Disclaimer: I don't own 'The Walking Dead'.
A/N: If you have a request, please go to my tumblrpage to ask it which can be accessed through my profile page on here! Leave a name or screenname with your request/prompt with the 'Ask me anything' button. Rating will vary depending on how I feel or if you request a certain rating (i.e- smut).
Miss me when I'm gone
Snippet #1
Riding in cars with boys
(Good movie, by the way)
Beth felt nervous as she sat in the car, waiting. She bounced her knee while picking at a small hole in her jeans. She really wanted to fidget with the radio, but knew it wouldn't work though she really wished it would, anything to make her less nervous and antsy would help at this point.
This was her fourth time learning how to drive, and it unfortunately wasn't fourth time's the charm either. First, her father, Hershel had taken it upon himself to teach his youngest daughter how to drive, to give her something normal to learn. It was going fine too, 'til they got on the road. Beth wasn't sure what compelled her to suddenly have a lead food and disregard anything around her, including the fear and screams of terror coming from her own father. After that day he delegated the horrifying privilege to Maggie.
They didn't even leave the gate before Maggie had up and walked out on Beth. All they did was bicker and fight for thirty minutes 'til her older sister had had enough and left. Glenn was her third time's the charm.
In reality, he wasn't.
Glenn only encouraged her to go faster and faster resulting in the carburetor blowing up in smoke and ending with both of them walking back home with one less car. Needless to say Glenn was not allowed to be her teacher once the fourth time came around.
Rick actually called on a meeting to figure out who could possibly teach her without fearing, fighting, and/or encouraging her speed rage. After much debate they chosen who they thought was the perfect person.
Now Beth was more nervous than at ease as she waited for him.
Daryl Dixon.
Surprisingly enough he offered to do it, especially when no one raised their own hands and offer. Beth was extremely surprised, only because Daryl had never taken a particular interest in her beyond being there for Carl and Judith. They barely said 'hi' in passing, so to say she was nervous and a bit apprehensive being alone with him was an understatement.
To be honest, he sort of scared her. It could be his intense stare, or scowling glares. Really Beth figured it was his mean demeanor and personality.
The door on her right opened abruptly, pulling her from her thoughts. The blonde breathed slowly through her mouth as her stomach flip-flopped as Daryl sat down in the passenger seat, shutting the door after him.
They sat in silence for a minute then Daryl sighed deeply, like this was a big waste of his time. "Start the car." He suddenly said, startling Beth, causing her to jump in her seat. He raised an eyebrow but said nothing more.
Slowly like she thought he was a snake and would attack at the slightest movement she reached for the key in the ignition, giving it a twist and the vehicle roared to life. Beth pulled her hand away to place it in her lap once more. They, again, sat there in silence.
"Beth."
"Yes?"
"This is a drivin' lesson right?"
"Umm, yes."
"A'right…" Beth started bouncing her knee again. "Jesus Beth! Pull the gear inta drive and go!" Daryl finally snapped, losing the last of his patience it seems.
Beth reached down to grab the gear stick and took it out of park and into drive quickly. She turned the wheel around towards the gate and waited for Tyreese and Glenn to open the gate for them. Her hands gripped the wheel tightly as they waited, then without being told she pulled through the gate onto the rocky road, away from the prison.
Just as they got pass the trees did Daryl tell her to stop. "Put the car in park." He instructed, waiting for her to follow orders. She was confused but did as told, her nervous meter rising.
"A'right, so whatcha havin' issues wit'?"
Beth turned to Daryl before shrugging her shoulders. "I dunno…" she said, feeling a bit embarrassed that she wasn't sure what her 'issues' were exactly.
"Whatcha mean ya dunno?" she shrugged again, bowing her head away from Daryl in utter embarrassment. Sighing, he rubbed his forehead then waved his hand at her. "Jus' start drivin', I'll figure it out."
Beth nibbled on her bottom lip as she went into drive and started again. At first it was steady and slow but then the car started picking up in speed, going from twenty miles per hour to fifty and climbing. Beth's knuckles were turning white from gripping the wheel so tightly and her heart started to pound rapidly against her ribcage, she wasn't sure why she was having this sort of reaction, it seemed to always happen when she was behind the wheel though.
"Slow down, Beth." Daryl glanced between her and the empty road.
"You should put your seatbelt on, Daryl." Beth replied back, tersely, her arms tensing up as the speedometer read sixty-five miles per hour.
"Beth! Stop!" Daryl yelled out, reaching up to grasp the 'oh shit' bar. His words barely registered in her mind, it was in one ear and out the other as though he hadn't said anything at all.
Her vision strangely zeroed in on the road as her heart rate rose.
"Beth!" Daryl called out again. "BETH!"
Further up a walker ambled into the road, seeing it brought Beth back into reality and she slammed on the brakes hard. Daryl flung forward without the safety of the seatbelt he neglected to put on, slamming his arm and forehead against the dashboard while she braced herself against the steering wheel with her seatbelt pinning her to her seat. The screeching of the tires and burning smell coming off the asphalt really woke her out of her daze. The car finished stopping and lurched back.
They sat in silence for a moment.
"Holey shit! Are ya tryin' ta kill us!" Daryl exploded, pulling back from the dashboard to reveal a big, fat red mark on his forehead that was quickly swelling up and would most likely become a bruise.
"I'm s-s-sorry, Daryl." Beth stuttered, slowly prying her hands from the wheel.
"Ya sure ya are? I done told ya ta stop but ya didn't listen! What the hell is yer damn problem!?" Daryl's whole face was read now. He suddenly ripped his door open, kicking it back when the hinges forced the door to swing back to him. Quickly he got out barely taking much notice of the walker before his knife lodged into its temple, thus killing it.
He barely spared a glance back at her before walking further out.
Beth felt tears burn in the back of her eyes as she sat there, letting the car sit idly. Eventually she reached up to turn the engine off.
"What the hell is yer damn problem!?"
'I don't know…' Beth thought, huffing air out of her mouth as she felt even more deflated than before. She didn't know why she didn't hear anyone else when driving, or why she would speed so suddenly. If she did know she would change it, but she didn't.
Blood would start rushing through her ears, blocking out any noises from distracting her as she drove. It was like she would have mini panic attacks while driving, like if she took her eyes off the road for even a second she would go out of control. Though in hind sight she wasn't really in control if she was speeding out of control like she had been. Beth wiped away a tear, refusing to cry over this even though it was extremely frustrating.
The door slamming shut beside her brought Beth back to the here and now. Daryl was once more sitting in the passenger seat, staring straight ahead silently.
"I'm sorry." Beth apologized again, hoping he wasn't going to give up on her like everyone else has been.
"I thank I might know why ya drive like a psychopath." Daryl mumbled, turning to eye her over briefly.
"Ya think so?" Beth asked, trying not to sound so hopeful like she felt.
"First, take a big breath." She frowned at his request, but quickly did as he said not wanting to anger him anymore than she already has. Beth took a deep breath then slowly released it; already she was feeling just a tad more relaxed than before. "Now, ya need ta relax. What goes thru yer mind when ya drive?"
She looked over to Daryl seeing him watching her attentively, waiting for her to talk. Seeing him like this towards her gave her pause, never before had Daryl really given her his full attention. It was startling, but also nice; in a strange way it was exciting to have the redneck's attention on her like this. It made her feel important, much more than a glorified babysitter, that's for sure.
"Well…I get the sense that I'm goin' out of control. So I guess I ignore eveythin' else around me to concentrate on that." Daryl nodded, turning his intense gaze out towards the road. Though it was nice to have his full attention she hadn't anticipated how stressful it was. She didn't want to make a fool out of herself, but she had the feeling that she had already been there and done that.
"A'right. I wantcha ta start the car up again. This time listen ta me when I talk, got me?" Beth reached up to twist the key when his hand came out of nowhere latching onto her wrist to keep her from turning the key. Whipping her head back to him, she wilted just a little underneath his scowling glare. "Got me?" Daryl repeated.
"Gotcha." Beth practically whispered, trying not to tense up from his tight grip. He let go once she confirmed her understanding, this time he buckled his seatbelt in she noticed as she started up the car once more.
"Put yer hands on the wheel and accelerate slowly, no anythang above thirty-five." Beth nodded, her heart pounding like before inside her chest.
The car eased slowly into the speed of thirty-five, she kept glancing between the speedometer and the road to make sure she wasn't going above his speed limit.
"Talk ta me, Beth. Whatcha thankin'?" Daryl asked, he was also keeping a keen eye on her speed as she was.
"Nothing really…my hearts beating pretty hard though."
"Loosen up yer arms, no one's gunna attack ya, girl." Beth breathed deeply again, letting the tension in her arms go away. "Good, now relax some. Lean back in yer seat, don't be so straight backed." She followed his instructions, letting her body loosen up and really relax. "How ya feelin'?"
"Better…not as scared or like I'm gonna go outta control."
"Good, now speed up some…"…
The rest of the drive ended very pleasantly, though it was mostly silent on both of their parts they didn't argue any, or shout so that was a plus. Beth felt more confident about her driving, that and she didn't feel like she was going to get out of control anymore. She even drove up to sixty miles per hour without becoming erratic like before, and it was all thanks to Daryl. Maybe all she needed was someone who could keep a cool head while she drove, though honestly Daryl wasn't who she expected to get that from.
Slowly they pulled into the prison, parking right next to one of the other vehicles.
"Thanks, Daryl." Beth turned to him with a big ole smile. He nodded slowly, opening his door to get out.
Before he left her there, she heard him say, "No problem."
A/N: So the ending kind of…sucked. I know, hahaha. But anyways this is just a little intro into what I am doing for this. Mostly this is just to get my mind cleared when I am writing my other stories, which I promise will be updated soon! I swear! Anywho drop me a line!
ALCzysz17
