Summary: After Daria leaves for college, Quinn begins wondering about why she is so obsessed with fashion.

Notes: A couple of weeks ago I submitted a story called Depth Becomes Her as the first in a series called Quinn Can Think. I only got three reviews and two of them said very good things about it, the other pulled apart the entire story, exposed all the plot holes, bad ideas, and even a few typos. Of course I defended my story to the best of my ability (and I still do), but the review did have some points. After sending a few e-mails back and forth the reviewer gave me a good idea for a story, this is the result. Thanks to Thomas, for picking apart my story (which I still think is pretty good) and helping me to write a possibly better one.

More Notes: I stole the idea about Dale U from a story called Jane's World (Icebox Woman) by George K. Abraham.

Everything Changes
by Huggy

Scene 1: Daria's room. All of the furniture is gone and there are boxes lying around the room. Hold the shot for a few seconds before Daria and Jane walk in.

Daria: Well the packing's done; all that's left is the actual leaving part.

Jane: Think you're going to miss Lawndale.

Daria: (gives Jane an odd look) You're kidding, right?

Jane gives Daria a look that clearly says 'your holding back'.

Daria: (sighs deeply) Alright. For some reason I can't figure out I think I'm actually going to miss the place. Satisfied?

Jane: (smirking) Of course. (pause) So how's your family taking the move?

Daria: They're not doing anything I didn't expect. Mom starts crying every few minutes, dad keeps reminiscing about his college days and ranting at his father, and Quinn is planning a shopping spree to celebrate finally getting sole possession of dad's wallet.

Jane: Look on the bright side; after today you only have to deal with your family when you want to.

Daria: I think you're forgetting about the hundreds of phone calls I'll be subjected to before mom decides I'm going to be alright on my own.

Jane: Hey, maybe you'll get lucky and the phone lines will go down.

Daria: If I actually were lucky enough for that to happen both of my parents would be at the college before you can say paranoia.

Jane: Come on; let's get these boxes in the car before you slip into an even deeper depression than usual.

Daria and Jane grab some boxes and leave the room. After a few seconds Quinn comes in.

Quinn: Daria, how are we supposed to get all of this stuff in the...

She stops when she sees that no one is in the room.

Quinn: Great now I'm talking to myself.

She grabs some boxes and leaves.


Scene 2: Downstairs. The Morgendorffer family plus Jane are standing around. Jake, Helen, and Quinn are running around getting ready, while Daria and Jane stand off to the side, watching amusedly.

Jane: You think they'll notice if we leave without them?

Daria: Not for a few hours, but I don't want to have to put up with all the angry phone calls something like that would cause. Besides, it'll be easier to get rid of my family if I do it in one big gesture.

Jane: (smirk) Like pulling off a band-aid.

Daria: (deadpan) Or slashing your wrist.

Helen walks over to Daria.

Helen: Daria, would you mind taking Quinn with you in your car?

Daria: Why can't she go with you?

Helen: We've got all of your luggage in our car, besides you won't be seeing Quinn again for months and you should spend a little quality time with her before you go.

Daria: Mom, do you really think the drive to the airport is the best time to start bonding with my sister? What makes you think today will be any different then the other 18 years of my life?

Helen: (angry) Daria! Would it kill you to try and get along with your sister?!

Daria: No, it won't kill me. If something happens to Quinn, however, I can't be held responsible.

Helen: It's already decided. Quinn is riding with you and Jane.

Daria & Jane: (deadpan) Oh, joy.

Scene 3: Interior car. Daria and Jane are sitting up front; both look very annoyed. In the back is Quinn, the cause of the annoyed looks.

Quinn: (whiny) Why do I have to ride with you two?! If any of my friends see me in the same car with you my life will be ruined.

Jane: (ignoring Quinn) So how did things go with you and Tom last night?

Quinn hears this and leans in to make sure she doesn't miss anything.

Daria: Okay. We're still going out, if that's what you mean.

Quinn: But isn't he like going to another college, or something?

Daria: Yeah, his family is forcing him to go to Yale. Apparently it's some sort of tradition.

Quinn: Well then why are you still going out? There'll be tons of guys at Dale even you could go out with.

Daria: I don't want to go out with another guy. I like Tom. Why would I go out with another guy if I like the one I'm with now?

Quinn: So what if you like him. I like a lot of guys, but I don't pick just one.

Daria: You don't like the guys, you like the way they look. Other than that you couldn't care less.

Quinn: (confused) What's your point?

Daria: You don't actually care about the people you date, I do. If you care about someone you don't just dump him because a better-looking guy comes along.

Quinn: (exasperated) Whatever.

Jane: (to Daria, suggestive) So are you guys going to try and get together every couple of weeks for some "quality time"?

Quinn: Eww! Gross!

Daria: (to Jane) Hurt you.

Jane: What? You're a college girl now, Daria. This is the time when you should be letting your wild side out.

Daria: I don't have a wild side, I don't even have a relaxed side.

Jane: Just promise me that when I visit on the weekends you'll actually leave the room.

Daria: Alright, I'll leave the room. But I refuse to 'loosen up' or do 'something crazy'.

Jane: (wry) Great, I'm looking forward to my first visit already.

Quinn: (thinking out loud) Let me get this straight. You're still going out with your boyfriend, even though he's going to college in another state, and you and Jane are going to visit each other on the weekends, even though you'll be living hours away from each other?

Daria: Yeah, what's your point?

Quinn: You're not coming back to visit us until Christmas Break.

Daria: That's another little perk of college life; I can always say my busy schedule is stopping me from visiting my family.

Quinn sits back in her seat with a thoughtful look on her face.


Scene 4: Airport. The Morgendorffers, Jane, and Tom are standing in the terminal.

Helen: Tom, it's so nice of you to see Daria off like this.

Tom: (a little uncomfortable) Um, thanks.

Daria: Okay, I better get going.

Helen: Are you sure you have to go right this second?

Daria: Well, if I want to get on the plane I do.

Jane: (a little misty-eyed and trying to cover it up) I'll be coming to visit in two weeks and I'm going to teach you how to act crazy whether you like it or not.

Daria: Do you consider murder acting crazy? Because I can do that right now if you insist.

Jane: It only counts if you kill me; however, (points at Quinn) there is such a thing as justifiable homicide.

Quinn: What's that supposed to mean?!

Jane: (to Quinn) You ask that a lot, don't you?

Quinn gets an angry look on her face and stomps away.

Daria: (faux sadness) I'm going to miss tormenting her like that.

Tom: I'm sure there'll be plenty of stupid people to make fun of in college.

Daria: God I hope not, I'll never make it to graduation if I have to deal with people like my sister while I'm there.

Helen walks up to Daria and hugs her.

Helen: Goodbye, honey. Be sure to call us as soon as you get moved in.

Daria: Alright.

Jake hugs her as well.

Jake: You're going to be back for Christmas, right.

Daria: Yes, dad. I've told you that six times already.

Quinn just stands where she is.

Quinn: Bye, Daria.

Daria: Yeah, see ya.

Jane loses control of her emotions and hugs Daria very hard.

Jane: Man, I'm going to miss you!

Daria: (struggling) Jane...I...can't... breathe.

Jane lets go and backs away.

Jane: Oh, sorry.

Daria: Don't worry about it and I'll be seeing you again in two weeks. Try and keep yourself together for that long, okay?

Jane: Sure.

Tom hugs Daria and surprises her a little by kissing her as well.

Tom: Bye, Daria. I'll visit you as soon as I can, alright?

Daria: Okay. Bye everybody.

Daria walks away to get on the plane.

Cut to: A few minutes later. The Morgendorffers plus Jane and Tom are now standing at a window watching the plane take off.


Scene 5: Daria's room. Helen, Jake, and Quinn are standing in the doorway.

Helen: It just looks so empty.

Jake: (sad sigh) Yeah.

Quinn: (cheery) So, when do we start redecorating?

Helen: We're not going to.

Quinn: What?! Daria's finally gone and you want to keep the room like it is. Mom, it looks like something out of a horror movie!

Helen: (getting angry) Quinn, your sister will be back for a visit in a few months and if we change her room she'll spend the entire time she's here angry about it!

Quinn: (whiny) But, mu-om!!!

Helen: Quinn! The decision has been made!

Quinn: Fine! But I hope you know you are depriving me of potential closet space!

Quinn walks off angry.


Scene 6: Kitchen, morning. Jake is sitting at the table reading the paper. Quinn walks in trying to look as sweet as possible.

Quinn: Daddy, can I talk to you about something?

Jake: (looks at Quinn with a worried expression) This isn't about one of those feminine problems, is it?

Quinn: Eww, no! I wanted to talk to you about my allowance.

Jake: Quinn, I really don't think you need any more money.

Quinn: But daddy, now that you don't have to give Daria an allowance you can afford to raise mine.

Jake: (buying it, of course) Gee, I guess you're right. How about I give you an extra twenty dollars a week?

Quinn: But that's not even a fifty percent raise!

Jake: What do you want, one hundred percent?

Quinn: (trying to sound reasonable) It would be the only fair thing to do.

Jake gives a whimper of submission.


Scene 7: (montage) No specific scenes, just show Quinn walking around the mall buying hundreds of dollars worth of clothes, jewelry, makeup, and anything else she can get her hands on. (I'm thinking "Money" by The Beatles should be playing in the background)


Cut to: Quinn's room. She's sitting in the floor with all of her purchases piled around her. Strangely enough she doesn't look very happy.


Cut to: Quinn walks into Daria's room and stands in the middle of the room. She still has an odd expression on her face.


Scene 8: Flashback. Daria (age 11) & Quinn (age 10) are in what appears to be a dance class. All of the students are walking around talking to each other, except for Daria (she doesn't look to happy about being forced to wear a tutu) and Quinn, who amazingly enough is hiding behind Daria, looking very shy.

Three young girls walk up to Daria.

1st girl: (to Daria) Hey, what's your name?

Daria: Daria.

2nd girl: What kind of name is that?

Daria: It's the one my parents gave me.

3rd girl: (to 1st girl) Come on, Cindy. Let's go find someone a little less...weird.

The three girls walk away.

Daria: (to Quinn) Well, this looks like it's going to be fun.

Pull camera back to show that Quinn is no longer standing behind her and is now talking to a group of students at the other end of the room.

Daria: (to herself) I guess she got over being shy.

Show various scenes of all the students dancing, Daria is doing well but doesn't seem to be enjoying herself at all.


Scene 9: Much like the previous scene, except now some of the students' parents are there to pick them up. A much younger Helen walks up to Daria.

Helen: Hello, sweetie. How was your first day in class?

Daria: It would have been great if it were my last day.

Helen: Daria, don't be so negative. When you grow up you'll be able to look back at these days and feel a real sense of accomplishment.

Daria: When I grow up I want to be able to look back at these days and not find a good reason to disown my parents.

Helen: Trust me Daria, one day you'll thank me for this. Now, where is your sister?

Daria: She's over there talking to her friends.

Cut to: Quinn. She is talking to the three girls from the previous scene.

Cindy: Quinn, is that your mom over there?

Quinn: (looking over at Helen) Oh, yeah. Let's go talk to her.

Quinn and the three girls walk over to Helen and Daria.

Quinn: Hey mom. These are my friends, Cindy, Tracy, and Stephanie.

Helen: Nice to meet you girls. Now if you'll excuse me I have to get Quinn & Daria home.

Cindy: (to Quinn) I thought you said that the weird girl was your neighbor. Why is she going home with you?

Helen: (p!$$ed) Quinn! How dare you treat your sister like that!

Quinn: (meek) Sorry, mom. Sorry, Daria.

Daria: (deadpan) Yeah, whatever.

Helen, Quinn, and Daria walk out. Daria has a hurt look on her face.


Scene 10: Present. Quinn's room. Quinn is now sitting on her bed lost in thought. She reaches under her bed and pulls out a diary which she begins writing in.

Quinn VO: Something really weird happened today. I went shopping and bought all of this great stuff, but when I got it home it just didn't feel right. I started thinking about why it was so important to me that I had all of these things. For some reason I started thinking about Daria. So I went to her old room and I remembered something that happened when I was just a little girl. It was the first time I noticed that Daria wasn't popular, it was also the first time that I lied about Daria being my sister. I didn't want to hurt Daria, but I was afraid that the other girls wouldn't like me if they knew I was her sister. Now that Daria's gone I don't feel like I need to get all those clothes to distract people from her. It seems kind of pointless to keep on obsessing about stuff like that. Maybe I should talk to the Fashion Club; they could at least remind me of some reason me to like shopping so much.


Scene 11: LHS hallway. Quinn and the FC are walking down the hall. Sandi, Stacy, and Tiffany are making the usual pointless conversation while Quinn just looks depressed.

Sandi: Can you believe Brooke wore those shoes with a blue top? It seems she will never recover from her popularity slip. What a shame.

Stacy: (nearly crying) I know. It's just so sad. Why couldn't she have asked for advice before trying an outfit like that?

Tiffany: Yeah...it's just...wrong.

Sandi notices the way Quinn's acting.

Sandi: Quinn, are we boring you?

Quinn: (barely paying attention) Huh? Oh, of course not.

Sandi: Really? Because you seem a little preoccupied.

Quinn: I'm sorry Sandi, I've just got a lot on my mind.

Sandi: And what, pray tell, is so important that you chose to think about it while we were giving our daily fashion critique?

Quinn: Oh, nothing really. (pause) Um, Sandi, could I ask you a question?

Sandi: Of course.

Quinn: What made you so interested in fashion?

All other members of the FC give her blank looks.

Quinn: You know. Why do you care so much about clothes?

Sandi, Stacy, & Tiffany: Huh?

Quinn: Never mind. Excuse me; I've got to go to the restroom.

Quinn walks off leaving the rest of the FC stunned.

Sandi: Quinn has gone off the deep end. She is questioning fashion.

Stacy: Oh, no! (starts sobbing)

Tiffany: (still confused by Quinn's question) Huh?


Scene 12: Kitchen. Helen is sitting at the table looking over some papers. Quinn walks in looking depressed.

Quinn: Mom, can I talk to you?

Helen: (not looking up from her work) What is it honey?

Quinn: (sitting down at the table) Well, I've got...

Quinn is cut off by Helen's phone ringing.

Helen: (answering phone) Hello? What?! No, don't do anything, I'll be there in fifteen minutes.

Quinn: Mom, I really need to talk to you!

Helen: (to Quinn, hurriedly) If it's about a date tonight you can go, but you have to be home by eleven. If it's about money, you spent all day yesterday shopping and I'm not going to lone you any just because there's another sale. Bye, I've got to go to work.

Helen leaves in a hurry.

Quinn: (bitterly) Gee, thanks mom.


Scene 13: Quinn's room. Quinn is lying on her bed, writing in her diary.

Quinn VO: I still haven't figured out what I should do. I tried talking to my friends about it, but they had no idea what I was talking about. This is all getting pretty confusing, if Daria is the only reason that I act like a fashion-obsessed moron then there's no point in acting like that anymore. But I've been like this for so long I don't know how else to act. Maybe I should just stop with all of this fashion nonsense. Maybe I should start doing things I actually want to do. Maybe I should just grow up and get a real life! But how?

Quinn puts away her diary, lays back on her bed, and quietly begins to cry.

Roll credits. Music: "What's This Life For" by Creed.

The End