like real people do | c.g [#wattys2019]

F A U L T

WE EVENTUALLY GO BACK to the usual chatter as Rick, Carol, and Daryl come back inside, me smiling as I see Maggie happy. My eyes fall back on the piano and I sigh. I really want to play, but it kinda isn't the right time. I'm so entranced by it, that I don't notice Ro look up at me from her spot on the floor, next to Tara.

"Play it." She says, making my head snap towards her. She smiles, her words catching Tara and Maggie's attention, both of them sitting next to her. "You've been staring at that piano since you walked in. Go play." She says. By now Glenn and Carl have already turned to look at us. My eyes widen at her words.

"It's probably not even tuned. Besides, who even said I know how to play?" I ask, lying as I raise an eyebrow.

And it would've worked, if Carl hadn't listened in. "You can, though." He mutters, making me glare at him. "What was it again? Guitar, piano, and what?" He asks, making me sigh.

"Ukulele." I mutter, making him chuckle. "Was gonna learn how to play the violin but the world went crazy." I say, cracking a smile.

Rosita chuckles. "Then go play." She says, making my smile drop. The piano was Beth's thing. She wrote songs too, and she asked me to help her with melodies a few times back at the prison. We didn't have anything to play on, but we had fun making the songs up. It was the only thing that made me smile after Carl and I stopped talking for those few weeks.

I know she played, and I know Maggie liked to hear her. She's still mourning and I don't want to make her uncomfortable. I involuntarily glance at her, expecting a frown, but I'm surprised to see her smiling. I guess she shared my train of thought, because she says. "Go play me something."

"Are you sure?" I ask, uncertainty present in my voice, but she nods nonetheless. I smile, getting up, making Rosita squeal.

No one else looks up, nor does the chatter stop as I sit down on the bench, but Ro quickly fixes that. "Casey's gonna play something, quiet!" She yells, making everyone turn to face me.

My eyes widen as my eyebrows shoot up. "That was subtle." I mutter, making her chuckle. I'm not nervous, I realize as they stare at me. I've never been afraid to perform, having done a lot of school plays and talent shows before this. Even though my parents were scientists, they wanted me to be skilled in a lot of different areas. My mother had to play the piano growing up, my grandma made her and her sister play it. But she loved it, and she's the one who taught me.

I sigh, looking only at Maggie for a second, seeing her smiling up at me from the floor. I turn around, facing the piano now. It's old, but it's still beautiful. The woodenness blends well into the room, surprisingly not making it look out of place. I let my fingers skim over the keys without pressing them, straightening my posture and crossing my feet lightly, out of habit.

I start the song, the room completely quieting down. It starts out slow and happy, it picking up slightly as it progresses. My fingers move quickly along the keys, me not really hearing anything else besides the piano as I play.