chapter three !
❪ pudding ❫
BEFORE THE APOCALYPSE
"i got groceries!" her dad announced, coming from the front door.
riley was in the living room, watching tv before helping her dad and grabbing the grocery bags from his hands.
"great, what snacks did you get?" she snooped in the bags, her head peeking inside.
negan went around the kitchen counter and rested his elbows. "same stuff, except for a couple of things."
riley raised her eyebrows at him before going through the bags. she narrowed her eyes as she took out one of the snacks from the grocery bag. "pudding?"
"yup, i've tried it, your mother likes it, which only leaves you."
"i've tried pudding before and i didn't like it." she shrugged. she stared closely at the labels before making a disgusted face. "yuck."
"riley honey, you've tried white pudding, not the chocolate one..." he shook his head.
"don't they all taste the same?" she furrowed her eyebrows at him.
"one is vanilla, the other is chocolate."
"oh, no wonder i didn't like the white one. it's vanilla. we all know chocolate is better."
"uh disagree, strawberry will always be on top." her mother chimed in the conversation. lucille walked over to negan and stood next to him.
"dad bought pudding, the chocolate one."
"oh well that's nice, i like pudding." her mother smiled, rubbing her husband's shoulder.
"you should try it riley. maybe you'll like the chocolate one better." negan suggested to the young girl.
"fine." she grumbled before going over to the kitchen drawers and pulling out a silver spoon. she opened the pudding top and scooped up a good amount for herself to try.
riley let out breath then shoved the pudding into her mouth. she chewed and flapped her mouth, getting the taste before judging on it. her parents stared for her reaction and waited.
she finally looked back at them and nodded with a grin forming on her face, "yeah, it's good."
they all laughed and grabbed each pudding cup for themselves before making their way to the couch and continued watching tv.
NOW
it was now nighttime and carl was tying a knot to the door so nobody can break in or attack. rick began pushing the couch to the door for more securely.
"i tied the door shut."
"we don't need to take any chances." rick told him, continuing to push the furniture.
"you don't think it'll hold?" carl asked while looking back at his knot that he tied.
"carl." rick sternly says. riley sighs at the pair, tired at their bickering that she had to hear all day.
"it's a strong knot! clove hitch. shane taught me, remember him?" carl tilted his head at his father. an awkward silence filled the room while riley was confused on who 'shane' was.
"yeah, i remember him. i remember him everyday." answered rick, "there something else you want to say to me?"
carl stood there for a minute before getting out of the way and helping push the couch. rick was about to continue moving it but riley grabbed his shoulder, making him turn to her. "maybe you should let me do this. you're bruises are still bad and need to heal."
rick stared at the girl and soon nodded at her offer. "thank you." he sighed, "appreciate it."
she gave him a small smile and placed both her hands to the side of the couch as she helped carl push the sofa to block the door. after, they flipped it so they can still lay or sit on the soft cushion.
"this'll have to do for the night." rick told them. the girl nodded and watched the man walk inside the bathroom, closing the door. she sat on the couch as carl took the seat next to her.
"you should be more nicer to your dad." riley turned her head to look at carl, "he cares about you a lot."
"you don't understand, just mind your own business." carl scoffed while staring off at another direction.
"carl," she shifted in her spot and turned her body towards him. "your dad seems like a good person. all he's trying to do is look out for you." riley explained. "you should be lucky you have someone like that because not everyone does."
the boy sighed and looked at her. "let's just go to bed, riley. it's been a long day."
riley glanced down before scooting away and more in her corner of the couch. she rested her head on the arm resting and closed her eyes shut.
carl watched the girl fall asleep before shutting his own eyes.
THE GIRL slowly opened her eyes, her vision still a little blurry before rubbing them. she woke up to the sound of walkers banging on the door and carl who was trying to wake up his dad.
she sat up with furrowed eyebrows, "carl? what's going on?" her voice was groggy from waking up.
"it's just walkers." he reassured her. "don't worry, i'll distract them."
"are you crazy?"
he didn't respond to her. carl just walked out from the back door. riley ran her hands through her hair, her gaze switching to rick who was still asleep on the couch. "i'm doing this for you." she said before heading out as well.
she stepped outside and closed the door behind her. riley looked around for the boy in the sheriff hat but he was gone. she also didn't hear the walkers from the front door.
she walked further away from the house as she crunched on more leaves that were fallen from the trees. riley knew it wasn't a good idea to call out his name because it would attract walkers. it's not like she had a problem with killing them, she was actually pretty good at it. riley just didn't have the energy to pull out her knife and take them down right now.
her footsteps slowed down when she heard a gunshot that was not far from where she was. the teen ran to the sounds of walkers that became more louder and easier to hear.
riley saw two bodies piled against carl, watching him struggle to get them off. another walker was coming towards his direction, the boy starting to get worried as he raised his gun but hard for him to aim.
riley snook up behind the dead with the knife in her hand, connecting the sharp weapon into the back of it's head. the walker fell down to the ground as blood poured on the ground.
carl was relieved but he would never admit that. he pushed himself off the dead walkers, breathing heavily. "you good?" riley asked him.
carl stared at the ground before throwing up. riley's face scrunched up in disgust, looking away.
after he was done, carl placed his hat back on and wiped his mouth with his flannel sleeve. riley watched as he picked up his gun and stared at the bodies. "i win."
riley let out a snort, causing carl to look up. "you didn't win shit." she said.
"i've could've taken out that walker."
"you would've gotten yourself killed." she tilted her head. carl narrowed his eyes and walked past her, shoving his shoulder into hers.
"i don't need you protecting me."
riley scoffed and turned her body, following behind him. "unbelievable, maybe next time i should've just let that one have his meal."
"good."
"good!" her voice raised a little.
they continued to walk in silence while carl led the way. "where are we going anyways?"
"why are you still following me?" he rolled his eyes at the girl.
riley shrugged, "it's not like i have something better to do."
they came across a two floor house, carl walking through the path way. riley watched as he grabbed one of the lamp sticks that were sticked to the grass and pulled it out. carl went on the porch and ran straight for the door, trying to bust it down.
it didn't work and he fell backwards. riley gazed at the boy with wide eyes. "damn it." he muttered. carl stood back up and used the lamp stick to open the door.
riley was surprised that he actually got it open and was about to follow him inside before he turned around, facing her. "you should stay behind, just in case."
the girl scoffed in disbelief. "remember who saved your ass five minutes ago."
carl rolled his eyes and held the door for her to come in. after she did, he closed it and searched the house for anyone. riley went into the kitchen and grabbed all the food from the shelves and drawers. she saw a big can of food on the very top of the shelf, so she grabbed a chair and stepped on it. she reached the level to grab it but before she can, riley saw the label on the can.
'chocolate pudding'
she felt her breath hitch for a moment until she shrugged it off and grabbed the snack. riley stepped off the chair, about to look for more food until she heard two gunshots and walker groans from upstairs.
"what now..." she murmured and ran upstairs to find carl shutting the bedroom door, banging coming from it.
riley stood there as she looked around the area and at a breathless carl. "what the hell happened?"
"nothing." he huffed. carl picked up a piece of chalk from the floor and turned around at the door, beginning to write on it.
'walker inside
got my shoe
didn't get me'
riley read what he wrote. she looked at carl, "there's food if you want to eat now." she told him.
carl nodded and walked downstairs, entering the kitchen. he saw the food on the counter that riley collected and grabbed two spoons from drawers and the pudding can.
carl went back upstairs with the stuff in his hands, riley furrowing her eyebrows. "what are you doin—"
"just follow me." he interrupted and went inside a room that didn't have the walker in it. carl opened the window and grabbed the pudding can and spoons. he climbed out the window and onto the roof, placing the things beside him.
riley stared at his actions before climbing out too and walking beside him. she felt herself slip a little before she grasped onto carl's shoulders to help her.
she glanced back up at him and removed her hands, "sorry..."
he shrugged with a small smirk. "it's fine."
they sat at the edge of the roof and opened up the chocolate pudding. carl had the first scoop and tasted it. he nodded, telling her that it was good.
riley hesitantly grabbed her spoon and scooped up some of the pudding as well. she tasted it and carl waited for her reaction. she gave him a light smile and he returned one back.
riley thought she would've never found herself thinking this but she missed the taste of pudding.
because it brought back a feeling from her past life.
▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
AUTHORS NOTE:
this chapter was more carl x riley content!!
i finally got these acrylics off so im able to update more 🤭
but anyways please vote for another chapter and DON'T BE A SILENT READER <3