A story that they'll never forget, never forget

Just another party she got dragged to with her big sister, Maggie. Just another night of "You need to get out, Beth. You can't hole up in our apartment and just go to college." The truth is that Beth doesn't quite mind getting dragged to these parties. She loves people watching and the music isn't awful...usually. She spotted a few familiar faces through the cigarette smoke haze in the house, mostly the familiar faces are those of her sisters friends, but a few friends of her own.

A familiar beat started through the speakers all through the house, cans of beer and red solo cups filled with various drinks jumped and shook to the bass of the song. Beth let the song fill her, the beat running through her veins, waves of energy crashing through her. With the first chorus she sung along, loud and clear, only barely able to hear herself.

She made her way to the edge of the room next to the sliding glass doors. From past parties she knows the atmosphere can quickly and easily change from happy drunk and care free to boiling tempers, fists flying and drunken tongues spilling words they would later regret. So, she stayed off to the side, watching, always watching. For awhile she stood by herself until a few friends from high school and college noticed her and came by to say hello, then they were back off into the throng of bodies and sweat.

And all the boys are smoking menthols, girls are getting back rubs I will make myself drift to you if you make yourself shake fast enough.

Beth glanced to her right and spotted a guy, at least ten years older than herself, sitting against the wall with an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips and a zippo in his hands. He flicked the zippo open and shut. She found herself wrapped in an aura of mystery and intrigue. She side stepped two feet and slunk to the floor next to him, just as he finally lit his cigarrette. She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "Tell me that ain't menthol like everybody else smokes 'round here."

"Menthols are fer pussies," he grunted with a smirk.

She laughed at the blunt statement, a mix of amusement and agreement. He took the smoke from his lips and held it out to her. She turned her head to look him full in the face for the first time. She took in his blue eyes, noting how clear and intelligent they are. Seeing the clearness in his eyes told her he's probably the only other person sober here besides herself. A couple of beers don't count. The amount of drugs passed along at these parties, however, do. She reached out and took the smoke from him, her hand lingering against his fingers momentarily and a blush bloomed across his scruffy cheeks. He reached into his pocket, quickly pulling out another smoke and lighting it for himself.

"They're all posers," She stated, vaguely motioning towards the kids in the party. "Jus' tryin' to be someome else for a night."

"Like?" The older man asked after a moment.

She took a moment to look around and pinpoint a prime example. "That girl playin' beer pong. She's not a party girl. She wants to be a cop. She's here forgettin' that her niece died an' her daddy is dyin' of cancer. Her name is Tara. That boy over there? He's on his ninth beer, at least. He's pretendin' that he's jus' like hte rest of 'em, tryin' to get laid," She went on, pointing out other people. Then the man next to her pointed at someone and she came up with a silly reason as to why he is there. It was an outlandish reason, but they both laughed at it.

"Ya want a drink?" The man asked, pulling out two more smokes and handed one to her.

"Yeah, I'll have a drink tonight." She smiled as he stood and got them a single drink. As he walked away she took the time to look him up and down, to take in his leather vest with angel wings down the back, an obviously well worn item. She let her eyes land on his ass. She grinned when he whirled around to glare at her, his cheeks heating. He apparently felt her eyes on him.

She kept watching him the entire time until he came back and sat next to her again. "I ain't a piece of meat, ya know," He grumbled.

With a laugh she responded, "No, but yer definitely good eye candy," She waited for the blush to blossom across his cheeks again as his brain processed her words. She wasn't disappointed.

iSo let's fade away together one dream at a time/i

She laughed to herself about his endearing blush and lack of a comment back. She decided to move from the topic from his good looks and actually introduce herself. "I'm Beth. Beth Greene, by the way,"

"The farmer/vet's kid, right?"

She turned her head towards him again.

"We're all posers for a night, ya know." He acknowledged with a nod. "Daryl Dixon,"

"You're the infamous, hot as hell Daryl Dixon who won't give anyone the time o' day."

"Wouldn't quite say that," He smirked, surprisingly without a blush.

"What would ya say, then?" Her question was loaded with sass.

"I might give a certain girl the time o' day."

"And that would be?"

He looked around the room momentarily with a glint in his eyes. His eyes finally landed on his targed and he nodded towards the girl Beth started her 'poser' theory with, Tara.

Beth's eyes widened and she said, "You know she's gay, right?"

He snorted with laughter. "Ya know I'm fuckin' wit' ya, right?" He waited a milisecond and said, "Only one I'd give the time o' day fer is ya."

Beth's jaw dropped in shocked pleasure.

"I've seen ya at these parties before, heard yer name mentioned. Ya've caught my eye," He admitted.

"I've never seen ya before,"

"'m good at hiding in plain sight,"

Oh, I hoped for your name on the Ouija Board. And your naked magic, oh dear lord.

They chatted again about random other things until Beth pulled her cell phone out to see if Maggie had texted her to find out where in the party she was. Before she could slide the phone back into her pocket he plucked it from her hand and created a new contact, then called it before he handed it back. Beth cocked her head to the side to question him but he ignored her.

Whoa, where did the party go? We're ending it on the phone

Daryl stood and nodded at Beth before heading towards the front door. She watched him as he left with a sad smile. How impossible would it be ot land a guy like the unnattainable Daryl Dixon. Beth's phone began to vibrate in her hand, having not put it away after he handed it back. She glanced at the ID and smiled while pressing it to her ear and look back to the man leaving the party.

"Ya wanna join me?" She let free a small giggle before agreeing and meeting him by the door. She sent a quick text ot Maggie saying she would be at their apartment later at some point. They walked to his motorcycle and he got on before helping her on behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and her chin on his shoulder. They rode to his small house in comfortable silence.

I'm not gonna go home alone