Author's Note: Greetings everyone! This is my first ever Fan Fic so reviews are extreemly welcome. I of course do not own any of the characters from Daria though they are my willing play things from time to time.
"They dig up your garden and threaten your American Rights. Terrorist Gophers NEXT on Sick Sad World!"
Daria clicked off the radio with a sigh. Ever since they had expanded their network, Sick Sad World had gotten even more ridiculous. She glanced at Jane sound asleep in the passenger seat.
Fine no radio, no conversation either. I wanted total silence for this car ride anyway.
It was the first day of Winter Break and marked the end of Daria and Jane's first college semester. Both living in Boston at Raft and B-FAC respectively, it was a three hour drive back to Lawndale where they would both be spending the holidays at the Lane House. Over the summer Quinn had gotten pregnant by Jamie and had moved in with Grandma Barksdale* to hide her thickening waist from her fellow students. Daria's mother, Helen, had called a week ago inviting Daria to join the family for Christmas there. After quickly catching wind that Aunt Rita would also be attending she had quickly scrambled for an excuse.
"As much as I love these forced exercises in family togetherness during a huge seasonal excuse for commercialism Mom, I still have PTSD from our hiking trip. I'm worried that spending extended periods with our relations in an enclosed space will give me flashbacks. Besides, I already promised Jane I'd stay with her. Her parents are at a six month reunion with their old commune friends and Trent is on tour with Mystik Spiral. She didn't want to stay in the house alone." A small lie mixed with truth. Jane's family really was scattered but Daria's promise was pure falsehood.
"Well alright, I guess that would be terrible for Jane to be all alone. Your Father and I will miss you but if you're sure you won't join us..." Helen trailed off.
"I'm positive Mom. Tell Dad I said hi and give Quinn some pickles and ice cream for me." Daria ended the call before her mother could start scolding her about being more sensitive towards her sister. In too deep to back out now she immediately called Jane to share her plan.
"So rather than spend three weeks trying to survive a hormonal five month pregnant Quinn and my mother's sibling war I throw myself on your mercy. I'll drive?"
"I see you had no choice." Jane joked "What sort of friend would I be if I refused? I can't really promise much, however, the Lane house isn't really a Christmas-y one. My only plan was pizza and a Sick Sad World Marathon with Trent and Jesse." At the mention of Jane's brother, Daria felt her face flush.
"Trent?"
"Yea didn't I mention? He's back home and Jesse's crashing there too. Apparently their tour had to end early when Max had a nervous breakdown. That OK?" Daria shrugged despite Jane being unable to see the gesture.
"Of course." she mumbled.
Thus the two girls found themselves journeying back to Lawndale, one sound asleep, the other lost in her thoughts. Daria hadn't given Trent Lane much thought since her breakup with Tom and departure for Raft. After her failure with relationships, Daria had thrown herself into her schoolwork only emerging to begrudgingly join the human race on the weekends Jane dragged her to parties. She dismissed her actions with the logic that her classmates were carbon copies of the idiots she had known back home and that there would be plenty of time in the future to branch out socially. Yet here she was, fifteen minutes into a three hour car trip with nothing to occupy her thoughts but a frustrating storm of feelings she had thought long resolved.
Damn idiot friend with her damn idiot nap leaving me alone with my damn idiot brain.
Author's Note: *Grandma Barksdale is Helen's mother.