Trent - Too bad you're not a few years older, huh? I could take you out. (chuckles, coughs) See you. (leaves)
(Daria fantasizes once again)

(this time, Daria, dressed in a flowing emerald gown, is being courted by a clean, groomed, and well-dressed Trent)

Trent - Daria, you're the best thing that ever happened to me.
(fantasy ends)
Daria - Damn.

What if Daria had been a few years older?

Daria awoke in a dull haze in her new house; she was barely accustomed to living with her family again, let alone living with them in a new town. It was just her bad luck that her need to move back in with them (because she could no longer afford her own apartment) had coincided with their moving away from Highland. She rolled out of bed and trod on several books and plates; no more late night meals, she scolded herself as she peeled off a layer of something from the bottom of her foot.

It took a few moments before she was dressed; a v-necked green jumper and a black pencil skirt, partnered with a pair of black combat boots. The outfit was simple, but she needn't impress or scare anyone that day. She shrugged off the idea of adding a necklace or something else to her outfit. Not like she was going anywhere anyway. Her first order of business was to determine what people her age did in such a boring town, at least until she found herself some money and moved to a more appropriate location.

Usually Daria wouldn't be up at this time, but she had stupidly agreed to drive the red-haired brat to school so her father could get to his consultancy job. She reached the kitchen just in time to see her mother leaving, flailing a gesture of farewell. That left her with her father, flustering around as he prepared for his day, and her sinuously slow sister. "Hurry up Quinn, I want to go back to sleep," Daria said with a yawn and a stretch, though this gesture was obviously faked.

"Girls", Jake said, sounding like somebody starting a planned speech, "I just want you to know your mother and I realize it's not easy moving to a whole new town—especially for you, Daria, right?" He gave a small laugh, fiddled with his tie. Quinn smirked a little at his last comment; in every piece of praise they gave her, they often scolded Daria. The opposite was true as well, such as Quinn's grades or attention to homework.

Daria kept her eyes on her own breakfast before looking up to their father. "Did we move?'

Jake laughed and then ate a few more bites of his toast as he finally settled his tie. "I'm just saying you don't make friends as easily as... uh, some people."

Quinn simply coughed a little, finishing off her usual piece of plain toast and water.

Daria gave a gentle yawn and then took a last mouthful of her own breakfast. "Quinn, for instance?" she said in reply to her father, as she walked to the sink with her dirty dishes.

"That's not what I meant … necessarily," Jake said as he took Quinn's empty plate and glass to the sink as well. "The point is, the first day at a new school is bound to be difficult for Quinn; and you'll have to find your own crew to hang with," Jake added with a grin.

Daria accidentally leaned against the garbage disposal button next to the sink. 'Speak up, Dad! Can't hear you!' she mock-shouted, walking back over to the table.

"Uh, where was I?' He quickly turned off the garbage disposal. "Oh, yeah. Don't get upset if it takes you a little time to find friends here; I'm sure people will to warm up to you." Jake peered at his watch, gave a loud gasp, and ran out of the kitchen and, presumably, the house.

"Let's go then," Daria muttered.

"But Daria, I haven't even touched up my make-up or fixed my split ends for the day! People will point at me and think I'm some lazy freak and no one will like me, and it'll be your fault for rushing me!"

Daria stared. "Why are you sitting here then?"

Quinn snarled, showing the huffy moodiness Daria knew well from the morning routine, although most were blessed enough not to see it. It had only worsened with age, she noted. Daria settled down with a cup of tea to wait for Quinn's return, secretly hoping her sister would refuse to come downstairs because of a zit or a wrinkle in her shirt.

Unfortunately, Daria wasn't lucky enough and Quinn returned with her bouncy hair flicking out behind her. Daria managed to finish her tea in a few moments, tossing the empty cup into the sink with a shattering clink. She winced, reminding herself to fix that when she returned. Much to Daria's surprise, Quinn was already outside and testing the door handle of the car.

Within a few minutes, they were well on their way to some place called Lawndale High; they had passed it on the way in, so Daria had an idea of where the building was. As they passed through town, Daria would very briefly peer over her shoulder to the young girl in the back seat; her sister, only 14, was dolled up to look about 18 or 19. It was to be expected, it was what Quinn had gotten used to doing over her girlish magazines and stupid friends. 'Haven't I told you a hundred times -'

"How you look doesn't matter, it's who you are. The only thing you need is a nice smile and a positive outlook, blah, blah, blah," Quinn recited, her arms crossed over her chest. 'I know Daria, gah-wd! Just because you were a total freak in high school doesn't mean I have to be. This is my chance to totally re-do the Highland reputation you left me,' she attempted to justify, her words falling onto deaf ears.

"I was going to say that if you don't stop eating all that toast you'll never lose those 3 pounds that hang over your jeans," Daria mumbled under her breath, clutching the wheel tighter. Quinn simply scoffed back at her sister and remained quiet the rest of the car trip.

Daria was a few years into her twenties and owned her own car; a crappy little number she bought when she could afford it. But that didn't mean she should be stuck driving her over-developed sister to her very first day at high school – at least, in this hellhole affectionately labeled 'Lawndale'. Daria held her doubts – Burbsville was more fitting. She pictured herself in the city, a big shot and using her newly gained major in English Literature and various other minors around language to rise to fame. But no, here she was, dragging herself out of bed at 7 in the morning to get her little sister to school.

The majority of the drive was masked by loud, obnoxious music and very little talking, just the way Daria and Quinn both liked it. Sometimes Quinn liked having an older sister chauffeur her around like the maid she preferred to pretend Daria was. The second they pulled up to the curb, Quinn was out of the car without so much as a goodbye.

However, the second car rolled toward the edge of the curb, Quinn was out of the car without as much as a goodbye. Daria sighed, throwing her arm over the side of the door; Quinn was already wandering off with a bunch of air-headed girls, all seemingly as transfixed on shiny things as her sister. She used the control to roll down the windows and clambered over to call out Quinn's name.

"Have a nice day, sis!" she called out, waving with an evil smile across her features. This was a far cry from the young girl she had been in her high school days… but years of loneliness, cynicism and aggravation had been worn away by her roommate in college. Well, some of it. She no longer held everyone in such low esteem, but she certainly wasn't about to mark everyone as a friend in her books. Even this limited shift to a more accepting attitude was badly strained when she looked around the school grounds and saw teens who could barely pronounce the letter 'A' driving cars ritzier than her own.

A beat up navy blue Satellite of some description sat across the road, a young girl getting out; she looked about 17 or so, sporting a short black bob and a red shirt. Something about her instantly made Daria smile, but she wasn't sure what – perhaps it was the fact she was so blasé about being late. Daria sat for a few more moments, her forehead pressed against the wheel. She had no job, she didn't know anyone here, and she had the sinking feeling she would have to take the dive; use her barely legal minor in teaching for a means of sustaining herself in this two-bit town. Just to build a nest egg; also, just to make sure she wasn't going to be stuck with her parents forever. Daria set the car into drive before spotting before spotting someone much more interesting; a man about her age, sporting a soul patch and a few piercings – he was smoking against his car, the same one she had noticed the girl getting out of.

Her hand was paused on the handbrake as she carefully observed this man; he seemed to be around her age. Were she more confident, it might have been an ideal start to a day; making a friend, getting a connection. Instead, she sat and gawked in surprise at someone so cool existing in this town. Dismissing the thought, she put the car in gear and drove off. She wondered whether the man had been looking her way but dismissed the thought as an over-hopeful delusion.