Deadland

Chapter 103- Just Like Everyone Else

The water under the unfinished bridge is now flowing dangerously fast. The water is rising at a dangerous rate and without the help of the Saviors, we may not be able to fix the bridge in time. 

Alyssa thinks we will, she's a glass-half-full type of girl. On the other hand, Inejra is counting down the minutes when the bridge falls, she wants to prove Alyssa's "glass-half-full bullshit". 

"Adrian," Rick calls, waving me over to him.

I snuff out my cigarette and walk over to him, looking back as Alyssa glares at me for smoking. "What's up, chief?" I ask. 

He scoffs, "Don't call me that." 

I roll my eyes, "My apologies." Over the last year, before he got so caught up with the bridge and everything went to hell, he's become a decent father figure to me. He's not as close with me as he is Alyssa but how it was before the Apocalypse, when he and my dad worked together, it feels the same again. 

Rick nods and inhales deeply, "At Alexandria last night, I went to see Negan?" 

My mind immediately goes to the worst-case scenario.

Is he dead? Did he break out? Did someone kill him? 

"He's been asking for you, for a while now." Rick admits, his tone going lower. 

I raise my eyebrows, "What? The fuck you mean 'for a while now'?" 

He sighs and puts his hands on his hips, "Since before the bridge fell." 

"What?!" That was more than a month ago! How could he keep this a secret from me? Would I have gone to see Negan? I don't know, but still! Keeping a secret like that from me is a bitch move. 

"Michonne and I decided to keep it a secret because we didn't know what he might say. If he would bring up Nick or ask to see the Polaroid you took of him. We didn't-" 

"I appreciate the concern, chief, but regardless, you kept a big ass secret like that from me." I huff, crossing my arms over my chest. There are already two tattoos on me, one on my right and one on my left arm. One of the tattoos is a police badge for my dad and the other is a whip. 

I continue, "I've been on your side through this whole thing, not even because of Negan, but because I know where you're coming from. But do not make me get pissed at you because you're trying to justify lying to me." 

He nods in understanding, "I know. I'm sorry." 

"What made you tell me?" I ask, perking up. 

Rick adjusts how he's standing, leaning on his left leg, "Negan wants to talk about the exact reason we didn't want to tell you. But, he brought up something that made me consider telling you." 

"Well, you're telling me so what is it?" I ask, motioning for Rick to continue. 

"He wants to talk about why he reconnected you with Nick." 

I raise an eyebrow, "Did he say why?" 

Rick shrugs, looking around before bringing his eyes back to mine and shaking his head, "Not really. He just said that fully seeing you with your scar on your face the last time he saw you made him think." 

I scoff dryly, "' Made him think'." I repeat quietly. I want to figure out why the hell he put me through that again, but the bridge is way more important than my past trauma. 

Then again, reuniting with Nick ruined absolutely everything. 

I'll think about it. 

I straighten up, keeping a straight face. "Whatever, I'll think about it." I say.