Daria: I S.T.A.Y.

Funhouse

It should not have been such an alien feeling. It had not been the first time that Daria Morgendorffer had flown solo; so why did it depress her now more than it had ever done in her lifetime? As far back as Highland the spectacled cynic had had a lack of companions, through her own admission of course. She never claimed to be sociable or seek people out. If anything, she wanted nothing to do with humans. Other people were confusing and irritating so why subject herself to it?

The rumbling of the car's wheels was the only sound that kept Daria company as she drove down the foggy street. She was not quite as familiar to these roads as her own. Hell, she could drive to Jane's house without her glasses. She shook her head to rid herself of the artist's image. Not that she ever attempted that of course; it would only result badly for dogs. Or maybe travelling singing cowboys. Neither seemed very car friendly. But still, here she was, driving down this street on a Friday night rather than being nestled in her room with a good book.

Daria sniffed and scratched her nose as she turned a corner. This cold was getting worse. Her nose was now clogged, so everything smelled and tasted like Styrofoam. How she knew that was a story for nobody's ears. But even this had its perks. She did not have to taste the newest incarnation of chillie con cheese-puffs Jake had created. Just nod and approve, that was how to get through life.

Shame that it did nothing to save her friendship with Jane. Just the thought of the woman was enough to make Daria want to pull over and just curl into a ball. The one friend she made in life and she just had to blow it. And for what? A boy? Tom? As she pulled onto the curb, Daria sighed and rested her chin against the steering wheel.

The last year had been awful. Seriously, no sarcasm. Jane hated her, that summer camp did nothing to help her forget, she could not help someone like herself in Link and to top it off she pushed Tom away in anger, never to hear from him again. If only she hadn't kissed him. Everything would have been okay.

Ever since then whenever she saw the dark-haired artist in school, she would avert eye contact or avoid her entirely. And it seemed that Jane shared the sentiment. Outside of school there were no hangouts at the pizza joint, no supporting Mystik Spiral at the Zon, no just sitting in Jane's room riffing on Sick Sad World or whatever idiotic crap spewed from their classmate's mouths.

Nope. None of that. Just... nestled in her room with a good book.

Daria could not stop thinking about her. Everything about Jane; it could not leave her. And it felt worse than any illness. She had to drive past Jane's house to get here. She wanted nothing more than to stop and knock her door. If her prayers could be answered, Jane would open the door and she could beg for forgiveness. Or not, at this point she would even do something radical. Like gush over her perfume to get a response. She just wanted to talk to Jane...

Daria pinched the bridge of her nose before looking at the house. It seemed that showing Kevin how to properly use a calculator got her in the football team's good books and got her an invite to this stupid party. And all she had to do was show him how to type 8008S into a screen. Getting out of the car, she paused.

"Why am I even doing this?" Daria asked to nobody, almost glancing to the empty passenger seat as if it would answer, "It might make a good dissertation on the destructive nature of party culture... or maybe it would be fun to see people get drunk and hit each other... Nah. Just one of those would be fine."

Shutting the door, Daria shuddered at the cold. Rather than her usual skirt and green jacket, she had opted for jeans and a slightly oversized Sick Sad World t-shirt. She wondered what was on that show tonight. Maybe Jane was watching it right now? What would it be?