"Here Now..."

Disclaimer: I do not own Daria, or any of the characters in the story. They
are all owned by MTV. I am just borrowing them for a relatively short while. I
want to explain and expand upon things.

Right after the end of "Dye! Dye! My Darling", Daria is on her bed, talking on
the phone to Tom. It makes the assumption that all the events in DDMD after
the kisses took place on the same day. It is meant to describe the events
before "Is It Fall Yet?" that furthered the rift between Jane and Daria, how
the other Morgandorffers found out about Tom (including Jake and the vocal
chords bit) and a description of those dates. The characters thoughts are put
in quotation marks, where what they say is just in quasi-script format.

Daria: Yes? "So he wants to talk to me," Daria thought. "Is that all? Please
no..."

Tom: I don't think we finished talking last time.

Daria: "What and understatement! That is obvious! and so true..." No, we
seemed to move on from talking. (There is a dead silence for a moment) I did
speak to Jane though, twice.

Tom: Really I only knew about the first time. Not that you did anything wrong,
but why did you tell her?

Daria felt an inexplicable surge anger. "What a question? Why wouldn't I have
told Jane"

Daria: I just had to. Jane is (or was) my best friend. It would be a worse
betrayal if I kept it a secret. It was the only thing on my mind. It just came
out. "Actually that was how it happened. Exactly how it happened. How come no
one else asked about why I told Jane? Is Tom questioning my morals? What does
that say about his morals?" I tried to clearly rationalize what happened. It
did not rationalize. I knew I had to tell her. "What does that mean? It
sounded offensive, I should do something to apologize. What?"

Tom: Well than you for thinking clearly and rationally. Or trying to. (another
pause) I really had no idea what to do, and was not thinking.

Daria: I would like to think of it as just being pathological. "Sure, but
when?"

Tom: When were you being pathological? Generally you are one of the least
pathological people I know.

Daria had to relax at that. For a brief second she smiles. "We had the same
thought. I kissed a guy and now I am having what may be interpreted as a
Freudian slip. Anything to get a double meaning in this dialogue, no matter
how blatantly obvious."

Daria: In telling Jane. I just don't see my self as a pathological kisser.
"Yet. Or at least not now..."

Tom: As I said, I don't think of you ever being pathological, but we don't
know each other well enough. (beat) Do you want to go out? Now?

Daria: What do you mean?

The doorbell of the Morgandorffer's home rang. Daria could hear who it was but
she got up and walked to her door and looked out to see the Fashion Club
arrive. They all had hand bags that matched their shoes. Stacey's seemed to be
bulging with compacts.

Daria: Hold on a moment.

Sandi: Stacey, why did you bring that many compacts. We must have eliminated
sixty percent of them yesterday as unfit for our use. Don't you realize that
carrying that amount of make up would damage your purse and make people think
that you had really bad skin.

Stacey: Oh no! Sandi, how could I over look that. I don't do anything right.
What should I do with all these extras.

Sandi: May be we could force your rejects onto that girl-who-lives-with-Quinn,
or what ever.

Tiffany: That... is... such... a... good... idea.

Stacey: Yeah, it would help start that makeover we have been failing to give
her for years.

Sandi: Stacey, we do not fail. It is simply that Quinn's-cousin-or-whatever
does not know what is good for her and refuses to allow us to make her normal.

Quinn is visibly upset by the conversation. "Why do they have that type of
fixation on my sister? Can't they leave her alone like I do? They can not see
her here now.": Well I don't think she's here right now. Let's move to my room
to continue the blush-a-thon. Okay?

Daria slipped back into her room.

Daria: Never mind what this is. The blush-a-thon is still going on in my house
an I need to get out. Hurry.

Tom: All right, I am on my way.

Daria bolts out of her room, down the stairs and out the front door. P. J.
Harvey's "Is this Desire" plays in the background. She begins to pace the
lawn, going between the lights provided by the windows. She talks to herself.

Daria: Jane may hate to be with me but being stuck with the fashion four-some
is a punishment worse than death. Take an out when you can get it. And Tom isÉ
here.

Tom's car rolls up to the Morgandorffer residence. Daria jumps in.

Tom: You really did need to get away from the house.

Daria: The blush a-thon is in its second day and I heard them threaten to make
me over.

Tom: So their desire to do that to you is chronic.

Daria: No it is continuous. The attempts are chronic, and half assed.
Fortunately Quinn is the least enthusiastic of them

Tom smiles, thinking of the quasi kidnapping of Daria on the float during the
parade. That definitely was not prepared or well thought out. Then he asks:
So, do you want to continue our conversation.

Daria: Which one? "That is how this got started. We had to have conversation
about our situation (or he needed to). All things considered the need was
mutual."

Tom: There really is only one. 'What is our situation.' The foundation or
answer to that changed last night, so it is a new conversation.

Daria: Why do you want to go out with me?

Tom: I don't know.

Daria: That is flattering.

Tom: I could never explain my desire to go out with anyone, at least until it
was over. Like the first girl I ever went out with was three year older than
me and constantly reminded me that I was 'jail bait.' Now I think I only went
out with her to prove how I could be above 'jail bait.'

Daria: That is more than I needed to know. Why did you go out with Jane?
Forget that and don't answer the question about me either. (beat) I don't know
what to say.

Tom: The Felinni fest has been replaced by Werner Herzog. If we leave now we
could see "Nosferatu: The Vampyr."

Daria: I have never seen that. Klaus Kinski and Isabel Adjani, right?

Tom: Right. You should see it. That acting and action all seems like
pantomime, but some how none of it is over the top. It is sort to mesmerizing,
if not good.

Daria: All right, I am sold. Lets go then.

Almost three hours later they return. They are doing a sort of recap of the
film with imitations, quotations, and, of course, debate.

Daria: Klaus Kinski was no Max Schreck, but he could very well be a vampire.

Tom: So you have seen the original.

Daria: Of course I have. Why wouldn't I have?

Tom: Point taken. You could really see Kinski's ego but it was not as
overwhelming as Schreck.

Daria: Yeah. You have to love some one who's ego makes them look like that by
choice.

They both giggle. Tom leans over an kisses Daria. She kisses back. After about
a minute they separate and Daria slumps back into her seat.

Daria: So, this is deffinitely dating.

Tom: Yes. It would seem like it.

Daria: Oh. (reaching for the most formal and polite way to end this moment)
Well it has been a lovely evening. I think I should go now.

Tom: Wait. Tomorrow is Saturday. Would you like to go out tomorrow night
again?

Daria: Yes. "That may be the most sincere thing I have ever said." Well, I
have exams all next week so I will be studying at the library.

Tom: Studying?

Daria: Reviewing notes in peace and quite between picking out my summer
readings and avoiding people who a normally run into. Anyway, will you meet me
there when it closes at five.

Tom: Sure. It is a definite date.

"Whatever that means" Daria thought as she exited the car and made her way
back to the house.

The next morning in the Morgandorffer kitchen, all are present. Jake is
reading part of the paper, Daria has the other part, Quinn is eating cereal
and Helen is getting coffee.

Helen: Now girls exams are this week. I want you to remember to prioritize and
study before making dates to go out all evening.

Quinn: Dates! Oh no! Now I remember that I am supposed to go out with both
Lenny and Peter tonight. Damn it! I have to break it with one of them and I
can't remember who has the nicer car.

Daria: That there is a real romantic dilemma, worthy of Becky Sharp.

Quinn: I am not asking one of your brain friends for advise!

Jake: The rules for the Lawndale Cat Show include not feeding the cats live
animals. Eww.

In the library, Daria closes her note books and packs up.

Daria (to herself): Done. Now onto the honest fiction.

She walks around the aisles and then something catches her eye. She picks up a
copy of Josephine Hart's Damage.

"I never finished this. I stopped at the most awkward place, right before the
last chapter. All the plot is done, and their are less than three pages left.
I might as well finish it now, thou it seems more inappropriate than ever to
my life."

She picks it up and reads it. Then she rereads the last four lines:

    For those of you who doubt it this is a love story.
    It is over.
    Other may be luckier.
    I wish them well.

Daria: Maybe it is more appropriate than I thought. (She takes out her
notebook that she uses to quote people saying fairly stupid things and copies
down the last for lines. She reads them out loud) Only the first one. Should
anyone ask and should anyone be certain.

Librarian: The library will be closing in five minutes. Please check out any
books now and prepare to leave.

Daria: Just in time.

Daria leaves the building. Outside the library she spots Tom's car.

Daria: Hey.

Tom: Hey. So how was work.

Daria: Tedious. Slightly useful. I got to finish reading Damage. That was the
apex.

Tom: You like Josephine Hart?

Daria: Yeah, she is interesting. It is reminder that people can be cold and
distant in different ways. "Worse ways than my behavior."

Tom: I never read her, but I have something against her. Some critics I admire
were harsh towards her, and my sister is a closeted fan of hers, so my reasons
are not great, but there they are.

Daria: Any one who writes a book in which the climax involves a postmortem
c-section performed with a broken mirror not only has my interest, but my
undivided attention.

Tom (shrugs): That makes sense. Why don't you get in the car. I hear it is
going to rain. (Daria shrugs and enters the car.) You can put your bag in the
back.

Daria: Good plan. I was planing on continuing to hold it, or wear it on my
back and do harm to my body, but now I know that is not necessary.

Tom: You adapt easily then.

Daria: I can adapt. I would not say easily.

Tom nods as if it were the most natural conversation in the world. Then he
snaps out of it.

Tom: I just realized we are now half an hour away from Portola. In the
interest of avoiding people we know would you like to go their?

Daria: By reputation, do you happen to know if that place is deader than
Lawndale?

Tom: Lawndale holds its own when compared on that point.

Daria: Well, believe it or not I have lived through worse towns. However, you
have a valid argument let' get out of here.

Tom (while starting the car): So, you have lived in towns more dead than
Lawndale?

(Phish' 'Fee' starts playing)

Daria: Survived them. My family has moved around quite a bit. My parents must
be nomadic at heart. For a reason that must be against nature they keep moving
to suburbs.

(end scene while they continue talking)

Later that evening they are walking around Portola, the conversation changed.
They are looking for someplace decent to eat, and as neither of them are
familiar with the town they have wandered quite a bit. The conversations have
been more interesting.

Tom: I have to admire any place as well adjusted with its kind self proclaimed
'freak' side as this.

Daria: Only because it gives it life. Oh, about five o' clock their is a
kareoke oxygen bar.

Tom: You are kidding (turns). Wow. We have to go their.

Daria: It is the kind of joke to make me cry.

They enter the bar. They are surrounded by disco music and see people with
tubes up their noses everywhere. These people are either singing or
lip-synching along. Everything is in fluorescent colors. Daria and Tom look
around and then walk out.

Daria: They must be getting high on the oxygen. What a group of imbeciles.

Tom: I don't give them any excuses.

Daria: They don't deserve any. (beat) Jane would have loved that place. "That
was definitely the wrong thing to say. It is true, and he thought it too. If
she did not hate me I might tell her about it."

Tom: Um, yeah. (pause) Someone should tell her about it.

Daria: Right. Some one. Very direct of you to mention 'someone.'

Tom: Let's not get into this.

Daria: We have to some time. When she finds out about thisÉ I don't know what
she'll think.

Tom: She seemed ambiguous to the suggestion.

Daria: You discussed it?

Tom: Briefly. And ambiguously.

Daria: That is how Jane and I discussed it too.

Tom: This is not going to get settled. Not here and now between the two of us.
Besides there are three of us.

Daria: True. (pause) I see a cafe over there. Let's check it out.

End scene.

Next scene: They are driving back to the Morgandorffers' and are on the same
street that so much of "Legends of the Mall" took place on. The car gets over
heated and breaks down.

Tom: Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! The car is over heated. We wont be able to use
it for a good half hour.

Daria: Well, this car has served its function. We are two blocks away from my
house. It has not started raining yet, and the car thefts here only go for the
good models. Don't worry. Let's leave it and walk.

Tom: I feel kind of bad about leaving it in the middle of the road like this.
Should we push it to the side of the road?

Daria: How would it benefit me?

Tom: Bragging rights?

Daria: I don't see it that way, but I'll move it anyway.

They get out of the car and try to push it out of the way, They can only move
it about half a foot and now it is on a diagonal.

Tom: Good enough.

Daria: I am beyond satisfied. (Daria goes back in the car and picks up her bag
and gets out again). Vamos.

They walk to the house. Cut to in front of the house.

Daria: Well here we are...

They kiss. Moby's 'South Side' plays in the background. At first they seem to
be moving to the front door while kissing, then Daria drops her bag in the
path and they start moving towards the garage. They stop for a moment so Daria
can take off the glasses and put them in her pocket. Then they continue
necking. as now they are in a shady area. They are oblivious to the events
around them.

A car pulls up to the house. Quinn jumps out and is furious.

Quinn: Don't even think about asking me out again until you really know how to
drive stick! God, you almost wrinkled my sweater set when you tried to get out
of the way of that junk-car.

Boy: But, Quinn, it came out of no where.

Quinn: Just go away and think about what it means to take out a member of the
fashion club. God, I could have gone out with Lenny, and he has a Porsche.

The car drives away and Quinn huff's toward the house. Then she trips on
Daria's bag. She picks it up, looks at it, and looks around. Then she notices
Daria and Tom by the garage and walks right to them.

Quinn: Oh Daria! (Daria and Tom stop necking, let go of each other, and Daria
steps forward, then puts on her glasses and tries to compose herself)

Daria: Yes, Quinn.

Quinn (smiling, to Tom): Who are you?

Tom: I'm Tom. We've met before.

Daria: Quinn only remember guys who try to pick her up and drive nice cars.

Quinn : (through gritted teeth) This is not about me. Oh yeah, you were on the
float at the parade, and came over the other night. (smiles) Didn't you go out
with Jane? (Daria cringes at the comment "If Quinn, some one who just does not
care about Jane, or any one know that, other people will too. We are going to
get that response wherever we go. I can't tell anyone.")

But before anyone can say anything Quinn continues: Now I remember. You did.
Daria! (pause) So you really are interested in Daria here.

Tom: Yes. That would be 'yes.'

Quinn: That's a first.

Daria: Quinn, what do you want?

Quinn: To remind you not to leave your things out to trip people.

Daria: Watch where you walk.

Quinn: My suggestion was really more relevant. Here (she hands Daria the bag).
Good bye, Tom. (Quinn walks to the door but waits out side)

Daria: She killed the mood.

It starts to rain.

Tom: This seems to be the end of our evening.

Daria: Well, good bye. Wait, I have an extra ticket to a Sleater-Kinney
concert on Friday. Come with me to it. "Actually it was going to be Jane's
ticket once she reimbursed me, but as she now hates me I might as well share
the experience with you. And I am looking forward to it.

Tom: Sounds good. Well bye. (Tom runs off into the rain)

Daria turns and goes to the door and pushes Quinn in. Once inside she quickly
closes the door and turns on Quinn.

Quinn: So now you know what people do on dates. Or at least have some idea.

Daria: What were you doing staying out in the rain? You would be messing up
you hair and clothes.

Quinn (shakes her head slightly and smiles): It was worth it. Now I know how
much I am needed.

Daria: Excuse me?

Quinn: You need some advice on dating. First, if you wanted to that
Slayer-Kidding concert with him you should have gotten him to buy the tickets.

Daria: First of all it is 'Sleater-Kinney', second, I already had the tickets.

Quinn: What ever. You could do better.

Daria: Huh?

Quinn: Well, first of all (as much as I don't admit it) you are my sister, so
you're no uncute. Naturally. Through all the genetic whach-a-ma-cal-it.

Daria: Do you care at all about the scientific community?

Quinn: Don't change the subject. Like you should really consider returning to
contacts. Wear make up. I am recommending a bright, sparkly eye shadow. It
would distract people from the rest of your face.

Daria: So, you have uncovered the secret to becoming invisible and yet you
choose not to use it, but want me too. Curious

Quinn: Any way, so using your natural cuteness, and maybe little embellishing
you could certainly get some one with nice a car who shows up at school
regularly, so you could show him off and stuff.

Daria: Tom does not go to our school at all, and I don't judge people by cars.

Quinn: Obviously if you two have gone out on at least fifteen dates already.

Daria: Fifteen?

Quinn: Yeah, because I don't kiss until the fifteenth date. And as far as what
you were doing, well, I would hold out for twenty if I were you. Considering
you I would wait longer.

Daria: How many guys have you gone out with fifteen times?

Quinn thinks for a minute and then goes: This is not about me, it is about
you. So what date was that?

Daria: First official, second really.

Quinn: Oh, they are going to think of you as such a (Daria gives her most
severe and threatening glare) well you know. In the future, you may want to
consult my rules.

Daria: Ahh, no.

Quinn: One more thing: do you want me to keep this a secret from Mom and Dad?

Daria: Don't expect a bribe. Remember, I have been impoverished by having to
pay for my own date to a Sleater-Kinney concert.

Quinn: Are they cute?

Daria: Who?

Quinn: The guys in Meaner-Finney. Are any of them really hot?

Daria: Sleater-Kinney. They are all women. Feminists too. True neo punk
artists who would be insulted to be called 'cute.'

Quinn: Your going on a date to a feminist rock concert? You are beyond help!
and how could anyone find being called cute an insult.

Daria: Think about it.

(Daria goes up stairs to bed, Quinn follows, scene ends.)

(Next scene is in Daria's room. Daria is watching a late night 'Sick Sad
World')

Announcer: They don't live long but boy do they prosper; successful dot comers
who join death cults of on the next 'Sick Sad World.'

Quinn walks in and Daria shuts off the television.

Daria: I am sorry but this is not the room you wish to be in. If you wish to
be in your room click your heels togetherÉ

Quinn: Actually I came in to talk to you. I still have plenty of advise to
give you, and I think you should be taking notes.

Daria: Notes, oh I took them already (she takes out the notebook from
earlier). I have your list on when to do what on dates and how I too can be
cute and she looks at the page and sees the quote 'For those of you who doubt
it this is a love story' and pauses "Maybe its true") the rest of your drivel.

Quinn: If that's the way you feel about it you'll never go out again.

Daria: What you are saying makes no sense.

Quinn (heatedly): I am going to tell Mom about what I saw you do!

Quinn leaves and slams the door.

Daria: Here ends another opportunity for sisterly bonding. Not too shabby.

The next morning, Quinn and Daria are in the kitchen avoiding each other as
they get their own breakfast. Daria is making pancakes and Quinn gets a bowls
of cereal. Helen comes in a little disheveled, it is obvious that she spent
the night in the office. Quinn moves to the seat next to Daria at the kitchen
table and Helen sits at Daria's other side.

Quinn: Good morning Mom.

Helen (a little groggy): Quinn dear, I had a very long and tiresome night,
let's have a quite morning.

Quinn: You know, Daria also had a very busy evening. I caught her making out
with this guy.

Helen (slightly more active): Was it Tom?

Daria (faking detachment badly, but a little embarrassed): Yes.

Helen: I thought you said you did not care about him.

Daria: I embellished. It was just that he is fine.

Quinn: No kidding.

Daria: What do you mean by that?

Quinn: You're not blind. The glasses improve your vision. You pick out a total
hotty to date. Shows good taste.

Helen: So you have met Tom?

Quinn: Briefly, a couple of times. This was the first time that the fashion
club wasn't around and he was sucking my sister's face near the garage.

Daria: Well, I am going to my room now...

Helen: No, wait. So how long have you been going out?

Daria: About as long as I have been saying I was not interested.

Helen: Seriously.

Daria: Seriously I just told you about him for the first time Friday, which
was coincidentally the first time we went out, although we did not declare it
a date from the beginning until last night.

Helen: How come your father and I have not met him yet.

Daria: Trade secrets. Can't tell.

Quinn (a little annoyed): But what do you think of her promiscuous behavior?

Helen: I would not call it 'promiscuous'. It is frankly how many your couples
behave on dates.

Daria gets annoyed by this and takes up the paper and aggressively tries to
read it and ignore the conversation about her own life going on between her
mother and sister, neither of whom knew all the circumstances. Helen and Quinn
continue to disguises the situation of Daria while Pulp' "I'm a Man" plays in
the background.

The next day Daria heads off to school and stops off at the Lanes. She rings
the bell.

Jane: Hey.

Daria: Hey, um, today is the first day of exams, so it is a little important
that you show up. On time. Let me help you with that.

Jane: So your concern for me has because academic.

Daria: Yeah, whatever. So come on.

Jane: Thanks, but I think I am going to take a few minutes to myself before
going to the slaughter house. Bye.

Jane closes the door, Daria looks dejected and moves on. Jane looks out the
window and watches Daria continue to walk. "Does she really get it?" Jane
thought. "I know I did not tell her what was going on, but she should have her
priorities straight and know what to. I am more important to her than Tom. She
has to see it that way, even if it is unfair of me to force thins opinion on
her."

Montage while the No Doubt's "Home Now" plays in the background. One with Mr.
O'Neil handing out exams with flowers and other 'happy' pictures drawn on it
and giggling to an unresponsive crowd. Then one where Ms. Barch has devided
the class between the boys and the girls and gives noticeably longer exams to
the boys while glowering and generally frightening them. One with Mr.
DeMartino getting paper cuts from handing out the exams, and appearing very
upset by it. All these scenes are split with scenes of the students working
hard.

Cut to Daria's locker, she is packing up some books when Jane approaches her
with a fistful of cash.

Daria: What is this for?

Jane: I am reimbursing you for the Sleater-Kinney ticket. I figure as it is a
standing room concert we can both go and enjoy ourselves without ever actually
seeing each other.

Daria (Hiding her face): Umm, I kind of gave your ticket away.

Jane: To Tom?

Daria: Yeah. Yes.

Jane: Does he even like Sleater-Kinney.

Daria: I really don't know. He accepted my ticket, so I guess he does, or
he...

Jane: I get the picture.

Jane puts the cash in her bag and walks out in a huff. "You failed, Daria. How
could you not see that you were on probation? that this was a test?! Boy did
you fail it."

Jane stops and turns around.

Jane: Why didn't you hold out? Wait for me to give you the money so we could
be in our original agreement?

Daria: You said you did not want to be with me. That you could not stand me.

Jane: And that would make you revoke your ticket for me.

Daria: Hey, I get all the drama that I want between you and me here.

Jane: TouchŽ

Jane turns back and leaves. Daria looks like she may cry, but just closes her
locker and goes home.

Next scene: Jane's room. She is trying to paint, but getting visibly
frustrated and has a difficult time. She accidentally knocks over the easel
and cringes. She picks up the phone and calls Tom.

Tom: Hello.

Jane: She is taking you to see Sleater-Kinney?

Tom: Jane? Is that you?

Jane: Yes of course it is me! So you really do want to buy Daria candy?

Tom (confused): Excuse me?

Jane: You just had to keep all hands on the bad one.

Tom: I repeat my previous statement and add that you are not being very kind
to Daria.

Jane: Do you even like Sleater-Kinney? In the entire time we went out you
never mentioned a fondness for them.

Tom: I don't really know them I am not into the independent music scene. I go
to clubs and all, because that is fun, but I don't know.

Jane: I was supposed to go. You are using my ticket!

Tom: I had a feeling that was happening. I am sorry. Are you really a big fan
of theirs.

Jane: No! and that is not the point.

Tom: I know. I just don't know what to say about the issue.

Jane: Daria really does like them Passionately.

Tom: Really?

Jane: Yeah, when you get to know her you can tell these things, even though
she tries to hide it.

Tom: Why hide it?

Jane: I make fun of her so she never gets that expressive about the passion.
It is really embarrassing to her.

Tom: That's nice. How do you make her embarrassed?

Jane: I tend to emphasize their peppy, bubbly, even catchy sound and the fact
that they have written lyrics like 'dum dum diddy.' Daria just gets
embarrassed easily.

Tom (genuinely curious): How can you tell she likes anything?

Jane: You're going to find out on your own. (a bit bitterly) You seem to have
a good start.

Jane hangs up.

Jane (To herself): That resolved nothing

Friday at Lawndale High Jane is by her locker packing after exams when the
fashion club walks by.

Sandi: Why is it that around exams everyone starts acting like a brain or
something? They make themselves so unattractive and forget that dating is a
priority.

Stacey: That must be why no one has asked me out this week.

Tiffany: It isn't.

Stacey (dejected) : Oh.

Quinn: That's a really funny comment because Daria, (you know that brain that
lives with me?) (FC nods and grimaces in agreement) for once has a date.

Sandi: So, Quinn, are you saying that your cousin or whatever can get a date
because she is a brain and that we popular people are some how lacking?

Quinn: Now Sandi, why would I say something like that? I am just commenting on
how in stressful times like these brains are becoming popular.

Sandi: Oh, so this is another one of the situations where bad things happen
because of stress.

Quinn: Stress does strange things to people.

The Fashion Cub moves on. Jane looks shocked, saddened and annoyed.

The cafeteria. Daria is eating by herself when Jane comes up to her.

Jane: So, not only are you now a dater, you are giving up on being a private
person.

Daria: What? I would never give up my privacy.

Jane: Really? Because from what I just saw your sister and the fashion club
all know about your expanding extra curriculars.

Daria: You were paying attention to what my sister tells her droogs?

Jane: Like it or not you do have involvement with people in this world. More
and more involvement.

Later that day Daria runs home to get the tickets. She calls Tom and tells him
that she will pick him up from his after school job at his father's office.
The discretion that they are going out must remain intact. On her way out of
the house she runs into Quinn and Jake.

Daria: Quinn, do you have to tell the brain dead people you call friends about
my life.

Quinn: It was on my mind. If I don't have the confidence to say what's on my
mind I'd be like you. At least you before you started dating

Jake: What's that kiddo you've been dating?

Daria: Yes. His name is Tom and he has no vocal chords. He communicates by
blinking, one for yes, two for no. We are now going to a Sleater-Kinney
concert so I can peacefully support my feminist belief while staring at his
face.

(Quinn grimaces and shakes hear head

Jake: No vocal chords..? Eww!

Daria: They were removed after an acident. Can I borrow the car?

Jake: Sure thing, kiddo! he had is vocal chords removed..? Eww!

Scene fades, Sleater-Kinney's "You're no Rock and Roll Fun"

Notes and explanations

This is my second fiction. The first one was a future one told in
autobiography style about the other guys Daria became involved with
romantically, but briefly. It was too much of a confessional out of character
thing. I think the fact that the last novel I completed reading before writing
that one was "Fear of Flying" and the influence rubbed off too much. This one
I really tried to keep people in character. Over the course writing this
(9/16-10/8) I have been reading "Children of Dune" "Damage" and "Fifth
Business" as well as numerous fan fics. I don't think any of them had the
underscore effect that "Fear of Flying" had on my first but I did use present
tense and quasi-script format in it (like many fan fics) and I made an
allusion to "Damage."

This may feel like a first fiction. As it took such a long time (many people
seem to crank them out) I did not do much rewriting. This will probably be
changed if I write more in the future. It also explains the shifting tones and
styles.

"Nosferatu": I have seen both of the movies I mentioned. They are good and
recommendable. I like them, but if you want a more serious reason for their
use in "Fire!" Jane tells Tom about some vampire movie she would like to see
and he says he would like to see "something with a plot" and then suggests "La
Dolce Vita" (which I have never scene). Here are two vampire films that are
also art films. The best of both worlds, plus neither of them are your typical
"date" movie so it keeps in touch with a narcissistic vein that could be used
to justify their company.

Josephine Hart: as I said I was reading "Damage" at the time. I am a person
who flips to the end so I read those lines and really liked them and wanted to
include them. It is also my response to the backlash of the story line on the
series. There is plenty of justification for having Daria read this. 1) It is
a tragedy and she likes tragedies. 2) I am a fairly anti-social high schooler
myself and I procrastinate flipping through books, this got reflected into OH
as a continuation of this reflection there is that "I have been reading the
genre of morbid sexual obsession for most of high school, wouldn't Daria
Morgandorffer have been doing the same." If you have also read them please
tell me you know their appeal and would expect Daria to have at least dabbled
in them. Final reason is that it is a good novel. Well written. A fast read.
Another note is that the scenario the Daria tells Tom in an explanation of Ms.
Hart's appeal is actually from "The Stillest Day." I have yet to read it, but
they give that much away on Amazon.com.

The going to the library bit may be forced but I needed a way that Tom and
Daria would not be met by anyone they knew and to get them way from parts of
Lawndale already scene seemed good. Even though no one likes to say where
Lawndale is I assume that it is northern California because of the extreme
temperatures, the radio stations (East of the Appellations the all start with
W, on "Daria" like the areas west of the mountains they start with K) and
Portola is in California. There really is no justification for that other than
it gets them further out of Lawndale.

The kareoke oxygen bar was in my first fan fiction. In that I got Daria to
dress up in a garment bar and sing "Blue Velvet" (I told you it was out of
character). I was excited I could fit it in here so I did. I don't know if
their are such places, but if there were they deserve to be revered and
parodied. It also fits into my Lawndale is in northern California theory. It
also has two appeals in the story: it is gaudy enough to remind Daria and Tom
of their missing friend and it seems to be the kind of bar Quinn would not be
caught dead in. Speaking of Quinn...

Their had to be no doubt in any one's mind the Daria was going out with Tom.
Quinn seemed to know by IIFY? so she would find out by catching Daria Much to
her pleasure. Jane finds out in a more painful way. Jane had to be rejected,
that explains her semi-non-sensicle rant in IIFY?. This is how I deconstructed
it and justified it for all members.

Sleater-Kinney (for those of your who don't know) is a three girl band from
Olympia Washington. They can be classified as punk, but they are better
instrumentalists. Their sound ranges from peppy to scathing. They do nothing
to depress you, but are more political than a lot of people out there now. I
love them for the purposes of this story OH loves them. Jane mentions a few of
their song titles when referring to the Daria -Tom relationship. Actually I
don't think I could set the Daria-Tom relationship to a musical score of
pieces that already exist (although for some moments when brain storming it
this sort of became "High Fidelity", but I had to avoid doing that), but the
names fit here. Also the title of this fan fiction is from the Moby and No
Doubt. It was also chosen because it is beginning to ask people to get used to
what they can't get used to.

One final note: the finals scene is based on what finals are like at my
school. My school is very different than Lawndale, but it is how I know
finals.

That is it. I am signing out.