Leah Grimes

Chapter 81

I hesitantly followed him back to the tents, sitting down on the cot looking over at Aaron. "Is he going to be alright?" I asked Enid. She nodded, "I hope so, I'm just waiting for him to wake up." She knelt down touching my face, "you need some stitches, I just need to sit outside for a minute."

The saviour pressed a cloth against my face, "I'm Alden by the way. I meant to introduce myself, but it never seemed like the right time. I mean you scared the shit out of me. When we were all locked up at Hilltop, you came in out of nowhere pointing a gun around. And then a little later you came back and did the same thing except you shot him." I bit my lip, "that man killed someone important to me, just for the sake of killing him. And the day I shot him, that was the day I had to shot my own brother, my best friend." Alden sighed, "I know. You scared the shit out of me, but you also intrigued me. A lot. The things I heard, you've been through a lot." I turned to look at him, "you heard correctly then." After a few minutes I turned to him, "I'm Leah." He smiled, "I heard you cut your own finger off?" I let out a small laugh, "just the tip." I held it out so he could examine it.

We both leaned our backs against the tent wall, and I looked up as Daryl walked in sitting on a chair beside Aaron. "Can we have a minute alone?" He asked Alden. I gave him a small smile, "thanks."

"You good?" I shrugged, "it isn't about me, this is about Aaron." He nodded, "Aaron is unconscious right now." I sighed, "he pushed me out of the way, that log was coming for me. He should've let it." Aaron let out a small laugh, "that's one hell of a thank you Leah." I immediately stood up standing over him, "I'm sorry I didn't know you could hear us." He nodded, "if that log came for you, it would've crushed your entire body. I can live without an arm, Rick can't lose another kid, and I wouldn't want you gone either." I gave him a small smile, "is there anything I can do for you." He nodded, "give Alden a chance." I scoffed, "Aaron, I am not getting involved with anyone else." He nodded, "bad things have happened to everyone. They seem specifically targeted at you most of the time, but you can't deny your self happiness. Benjamin wouldn't want that." I bit my lip, "aren't I supposed to be making you feel better?" Aaron smiled, "you're giving me something to talk about other than my arm." I nodded, "I'm not ready to have my heart broken again. I don't want to get into relationships with anyone really, whether it be friends or Alden, because they all end up leaving."
Aaron sighed, "that's just a part of life Leah, unfortunately it's the way the world is now, we have no idea how long someone's around, but you can't deprive yourself of every opportunity because you're scared they're going to leave." I bit my lip, "it gets more and more painful each time." He nodded, "give him a chance, for me."

I sighed, "I'll talk to him, but I'm not promising anything." Aaron smiled, "that's fair."

Enid walked in leading me to a chair, "I'm not the best at stitches, just as a warning." I let out a small laugh, "don't fuck up my face please Enid." She knelt down stitching the cut above my eye up, and when she was done she stepped back. "You're only a little more ugly than before." I rolled my eyes looking in her mirror, "you did a half decent job." She smiled, "go rest."

I walked out of the tent staring as everyone was sitting by the fire. "You hungry?" Alden asked walking up beside me. "I could eat." He nodded passing me a plate, "wanna sit by the fire?" I followed him there, picking away at my plate. "Listen, to be up front. I don't want a relationship." He smiled, "we can't just be friends?" I shrugged, "you want to be friends with me?" He laughed, "are you not used to making friends?" I scoffed, "you think I'm the type to run around making friends."

I turned around as someone touched my shoulder, "you alright? I've been dealing with stuff couldn't come find you till now." I stood up walking with Dad to our tent, "I'm fine. Just a cut." He nodded, "I'm going home tonight, why don't you come, see Judith, sleep in your bed. Please Leah." I sighed, "fine."