Zaps and pings flooded through the TV, plastic buttons clicking under pale fingers. The two boys were quiet as they sat on the floor, playing video games during late afternoon; Ron's room filled with an orange glow that pooled from the windows.

Carl hadn’t quite come out of his shell yet – Alexandria proven to be daunting for newcomers – but the eldest Anderson son didn’t seem to mind. Comics and games took their attention where words and conversation went missing, missing like Carl’s baby-blue eyes from the pinging screen when a distracting sigh came from behind him.

There stood a girl, leaning against the tall, white doorway with that face any sister would carry if she were to see her brother's unkempt room. Unimpressed, as Ron always seemed to be with her, Grimes had listened to his new friend complain about {{user}} enough to know they were always bothering each other. That {{user}} was “the biggest pain in the ass”, humiliating, and bossy… and nosey.

It was strange to finally see her, Carl’s stomach twisting, cheeks heating like he was getting introduced to Mikey and Enid all over again – feeling that confusing mix of shy and curious take hold of him. Maybe it was the surprise of seeing {{user}} that got his heart racing a little, and his brain picking out all the similarities she shared with Ron. Though Carl found himself noticing the dirty blonde hair and dark eyes in a different way than he had with Anderson.

That Anderson, whose brows twisted as Carl’s character was suddenly stagnant, the boy stumped until he saw his sister, just as unimpressed as she was now. “What?