No Exceptions

Twenty Four

I woke up from the best sleep I'd had in months, spread out like a starfish on Negan's four poster. I sat up, hugging the sheet around me and looked out the windows, admiring the crystal blue sky. This was the day I was going to marry Negan; not so long ago I wouldn't of believed how elated I would've been by that. I was here scared for everyone, scared for Daryl... I felt a twinge in my chest at the thought of his name, missing him. I hoped that whatever he was doing, whoever he was with he would be happy. I promptly pushed those feelings down and edged towards the edge of the bed.

BARGE! WHOOSH! Someone yet again was barging in and I wondered how it was possible for Negan to get this far without a lock. Amber entered the room so fast she just looked like a big angry blur. Once she stopped near the bed I could see that a scowl had set on her face, that she was out for blood.
"Is what Sherry l told me true?" She spat, and I shook my head at the ridiculousness of her question. How was I supposed to know what Sherry had told her?
"Amber, you're going to have to be a bit more specific! What did Sherry say?" My upbeat demeanour was grating on her, she picked up the clock off the bedside table and pegged it at the wall in her unbridled rage. Glass, metal and cogs sprayed across the room like it had been blown up. I just stared at her waiting for her to calm down, her usual beautiful complexion was splotchy and was breathing heavy through her nose, reminding me of a rodeo bull.
"Everything's fucked up for me ever since your fat ass turned up here! All the rest of us had to work for points, get treated like prisoners until we had no option but to say yes! You fucking waltz in here and he treats you like the fucking little precious princess that you are. He even waited around patiently while you messed around with your piece of redneck trash of a boyfriend!" I was furious, how dare she! But, I let her continue not wanting her to know she was getting to me.
"Then MY old flame Mark pays the price for it! He obviously wanted to do that to Daryl, but punished poor Mark instead. They melted half his fucking face off; I can't even look at him! It's worse than Dwight's face for Christ's sake!" She circles the bed like a pissed off lioness, never once taking her eyes off her prey. She then tried to shift the blame again
" I mean, the only reason I slept with Mark was because Negan was too busy with you and your groups bullshit! And now Sherry tells me that we're not his wives anymore and we can go to our original posts with our partners. Now why would I want to do that? Why would I want to go back to a old cot bed that smells like sour milk and a low ranking ex with a muffed up face?" Amber was so close to me now I felt her hot breath and droplets of her saliva hitting my face. I couldn't believe how shallow this girl was, and how little regard she had for people she's supposed to care about. Amber pointed her little index finger at me and jabbed at my sheet as she finished her rant.
"I'm not losing this life to some pretty doe eyed bitch! Watch me turn the tables your highness! You'll have to let me know what it's like falling off your fucking high horse!"

I stood with the sheet bunched around me, walking straight past her trying to not acknowledge her existence. As I reached the shower I let go of the bed sheet, letting it pool at my feet hoping knowing that my nakedness and nonchalance would make her uncomfortable and leave. Unfortunately it had the opposite effect. She shrieked and  ran towards me, I leapt for the door just in time and Amber ended up face planting. I sat on the floor, using myself as a barricade, there was no way I was letting her in. She kept scratching and banging on the door like a rabid dog.

"Let me in you fucking bitch! I'll fucking claw your eyes out!" Not much of an incentive I thought to myself.
I heard Sherry come to my rescue "Amber stop this!what are you doing?"
Amber threw herself against the door and burst into tears
"She fucking ruined everything!"
I heard Sherry shush her and felt the weight leave the other side, she must've gotten up.
"Are you OK?" I heard Sherry ask through the door
"I'm fine, just try to calm her down" I wasn't sure if Amber was still there, but it stayed relatively tranquil on the other side. Sherry replied
"I will Rackel, but just make sure we have a chat before tonight Alright?" I promised and heard her leave the room. I was pretty sure Amber was gone so I eased off the door and had my shower.

The next few hours passed so quick that if I blinked I would've missed it! The whole Sanctuary was buzzing with excitement, I found out that this was the first wedding held ever, and Negan was going all out. When I made it to Skye's room I was on top of the world. I walked in and noted the massive sheet over what I assumed was my dress. It engulfed her sizeable room and I got nervous. My heart rate quickened at the realisation that this was actually happening. Skye sprung up from her desk and hugged me.
"Are you ready to see it? It's gorgeous, just like you!" She jumped on the spot and clapped, unable to contain her excitement. I began to feel very anxious, I didn't know if I'd like what she picked, but then was reminded of the guitar she had given me and felt at ease. Skye has gotten to know me very well over this time and felt a pang of guilt due to the fact that I didn't know her very well at all.
"Before you show me the dress, why don't we talk about you? You would've made a good detective; you seem to know everything about me, but I dont know nearly enough about you!"
Skye smiled "Really?"
In that moment showing a humility way beyond her years "Of course! I can't believe that I haven't asked before now"
She leaned on her desk and paused "Well I'm 17 years old. I lived with my mother before the outbreak, just trying to make it through school, only really thriving in textiles. I was a sitting duck when Negan found me! I locked myself in my mother's house, she'd been bitten by a neighbour. She had stopped breathing when he knocked down the door. He was my guardian angel!" I was confused, there was something that was missing from this picture, I pressed on although she seemed uncomfortable talking about it. Like a bandaid, rip it off and we won't have to go there again I thought.
"Did he just randomly save you Skye, or did you know him before?"
She laughed at herself and slapped her forehead "I can't believe I didn't tell you, Im soo silly! My mum was best friends with Lucille"
"What? The baseball bat?" I was completely confused. Skye giggled at me then went serious again
"Lucille was his wife before the end" it hit me, he'd named his bat after his late wife, So he could have her with him always. My heart hurt for the both of them, this world was so full of loss.
"All three of them were inseparable until a couple of years before the outbreak. I moved away with my mother and my Dad left without saying goodbye." Her face scrunched as the tears fell from her face. I crossed the room to comfort her, cranky at myself for subjected her to this.
"I'm sorry that all happened to you" was all I could come up with, consoling not my strongest suit. She wiped at her eyes and squared her shoulders, her toothy grin returned and dismissed our conversation
"Enough of that, let's see if you like your dress!"
She hopped away from me towards the sheet.
"I hope you like it!" She squeezed her eyes shut as she revealed the most prefect wedding dress I've ever seen. It was a organza rockabilly dress with lace accents, it would've been the dress I picked even if I had my pick of all the garments in the world. I turned to her in awe, she absolutely nailed it!
"You're a genius! You know that right?" She bowed theatrically and I applauded her.

She helped me get into the dress and couldn't believe how well it fit, then the lightbulb finally went off
"You made this didn't you?"
She blushed and nodded "you've become my new barbie doll, I've made all your dresses!"
"You're a wizard, you'll have to teach me" she waved me off and continued dolling me up, excited for where the day was taking me.