Never Have I Ever

The Cabin

Beth's mission for her first drink seemed childish at first. We had just lost everything, everyone, and she wanted a drink? The mission had led us to an old country club where we almost got eaten two separate times. Now, sitting around this makeshift table in a long abandoned cabin, it seemed like everyone was loosening up.

"Okay, so it's called never have I ever." Beth said, excited to play. "And how do you know about this?" Daryl asked, biting his lip. "Seen my friends play it." She waved him off. "Have you played?" I smiled and shrugged "once or twice."

"So we go around, and we say something we haven't done. If you have done it, you take a drink." Beth explained simply. "Okay, so like, I've never shot a crossbow." Beth said, looking at Daryl. We both took a drink, remembering the time Daryl had let me shoot his crossbow on one of those hunting trips we took together. The moonshine burned, and after just that first sip, I could feel it in my toes. "Okay, now your turn."

Daryl fumbled with his thoughts a minute. "Never been outta Georgia." Both Beth and I took a sip, I smiled at the memory of my short-lived trip to the Alamo with my family as a kid. My turn. "Uh..." it really was harder than I thought it would be. "Never been to a school dance." Beth took a sip, "you never went to prom?" I shrugged. "Got stood up. Probably for the best anyway, my date knocked up the other girl he took that night." I chuckled, "dodged that bullet."

Daryl snorted a laugh at the embarrassing little story. "Okay. Um, I've never been drunk and done somethin I've regretted." I snorted as I took a sip, Daryl too. "Done a lot of things." Daryl muttered. "Just wait, I'm sure you'll do ssomethinyou regret. If ya don't , then you weren't drunk enough." I giggled , and she smiled at me.

We looked to Daryl "never been on vacation." I took a sip as Beth asked for details. I blinked hard, looking into the cup. This shit was strong. "Maddie?" "Hmm?" I asked, totally zoned out. "Your turn," she said with a smile. I rested my elbow on the table and leaned my chin on it. "I ain't never had sex before." I said, and there it was as soon as it left my mouth. I regretted it when I saw Beth's eyes bulge from her head.

"What do ya mean? You? You haven't had sex before?" I furrowed my brows at her. "You have?" She shrugged as she tried to fight back a smile that was winning. "Jimmy and I were stuck in that house a long while." I snorted as I watched them both take a drink. As Beth took her turn, though, I felt Daryls eyes on me, but when I looked at him from the corner of my eye, he diverted his gaze.

"I ain't ever been in jail before." I huffed "Okay but like, hard time or drunk tank?" She shrugged, "either." I chuckled as I took a sip. Daryl raised his eyebrows at me but didn't drink. "Oh, so I'm the only virgin and the only jail bird, I see." I giggled. "What did you do?" Beth asked with wide eyes. I shrugged "public indecency, disorderly conduct, public intoxication." They both scoffed.

"That was all the same night. My daddy gave me a hell of a whoopin after that one." Beth furrowed her brows. "Your daddy hit you?" It wasn't something I would've talked about before, but why not now? Everyone's dead anyway. I shrugged, "Yeah." She shook her head. "That ain't right." I sighed, I didn't wanna get into it right now. "Daryl. Go."

The night went on like that. When Beth passed out, Daryl brought her to one of the back rooms. He came back and ploped on the seat, maddie now using the makeshift table as a seat across from where daryl sat. "Ya think she enjoyed her first drink?" Daryl snorted. The girl had been hugging them and trying to get them to dance just minutes before passing out "yeah, think so."

"Did you have fun?" I asked him, curious of what he thought of the game. He nodded slowly but didn't talk, as usual. The liquor was taking effect, and I felt wobbly. "Have you really never been in jail?" It left my lips before I could stop it. "That what you think of me?" I shrugged, "do I look like I'd be in there for indecent exposure?" He looked me up and down before shaking his head.