Almost Lover | TWD | C.G

Chapter 43 | Almost Lover.

'CARL!' I continued to scream, my eyes still slightly shut. I felt arms wrap around me and instantly thought it was Carl's. 'I'm still here Carl, I'll never leave you, you hear me?' I mumbled, cupping the arms around me and rocking back and forth.

'Rory, who's Carl?' It wasn't Carl. I opened my eyes to see it was Lauren who was holding me.

'GET OFF OF ME YOU BITCH!' I yelled out, pushing her off of me. I skimmed my surroundings. Lauren's mouth was wide open at what I had just expressed to her.

'MOM!' She screamed, frantically running out of the room, which I had now recognised as my bedroom. When I looked back at the door I saw my- foster- Mom standing in the door frame.

'Rory, baby, are you alright?' She made her way to my bed as Lauren stood where she once was. She sat next to me and pushed my hair off of my face, as it was stuck to my forehead.

'You're...here?' I sighed at her.

'Where do you think you are?' She gave me a puzzled look.

'Heaven?' I looked at her. 'Or am I in hell?'

'Don't be so silly.' She giggled at me. 'You're home.' She smiled, twisting the ends of my hair.

'What?' I furrowed my eyebrows and looked down. 'No, no, she's a murderer! She shot Erika, me and then herself! I haven't seen you in a whole year!' I raised my voice, signaling to Lauren.

'Bad dream, come downstairs, ill make you some breakfast.' Mom stood up off of the bed and stepped back.

'No, this is heaven, it all happened. Shane's a rapist and also dead! I killed people, Mom, i'm a horrible person!' I got out of the covers and ran past lauren to the staircase. They followed me out and watched. 'Daryl, he died to, he is technically my Dad okay?' I continued and waddled to the window, mumbling nonsense, by the stairs opening it wide, taking a deep breathe in, spotting the outside world, looking normal. I ran down the stairs and opened the front door, not caring that I had literally just woke up. 'What is this?' I stared out.

'The road?' Lauren made a sarcastic remark, but I heard Mom hit her gently to shut her up.

'Wow this dream really sounds busy, how about we sit down and talk about it?' She suggested. I took a step onto the walkway.

'You weren't even in it! I thought you had died!' I turned my head to look her in the eye. 'And.' I spoke.

'What?' Mom came and stood next to me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

'Carl...' I breathed out, looking around the garden, where Mom -coincidentally- had a daisy patch.

'Who is Carl sweetie?' She rubbed her thumb into my shoulder blade.

'An Almost Lover.' I dropped to my knees.

'None of those people, Daryl, Carl, Erika, they were all made up in your head.' She sat next to me.

'NO! YOU'RE ARE TELLING LIES, MOM!' I let tears fall. She was wrong.

'Let's get you showered and ready for school.' She practically scooped me up bridal style and carried me into the house. 'Clear your thoughts baby-girl.' She shut the bathroom door and I whaled loudly. "Baby-girl" kept repeating in my head.

This can't be something I made up, it feels to real to be made up. The feelings I felt, the thoughts I had, the ideas I had created, the questions I had unsanswered, were all still fluttering inside of me. This was not just a dream. I jumped in the shower and tried to think of possible ways to see how this could even of happened. I love Carl, but he wasn't even real.

What am I saying?

Yes, he was.

But he wasn't, otherwise I wouldn't be here right now, I would be gone, yet my body still lying lifeless in his arms.

When I got out of the shower I headed straight to my room and got changed into some jeans and a coral 'long at the back, short at the front' floaty top with a closely coloured strappy vest underneath. As I was drying my hair, I looked in the mirror and imagined being with Carl right now. Getting ready or school, being one of those annoying couples who show public displays of affection just to piss people off. I let a tear fall.

"AURORA, SCHOOL!" Mom yelled from downstairs.

I quickly put my black converse on and applied a small amount of mascara, before running downstairs and grabbing my bag.

'See you later Mom, I love you.' I kissed her cheek and made my way out the door, to begin my walk to school.

I was relieved I had left her with some assurance that I haven't gone completely mad. I couldn't help but realise how much I missed the normality of life. Actual living people roaming the streats, birds flying in and out of trees, cars trafficking the road.

I turned a corner and closed my eyes, sighing in deeply. When I released my breath and opened my eyes, I noticed more people were on this road. I decided I wasn't ready for this many people just yet, eventhough I was going to school. I began to dodge everyone I could, nudging some people in the process, letting out as many "sorry's" as possible.

I got bumped so hard I fell on my bum and dropped my bag.

'OUCH!' I explained, squinting my eyes.

'So sorry Miss, let me help you.' A hand was held out for me, so I took the offer and stood up, picking up my bag. 'Are you new?' I heard the same voice ask. I really was in no mood for this.

'No, i've lived here a while now.' I grumbled.

'Are all English grumpy?' They sarcastically asked me.

I looked at them finally to give them a shocked look, but couldn't help to see they had a resemblance to someone.

'You recognised my accent?' Was the only thing I could say.

'Well it's thick.' He chuckled.

'What's your name?' I needed to uncover if I was seeing things.

'Carl, and you?' He spoke in such a bubbly tone, clueless to how confused I was.

'Grimes?' I scoffed.

'That's the one.' He still had a beaming smile.

'Are you real?' I poked his face.

'Well i'm pretty sure i'm here right now.' He was so happy.

'Why are you so happy Grimes?' I spoke my mind.

'Cus I recognise you from somewhere, and that somehwere we were a right pair.' He smirked at the thought.

'A dream?' I widened my eyes.

'Exactly that.' He began to sound as creeped as I. 'Aurora-Rose Waters?'

'I never told you.' I began, nodding at his question.

'What?'

'I love you too.'