A/N Happy Friday! As always, I thank you all so much for reading, commenting and the follows and favors. Our young Bethyl are definitely growing up and facing new situations and challenges along the way. We'll see some of those come into play this chapter. High School - I don't think anyone could survive it twice :)
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Everything changed that fall Daryl was 17 and Beth was 15. It was the first time in what felt like forever they were going to be in the same school. Beth was in her freshman year of high school and Daryl in his junior year.
It was a lot of happiness mixed with a big sense of relief. They'd waited so long for this. Finally they'd be able to see each other during the school day. They wouldn't have classes together but they'd still see each other and they could have their lunch together. They just knew it, things were going to be so right.
There was another side to it though, Beth was a nervous wreck. Daryl was the only part of high school she looked forward to.
It wasn't her studies that had her worried, she was a good student. It wasn't the boys she was worried about. Daryl wasn't going to let anyone bother her. It was the girls. For some reason she had the very strong and uncomfortable feeling she wouldn't fit in, she wouldn't measure up.
She still had that self-consciousness that her body wasn't "womanly" enough. It was just plain embarrassing. Daryl never complained, he always acted like everything about her looks and her body was just perfect. This feeling she was all about her own insecurities. She knew that but that didn't make it go away. She couldn't shake it, she was sure every other girl in town had bigger boobs than hers.
And there were her clothes. Mama made most of her clothes and they were perfect really. Mama was an excellent seamstress. And her Mama was willing to make her just about anything she asked for. But they were still homemade clothes. The other girls would have all the newest fashions and she'd be in her homemade dresses and skirts.
She decided she needed to talk to someone about all these things that were bothering her. So she talked to the person she always talked to about everything, her best friend. Even though he wouldn't get it at all, she knew he'd listen. She knew he'd try and make her feel better about everything.
"The hell ya talkin' about girl? Ya always look pretty. Only problem you're gonna have is all them other girls are gonna be jealous of ya. Anyway, why ya wanna look like everyone else? Look at me, do I look like I got the latest fashions on?"
"Well no but it doesn't matter for you Daryl, you're always foxy no matter what."
"Foxy, huh? Pfft only fox around here is you. Quit worryin' about that shit. Anyway, who the hell ya tryin' ta impress? Them other guys?"
She smiled as she playfully gave his shoulder a little push, "Stop it, you know better. I guess I just want to be as good as the other girls."
He was smiling at her now while he rested his hands on her shoulders, "Why ya wanna only be as good as them? You're better'n them. There never was a girl as soft, an sweet, an pretty as you Beth Greene. How many times I told ya that?"
His words didn't make her feel any better about being accepted by the other girls. But right then it didn't matter because Daryl always had that way of making her feel special, and he really was the only person whose opinion mattered to her.
Beth wasn't the only one with insecurities. Daryl, often needed a little bit of that positive input from her. One particular day, shortly before school started, it was all about that. About him feeling like he wasn't good at things, like he was inadequate, a screw up.
Sure, all along he'd gotten praise from Mister Hershel and the Missus, and plenty of pats on the back from Merle and Karen about the work he'd done. But even when Beth told him he was good it was difficult for him to accept. He was so darn hard on himself, more demanding than anyone else, and a lot more critical.
This one day though, Beth just reached the end of her rope with that. She got after him.
He was feeling down that day. Mad at himself and real disappointed. He'd gotten the corral done and it had all gone real smooth. It was good to go and Mister Hershel was real happy and said how proud he was.
It was when he put that calving barn up that he ran into some trouble. Everything seemed just right, and it looked real good, real professional. Then out of nowhere came a hard summer rain and damn if that roof didn't leak like a sieve. Right over in the far right corner. He'd screwed something up.
He figured it out and he got it fixed up and everything was aces. It wasn't a big deal at all. Except to him. It felt like a real big deal to him. Like a failure. Like he shouldn't have messed up in the first place, like he should have known better.
That was his mood that warm August afternoon just about a week before school started. That day he and Beth went fishing. They were sitting there under the shade of a big old oak tree, sharing some lemonade from a jar, and he was glum. No one could beat Daryl Dixon when it came to putting on the glum face.
In her way, the soft spoken and gentle way she had, she gave him a real tough talking-to. She folded her arms across her chest and the tiniest of huffs came out of her. Then she told him, reminded him, of all that he'd accomplished just in the time she'd known him. "Daryl Dixon, you stop acting that way right now. For pete sake, why don't you just stop feeling crabby long enough to see all the things you do so right. You tell me one person, just one person you know who's never made a mistake. Go ahead, I'm waiting." Her tone was downright sassy, her eyebrows were furrowed and her lips were pursed. She was doing all she could to give him her best stern look.
He tried his best to keep his grouchy attitude intact. "Stop. You're just tryin' ta make me feel better is all, an it ain't gonna work."
She didn't back down, "Well of course it isn't going to work, how could it possibly work? You don't want it to work. You'd rather sit around moping about one mistake than think about all the stuff you did just right. Working on motorcycles and dirt bikes, fixing up the truck, getting every single one of Daddy's chores done for Mama, building that corral and building that calving barn. And guess what Mister grouchy boy? When it had a little problem you fixed that little problem. I'm just plain sick and tired of this. I came out here to catch a fish with my boyfriend, and hopefully to kiss him – a LOT. Not to sit around and watch him feeling all down on himself."
Something about her getting after him that way, her soft voice sounding so firm and so sassy, and her just telling him the way it was. For some reason it made him feel happy. But he was trying real hard to be tough with her, "Is that right little Miss Tough Stuff?"
"Yes, that's exactly right."
"Whaddya gonna do, work me over?"
"I might have to Daryl Dixon because you have worn my patience just that thin."
He set the jar down and he smiled as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and told her, "I guess I better start that kissin' 'fore I get hurt." And that's what they did. There wasn't any fish caught that day and neither of them seemed to care one tiny bit. They were both feeling a lot better about themselves and life in general. They were keeping busy holding onto each other, feeling that warmth that was hotter than an August day in Georgia.
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Just a few days later, on that very first day of school they did just like they'd been doing every day since he'd started driving them to school. They stopped at their spot in that little copse of trees. In between kisses he told her how she'd be the prettiest girl in the whole school, and how proud he was to be seen with her.
She told him how he was the best boyfriend any girl could ever have, "And Daryl, I bet there's not one other boy in that whole school who knows how to do all the things you know how to do. I'm so lucky."
It went real good for them both. Daryl had been keeping his grades up ever since he'd come to work for the Greenes, back when he was just eight years old. At first the Missus saw to it, but now he did it because he wanted to do well. He wanted to get his diploma. He wanted to prove to himself he could.
He wasn't an "A" student, not in those core classes like English and history, but he was an "A" student in all those shop classes he took. And so much of what he did in those classes required math, he was getting close to being an "A" student in his math course.
Beth liked school, the regimen of it suited her personality. She did real well in everything, a solid "B" student.
So as far as their studies went, it was all just fine.
There were just a couple of ongoing problems. One of those problems was named Andrea and the other problem was named Randal. Randal was a new kid in town, the kind of guy with a big nasty attitude and something to prove. Mostly he proved just how ornery and unlikable he could be. Other than that, it seemed he'd made up his mind there were a lot of things he wanted to prove to Beth Greene. He was the trouble with boys she didn't think she was going to have.
Then there was Andrea. She was that person. That person you see walking toward you in the hall. You know they know you're there, but they act like they don't see you at all. Then they bump their shoulder hard into yours as they walk by. She did that to Beth every chance she got, and she never said she was sorry, she'd just give Beth a disgusted look and keep walking.
Beth in her sweetness didn't get why the girl would behave that way, not at all. Well really why would she get it? If you think about it logically it makes no sense at all. Daryl had been honest with the girl in a real nice way, he'd let her know Beth was his steady girl. And Beth had never spoken one cross word to Andrea. She even started off that semester trying to be friendly, smiling and saying "Hi" when their paths crossed. She eventually gave up on that.
Then the snarky remarks started coming. After bumping her Andrea would say just loud enough for Beth and only Beth to hear, real mean things. Things like, "You smell like cow shit farm girl," Or "You have a chest like a 12 year old boy." As much as Beth didn't want to let those things hurt, the fact was they did.
She never did tell Daryl. What could he do? She had to be tough enough to get through this herself. Surely a sexy looking girl like Andrea would get a boyfriend soon, then she'd have no reason to bother Beth. Right?
What Beth didn't know was the girl hadn't given up on Daryl. She was still approaching him every chance she got, still coming on to him. Daryl didn't tell Beth because he couldn't see the point. She'd just get her feelings hurt, or worse maybe she'd even worry he might be tempted. He never would, Beth was his only interest. So he kept the girls' attempts and the things she said to him to himself. Hoping she'd soon tire of hearing "no" and move on to some other guy.
Then there was Randal. He was the relentless type. No matter how hard Beth tried she just couldn't seem to avoid him. She'd try telling him just as sweetly as she could that she had a steady boyfriend and she wasn't interested. She knew for sure he was aware of her being with Daryl, everyone at school was. He either thought he could win her away, or he just didn't care.
The only time he wasn't around her was when Daryl was. That didn't mean Daryl hadn't noticed him, he didn't miss much when it came to Beth and he'd asked her a couple of times, "That guy botherin' ya Beth? Ya want me ta have a talk with him? Straighten his ass out?"
She did, she really did. Daryl could be almost as intimidating as his big brother. If he said something Randal would surely back off. But again, Beth thought she should handle this herself. But mostly it was because she didn't want to take a chance on Daryl having trouble, like he'd had when he fought Len. So, she just kept assuring him everything was fine.
It all came to a head one Tuesday morning just before Halloween.
It started with Randal. Daryl said goodbye to Beth as they got to the school's big entry doors. He walked off toward his class and she turned to walk to hers. Randal must have been waiting in the wings. He came right up behind her and wrapped his arm tight around her waist, pulling her into him in an overly familiar way, "Hey there Beth, why don't ya dropkick that redneck and give me a chance? I'm ten times the guy that worthless piece a shit ever was." And as he spoke he grabbed himself right in the crotch while he leered at her.
Beth thought she was going to throw up right then and she was struggling to break free of his hold. But the more she struggled the tighter he held on to her, it seemed to excite him. He had a nasty smile on his face and he was trying to put his mouth on hers. Beth was trying hard to push him away, she was scared and angry, "Let me go! You get away from me Randal! Don't! Don't! I told you a hundred times! Leave me alone! Don't you ever touch me again!"
The homeroom teacher heard the commotion and came out of the classroom in time to see a little bit of what was going on. Randal and Beth both had to go to the school office. Fortunately for Beth there were plenty of student witnesses to corroborate her side of the story. Still the school had to call her folks and the sheriff and there was a report taken.
Randal and his folks had to accompany Sheriff Grimes to the station.
All that was good, it was fair. The problem was Beth knew Daryl would hear all about it, everyone in school would be talking about it. Daryl was going to be angry. Not at her. She wasn't worried about herself. It was the not wanting him to get in trouble. She worried maybe he'd go looking for Randal.
She begged her folks to let her finish out the day. She didn't let on to them, but she wanted to be there so she could talk to Daryl at lunch, and after school when they drove home. She wanted Daryl to hear this from her, not from school gossip. As disgusted as she felt by Randal's actions, she was far more worried about Daryl's reactions.
That was her state of mind, upset and worried, when the next thing happened. The thing that pushed sweet, soft Beth Greene right over the edge.
She was on her way back to classes, she had the note in her hand from the principal, her excuse for being late. It just so happened Andrea Harrison was in the hallway as well. She'd gotten a pass to use the restroom.
Beth tried walking just as far from Andrea as she possibly could, but Andrea made a beeline right toward her. "I could smell cow shit all the way down the hall, and sure enough, here it is. Just look at you, with your boy body and your ugly farm girl clothes. I bet you're Mama's a big old ugly cow who smells even shittier than you."
That was the straw that broke her back. Beth's voice was angry and had an uncustomary edge to it, "Don't you dare talk about my Mama that way!" And Beth pushed the other girl's shoulder hard. The fight was on. A full on fight. Beth may have been a sweet and soft kind of girl, but she was also plenty tough. Andrea was bigger and athletic. The match was pretty even.
The English teacher heard the noise and came hustling out of his classroom. That was just about the time the fight hit the floor. Those girls were punching and clawing and pulling hair. He was just grabbing hold of Beth by the waist, trying to pull those girls apart when two things happened.
The first thing was Andrea threw a haymaker that hit Beth in the cheek. The other thing was the History teacher came rushing out of the classroom across the hall and grabbed Andrea, but not before she kicked the woman. There was no question, the kick was deliberate.
Beth's Daddy and Mama got back to the farm to the sound of the phone ringing off the hook. They listened to what the principal said, went back out to the car and headed back to school.
Beth could have gotten off with no punishment at all, since both teachers had only seen Andrea being the aggressive one. The problem was Beth was too honest. She admitted to having pushed the other girl first.
So Beth was still in plenty of trouble. Rules were rules and Beth ended up with a punishment similar to the one Daryl had gotten back in middle school. Three days automatic suspension for fighting.
Daddy and Mama made sure those three days were all about work, no fun. But they didn't go too hard on her. Secretly they may have been just the tiniest bit proud, their girl had stood up to two aggressors in one day. She had her Mama's fire.
Andrea would pay a far more serious price, she'd struck a teacher. She would eventually be expelled from school, just like Randal.
That evening Mister Hershel and the Missus agreed to let Beth and Daryl have a little time to talk about what had happened. They couldn't go anywhere though, just right there on the back porch. That's when they each told the other the truth about everything that had been going on with Andrea and Randal. No one held back, and they agreed from then on they'd tell each other everything.
As pissed off as Daryl was about all of it, and as much as he wanted to track Randal down right that minute and kick his ass into next year, he couldn't help but smile at her. "Damn girl, I always knew ya was tougher'n ya look, but shit, you went all manner a bad ass today. Still though, I shoulda been there, I shoulda kept ya safe."
"Stop that Daryl. How could you have known? Anyway, it's over. Both of them have nothing but big trouble now, but you and me, we have each other. And just so you know, I said I was sorry at school, but I'm not one bit sorry. If I would have known the way that girl was talking to you I would have punched her lights out a lot sooner."
That's when Daryl looked around, and when he felt pretty sure the coast was clear, he leaned in and said, "I believe ya, now how bout a kiss Little Miss Tough Stuff?"
That's when her Daddy called out from the living room window, "Daryl, I specifically said talking, not kissing."
"Yessir, sorry sir. Sorry Beth."
"Don't even bother saying it son. I know neither one of you are one bit sorry."
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It was just two weeks after Evie's third birthday. Merle knocked hard on Daryl's door and as he shook his head trying to wake up he looked at the clock, one. Must be one a.m. "Yeah, yeah, what?" He called.
Merle opened the door. "Gotta get Karen ta the hospital kid. Baby's comin'. Ya look after Evie now an if I'm not home before ya gotta go ta school ya just go next door an get Miss Carol. She'll stay with her."
"K brother, lemme know."
"You bet. I'll call ya as soon as your new niece or nephew arrives."
As soon as he heard the front door close he grabbed his blanket and pillow from the bed. He was quiet as could be as he slipped into Evie's room. He stood above her smiling just a little as he whispered, "We're gettin' us a new baby Evie, don't worry though, no new baby could be any cuter or sweeter'n you."
He threw the pillow down and the blanket and lay there on the floor next to her bed, just waiting to hear about that baby.
It was just before six a.m when little Wes Dixon entered the world. He was squalling, kicking and squirming with his little hands clenched into fists. His Daddy just held him and smiled so proudly at his boy, "Shit Karen, I think we got one that takes after me. Sorry Honey."
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It was two weeks after Merle's 28th birthday and just two days before Daryl's 18th birthday. The day he would legally become an adult.
That Saturday there was some sort of outing planned and no one would tell him what it was about, no one. He couldn't even get the tiniest little hint from Beth.
It all should have turned out so great, so perfect really. A wonderful surprise. It should have been one of the best days of his young life. That wasn't the way it would work out at all.
He knew it was some kind of big deal they all had planned, he just had no idea what. And he had that kind of feeling, the one where a person is real, real excited, but at that same time real, real nervous. He wouldn't have been able to tell you why exactly. Some of it was just his way, part of who he was. He worried, got a little anxious. Even when the good came he worried the bad was coming too.
Merle and Karen left Evie and Wes with the neighbor lady, Carol, for the morning. Everyone else, Mister Hershel, the Missus, Merle, Karen and Daryl and Beth piled in the Missus' Suburban. All of them being in that big old wagon together, and him having no idea where they were going, it added to the excitement, but it also added to his case of the nerves. And there was that unexplained feeling of dread he had.
Even though he didn't know where they were going, as they started getting closer to their destination he became more anxious. He felt like that knot in his stomach had turned into something more like a big lead weight. He didn't really get why but suddenly, unexpectedly he blurted it out, "Where we goin'? Ya gotta tell me."
No one seemed to pick up on the desperation of his tone, no one except Beth who laid her hand over his and whispered, "It's good Daryl. Promise." And his brother who reached over the seat and gave his shoulder a quick squeeze, "It's good kid."
Everyone else was downright cheerful. Mister Hershel smiled, "You'll see in just a minute son, we're almost there."
They turned off the highway and that's when Daryl knew where they were going. Sure enough, it wasn't long before that dilapidated old cabin came into view. He was having trouble even staying in his seat, it was like he wanted to jump out of the car and run, get as far away as he could. "Nah, nah, I don't wanna be here." He felt it through his whole body. It was like a wave of electricity was coursing through him. But it wasn't positive energy. This was negative energy.
Mister Hershel pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned the ignition off. He was confused and concerned. The same as everyone else in the car.
But there was that one person in the Suburban who knew right away what was happening. "Kid, c'mon now, it's okay, he ain't here. Remember now, he's in prison an he ain't gettin' out. C'mon now, I promise, this here is a good thing. Boss Man an the Missus they got this place from him fair n square. They got it for you kid."
His tone was still desperate and his speech was rushed as he responded, "That's real nice y'all, an thanks, an well I'm sorry, I don't want it. I don't want nuthin' ta do with nuthin' about him. Please, can we just go? Please?"
All Beth had to do was look at the young man she'd given her heart to and she knew. This was bad. She saw it in his face and heard it in his voice. Hurt, anger and something worse, something she didn't ever see in Daryl. It was something like fear. She felt tears in her eyes and she reached over, gently laying her hand on his sleeve, "Daryl."
His words would barely come out. And he felt like he couldn't draw in enough air, and his heart was about to pound right out of his chest. "Sorry, sorry, I gotta go. I just gotta go."
For all they shared and all the times they'd comforted one another over the past 10 years Beth knew. Even as young as she was she knew. This wasn't the time she could help him. She could give him all the love and support and hugs there were, and she would. But there was someone else Daryl needed to talk this out with.
Mister Hershel saw it, an anxiety attack that was mixed with a history that still lived deep in him. His life was good, he was happy, but he hadn't completely shaken the past. Her Daddy fired up the car and turned it around to head back to the farm. That's when Merle told Mister Hershel, "If ya would Boss Man, just let me an the boy off when we get ta the highway. Y'all head on home. Me n little brother we're gonna walk back."
If a person were to stop and think about that it made no sense at all. Greene's farm was five miles north of town. Will Dixon's land, the land the Greenes had won in a lawsuit and planned to deed over to Daryl now that he'd be 18, was ten miles south of town. Yet no one argued, no one said a thing. They all knew Merle was the only one among them who knew what was going on inside Daryl Dixon's head.
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A/N Again, I thank you all so much for reading this story. I'd appreciate you leaving a review / comment. The chapter photo is on my tumblr blogs, gneebee and bethylmethbrick, please check it out. For those of you in the U.S. I wish you a Very Happy Thanksgiving next week, and yes, I will be back on black Friday with another chapter of Not Her. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee