Daria runs away after her ex-friend from Highland comes back to haunt her.
Disclaimer? (I couldn’t think of
the word)
I borrowed all the Characters from MTV. I plan to
return them. I also borrowed the songs. Except for Red Van. Which I wrote.
All the made-up characters are in the Character study.
Danny!
Danny is a
long-blonde-hair-doing-leather-jacket-wearing-unfortunate-Kurt-Cobain-look-alike
with a thing for Daria,
Sye!
Sye is a wannabe
German that looks a little like Matt Belamy from Muse.
Morris!
Morris is just an
average guy. Looks a lot like the blonde guitarist from LostProphets. Without
the combover.
Chris is the quiet
one. Doesn’t look like anything really. Just average.
Chaz is ‘the best
guitarist….in Jamestown’ He’s the pretty boy and looks a lot like Ville Valo
with a bit of Davey Havok mixed in.
Scene 1
Good morning Lawndale! The sun shines on this
beautiful Monday morning! Traffic rep---
Jane grabbed her radio, threw it out the window and
drifted back to an uneasy dream.
Jane, I just can take living here. It’s exactly
like it was in Highland. I’m going to screw it up again like I did back then.
I’m not meant to have friends. I’m really sorry. But I know that I’ll just end
up messing up again and I couldn’t deal with causing you or Trent any pain.
Daria. No, you can’t leave! I need you here;
you’re the only proper friend I’ve had. What do you expect me to do? You’re
scared of messing up, so you’re just going to get out of here? You’re so
selfish.
See? I’ve already screwed things up. Jane, I’ve
got to go. I’m sorry. Goodbye.
Daria!
Trent: Janey? Janey! Wake up! It’s just a dream.
Jane: Huh? Trent?
Trent: Don’t worry, Janey. It was just a dream.
Jane: It wasn’t a dream. She’s gone, Trent.
Trent: What? Daria’s gone?
Jane: Yeah. She left a week ago. Just after her 18th.
Trent. She’s not coming back…
Trent: Don’t cry, Janey. Please don’t.
He takes her into his arms and they both start to
sob whilst the ending of Space Oddity by David Bowie plays softy in the
background. Ground control to Major Tom, your circuits dead, there’s
something wrong. Can you hear me Major Tom?
Good Morning California! Today’s weather is calm and clear with temperatures around 22 ºc. Traffic reports are—
Daria switched the radio off in her mothers SUV and stretched her legs.
Daria: Oh great. Another sunny day to make me feel
completely crap.
I don’t even know where I’m going or what I’m
going to do. What a great life for me.
I guess I should post that letter to Jane and then go find a job.
Daria wanders around the small town she still
doesn’t know the name of and soon finds a ‘Help Wanted’ sign in the window of a
truck stop.
Daria: Excuse me? I’d like to apply for a job.
Waitress: Sure! Just let me get the manager.
Manager: Hi! We have a waitress position up for
grabs. No qualifications needed. Can you start immediately?
Daria: Ok. How much do I get paid?
Manager: $50 a week.
Daria: That’ll do. Where do I find an apron?
Manager: Excellent!
Trent wakes up to find his tear-stained sister lying in his arms with a pained look on her face.
Then it all comes back to him.
Trent: Janey?
Jane: Hmm?
Trent: We have to go find her. Why did she leave?
Jane: Sh-She said that she was afraid of messing
our friendship up.
Trent: Oh. I’m going to make us some coffee.
Coming?
Jane: Mmhmm. In a bit.
Trent: I’ll call you when it’s ready, ok?
Jane: Ok. I just want to think.
Jane (Thought): Where are we going to find her?
She didn’t tell me where she was going. I miss her so much.
Trent (Shouting): Janey! There’s a letter for you.
Jane (Shouting): You open it. I don’t really care
what it says.
Trent: Ok.
Trent opens the letter and gasps in surprise.
Dear Jane and Trent.
I’m sorry I left. I truly am and I just wish
things could have been different.
I didn’t tell you all of the reasons why I left,
Jane. They’re so complicated. I’ll try and explain them in this letter but I’m
not sure if I can.
Remember that new girl, Tessa? I know her. She was
the friend I was telling you about at my 18th.
Tessa and I used to be good friends. Outcast with
Outcast. Brain with Brain. That’s how it was. But then one day Tess decided it
would be cool if we stopped being brains and replaced it with ‘rebelness’. I
didn’t want to because I was comfortable with being a smart person. I was only
13 and still learning about being a teen. Or maybe how not to be a teen.
Tess wouldn’t hang out with me anymore and I was
back to being a lonely, smart outcast.
When I moved to Lawndale and met you Jane. I
forgot all about Tess and all that had happened there and I was happy with our
friendship.
But then Tess came here. It all came back to me,
Jane. How long would it be until you wanted to change too and I would be left?
And I would have left you. I don’t think I could handle it all over again.
Tess made sure I remember how I had deserted her
too. She blackmailed me. She threatened me. Then she left me. She left me to
make sure I knew how it felt to be left.
Janey, I don’t know if you had noticed I couldn’t
be me anymore. I couldn’t be sarcastic. I couldn’t be cynical. I’d changed.
Tess made sure I changed. She made sure I changed to a different person.
I’m not Daria anymore. I don’t know where Daria
is. Probably buried deep underneath this mess.
I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.
I just want to say Jane, you were the best friend
I could ever have had. I love you.
And Trent. You know Daria.
All my love
Daria?
Trent: Uhh. Janey. You might want to read this.
It’s from Daria.
Jane: Daria?! Give it!
Trent: Man. She’s really screwed up.
Jane: Yeah. She’s crazy. I’m going to kill this
Tessa girl. It wasn’t even Daria’s fault.
Trent: I know, Janey. Where did the letter come
from?
Jane: Jamestown. California.
Trent: Lets plan a road-trip.
Daria: Hi, What’ll it be?
Customer: I haven’t seen you working here before.
Are you new?
Daria: Yeah. I’ve been working here for about a
month.
Customer: Cool. I’ll have a burger and fries with
a cup of coffee.
Daria: Ok. Be right back.
Customer #2: Haven’t I seen you play at The
Un-aided?
Daria: Yeah. I play there twice a week to make
some extra cash.
Customer #2: You’re good. Nice songs. You write
them?
Daria: Yeah. Song writing isn’t one of my strong
points. I’m more of a story/poem writer.
Manager: Daria! Stop chatting! We have customers!
Daria (Mumbling): Sorry.
Customer #2: I’ll see you tonight.
Daria: Yeah.
Daria sitting on a stage playing an acoustic
guitar singing.
I'm lookin' at the world through tired eyes
I'm believin' that today will be different
I'm thinkin' that maybe someone does love me
But I'm rememberin' that I'm alone in this city
Oh I wish for a brown paper surprise
Oh I wish for someone to hear my cries!
Oh, red van!
Why wont you bring something for me?
Why do you deliver to every house but mine?
Oh, red van!
What's wrong with me?
What's wrong with the number 29?
Because...
I'm feelin' like no one wants me
Like the damp weather on august 15th
But why, must I be forgotten like a happy memory?
Because bein' alone, can't be what's me!
Oh I wish for a brown paper surprise
Oh I wish for someone to hear my cries!
Daria: Thanks. I’ll be back for a second set sometime tonight.
Customer #2: Hey. Remember me?
Daria: Yeah.
Customer #2: I’m Danny by the way.
Daria: I’m Daria. Nice to meet you.
Danny: Likewise. You have a good voice. It goes
well with an acoustic.
Daria: Thanks.
Danny: You’re not from California, are you?
Daria: Nope. I’m from Lawndale. And nobody really
told me what state that was in.
Danny: Hehe. I’m not sure where that is either.
How did you come to Jamestown?
Daria: I ran out of gas.
Danny: Hehe. You want a drink?
Daria: Um. Sure. A beer would be nice.
Danny: Sure thing.
Daria: Thanks.
Danny: No really. How come you came here? You got family?
Daria: Nope. It’s a long story.
Danny: Oh. Ok.
Daria: I mean, I’d rather get to know you first
before I told you everything.
Danny: Hey, that’s cool.
Daria: Thanks. So how old are you anyway?
Danny: 20. You?
Daria: It was my 18th last month.
Danny: Well, happy birthday.
Daria: Hehe. Thanks.
Danny: I think you’re up.
Daria: What? Oh yeah.
Danny: Good luck.
Daria. Thanks. Again.
Daria (Onstage): Hey again. This song I’ve never
played here before. A good band called Mystik Spiral wrote it.
Here it is: Behind My Eyelids.
As lashes close
I see my woes
Spread out like a carpet of bugs
In absence of light
Pass visions of night
As shallow graves left half dug
Behind my eyelids
Is a world you cannot see
A place just for me
Behind me eyelids
You watch a tear
It trickles clear
And glistens on my skin
My liquid pain
Oh, world profane
Please, baby, let me in
Jane: TRENT! It’s been 4 weeks! When are we going to find her?
Trent: Whoa, Janey, Chill. We just need to get
some more gas money and money for food.
Jane: I can’t chill Trent! This is my best friend!
She could be dead for all I know. Why don’t we just drag Jesse along? He
can get the money for us.
Trent: Janey! Why didn’t I think of that?
Jane (teasing): I’m smart you’re not.
Trent: Shut up.
Trent (Phone): Yo, Jess. You want to come on a
trip with Janey and me to find Daria?
Jesse (Phone): Sure dude. You need money, don’t
you?
Trent: (Phone): Yeah. Is that a problem?
Jesse (Phone): Course not man. How much do you
need?
Trent (Phone): About $100. Come round early
tomorrow.
Jesse (Phone): Noon it is. See you!
Trent (Phone): Thanks dude.
Trent: We set off tomorrow around 3:00pm.
Jane: I knew it only look some screaming.
The
next morning…Afternoon.
Jesse: Yo bro. You ready to get going?
Trent: Yeah.
Jesse: Where are we going?
Trent: California. Jamestown.
Jesse: Cool. How do you know she hasn’t moved from
there already?
Trent: We just got to hope. Janey hasn’t got any
more letters telling her otherwise.
Jesse: Yeah. But you still don’t know for sure.
Trent: Look dude! Janey’s got her heart set on
finding Daria. She’d die if we don’t find her.
Jesse: Don’t you mean you’d die if we don’t
find her?
Trent: I—
Jane: Are we going or what?
Danny: So you ran away from the two best friends
you had ever had because some girl messed with your mind.
Daria: Basically.
Danny: What were your friends like?
Daria: They were. Amazing. I mean Jane was the
first Lane I met and we hit off straight away because we were outcasts in
school. We had to take this dumb self-esteem class from this teacher who knew
nothing at all. Jane was the best friend I’d ever had. She’s an artist and wow;
she’s great at it. She knows just how to capture the obscurity of a seemingly
normal picture.
Danny: Sounds like quite a girl. What about the
other one?
Daria: Oh yeah. Trent.
Danny: Boyfriend?
Daria: I wish. Trent was the laziest and messiest
guy I knew.
Danny: Whoa. Laying on the flattering a bit thick
there.
Daria: Hehe. He was also the nicest most
understanding guy I knew. He could just look at me and know what I was feeling.
I wish I could say the same about me. Sometimes I would wonder what went on in
his head. But I do know how he thought. I think I loved him.
Danny: Unrequited love. Sweet.
Daria: Shut up. You sound like Jane.
Danny: Are you calling me a crazy artist woman?
Daria: Yes.
Danny: I suppose I can work with that.
Daria: So tell me about you. Why do you live in
this scary town in California?
Danny: Nothing quite as exciting as you. No crazy
woman from the past.
Daria: Not even your grandmother?
Danny: Of course not! My granny knits sweaters;
bakes cookies and drinks prune juice.
Daria: I rest my case.
Danny: I’ve always lived here. It’s a lot more
exciting than you think. Wait. No it isn’t.
Daria: Hehe. So what do you do?
Danny: I’m in a band and I work at a pub called
Pothole Green.
Daria: They really know how to name their pubs
don’t they?
Danny: They sure do. So the band and me heard you
last night. We all agreed that you should join us. We’re desperately in need of
a rhythm guitarist and female backing vocals.
Daria: If you’re called Helpful Corn, there is no
chance.
Danny: Darn it. How did you know our name? Hehe.
Nah. We’re called the Unhelpful Wheat.
Daria: I hope to god you’re kidding.
Danny: Me too. We’re called Downlift
Daria: You’re on. I’ve never played an electric
though.
Danny: Don’t worry, son. You’ll learn from the
best.
Daria: You know Hendrix?
Danny: Nope. I should have made it clearer. You
will learn from the best in Jamestown. Want to come round my place and meet the
rest of the band?
Daria: Yes, O driver of chariot.
Danny: How rich do you think I am? Us little
people use horses.
Daria: I’m sorry then. I only associate with
people that drive chariots.
Danny: Darn it . . . You coming?
Daria: Yes.
At
Danny’s house. In the basement…..Familiar?
Daria: Why do all bands play in the basement?
Danny: Guys. This is Daria.
Daria: Hello guys. Do any of you young fellows own
a chariot?
Chaz: Yes. It’s out back with my cape and top hat.
Daria: Excellent.
Chaz: I’m Chaz. Lead guitar.
Chris: Chris. Bassist.
Sye: Ich bin Sye. Keyboards.
Morris: I’m Morris. Drummer.
Daria: And that leaves our very own. Danny. As
vocals.
Danny: And the lovely Daria as rhythm and backing.
Sye Die tollness of it all.
Daria: I agree, Hitler.
Morris: Lets get down to some music.
Chris: Yeah. Daria. Can you read music?
Daria: I can read chord letters if that’s what you
mean.
Chris: It is. Brilliant. We have a gig in a week’s
time. We’re doing about 10 songs or so. So today we’ll play you the first 5.
Then you can join in on guitar playing and we’ll lend you CD’s to learn the
songs.
Daria: I like a little structure in my life.
Sye: Das ist gut!
Morris: Uh. Yeah. So here are the songs with tabs
and chord numbers.
Daria: Hmm. HIM – don’t fear the reaper, Nightwish
– Phantom of the opera, David Bowie – Andy Warhol, Metallica – Until it Sleeps,
Bob Marley – Redemtion Song.
Danny: Those are the first five. Don’t fear the
reaper is like a duet thing.
Daria: Cool. I’ve heard a few of these.
Chris: We were wondering if you wanted to do your
Red Van song too?
Daria: Uh. Sure.
Morris: Cool!
Sye: Ja!
Daria: Hitler, are you really German?
Sye: Uh. No.
Daria: Damn.
Danny: He’s just a German fanatic
Daria: You have weird friends.
Danny: I have friends?
Daria: My mistake.
Sye: Ach nein!
Jane and Jesse (singing…. badly): I try and try to
forget you girl but it’s just so hard to do. When you do that thing you do.
Jane: I love this song!
Jesse: I know! It’s great!
Trent: Uhh…Where are we going?
Jane: California.
Trent: Oh yeah. Jess? Do you want to take over?
I’m kind of tired.
Jesse: You’ve been driving for half an hour!
Trent (grumbles): Fine.
Jane: Hey Trent. What’s this Jesse tells me about
you dying if we don’t find Daria?
Trent: Jesse!
Jesse: Sorry dude. But it’s true. I’ve seen you
pining away these past few weeks. You need her man.
Trent: She doesn’t even like me.
Jane: I can vote on that. She started to hate you
right after you forgot about out project. She has a big thing about these grade
things I keep hearing about.
Trent (dejected): I knew it. Why do I pick the
wrong people?
Jesse: Because you’re downright stupid?
Jane: You have no brains?
Trent: Aren’t you supposed to be cheering me up?
Jesse: What?
Jane: Be careful Jesse. We need to help the less
fortunate not torment them…
Trent: Shut up.
Jesse: So how are we going to get Daria to come back
with us?
Jane: Err…
Trent: Ask her?
Jesse: Trent, you’ll have to use your manly charms
on her.
Jane: Charms?
Trent: I’ll have to go with Janey on this one. She
hates me.
Jesse: But she said you knew her.
Trent: A lot of good that will do. She’s probably
doing great with a boyfriend and a job.
Jane: This is Daria we’re talking about.
Trent: She changed remember?
Jesse: Hey! He’s making sense.
Jane: I guess. But how are we going to get
her to come with us?
Jesse: We’ll just have to talk to her. Trent, you
have to admit your feelings for her. It might be the only way.
Trent: But –
Jane: No buts Lane!
Trent: This is torture. I hate you all.
Jesse: Go to sleep. I’ll drive.
Trent: Thanks.
Trent climbs to the back of the tank drifts into
an uneasy dream. Uneasy dreams seem to run in the Lane family.
Daria. I think I’m in love with you.
Oh. Um. I’m sorry Trent. I don’t like you.
Trent: Dammit! I can’t even sleep!
Jane: This can’t be good.
Trent: Janey, what’s wrong with me?
Jane: I think you’re in love, bro.
Trent: This is all I need.
Jesse: What’s so bad about it?
Trent: The girl I love ran away.
Jane: The story of your life.
Trent: Thanks for the sympathy, Jane.
Jane: Look. We’re on our way to get the girl you
love. Chill out a bit.
Trent (mumbles): I didn’t even know I loved her.
Jesse: Trent, really. Did you bring your sleeping
pills?
Jane: He has sleeping pills?
Jesse: Why do you think he sleeps such a lot?
Trent: Yeah. They’re somewhere here.
Jesse: Take them. You’re not going to get any
sleep like you are now.
Trent: Hmmph. Ok.
Chaz: That’s D minor not major.
Daria: Dammit. I always get the two mixed up.
Chaz: Nah. It’s just because you’re not used to an
electric. Let’s try again…
D m
Dm
G
Dm7
Daria: Yes! I did it. These songs are easy. Even
for me.
Chaz: Hehe. Yeah.
Chaz: So you think you’re ready for the next
practice?
Daria: Yeah. I learned the songs. All 10 singing
wise. And guitar wise. I guess I just need one last practice before the gig.
Chaz: Perfect. The guys will be pleased. Have you
and Danny got a thing going?
Daria: Danny? Nah.
Chaz: Oh right. You always seem to be joking
around and stuff, you get on really well.
Daria: Nah. Danny’s just weirdly similar to me.
Chaz: Cool then.
Daria: When’s the gig, by the way?
Chaz: Tomorrow at 7:00pm. We’ve got to be there
for 5:30pm though.
Daria: Cool. Can you give me a ride?
Chaz: Of course, milady. I’ll pick you up at 5:20.
Where do you live?
Daria: Uh. 29 Terrace Block.
Chaz: Uh. Let me write that down.
Daria: I’ll just meet you outside Terrace Block.
Chaz: Done and done.
Daria: Thanks.
Chaz: Anytime.
Un-Aided
pub, Downlift are about to play their first song.
Danny: Hey guys. Remember us? We’re Downlift. We
played here last week.
Crowd applauds.
Danny: We would also like to introduce our new
guitarist/backing vocalist. Daria!
Crowd applauds
Seasons don’t fear the reaper, nor do the wind the
sun or the rain. (We can be like them) Come on baby (don’t fear the reaper…)…….
A while later…
Danny: This is going to be our last song written.
and sung by Daria.
Daria: Hey. This is called Red Van.
I'm lookin' at the world through tired eyes
I'm believin' that today will be different
I'm thinkin' that maybe someone does love me
But I'm rememberin' that I'm alone in this city…
Daria: Thanks again.
Danny: That was great! We kicked some serious ass
back there!
Morris: Yeah dudette. You rock!
Sye: Ja! Du bist fantastich!
Daria: Shut up, Hitler.
Sye: Entshuldigung!
Chaz: Uh. Yeah bro.
Jane: Daria?
Jesse: Dude. I’m hungry.
Trent: Yeah. Me too.
Jane: Count me in. Where
do we stop?
Trent: Uh. How about
this place? The Un-Aided. Whoa. These people suck at naming things.
Jesse: So what? They
have live music and food. What more could you want?
Jane: A - -
Trent: Don’t answer that
one.
Jane: Yeah. Lets just go
eat.
They
enter the Un-Aided. Sounds like something off the matrix.
Jesse: Cool band
Jane: Hey. Isn’t that Daria? Setting up her
guitar?
Danny: We would also like to introduce our new
guitarist/backing vocalist. Daria!
Trent: I’ll take that as a yes. I didn’t know she
played guitar. Or that she sung.
Jane: I did. She didn’t want anyone to know.
Jesse (singing): There can be miracles. When you
believe.
Trent: Shut up Jess.
Jesse: Sorry.
Jane: She’s good. This reaper song rocks!
Trent: I think Blue Oyster Cult did it. Sounds
better with Daria singing.
Jesse: Come on loverboy. Lets get something to
eat.
Trent: Don’t call me that.
Jane: Touchy.
Barman: Hey guys! What’ll it be?
Trent: Uh…3 burgers, fries and 3 pints of
Guinness.
Barman: Coming right up!
Jane: Way too perky.
Jesse: Yeah.
Barman: Here you go. These guys are good, aren’t
they? They have a regular spot here every week. The new girl fitted in right
with them! I’m sure her and the lead vocalist, Danny, have something going on.
Trent runs to the bathroom.
Jane: Aren’t girls the ones that are meant to do
that?
Barman: Was it something I said?
Jesse: I’ll deal with Trent.
Jane: Ok. Mr. Barman? The one that ran to the
bathroom is my brother. He is madly in love with my best friend, Daria there.
Barman: Shocking. I guess that thing about Danny
did it.
Jane: You think?
The band plays on until Jesse and Trent come back
for the last song.
Jane: You ok, bro?
Trent: Yeah. Sorry.
Jesse: We’ve got to talk to her.
Daria: Hey. This is Red Van.
I'm lookin' at the world through tired eyes
I'm believin' that today will be different
I'm thinkin' that maybe someone does love me
But I'm rememberin' that I'm alone in this city…
Daria: Thanks again.
Danny: That was great! We kicked some serious ass
back there!
Morris: Yeah dudette. You rock!
Sye: Ja! Du bist fantastich!
Daria: Shut up, Hitler.
Sye: Entshuldigung!
Chaz: Uh. Yeah bro.
Jane: Daria?
Daria: Jane?
Sye: Bernadette?
Everyone looks at Sye.
Sye: Uh. Got to go! Aufwiedersehn!
Daria: What are you doing here, Jane?
Jane: Looking for you, pumpkin.
Daria: Pumpkin?
Jane: Sorry, Jesse’s rubbing off on me.
Jesse: I never say pumpkin!
Jane: Don’t try your hippy-trippy mind games on me
Moreno.
Danny: I’ll leave you guys to. Catch up. See you
Ree.
Daria: Ree?
Danny: Uh.
Danny leaves.
Jane: Please come back, Daria. I need you. We need
you.
Daria: Jane I’ve told you. I can’t.
Jane: You seem like you’re back to your own self.
Why not?
Daria: Because. I like living here.
Jane: More than you do with the friends you’ve
known for 2 years? I thought I knew you, Daria.
Jesse: Come on Jane. We’ll leave Trent to say what
he needs to say.
Trent: Jess—
Jesse: Just do it Trent.
Jane and Jesse leave.
Trent: Uhh..Daria..?
Daria: Correct.
Trent: Daria. I. I uh. I think. I’m in love with
you.
Daria: What?
Trent: I love you.
Daria: Why would you want to love me? I’m a
coward.
Trent: Because you’re the only one that knew how I
thought.
Daria: I don’t know Trent. I do like you. But how
would it work?
Trent: You would come back with me and we would
live happily ever after. Or at least live ever after.
Daria: Trent. Ok. I can’t hide it. I do love you.
But - -
Trent: But what Daria? I love you and you love me.
That’s all we need.
Daria: Is it?
Trent: That and some money. Throw in a bit of food
and we’re raring to go.
Daria (smiling): Ok. You’re on.
Trent hugs Daria. Danny watches on jealously.
Daria (whispers): I think we have to get out of
here.
Trent (whispers): Why?
Daria (whispers): Because Danny looks like he’s
going to kill you.
Trent: Good enough reason to me.
They grab Jesse and Jane, hop into the Tank and
not so speedily travel into the sunset towards Lawndale.
What? You’re thinking. What about the other guys?
The crazy German fetishist, Danny…and the rest of the guys?
Well. The band still went on. They got another
guitarist/backing vocalist. Danny got over Daria. And they all lived ever
after.