. I lifted my arm and waved, hopeful they'd all return safely.
"Don't I get a hug too?" I turned and shifted uncomfortably as Aiden looked down at me. I don't know this guy, and just last week, he and Glenn were on the verge of killing one another. Awkwardly, I hugged him, tearing away quickly. Resuming my position next to Maggie, I waved as the van came to life and started to pull away with music blaring from the speakers.
"My sons seem to like you," Deanna mused once the gate shut behind the van, "I'll tell them to back off,"
"Thank you," I muttered, grateful for this woman.
~*~
Maggie and I followed Deanna around, watching her as she talked to the people and met with Rick and Michonne for any reports. My mood certainly lifted when Rick kissed me before we left them. Who knew one man could make me revert into a blushing, hormonal teenager? We walked the street with Deanna, my watch beeping, letting me know that it was 5 p.m. Glenn and the rest weren't back yet, and they left at around 11:30 this morning. This was supposed to be a quick and easy run. That's why they took Eugene with them! Deanna droned on about her vision of the future as we returned to her place.
"June!" The three of us paused to see who had called out for me. Selena came running up to me, her face flushed, hair sticking up in odd angles and definitely different from how she had it this morning, and her lips were a deep shade of blotchy pink. The shade complemented her ivory skin, but where is she getting lipstick from, and why is it so blotchy? Carl came rushing behind her, a bright smile and a slight shade of that same deep pink around his mouth. I was able to piece two and two together and decided that I would have to sit them down and have a nice chat with them. Deanna and Maggie stood behind me, chuckles leaving them as the two teenagers tackled me in an embrace, nearly knocking me off my feet and punching the air out of my lungs.
"You guys trying to kill me?" I wheezed as oxygen struggled to enter my lungs. Selena giggled and pulled away, looking much younger than she was. I knew this place would be good for the two of them!
"Jessie cut my hair today," Selena quickly and excitedly informed me before she got down to business, "I wanted to ask you if it's okay if Carl and I make dinner tonight?"
"Woah," Carl quickly interjected with wide eyes, "What's this about Carl and I? You're the one that wants to do this!" Selena scowled at him, and he immediately raised his hands in surrender, giving in to her. I chuckled and brushed Carl's hair back, wondering why he also didn't get a haircut. As a matter of fact, I could use a haircut. Maybe I should go to Jessie's and see if she could cut it later? Also, I should thank her for always opening her home to these two. I may not like the woman, but hey, she's not a bad person. I'm just too busy being a teenager and being jealous.
"Anyway," Selena continued, her attention back on me, "Do you mind? It's my way of thanking you and Rick for taking me in and protecting me." My heart fluttered and felt full, and emotion swelled within me. It wasn't even a question when I first saw Selena. I knew I would take her back and bring her into the fold, and I'm so glad she's here with us right now. I reached forward and embraced her, squeezing her tightly as I nodded. Then, kissing her on the head, I pulled away and held her face between my hands, smiles spreading across our faces.
"Just make sure you guys clean whatever you dirty, okay?" I told her as I let go, a smirk taking over my features, "By the way, that's a pretty shade of pink you both have on," Selena flushed, and Carl's eyes went wide, light pink peppering across his skin, "We'll talk when I get home tonight, okay?" They nodded together and slowly walked away from me, keeping a few feet between them. I chuckled and turned toward the two women with smiles on their faces.
"They're cute together, aren't they?" Deanna had a starry gaze on her face as she watched them walk down the street, "I would love to hear more about how you adopted them,"
"They are pretty cute," Maggie chuckled. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and motioned the two women forward, hoping to escape this heat.
"I'm going to have to keep a better eye on them," I sighed as I shut the door behind us, "Two teenagers with raging hormones?" I rhetorically asked, feeling somewhat stressed about that whole situation.
"Carl was already sporting some lipstick. He's got the girl, but can he keep her?" Maggie chuckled, taking a seat as we settled in Deanna's office. Deanna snorted and nodded, her eyes coming upon me.
"Poor kid has it bad," I muttered, rubbing my temples. Deanna sat and leaned back, motioning for me to do the same. I lowered myself onto the sofa and smiled to myself. Should I tell Rick about his son and Selena? Or should I let him piece it together for himself? The two are nearing fifteen, and I'm positive something's happening between them. I still remember when I was fifteen! I remember the raging hormones and the excitement of having a new boyfriend. Hell, I lost my virginity at fifteen. A throat cleared, pulling me out of my thoughts. Reg sat beside his wife on a loveseat across from me, smiling.
"We lost you there for a moment, June," Reg chuckled. I blushed and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, an embarrassed smile spreading across my lips. I muttered a quick sorry and returned to paying attention as Reg went on about the solar panels and how they started malfunctioning earlier today. What Aiden's group went out for was essential for the solar panels. Good thing we have Eugene! That man may have been full of shit, but he is smarter than we give him credit for. A knock interrupted Reg midsentence, tearing all our attention to the door. I rose from where I sat and walked towards the source, twisting the doorknob and revealing Tobin, the 'boss' of the construction crew.
"Hey there, Tobin," I smiled at him and moved to the side, allowing him entry into the house.
"Hey, June," Tobin frowned at me, "Is Deanna around?" I nodded and held my arm out, inviting him into the house. I closed the door behind him and motioned for him to follow me into the study. Deanna rose to her feet and greeted the man, inviting him to sit on the sofa I had previously occupied. I moved towards Maggie, my hands on her chair as I stood beside her.
"What can we help you with, Tobin?" Deanna asked, her legs crossing. Tobin wiped away the sweat that had built up on his brow and shook his head.
"I want to step down from the construction crew," Tobin announced. I watched Deanna furrow her brow and stand up, moving towards the man and sitting beside him.
"Why?" Deanna asked. Tobin looked down and sighed, his frown deepening and his brow creasing.
"We had an incident earlier involving the dead," Tobin explained, "One of our crew injured herself, and the dead were coming. I told everyone to leave her, but Abraham didn't listen. He saved her and nearly single-handedly took out the roamers,"
"You sure?" Deanna asked, still not believing that this man wanted to leave the crew he had been so passionate about just a few days before.
"Absolutely," Tobin looked up to make eye contact with Deanna, "If Abraham had followed my orders, she'd be dead."
"Well, saving someone's life makes them a hero, but it doesn't qualify them to run a construction crew," Reg pointed out.
"Well, they're still out there, still working, the whole team. And he's leading them," Tobin said, his eyes full of regret. I couldn't help but feel proud of Abraham. He's always been a leader and someone people will follow. I'm glad he's proving himself here. "Better than I ever could." I suppressed my smile, but I am beyond proud of Big Red.
"I guess it's settled then," Deanna stood up, walking towards the middle of the room, "I'll speak to Abraham when he's back and make it official." Maggie reached up and grabbed my hand, smiling across her lips. It's obvious that we're biased, but that's our brother there. Tobin nodded and stood up, towering over the small woman.
"Thank you, Deanna," He muttered, maintaining eye contact, "And the thing is, I know you won't regret it." We remained quiet as Tobin walked away, Reg following him to let him out. I squeezed Maggie's hand and shifted my weight onto my other foot. I know this is the right decision. Deanna leaned against the archway, her hands crossed behind her.
"He's right, you know?" I said, my heart swelling, "Abraham's more than qualified," Deanna chuckled and looked at the ground.
"I put another one of your people in a position of power; you vouch for them. It's becoming a pattern." Deanna pointed out. Ah, so she can see how biased we are, but the difference? We know what we're doing. If things turn for the worse, it'll help us if there are more of us in a position of power—we could easily send Deanna and her family packing. I cleared my throat, shoving away those thoughts, feeling ashamed.
"We know what we're doing," I said, speaking my thoughts, explicitly omitting the evil within them, "That's why you wanted us here. It's why Aaron and Daryl are out there looking for more people. You wanted a future. You need us for that," Deanna smiled at me and took a deep breath.
"That's right," I smiled at her and stepped forward, my hand still gripping Maggie's.
"We'll continue working on those field plans," I told her, earning another smile.
"I'll be down in a minute," I nodded and led Maggie down to the basement, my mind buzzing and my heart full.
~*~
We worked silently for about half an hour before Deanna came down, her lips pursed tightly. The sun will probably start setting soon, and I would like to stop by Jessie's before dark. I stood up from my seat and flattened my shirt down.
"Hey, Deanna," I smiled, "Do you mind if I step out for a little bit?" Deanna nodded at me and sat down next to Maggie, "I'll be quick," I murmured and raced up the stairs. I dashed out of Deanna's place and jogged down the street, looking at the houses. Jessie's house was on the corner, and it seemed empty. Hesitantly, I climbed up the porch steps and knocked, my arms circling my midsection. Why am I so nervous? This woman hasn't done anything to me personally. It just bothers me how she flirts with Rick. I could tell her that, and she'll back off – hopefully. Ugh, I don't know! I've never been in this position before, and I hate it. The curtain next to the window shifted, and a man answered the door. What's his name again? I met him a few days ago when Deanna took us to the infirmary—he's Jessie's husband. Pete! That's his name!
"Hi, Pete," I smiled at him. He huffed, seemingly out of breath, and blocked the entrance with his arm, not letting me see the inside.
"June, right?" Pete asked, pointing a single finger, "Rick's woman?" I bit my lip, not liking how he identified me as Rick's woman. Rick and I are together, but that's not all I am. I would even be happy if he associated me with being Deanna's understudy.
"Yeah," I uncomfortably shifted as his eyes continued to burn holes into me, "Um, is Jessie around?" Pete leaned down and got in my face a bit, his face hardening. I stood my ground and looked him in the eyes, not backing down. What is this man's problem?
"No," He snapped, his voice dripping with venom. I stood taller, straightening my back, and balled my fists at my side, not liking his attitude.
"Are you sure?" I asked, taking a step forward, "It'll be quick. I'll even—"
"I said no. Are you deaf?" He nearly yelled at me before shutting the door in my face. I stood there with the door a few inches away from my nose, reeling in anger. Who does that man think he is!? I turned and stomped off the porch, casting a final glance towards the house. On the second floor, the curtain quickly fluttered closed. I bet that was Jessie. I walked slowly as I tried to calm myself down, counting to ten to prevent myself from going back there and beating the daylights out of Pete. He was nice when I met him a few days ago, so what's with the whole attitude shift?
Jessie was obviously there, so who is he to tell her she can't see anyone or talk to people!? I stopped in my tracks, realization hitting me like a bag of bricks. I've seen this before! The only difference? Ed was an asshole to everyone. He didn't try putting up a front. I turned around, fighting the desire to go back and raise all types of hell. How could he be hitting her?! There's no good reason to hit anyone, let alone your spouse! I'm not the best of friends with Jessie, but I can't just stand back and do nothing! I'll kill that asshole if I have to! It was like something in me snapped, and a smile spread across my face—That's what I'll do. I'll kill him. Just as I turned around and took a few steps forward to commit my heinous crime, a screeching came from behind me, and Glenn's frantic voice pierced the quiet community, screaming for help.