Chapter 12: Rock Bottom

Chapter 12: Rock Bottom

The next couple of weeks Daria spent a lot of time with Mary and on the weekends went to the parties. She always made sure to have her homework done so she could enjoy the weekends of dancing drinking, and smoking. At first Daria told herself it was just a one time thing but she liked how she felt when high. It made her happier, less of a bitch towards others, and allowed her to enjoy things normal eighteen year olds enjoyed. "Daria, get up." Lindsey knocks on Daria's door. It is Thursday morning and they have to get ready for school. "Daria!" She pounds a little louder.

"I'm getting up." Daria yawns and stretches as she sits up. "I have plenty of time."

"Daria I think there was a power outage. The phone ringing is what woke me up."

"Damn." Daria hadn't noticed the clock was blinking. "I need a shower."

"You have time I already took mine." The two girls hurry through morning activities and head to the campus for classes.

During Creative Writing Mary leans forward after Mrs. Yulo's usual short lesson. "Daria, there's going to be some huge bash to celebrate the Patriots win over the Jets in Boston this Friday. The cover charge is twenty dollars but I heard it is well worth the money after what happened last year."

"How do you know what happened last year?"

"A Junior told me. What do you say?"

"I don't watch football."

"I don't either but I do party with my friends." Mary nudges Daria on the shoulder. "Come on Daria I'll drive."

"Ok but if anyone asks me how many home runs the Patriots got I'll be so embarrassed." Daria's joke is no where as funny as it should have been. Jane had noticed it when Daria called but Daria said it was nothing but not being surrounded by idiots all the time. She couldn't make a sarcastic comment if the person would know she was being sarcastic. The downside of being with students who want to go to school is that they usually have something between the ears.

After classes Daria has Mary come over. "How do you live in your room all day?"

"Amalia is usually at the art building but that closes at ten so she can't be there all the time." They are sitting in the lawn chairs drinking soda while watching Sick Sad World.

"This man caught an alien, and its family to make a baseball team! Grey's in the outfield next on Sick Sad World."

"I remember this episode." Mary leans back in the chair. "You could stock your fridge with beer Daria be better then this crap." Mary shakes the non brand name soda can.

"I'm not 21 so can't exactly buy beer."

"That's what older students are for. Give them the money plus two dollars and they get it for you." Mary reaches down to her stomach and squeezes a tiny bit of skin. "But I should be cutting down look at this beer gut."

"You mean your protective covering over your rock hard abs." Daria squeezes a bit of skin of her own. "If we were shallow we'd be in the bathroom throwing up right now."

"No I usually throw up after drinking anyways so it wouldn't do me much good to throw up now." Mary laughs at the joke and surprisingly so does Daria.

"I don't drink that much."

"Yes you do your stomach just seems to be able to handle it. You're so lucky Daria I've seen you have a cup or two more then me and not throw it back up. I'm jealous of you."

"I had to stomach a lot worse when in high school." They laugh. "Besides I only drink, and smoke, on the weekends. I'm not about to become an alcoholic pot head."

"So that joint we smoked on Tuesday was what, Twilight Zone weekend?"

"You had it already and I wasn't going to let you smoke it alone. Only pot heads smoke alone."

"You're such a good friend to sacrifice yourself for me. Have you talked to Tony lately?"

"No, thankfully." For the past couple of weeks Tony had left Daria alone. Ever since she started going to parties, having fun, being a normal college student Tony had left her alone. "Not that you would notice, who was that shoving his tongue down your throat on Saturday?"

"I don't remember his name. What about you? Don't you have fun at the parties?"

"I dance but I'm not about to do that with some random guy."

"Don't be so prude Daria its fun. On Friday me and a guy went out to his car and really had fun."

"How can you do that? Just pick a guy and do that? What about feelings, emotions, I don't get it."

"We didn't do that much Daria just more then we could have done in the party. Besides what does emotions and feelings have to do with sex? Its fun, feels good, why not do it?"

"Well, um, can we stop?"

"Are you a virgin? Aw, a college girl who's a virgin how adorable! How did a girl like you get to college without beating off guys with both hands?" Mary bursts into laughter when she thinks about what she just said. "I didn't mean, I'm sorry." Mary keeps laughing.

"I wasn't interested in that and I'm still not, that much. I, I admit I had a boyfriend and we kissed but we never did anything else."

"Never let him get to second base?" Daria shakes her head. "Wow Daria how did you not die of boredom? You didn't drink or smoke or party or have fun with guys back at Lawndale. How did Jane keep you around?"

"Well, she, she wasn't like you. She did drag me to parties but she'd back off when she knew it was too much."

"Daria how about this weekend you at least let a guy kiss you? Unless you're planning on becoming a nun you're going to have to get laid sooner or later. What about your honeymoon? Sorry honey I know we're married but nothing past first base." Mary laughs at her horrible attempt to copy Daria's voice.

"I'm not going to promise anything. I just, don't worry about that." Until Tom brought it up, then you did, then you nearly broke up over it. "Mary how much for an ounce? For tomorrow before the party."

"Well there will probably be some at the party. Hell Daria there should be all kinds of goodies at the party. When I was talking to Tidus he was telling me how last year they had shrooms and LSD and like ten kegs. Patriots winning over their rivals in New York is always a big deal around here."

"I don't want to do it at the party I want to do it with you. Your place again right?"

"Amalia will be there but she doesn't care. For an ounce, I'll pay for it if you pay my cover at the party."

"Ok." They continue to watch TV, talk, and drink soda until it was late.

The next morning Daria is up and ready for class on time. She sits through classes, turns in homework, talks to Mary in Creative Writing and sits through more classes. Finally classes are over and Daria and Mary meet in her room. "Got it?"

"Of course Daria." They go back to Mary's room and close the door. "And I got a special treat!" Mary reaches under her bed and pulls out a bong! "If you've only smoked with me then you've never used one of these. All you do is put the pot in this end and suck through this end."

"What does the water do?"

"I'm not really sure. Some people like to drink the water after finishing but it tastes really nasty." Mary makes a face.

"You drank it before?"

"Yeah but you don't have to. Trust me its really awful." Mary gets the Marijuana out and pinches off a bit and puts it in one end of the bong. "You get the first hit like always Daria." Mary hands the bong to Daria.

"Lighter?" Mary hands her lighter to Daria. "I, I just put my mouth over this and suck?" Mary nods. "Why couldn't you just get rolling papers?" Daria puts her mouth over the large part of the bong and lights the other end. She breaths in and takes a deep hit. She coughs a little and pulls away. "Whoa."

"Better hits right?" Mary takes the bong from Daria and takes a hit. They pass it back and forth and go through the entire ounce.

"I hope you can drive." Daria was feeling the high more then usual. "When's the party?"

"A couple hours from now. Let's get something to eat. McD's sounds good."

"Anything sounds good right now." Daria and Mary leave Mary's room.

After going through the drive through Mary and Daria stop at a store. "What are we here for?"

"Daria I have to pick some things up, personal things."

"We're friends right?" That and Daria was feeling paranoid about the people around her and didn't want to be left alone. Daria bumps against a shelf when Mary stops walking and Daria nearly runs into her.

"Maybe I'll give you some." Mary and Daria go to the pharmacy area of the store and Mary grabs a box of condoms.

"What?" Daria was expecting tampons or something not this.

"Daria big party tonight and I know this one guy is going to be there that I've been talking to at a couple of parties and he sounds like fun."

"I'll go wait in the car." Daria walks away and leaves the store. As she walks through the door a buzzer goes off.

"Stop right there!" Daria turns around as a security guard comes up to her. "Empty your pockets."

"Ok sure." Daria does showing her car keys, dorm key, and wallet."

"Walk through the door again." Daria follows orders and the buzzer goes off again. "Take off your boots and jacket."

"What, why?"

"The buzzer goes off when a magnetic strip goes through it, like the ones found on the products of the store." The security guard gives Daria a stern look.

"I'm not stealing anything."

"Then prove it." Daria decides it would be easier to go along then to argue and takes her boots and jacket off. She walks through the door again and nothing happens. The security guard picks up Daria's jacket and goes through the pockets finding nothing but noticing a peculiar odor. "Smells like Marijuana."

"Uh, no, you must be mistaken." Daria starts to get worried and sweat. "I, I was at a friends dorm room, um, their room mate is an artist maybe you smell the paint stuff she uses."

"We'll see about this. I'm going to call the police and have them bring a K9 unit."

"But, I'm not even stealing anything."

"Then why did the buzzer go off?"

"I don't know." Daria tries to think of something but can't her mind was being blocked by the Marijuana. "Please I swear I'm not stealing anything. I went through the doors and they didn't beep maybe they are messing up."

"Or you have a secret pocket in your jacket." The security guard looks over Daria's jacket and finds a magnetic strip stuck to the back of it. "And where did this come from?"

"I don't know, maybe when I bumped into one of the shelves back there it got on there." Daria was almost hyperventilating. Normally she wouldn't act like this but the Marijuana had made her act differently.

"Sure it did. Just get out of here." Daria hurries out of the store.

Daria stands outside of Mary's car waiting for her to get out of the store.

When Mary does they go back to Mary's dorm room. "I can't believe you bought some of those things. They aren't fluorescent are they?"

"No Daria." Mary rolls her eyes. "I'm planning a head of time. I want to have fun at the party." Mary laughs a little.

"And that means fun? I have enough fun dancing with random people. I don't need to do anything like that." Mary laughs a little more.

"You're such a prude. How you never did more then kiss is amazing. You're so waif like and smart and funny."

"I just don't care about that." Daria smiles. "I can't wait for the party. All my homework is done and I feel great. And you said the party last year was a huge blast." Daria laughs, giggles. The marijuana was clouding her mind.

Mary and Daria go to the party. Daria is still feeling a buzz from the marijuana. And soon after a few cups of beer she is dancing with the other teens.

Daria is drinking another cup when she feels a hand on her arm. "Hey baby wanna dance?" She turns around.

"Sure." Daria downs the rest of her beer and goes into the living room with the guy to dance.

More dancing, more beer, and more dancing. Daria is having a lot of fun. "Hey baby follow me." The guy grabs her wrists and leads her to the kitchen. He opens the refrigerator. "Ever try Vodka? This is good stuff."

"No just beer. What does it taste like?"

"Horrible as hell but it's not the taste you drink for." He goes through a cupboard and pulls two shot glasses out.

After taking a shot Daria makes a face. "You weren't kidding about the taste." The guy nods.

"But babe it will make you feel good." He pours Daria another shot and she drinks it.

Daria's head spins. "Are you ok?" The guy puts an arm around her shoulders. "Maybe you need to sit down." He leads her to a stair case and leads her up the stairs.

Daria is lightheaded. She can't think. Drugs and alcohol cloud her brain. "Come on baby sit down." He helps her on to a bed.

"Thanks." Daria's head continues to spin.

"Isn't that better?" Daria feels the guys lips on her neck as his hand moved to her thigh.

"Yeah but still kind of woozy." Daria doesn't resist when he helps her down on the bed.

Daria and the guy are kissing when his hands start to roam. "Hey, what are you doing?" Daria tries to think but her head is too clouded.

"Gonna have fun babe." His hands continue to roam as he kisses her neck. "Lots of fun." His left hand rubs her thigh moving up.

"Fun, yeah. College, party, do normal college things." Daria shakes her head. "No this isn't right."

"What? Don't be a tease babe." Daria tries to move away but the guy gets aggressive. "Come on babe."

"No." Daria pushes him away. "What am I doing?"

"What are you doing? Tease me and lead me on. Don't act like that." The guy makes another move on Daria.

"No!" Daria pushes him away harder. "Leave me alone, I made a mistake." Daria gets off the bed and stumbles. She falls into a nightstand.

"What? Tease!" The guy gets off the bed and storms out of the room.

"Tease? No I don't know what, oh no." Daria grabs a vase and hurls into it.

Daria stumbles out of the room and finds the hand rail to the stairs. She stumbles down the stairs. "Mary, Mary!" Daria's head spins more. She can hear noises but can't tell if they're music or people talking. She sees things but can't make out what it is she's seeing. "Mary!" Daria finds a door and opens it. "I need to go to bed." She falls against a washer machine. "Mary I need to go home." Daria falls to the floor and hurls again.

Daria was feeling worse, and better. Her head wasn't spinning but her throat burned. Her stomach churned. She is able to get off the floor and get out of the laundry room.

Daria looks for Mary and finally finds her making out with a guy in a corner. "Mary, Mary I need to go home." She pulls on the back of Mary's shirt.

"Daria not now I'm busy."

"Mary I said I need to go back. Come on let's go please Mary." Daria pulls on Mary's shirt again.

"I said no!" Mary turns around. "What the hell happened to you? You look like you got hit by a train."

"I don't know. My head hurts and I keep spewing. I need to go back." Daria sways a little. "Am I moving or is it the room?"

"What the hell did you do Daria? Did you take anything?"

"No. I was just drinking from the keg then some guy gave me some Vodka and then we went upstairs and, ew." Daria's head keeps spinning.

"Well no duh. Alcohol before beer you're in the clear. Beer before alcohol and well, you." Mary laughs.

"I want to go home, please."

"Here are the keys wait for me." Mary digs her keys out and hands them to Daria. "I'm busy."

"But, Mary how long?"

"Just go to the car!" Mary pushes Daria with one hand. "I'm busy."

"But, Mary, you're my friend." Daria stands and stares as Mary ignores her. "Fine." Daria makes her way out of the party and stumbles her way to the car.

Daria reclines the seat and stares at the ceiling. "I can't believe her. Jane would have left. Jane wouldn't have let me do this." Daria rubs her temples. "What did I do? Who was that guy? What was I thinking?" Daria turns her head and looks at the house where the party was being held. "What was I doing with Mary? Drugs and alcohol and parties. I don't do that. I'm not like that." Daria gets out of the car. "I can get back on my own. I don't need Mary." Daria starts a long walk back to Raft College.

As Daria stumbles down a road she sees red and blue flashing lights. "Oh no now what?" Daria tries to get around but a flashlight shines on her.

"What are you doing?" Daria sees three officers.

"Uh, walking."

"Where?"

"Back to my college." Daria starts to get nervous.

"The closest college is BFAC and that's nearly ten miles away. What are you doing? Get over here." Daria tries not to stumble as she walks over.

"I'm just walking it's not a crime."

"Whoa you smell of booze. Public intoxication is a crime." One of the officers walk over to Daria. "Can you say your ABCs?"

"Sure, ABCs." Daria laughs hoping that making a joke will ease things.

"Not funny kid. Can you walk in a straight line?" Daria looks down at her feet. "Well?"

"Um, sure." Daria takes a few steps then stumbles.

"That's what I thought." The officer grabs Daria by the arm. "Put her in the back we'll take her."

"Don't want to book her?" The one holding Daria shakes his head.

"She's not driving. And we're not really in public. It's responsible of her to walk rather then turn a one ton hunk of metal into a deadly weapon." The officer turns to Daria. "What school do you go to?"

"Raft."

"Come on I'll take you back. "George, Benson, stay here with the other cruiser and wait for the traffic. We'll get more then enough DUIs to make up for letting this one go." The officer leads Daria to a cruiser and lets her in to the back seat.

On the drive back Daria stares out the window. In one night she got wasted, nearly assaulted, ignored by someone she thought was a friend, and almost arrested. She never wanted to do any of it again. She came to college to learn and get a degree. Not party or drink or make friends. She came to Raft to get an education not to do what she had done. "I'm sorry."

"Hey don't be. There are a lot of kids going to get in a lot of trouble tonight. You decided to walk instead of drive. Even as boozed up as you are you were smart enough not to drive."

"Uh, yeah." Daria hadn't said sorry to the officer but to herself. "Thanks for the ride. I just had to get away from the party. It was too much."

"Well you kids will learn soon enough. A party here and there can be fun. But you do it every weekend and you will burn out. When I was in the Academy I used to party but I was almost thrown out. I had to stop it all and keep it together. When I was twenty two I stopped it all and went sober. Five years later I'm in charge of the DUI department and helping kids like you."

"You're not that much older then me. You're only twenty seven right?"

"Well I feel a lot older. Every year on the job feels like five. What are you going to college for?"

"Writing. Why did you become a police officer?"

"Father was, and his father, and his father, you know how it is. My grandfather actually worked on the Boston Strangler case. I hope I never have to be in part of something so serious." The officer laughs.

"Yeah. Um, what's your name? I'm Daria."

"I'm Luke. Nice to meet you Daria. Might have been nicer to meet under other circumstances." Luke looks in the rearview mirror at Daria. "So how's the college life besides getting drunk at parties?"

"Mostly high school but more people and I pay them. I didn't mean to do this. I've never been away from home before and without my friends I don't know what to do. I've never done any thing like this before. I'll never do it again."

"That's a good decision Daria. I'd hate to have you in the back of the cruiser again. Hmm, if I give you my card you could call me the next time you have to walk somewhere." Luke pulls a card out of a pocket and holds it up. "With the cage in the way I'll have to wait."

"Ok, no problem. I'm not going any where." Daria continues to stare out the window as Luke drives to Raft.

Luke helps Daria out of the back. "Here's my card. Call me if you're ever in trouble. I may not be a Knight and horse but my car will get you any where you need." Luke smiles at Daria and gives her his card.

"And this time I might not ditch the Knight." Daria takes the card and puts it in her pocket. "Um, thanks Luke. I can make it back to my dorm room."

"Ok Daria. Maybe the next time I see you we will be under better circumstances." Luke gets back in his car and drives away.

Daria stumbles back towards her dorm building. She goes up the stairs to her dorm room to find it locked. "I can't find my keys. Lindsey?" Daria knocks on the door hard. "Lindsey are you there?" Daria knocks really hard. "No, Lindsey." Daria slumps against the door and slides down to the floor.

Daria wakes up an hour later when Lindsey is coming back with Skaz. "Oh Daria what are you doing out here?"

"I forgot my key."

"Oh well that was silly." Lindsey gets her key out and unlocks the door. "Well Skaz thanks for the movie and stuff." Lindsey kisses Skaz. "See you tomorrow to work on math homework?"

"Sure Lindsey." Skaz hugs Lindsey. "Make sure you take care of Daria. She looks like she had a rough night."

"Uhg." Daria is helped off the floor by Lindsey and led in.

A/N Took me what, a year to update? I just needed a kick to get this part finished. Anyone who follows my other work will see a pattern. Drugs and alcohol always end badly. Skitz sent home and Daria acting like an idiot. But she smarten up and got away, for now. What will happen? Might be a long time to find out lol.