Future Ghosts • TWD

75. The Real World.

School. Rosie hated school, and she was going to make sure that everyone knew it. She was still laying in bed, but she could hear footsteps approaching outside the door. There was a knock- but not on her door. Then it was quiet for a minute, and then two pairs of footsteps. And another knock, but this time, it was on her door. Rosie pretended she couldn't hear, and didn't say anything. The door creaked open anyway, of course.

"Rosie," Maggie said in a bit of a sing-song voice. Rosie buried her face in the pillow. It smelled a little bit like Daryl, which was comforting- despite the fact that the scent of cigarettes, sweat, and grease isn't exactly a the nicest. "Come on, honey. It won't be that bad," Maggie insisted.

"Do I have to?" Rosie asked with a long sigh of complaint.

"Yes, Rosie. Come on," Maggie replied, trying to keep a playful voice in an attempt to make Rosie feel a little better about it. After huffing out a fine, Rosie dragged herself out of bed and followed Maggie and Ian down the stairs and into the kitchen. Ian and Rosie sat down at the table, and Maggie poured them each a bowl of cereal. It was very weird for Rosie, having her breakfast made for her. When she lived with her dad, she usually skipped breakfast, and if she did have anything, is was a Pop-Tart. She got Pop-Tarts if she was extra good, and if her dad was in an extra good mood.

"I like your dinosaur pajamas," Ian said, digging into his bowl of cereal.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Maggie told him, raising her eyebrows as she sat down at the end of the table with a plate of toast.

"My pants have 105 triceratops, 103 T. rex's, and 98 brachiosauruses," Rosie said, taking a bite of her own cereal. Once she was done chewing, she added, "I like your pajamas, too." Ian had on a plain gray shirt with light blue pants, and on the pants were some planes. Rosie had never been on a plane before.

"Thanks," Ian said, putting on a small smile. "I didn't count the planes, though."

"I only counted the dinosaurs 'cause I was tryin' to fall asleep," Rosie told him, shrugging a little. After Rick had left last night, she had actually counted the dinosaurs once more, just to make sure she was right. And because she was having a hard time sleeping, but what else was new?

"Sam says there's one other kid who's gonna be in our class. He was sick, that's why we couldn't meet him at Deanna's party or anything like that, or at least that's what Jessie said. She was asking about you, by the way. She said you weren't coming by for root beet anymore," Ian rambled as Rosie just ate her food quietly. She used to find his constant talking annoying, but she could only imagine how other people felt when she accidentally went on about dinosaurs for an hour, so she tried to be nice about it. "I told her you were busy, and sad because Daryl's gone. She told me you're welcome to come see her any time you want to," Ian continued.

Half an hour later, both Ian and Rosie had finished their breakfasts and were all ready to go. Rosie had sadly changed out of her dinosaur pajamas and put on some of the clothes that she had brought from her old house, and some she'd acquired on the road. She was now wearing a plain black t-shirt with Fraser's old hoodie over top it, and a pair of black shorts. She didn't have to wear a belt with most of her pants anymore, because she'd finally grown to fit the majority of her clothes just fine.

"Alright, you two know where to go?" Maggie asked, smiling down at the two kids.

"No," Rosie murmured.

"Yeah," Ian said, bouncing on his toes. "Sam showed me," he explained. Rosie wasn't looking forward to seeing Sam again. She'd been skillfully avoiding him, considering the fact that avoiding someone was better than punching them. Avoid him, 'cause daddy would punch him.