Brittney's Fear 
by Mitch 

WARNING: This story does some MAJOR "creative liberties" with Daria. If your a Daria
purist, (I know I am), then skip to the end. You'll know it when you see it. :) 

It was the same as always. Quarterback Kevin was talking to cheerleader Brittney in front
of Daria Morgendorffer's locker at Lawndale High. Kevin was talking too much and saying
some pretty boring stuff, but it didn't matter. At least he had a cute smile. As always, Daria
Morgendorffer would show up soon with that wistle of her's and scare Kevey into thinking it
was time for football practice. 

"Excuse me?" As always, Brittney ignored the familar voice. "Excuse me?" Kevin had such
a cute smile... 

Daria got blew her whistle, as always. Kevin ran off, as always. An angry Brittney was
about to storm after Kevin, as always. Then she noticed something... 

"Daria," asked Brittney after turning around, "you look different somehow." She looked at
Daria's face for awihle to figure it out. "Hey, wait a minute. You're not wearing glasses!"
"How observant." "Did you lose them or something?" "No. I'm wearing contacts. I wanted to
try something different in my life." "Oh. Um, why?" "I just do, why?" "Um, no reason."
Brittney left wondering why she was talking to Daria that long... 

The next day, Brittney was talking to Kevin. Then Kevin remembered he had to remind
football captain Mack about something. As he left, Brittney heard a familar voice saying
"Excuse me?" Britt turned and saw Daria, still without glasses, without her jacket and with
regular shoes instead of her boots. "Uh, Daria, what's with the new cuter look?" "Same as
yesterday. I needed a change." "OK, it's just..." Britt didn't know what was bothering her, but
something was. 

A couple of days past. It was now Thursday. Brittney was having trouble sleeping and had
been noticing Daria's popularity growing. For fun, Brittney went to the cheerleader tryouts,
even though she had been a cheerleader for about a year. She wanted to see what new
faces might be around. She sat in the gym and heard a familar voice, "Hi Brittney." Britt
turned and saw Daria...IN A CHEERLEADER OUTFIT! (Which was loose fitting on her, by
the way.) "Daria, what are you doing here?" "I thought I might try out. Not expecting much.
Just for fun." "But..." Then Brittney realized that Daria wouldn't be good at the tryouts and
didn't argue. At Daria's turn, she did a loud, spirit-lifting cheer that sure got the attention of
the entire gym. 

It was now friday. Brittney felt like she couldn't go on. She couldn't beleave Daria
was...Then she relized what was bugging her. She was afraid that Daria would steal her
popularity. She felt as if that had been secreatly bugging her since Daria first appeared at
Lawndale High. She then heard some shouting from the gym. They were chants of Daria's
name. 

Britt couldn't believe her abnormally large eyes. She saw what was practically the entire
school lifting up a smilling Daria, wearing a cheerleader outfit. WHAT WAS GOING ON?
Britt ran up the misfit-turned-popular girl. "What is going on?!" "Didn't you hear, Brittney?
Even though I haven't gone to a game yet, their letting me the state-wide cheerleading
competition." "But, I WON THAT LAST YEAR AND I HAD TO CHEER AT EVERY GAME
TO GET NOMINATED!" "Oh. Oh, well. Buy the way, I'm not 'Daria' anymore. I just leagally
changed my name to 'Blue'." "But...THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NAME!" "Oh. Sorry.
First come, first serve." That was the last straw. "WHY ARE YOU STEALING MY LIFE." "I
didn't. It was given to me. Like I said, all I wanted was a change. I didn't expect to go
anywhere with it. Can I help if people like me for it?" "But I had to WORK to be popular!
You've barely tried!" "I didn't want to be popular. I just -am- for some reason. I'm just being
favored so blame me. It's not my life. I'm just having fun." "Well..." Brittney figured that she
should let Daria...BLUE...have her place in the spotlight. "Okay. Have you seen Kevin? A
minute ago. I'm sorry." "About what?" "About your breakup." "WHAT?!" "Kevin told me
about it this morning when he asked me out." Brittney gaped. "It sounded like fun, so I said
yes." "AAARRRGGGHHH!" Brittney ran out screaming. Even outside the school, she heard
rants of "BLUE! BLUE! BLUE!" Just as her life was falling apart, she was about to find
something significant in what Daria had said...Then it started to rain and ruined Britt's
hair... 

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!"

*** 

Brittney then noticed she was looking at a blue cloth. Then she realized she was on her
back. She sat up and looked around at dry, familar surroundings. She discovered what had
happened. "It was all a -dream-..." 

At first she couldn't have been happier. Then she remembered what Daria had said in her
dream. Being popular wasn't actual fun for Brittney. It was a job. She never noticed that
before. Still, she was -good- at it, and she wouldn't Daria take it from her, even by accident.

It was the same as always. Keven was talking to Brittney. Daria scared Kevin away. Brittey
was about to follow Kevin...then remembered something. "Daria, would you ever wear
contacts?" "Nah. They might bother my eyes." "Would you... dress differently?" "I think you
would before I would." "Last question, would you go out with Kevin?" "Why? Is there a
shortage of males going around?" Brittney cheered and rtan off happily. 

It was now Thursday. Brittney was looking at the cheerleader tryouts just for the fun of it.
Then she saw Daria come in without her glasses... 

"What's with her?" Jane asked about the fleeing Brittney. "Maybe she didn't recognize me
without my glasses," said Daria. "I hope they get fixed soon..." 

THE END