A day or so had gone by. I woke up in my own bed now. I saw Carl next to me in his own bed. I sat up and looked at my foot. I had it wrapped. Someone must have wrapped it before.
I went over to his bed and looked at him. "Carl?" I asked quietly as I grabbed his hand. He opened his eye lightly. "Hey. Don't strain yourself." I said as he closed his eye. "Just wanted you to know I was here. I got shot too near my ankle so we're in this together, okay?" He nodded.
It took about a week for him to be able to get up. Well, for him to be allowed to get up anyway.
I woke up and he wasn't in his bed. He must've gotten up. I grabbed my crutch and headed to the bathroom to get dressed.
I opened the door and saw Carl looking at his lack of an eye. It was still very reddened and healing. He turned to me. "Get out." He said as I looked at him confused. He looked like he was crying. "Go!" He said as he pushed me out and closed the door.
I stood there and sighed lightly. I understood all to well. I was the same with my burns, and I still am. I walked downstairs and saw Michonne.
"I told you to tell me when you wanted to move." Michonne said running over to help me.
"You did?" I asked confused as I got down.
"Yeah. Maybe you were asleep." Michonne said as I let out a soft sigh.
"I heard Carl yell. What happened?" Rick asked looking at me.
I shrugged lightly as I sat down to eat. "How long until I can walk?" I asked looking at Michonne.
"Denise said about a month more. It'll take a lot longer to heal but the longer off of it the better." Michonne answered as I kept looking at my food.
It was awkwardly quiet after that and I headed backwards upstairs. I got inside our room and he was facing away sitting on his bed. He had a bandage over his eye now.
"Carl." I said closing the door. "Carl." I said again louder.
"What?" He asked angrily not turning around.
"You don't need to be ashamed." I said as I sat down on my bed facing him.
"You are." He said looking at the wall.
It was true, I was. I took off my flannel and looked at myself. "I am but I can learn not to be, just like you." I said as I held my arms. "Why won't you face me?"
"I don't want you seeing me like this." He responded as he turned his head lightly.
"There is no other way to see you. It's part of you now and that's okay. You're still family. I won't look at you any differently." I replied walking over to the his bed and sitting next to him.
"I don't believe you." He said shakily. I could hear him tearing up. "Why did you look at me like that when you saw me?"
"You were crying. I was worried and concerned. That's it." I turned around and I put my arms around him leaning my head against his shoulder. "No matter what you look like I still like you. You're still amazing." I said holding him.
"You're sleeves." He said as he held my arm.
"I'll take care of you and you take care of me. It's time for me to accept myself and you should too." I said sitting down with my back against his.
"I'm not ready yet." He replied as he put his hand on mine.
"I'll be here when you are." I said as I grabbed his hand. We sat there for a little while. I could hear him crying. He rarely did and it hurt.
After a while he quieted down. I wondered when he would be ready, I hoped it was soon. I didn't want to not see him but I knew he needed space.
I went outside to get some fresh air. I left my flannel off and only wore a green tshirt. I saw Enid sitting on a bench. I smiled and hobbled over to her.
"You're back." I smiled lightly.
"Yeah." She nodded closing her book. "What happened to you?"
"I got shot." I answered sitting down. "By Ron." I sighed. "Where have you been? Why did you come back?" I asked looking at her.
"I found Glenn and he made me." She shrugged lightly.
"We were worried you got caught up in everything." I explained looking at her.
"Well I'm okay." She nodded. "How come Carl isn't with you?"
"He got shot too but it's worse. His eye got blown out. He doesn't really want to go anywhere right now." I explained.
"Who shot him?" She asked concerned.
"Ron set off two random shots." I answered with a sigh.
"I'll be better in a month and I'll be able to go back out again. I don't really know when Carl will feel up to coming outside again." I looked at the ground.
"Is everything okay with you two?" Enid asked looking at me.
I wiped my face lightly. "No, but it'll be okay. He's just taking things differently than I am."
"I hope it works out then. You two are cute together." She said as she opened her notebook.
"I'm sorry about Ron I know you two were-" I started.
"It's fine. Everyone dies eventually." She said looking at her book. It was a pessimistic way of dealing with things.
"Well I'm gonna keep walking. I'll see you around?" I asked as she nodded.
I stood up and got ready to walk. "Lyla Rose?" She asked as I turned around. "You said we were similar before. What did you mean?" She asked as I smiled lightly and sat back down.
"When I first went through this I only was with my parents for a while before I'd been alone." I started.
"So were the same because we're orphans?" She asked almost offended by it.
"No. I wasn't done." I sighed lightly. "We've both had to fight on our own with no help. We both didn't want to trust anyone even if they were trying to help. And after all that we both just wanted to not be by ourself." I responded with a sigh. I did a lot of sighing.
She looked at me shocked. "I have you figured out because we've been through the same bullshit."
"That sucks. I wouldn't want anyone to go through it." Enid shook her head.
"Me neither. We've both been through a ton. And my arms I was in a fire before everything went to shit. I've noticed your staring." I smiled lightly to her before getting up. "I know it's kinda cheesy but I want you to know that I want to be your friend. I know you are on your own and I don't want you to feel that way cuz I know it sucks." I grabbed my crutches.
"We'll be friends then." She nodded with a smile.
"Cool. I'll see you later." I smiled as I walked away. I needed a friend, especially when my main one didn't want me to even look at him.
I walked around for a little until I was getting to tired. I prayed nothing happened while I was injured. I could barely stand.
I went to the house and did dumb stuff. I knew Carl was in the room but I didn't want to mess with him. When I got hurt I wished everyone would just leave me alone for a while.
Eventually it was night and I headed upstairs. I walked in and he had his light on but when he saw me he faced the other way.
I put my crutches down and laid down. "My armpits hurt." I said as I laid there looking at the ceiling. It was quiet. I wasn't surprised either. I smiled lightly as I laid there. "Enid's back and I told her everything that happened. She said we are friends now which is pretty cool."
I stayed quiet for a while longer. "One more thing. I didn't wear my flannel all day. I thought you'd be proud of that, I know I am."
"I love you." I heard as I stayed looking at the ceiling. My face was burning up. "I know you are trying to help and I want to talk to you and be with you but every time I think of you seeing me and being upset it hurts. I'm upset with myself, not you ."
I didn't know how to respond. I mean I knew he did but hearing it was so much different. "I love you no matter what and I know you know that. It's your battle scar. I love you for who you are not for what you look like. And if I'm being honest I think it's pretty cool."
"You love me too?" He asked quietly.
"Yeah. I think we've both felt that way for a while." I chuckled lightly. "I'm okay with waiting to look at you, but I'm not okay with you forcing me away. I'll even cover my eyes if it means I can hang out with you. You're my best friend." I heard him sniffle quietly. "And it's okay to cry. You need to. Do you need a hug?" I asked still looking at the ceiling.
"Yeah, actually I do." He said quietly, even a bit shaky.
"My eyes are closed." I said as I closed them and sat up. I stood up and put my arms out. I heard him rustle out of bed. He put his arms around me and I did the same as I put my head over his shoulder. I put my hand on the back of his head and kept my eyes closed.
"I'm sorry I'm acting like this." He said into my shoulder crying.
"Don't be. I was the same way." I answered scrunching his hair as I kept hugging him. "It's hard to accept it but you'll be able to."
"I don't know." He said still holding on.
"Well I do. You're strong. You'll get through it. We'll figure it out okay?" I asked as he backed away and my eyes were still closed. I felt him put his hand through my hair. I smiled lightly.
"Soon. I promise." He said holding my jaw lightly.
I wanted to look at him but I wouldn't. I turned around and got into bed. "Goodnight." I said as I put my back towards him.
"Goodnight." He replied.
A few days had gone by. I had only been talking to Carl not facing him and in the dark. It sucked, but I doubt not nearly as much for me as it did for him. He was okay with Michonne and Rick helping him but for some reason he just couldn't let me. It was starting to upset me.
Someone found a foot cast on a run so I was able to walk better with the crutches. It was always a struggle getting down and up the stairs though.
Michonne helped me down before getting me the water I came down for. "What's going on with you and Carl? I haven't seen you two together in a while." She explained looking at me.
"Nothing he just doesn't want me to see what he looks like now. It's the same as how I was with my arms." I explained looking to her.
"Hmm. I'll fix that then." She nodded. "Carl!" She said as I looked to her.
"Coming!" Carl responded.
"Michonne! Don't rub salt in the wound." I whisper yelled as he headed down.
"I'm not rubbing salt in anything. I'm helping." She answered with a smile.
"What is it?" Carl asked from behind me as I dead eyed Michonne. I was respecting his space.
"Come here." She said as he walked to her and I looked at my glass. "You need to change your bandage. Lyla Rose, can you go upstairs and help him out? I have to go do something." She asked smiling to me. It was almost a smirk. What a pesky thing. "You don't mind right Carl?" She asked looking to him.
"No I don't." He shook his head. He didn't seem completely sure.
"Alright good. Help her upstairs. Don't need her falling again." Michonne said as she walked out the front door.
"If you don't want me to I-" I started as I looked at my glass.
"It's okay, really." He reassured as I nodded. "Come on I'll help you upstairs." He said as I walked over. I started going up and he looked at me. "Wait." He said as he looked at me and picked me up bridal style.
I looked at him and smiled. I wrapped my arms around his neck for extra support and he took me up the stairs.
We got up stairs and he put me down. I went to the bathroom and grabbed some gauze out of the mirror.
"Are you sure?" I asked as I looked at the sink.
"I thought about it. It's gonna happen eventually. I can tell it's worrying you and I don't like that feeling." He said as I nodded. I walked over to him and he took the gauze off.
He looked at me and then away. I smiled at him. It was healing pretty well. "The hair is getting longer." I said as I brushed through it lightly. He stayed quiet. I put the gauze pad on his eye lightly and wrapped the gauze wrap around his head. "All done." I smiled at him, but he didn't look up.
I bent down and kissed him softly twice. "Thanks." He said simply.
"Cheer up, sheriff. Everything is okay." I smiled reassuringly.
He looked up at me and kissed me again. "You are worth more than me." He said looking at me.
"No." I shook my head. I kept smiling. "We are worth each other. That won't change no matter how much happens to us."
He stood up and hugged me. It was better now, better here.
Better alive.