Chapter 1 - In the parking lot of Pizza King, immediately after the events of Catalyst
Daria and Tom walked in silence to his car. The bruise over Tom's left eye had started to swell giving him a sleepy look. "Maybe I should drive you home', Daria said while holding her hand out for the keys. Tom surrendered the keys without protest. The drive home was strained. Daria had a million thoughts racing through her mind. Her worst fears had been confirmed, Tom was the jealous type. To make matters worse, he had proved quite willing to act upon his jealousy and had attacked someone. Eric had shown remarkable restraint and had emerged relatively unscathed. At least on the outside, Daria couldn't forget the haunted look in his eyes. The rest of the drive to Tom's was occupied with replaying the events in her mind. She had been the cause of the trouble somehow. Why hadn't she said something to Tom earlier. Tom is a rational person, if I had said something none of this would have happened. He would have known about the problem and learned to control it. Or me. Daria shook that nasty thought from her head. No. Tom wasn't like that. Not that she knew anyway. She stole a glance at Tom. He was staring out the passenger side window, his arms tightly folded across his chest. Daria pulled up to the security gate and Tom uttered the only words he would say to her for the rest of the night, "4639#". They pulled up to the front of the Sloane residence and went inside where they were greeted by Tom's mother.
Mrs. Sloane was aghast by her son's the battered appearance. "Daria, Tom. What happened? You weren't in an accident were you? Angier come down here!"
"No, Mrs. Sloane, we weren't in an accident." Daria groaned inwardly at the next part. "Um, Tom was involved in an altercation at the pizza place."Daria didn't say much on the trip home save providing directions. She looked at her watch as she slowly walked towards the front door, she was home much earlier than usual. For an instant, she considered going over to Casa Lane to have a talk with Jane then remembered she was with Trent at the Zen. Lately, Jane had been spending a lot more time with Trent. The nights were getting too cold for her to sit outside and think, she had to go inside. In her first piece of good luck that evening, her parents were no where in sight. She hoped that didn't mean they were upstairs putting the 'Spice' back in their marriage. Not wanting to find out or be found out, she quickly retreated to her room. Passing Quinn's room, she noticed light coming from underneath the door. Quinn home on a Saturday night? Curiosity and a desire to have someone to talk to convinced Daria to knock."What happened, was someone harassing the two of you?" asked Tom's father who was now standing next to his wife.
"I should let Tom explain that to you."
"Kay, why don't you take Tom upstairs and get him cleaned up. I'll give Daria a ride home."
Daria watched as Mrs. Sloane led Tom up the stairs. He never looked back.
"Don't worry Daria. Tom is a tough kid. I'm sure he'll be fine in the morning" said Mr. Sloane as they walked towards the garage. "I'd hate to see what the other guy looks like."
"Um. Actually, Tom is the one who got the short end of the stick."
"I see."
"Come in"Daria related to Quinn the evenings events, to Quinn's credit, she didn't interrupt Daria once."Hi, Quinn, are you busy?"
"Not really, I was trying to read but I can't seem to concentrate. You're home early. It's not even 9:30."
"Yeah, why are you home on a Saturday night?"
"I wanted to stay home today so I told the Fashion Club (FC) and Joey, Jeffy, and Jamie I wasn't feeling well. I needed some time to think."
"About?"
"What I want to do, who I want to be. I still like being popular and fashionable but I like knowing things too. When I go into class and I know the answer and the rest of the FC have blank looks on their faces, I feel even more special. All the teachers are a lot nicer to me too. Especially Mr. DiMartino."
"That's what happens when you start to think, it sets you apart."
"I had a feeling. When David said he would only go out with someone with depth and I was shallow and superficial, it made me think. There was this whole other world that I was being excluded from. I could never get in no matter how cute or popular I became. I didn't like that idea. The other day I was looking at pictures of mom when she was our age and she was really cute. Not as cute as Aunt Rita but cute. Then I think about Erin's wedding. Rita didn't have anything to say or do except hang on that Paul guy's arm. Aunt Rita was still cute but not as cute as she used to be. I don't want to be like that. I don't want to turn into that. I mean Tom is really cute, but I could never go out with a Tom because we would have nothing to say to each other."
"Quinn, I don't know what to say. All I can say is you can be what and who ever you want. Maybe you don't know what you want to be, but at least you are beginning to know what you don't want."
"Thanks, Daria. I guess I've been doing all the talking, why did you want to see me?"
"Actually, I did need some of your expertise. Something happened tonight and I don't know what to do."
"Tom didn't try something did he?!"
"No, nothing like that. It's. It's just there was kind of a fight tonight at the pizza place and I don't know what to do about it. Guys are always getting in fights over you."
"There was a fight over you? What happened?"
"I don't know Daria. All the fights over me are because the guy wants to impress me to get me to go out with him. You and Tom are already going out and you aren't the type who would be impressed by that. It sounds like Tom trying was to protect his turf. You don't have any feelings for this Eric guy do you?"Chapter 2 The next morning"NO! He is just a nice guy I tutored"
"Do you think he is interested in you?"
"I don't think so, but I'm not the best judge of that kind of thing. You've seen him when he was over here, what do you think?"
"I couldn't really tell. He was certainly paying attention to you but I can't be sure if it was because of tutoring or something else."
"Trent said guys can always tell when another guy is into someone. I wonder if Eric was giving off something that set Tom off?"
"I don't know Daria. What do you really know about this Eric guy?"
"Not much. We talked a little because of tutoring. I know he lives with his Aunt Julie in her townhouse. She's on the road a lot for work. His parents are overseas on business, they couldn't take him with them for some reason. He went to military school like dad. He doesn't seem angry like dad. In fact, he is the exact opposite, he is very tightly under control. He hasn't made many friends since he has been here. The rest of the football team doesn't really hang out with him. Mack is really the only one who he has connected with. He is fairly bright except he has a hard time with English Lit and creative writing. He is very honest. That is all I really know about him."
"And he has never said or done anything that would lead you to believe he likes you?"
"No. Well, on his first day of class at here he kind of stared at me for a second when I surprised him. He wasn't used to being at a co-ed school. He did refer to me as a 'pretty girl'."
"Hmmmm..."
"Hmmmm what?"
"Nothing really, he might be attracted to you but doesn't realize it yet. But I don't know."
"What about you? The Fashion Club has always been efficient at gathering information on people, especially football players."
"He was put on the unacceptable list on his first day of class. He doesn't have a car, his boots are always too shiny to be alternative, he's kind of a brain, and finally the incident in Mr. Dimartino's made him too geeky."
"As efficient as ever I see. I am really worried about Tom. The way he attacked Eric, it was so viscous, he hit Eric in the back without warning. Plus all that talk about someone 'stealing me' away like I was an object he could own. It makes me worry to what extent he is willing to go to protect his turf. I don't want to be the cause of this"
"I wish I could help you more Daria but this part is between you and Tom."
"I know Quinn, but I just had to get this off my chest. Thanks for lending an ear."
"Good night, Daria"
Daria did not have a good nights sleep. The events of last night kept replaying in her dreams. After spending most of the morning tossing and turning, she couldn't take it any more and finally got out of bed. She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. Her eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep and worry. As she started her morning routine, she let her mind wander.
She was worried about Tom. His physical injuries were, in reality, very minor. She was more concerned about his mental state. He said he loved her and, in no small measure, she was happy that he said it. The physical manifestation of that love disturbed her. He attacked someone who he perceived as a threat to their love, rightly or wrongly. Should she give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he saw something that she didn't? Even if he did, would that justify what he had done?
She was losing her objectivity. The emotions she kept under lock and key were now taking their revenge on her rational self. The connection she felt with Tom was something she had never felt before. It was like her friendship with Jane but so much more. The touch of his hand, his lips, the way she could be herself around him. All these things together touched a part of her. A part she had long denied existed or rationalized away. Yet for all her feelings for Tom, the rational part of her mind kept chipping away at her.
What about Eric? Somehow he had been swept into the events between her and Tom and had paid the price. And if it wasn't Eric, who would it be in the future? Would anyone who showed any interest in her in the future be open to attack? Every time she tried to figure it out, she kept going around in circles. She had to talk to Tom. She had to understand what he was thinking. She had wanted to talk to him about this earlier but they never got the chance. Now, it was more important than ever to get to the bottom of this.
Her morning ritual completed, she went back to her room to call Tom. 10:00 a.m. was considered early on a Sunday in the Morgendorffer household, so the phone was free. She dialed Tom's number and after 4 rings the machine picked up. Maybe he is sleeping in and turned off the phone, yesterdays events would certainly be more draining on him. Next, she called the Sloane's main line, this time someone answered.
"Hello?"Daria hung up the phone. She was relieved to hear Tom's injuries were subsiding but she couldn't help but be disturbed by something Mrs. Sloane had said. 'Don't blame yourself, I'm sure you didn't do anything to encourage that boy.' What did she think happened last night? Still needing to talk to someone, she decided to give Jane a call. She knew she was being wildly optimistic that anyone at the Lane household would be up at this time in the morning but decided to try anyways."Hello, Mrs. Sloane, it's Daria. May I speak with Tom?"
"I think he is still in bed."
"Oh. How is he doing?"
"He seems to be doing better. His arm still hurts from the grip that boy had on him but the swelling over his eye has gone down and his leg doesn't hurt anymore. He told us what happened last night. Don't blame yourself, I'm sure you didn't do anything to encourage that boy."
"Um, thanks Mrs. Sloane. Could you have Tom give me a call when he wakes up?"
"Certainly Daria, I'll let him know you called."
"Thank you, bye."
"Good Bye"
In fact, Jane had been up for quite some time. She had heard about the incident at the pizza place from someone at the Zen. The details were sketchy, the only thing she had heard was a football player had kicked Tom's ass. She knew that Daria would have more details but Jane knew enough to wait until Daria wanted to talk about it. Jane calling Daria to ask would seem too much like sour grapes. Instead, Jane sat back, sipped her coffee and wondered. Wonder what it was that made Tom so protective of Daria when he wasn't that way about her. Wonder why she was alone. Wonder what, if anything, she could or wanted to do about it. She was still pondering this list of imponderables when Daria called.
"Yo"Daria got dressed and was getting ready to leave when Quinn stopped by."Hey Jane, are you busy?"
"Not really, what's up?"
"Can I come over, I need to talk to you"
"Sure, cruise on by."
"Thanks, I'll see you in 15 minutes. Bye"
"Bye"
"Hey, Daria"Chapter 3"Hey, Quinn"
"How are you?"
"I'm okay, could you tell mom & dad I went to Jane's?"
"Sure, and Daria. If you need to talk some more, I still feel 'sick'."
Daria gave Quinn a little smile and left.
Jane sat in stunned disbelief as Daria related the events of last night. She had never suspected Tom would have a violent streak. For Jane, Daria's tale struck a little too close to home. Summer's first husband had such a streak. At the time none of the family had suspected he had a temper. From the outside, everything looked normal, but as time passed he slowly took more and more control over Summer's life. Towards the end, he had even attempted to cut her off from her own family. Given the laid back Lane lifestyle, it had almost succeeded. Summer had been able to escape that trap but by the time she left she was a mother of two and a college drop out. She would never fully escape the damage that had been done.
Daria sounded like a girl in love. She had never known this kind of elation before, but she was still Daria. The realist in her, the cynic, kept asking unpleasant questions. Questions that needed answers. Something that bothered Daria bothered Jane too. Mrs. Sloane's reaction to last nights events was full of appropriate motherly concern, but her implied blame for the incident on Eric seemed strange. What did Tom tell his parents happened?
"So what do you think I should do Jane?"The two of them sat in silence, lost in their own thoughts but enjoying each others company. Jane began to doodle on her sketch pad. Slowly her random designs gave way something else. She began to draw a collage of Daria. Her central figure was a pencil sketch of Daria in her current contemplative pose. This was surrounded by head shots of Daria's different facial expressions. Sad, angry, scheming, happy, and the rarest of all, in love. The late afternoon sun that began to shine through Jane's window signaled Daria it was time to go home."You have to find out what Tom told his family, something just isn't right."
"I know. I tried to talk to him earlier today but he was still in bed. I'll try again when I get home."
"I think I'm going to take off Jane, I have stuff to do"Daria checked the message pad for a note from Tom. Nothing. Her attempt to call Tom was again for naught, this time not even the answering machine picked up. She went to bed that night and cried herself to sleep."Okay, I guess I'll see you tomorrow at school"
"Yeah, I'm already starting to dread the looks I'm going to be getting"
"Never mind them, what do they know?"
"Too damn much for my tastes"
Chapter 4 Lawndale High, Monday morning before home room.
Eric watched his locker from a discreet distance, waiting for Daria use her locker and leave. After he was sure Daria had gone around the corner towards Mr. DiMartino's class, Eric went to his locker. He did not want to face Daria. Intellectually he knew he didn't do anything wrong Saturday night, he merely defended himself and used what he thought was an appropriate level of force to control the situation. That knowledge did nothing soothe his troubled heart. What he had done had hurt Daria and that weighed upon his soul. He spent most of Sunday trying to figure out why he even cared if he hurt Daria. It was her boyfriend who had attacked him. He had become ensnared in some sort of power struggle between the two of them, an unwitting pawn in their game. No matter how hard he tried to rationalize, the nagging guilt remained.
Eric's plan was to slip in to his locker, gather up everything he needed for the day and slip out. This would lessen his risk of exposure to Daria. Then after practice he could come back and drop off any unneeded books before going home. Tomorrow the process would begin again. He now regretted his decision to stay in this locker when Ms. Li had offered to move him to another bottom locker. At the time it didn't seem to make any sense, six of one / half a dozen of another, now it seemed to make all the difference in the world. A voice came from above and he knew he had been caught.
"Planning on taking a trip?" she asked in a sarcastic tone.Eric let Jane lead off and followed a couple of minutes later. Eric tried to avoid looking at Daria but snuck a peek from the corner of his eye. She was conspicuously trying to avoid looking at him too. Mr. DiMartino lectured but Eric couldn't get into it. He kept wondering what Jane wanted. Is Daria using her as an intermediary or is she just being nosey?Eric recognized the voice of Daria's friend Jane but figured he would try and bluff his way out of this.
"No, I have a busy schedule today and I wanted to avoid unnecessary trips to my locker."
"Or running into Daria"
Damn. "Or running into Daria."
"You know, you shouldn't lie. You don't do it very well."
"Well, I seem to be trying all kinds of new stuff lately. Was there something I could do for you or are you here just to bust my chops?"
"Actually, I wanted to talk to you. When do you have study hall?"
"Fourth period. What did you want to talk about?"
"Later. We have to get to class. Just meet me in the library, okay?"
"Okay"
"Let me go first. We don't want to look suspicious."
The tension in the air did not go unnoticed by Mr. DiMartino. His two best students were not paying attention. He had heard there was an incident at a local restaurant favored by the students and wondered if somehow these two were involved. Showing off some of his newly rediscovered compassion, Anthony decided not to call on either student today. He would let Ms. Landon and Mr. Mackenzie take up the slack.
Eric ghosted through the rest of the day, waiting for study hall. Even Kevin and Brittany coming up to him and telling him "you da man" didn't break Eric out of his stupor. Finally fourth period came and Eric told his the teacher he had to go to the library to do some research, which was not entirely untrue. He met Jane in the library and she dragged him into one of the stairwells.
"Okay, I'm here. Why the big mystery?"Just being nosey. Eric related the story as he saw it from the time he entered Pizza King to the time he left. Jane just nodded."Not here, not private enough. Follow me."
They took the stairs to the roof and Jane carefully propped open the door. "I got stuck up here once. I don't want it to happen again."
"Now can you tell me why I'm here?"
"Two questions. First, what happened Saturday night?"
"Okay. Second, what do you think of Daria?""What? I don't understand the question."
"It's not that hard. What do you think of her, as a person."
"What does this have to do with anything?"
"Everything and nothing."
"That doesn't make any sense."
"Quit stalling. What do you think of her?"
Realizing he wasn't going anywhere without some sort of answer, Eric gave in. " She seems nice enough. She's smart. Has kind of a dry wit about her. She isn't too wrapped up with the stuff that goes on around here. She's just doin' her time till she can get out."
Not bad for only two months of information Jane thought. "Would you say she's pretty."
Ugh. "She told you I said that?"
"Yes, the question is do you mean it."
Sigh. "I suppose I do. She isn't in the conventional sense. Not in the sense of the people in the FC. But if you look closely you can see her classic features. The slim legs, the full lips, the thick lustrous hair. But her most striking feature would be her eyes. Bright, piercing, fiercely intelligent eyes but also warm, caring, and a little shy."
Damn, he has it bad and doesn't even realize it.
"One last question. Why were you trying to avoid her today?"That afternoon at football practice, Eric behaved like a man possessed. Every drill took on a new intensity as he tried to run himself into oblivion. It felt good to stop thinking and just do something. At the end of practice the coach called Eric over."I feel bad. I am, as Kevin so eloquently put it, the one who kicked Tom's ass. You didn't see the sadness in Daria's eyes. I hate being the person who caused it."
Jane considered his answer. He was as he seemed to be, just a nice guy. Another Mack, just not as outgoing. "Look. You seem like a nice guy and I'm sorry about playing 20 questions with you. But Daria is my best friend and this has really shaken her up. I'm trying to figure out what happened."
"As long as we are being so honest, maybe you can tell me what happened. Why would he attack me?"
"Well...." Jane hesitated. She didn't want to betray Daria's confidence but if anyone had a right to know what was going on, it was Eric.
Eric could see the indecision in Jane's face. "Come on, I was square with you. It's time for quid pro quo."
"Tom was jealous."
"Of me?"
"He thought you were hitting on Daria."
"But why the attack, why didn't he just say something?"
"I don't know why. Neither does Daria."
Eric considered this. It wasn't much but he knew a little more than before.
Watching Eric's face as he processed this new information, Jane considered her next move. "Hey, I'm free most nights these days. Give me a call if you ever need someone to talk to." She scribbled her number on a scrap of paper and handed it to him. "Just let the phone ring eight or nine times before you hang up."
"Thanks. I might take you up on that offer."
With that they left the roof and went to their next class.
"Eric, I just wanted to say how impressed I've been with you the last couple of weeks. It looks like you have hit your stride. Because of that, it makes what I have to do even harder."The coach walked away from Eric. He couldn't believe this. He gets attacked, defends himself, and now he is being punished? Sometimes he longed for the old days of the Academy, at least there was an honor code. That little piss ant Tom must have complained because I embarrassed him in front of Daria. Eric shook his head and wondered what would happen next.Eric did not like the sound of that. "What is it coach?"
"There has been a complaint filed with the school. It alleges you were involved in a fight at a local business. As such, Principal Li has suspended you from extra curricular activities until the matter is resolved. You can still work out with the team but effectively immediately you are no longer allowed to play in any games. Now you are not required to show up for practice and if you don't it won't affect your grade and I won't hold it against you. But I would like you to consider suiting up so when you can come back, you can play right away. Again, I'm sorry."
Eric lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling. Fate was being a cruel mistress. Every time he started to feel good, something would come along and take it away. Jane extends a friendly hand, he gets suspended from the team. Does it ever get better? The ringing of the phone prevented him from pursuing that question.
"Hello?"Eric hung up the phone and went back to staring at the ceiling, eventually he fell asleep."Hi, Eric, it's Mack."
"Hey. What can I do for you?"
"I wanted to call and let you know how sorry I am about what happened. The team will miss you on the field."
"I appreciate the sentiment. Tell me, how long does it take to resolve something like this?"
"Depends on what the accusation is. Has Ms. Li spoken to you yet?"
"No, I have to see her tomorrow morning."
"Did you want to talk about what happened?"
"Not really, but thanks for the offer."
"Okay, Later."
"Yeah, Later."
Not too far away, someone else was staring at her ceiling. "I love you Daria." The words echoed in her head. If he loves me, why hasn't he returned any of my calls? He asked me to trust him and now he won't talk to me when I need to the most. Setting that aside for the moment, she thought of Eric. She had been too ashamed to look at him during school. Mercifully their paths did not cross all day at the lockers either. It suddenly struck her how unusual that was. On a normal day they would pass each other two or three times. When it didn't happen today she had at first been grateful, now looking back she realized he was avoiding her too. An ironic smile flashed across her face. You get a boyfriend and now you're an even bigger outcast. Somehow that dose of irony made her feel a little better. A knock at the door interrupted her musing.
"Enter"Chapter 5 Tuesday Morning, first period, Mr. DiMartino's ClassThe door opened and Tom tentatively stuck his head inside.
"It's me."
"Welcome, me." Daria fought down the urge to run to him. "Pull up a chair."
Tom shut the door behind him and pulled the computer chair over to the bed. Daria's expression was neutral but he could see the questions forming in her eyes.
"I guess I owe you an explanation why I haven't been returning your calls."
Daria didn't say anything but her face said you bet you do.
"I was embarrassed. For what I did. For not trusting you. For how I acted."
Daria's expression softened a little. "I still need to know why you did it. I understand you were jealous, but why did you attack him?"
"I'm not too sure myself. I saw him standing there and something came over me and I acted without thinking, to my regret." Unconsciously, he touched the fading bruise on his forehead.
Daria noticed the motion. "How are you feeling?"
"Better. The arm is still a little sore but I'll live. I'm sorry."
"I'm not the only one you owe an apology."
"I know. I can't deal with that right now."
"How do I know you won't do something like this in the future. Do I have to worry every time a guy talks to me?"
"No, Daria, it will never happen again. I should have known I could trust you."
Daria's expression relaxed a little more and Tom took it as his cue to sit next to her. He gently pulled her to him and kissed her forehead. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "I was worried about you, you big dope."
Tom smiled at the gentile ribbing. "I am, aren't I"
"So the big lug came over and apologized for putting you through hell."At the mention of Eric's name, Jane looked over to his seat. It was empty. Strange, he's normally an early bird. As class progressed Jane became more aware of the empty seat behind her. He must be taking this harder than I realized. She didn't realize she was both right and wrong."Yes, he promised he would never do it again. He said he would even apologize to Eric."
In Ms. Li's office, Eric didn't have to wait to get the bad news. "As you know Mr. Chou, I have suspended you from extra curricular activities pending an inquiry into your role in the events which transpired at the Pizza King restaurant last Saturday night. We have received a complaint that you used your training as a Laaaawndale High football player to inflict undue trauma on a Mr. Tom Sloane. If proven true, this would bring shame and dishonor the name of Laaaawndale High. Your punishment would be a one month suspension, removal from the football team, and you would be banned from participating in any inter school sport. A preliminary hearing will be held this Friday in the auditorium after school, the school superintendent will preside. You may select a member of the faculty to act as your representative. I will be acting on behalf of the school. Do you have any questions?"Eric walked back to class. It was almost the end of first period, so instead of going to history he went straight to science. Who could he get to defend him? Mr. O'neil? No, he didn't have the guts. Ms. Barch? She had the guts but she wouldn't do it, not for a male. Coach? He was on Eric's side but he wasn't the sharpest chisel in the tool chest. Mr. DiMartino? He could do it. Question was would he do it. Eric decided to ask him during lunch."What happens if I am found innocent?"
"In that case, you will be reinstated to your place on the team and no mention of this will be placed in your permanent file. Anything else?
"No."
"Then you may return to class."
Jane noticed Eric was in his seat for science class. He didn't have a happy expression on his face. In fact, if she squinted, she could almost make out the black cloud over his head. His mysterious absence from first period and now his dour expression piqued Jane's curiosity. She would corner him later and ask what was going on.
Anthony sat down at his desk to enjoy his lunch. He had always enjoyed the peace and quiet of lunch. Other teachers liked the chatter of the teachers lounge but he liked the quiet. Someone knocked on his door.
"Come in."Jane waited all day for an opportunity to corner Eric but one never came."Hello Mr. DiMartino. May I speak with you?"
"Certainly Eric, your presence was missed in class this morning."
"Actually, that is part of the reason I wanted to talk to you. I was involved in an incident this past weekend with a student from another school. That student has now lodged a complaint against me with the school district. I need a faculty member to represent me at a preliminary hearing this Friday. I was wondering if you would be willing to represent me."
Anthony scowled. Preliminary hearing. These affairs often turned into the only hearing with the student never to be heard from again. Eric was a good student and as fellow military school student, Anthony felt a certain kinship with him. The brotherhood of arms. He wouldn't let Ms. Li hang another student out to dry. "Yes, Mr. Chou, I'll do it. Meet me after school and we will discuss what needs to be done."
"Thank you, Mr. DiMartino."
Jane walked home from school with a more relaxed Daria. Half way home, Tom intercepted them and picked Daria up. He offered Jane a ride also but she begged off, still not comfortable with the idea of being a third wheel. Today would be a good day for a run.
Jane was on her homeward leg when she passed Lawndale High. The football team was on the field practicing. Eric is out there. Maybe I could catch him after practice. Nah. Continuing home she saw a familiar shape walking ahead of her. Funny, I could swear that's Eric but he should be at practice. As she got closer to the figure she could see it was Eric. What is he doing here?
"Hey, Eric!"After using the bathroom, Jane heads for the fridge to check its contents. Opening the door, she finds a variety of bottled beverages, take out containers, and sandwich fixings. The freezer is well stocked with frozen dinners. After selecting a bottle of water, Jane looks around the family room. Her eyes are immediately drawn to a large square object in the corner. Investigating, she discovers it is a four person Jacuzzi.Eric turned towards Jane as she ran up to him. "Hi, Jane."
"Why aren't you at practice?"
"I've been suspended from the team." Eric resumed walking.
"WHAT! Why?"
"Because of what happened on Saturday. Tom's family filed a complaint with the school district saying I roughed him up too much."
"That's crazy! He attacked you. What were you supposed to do?"
"Let him beat me up apparently."
"Does Daria know?"
"I don't know. I just found out this morning. Maybe Tom told her."
Jane thought back to her conversation with Daria and no mention of pressing charges was ever made.
"So what happens now?"
"There is going to be a hearing this Friday. Mr. DiMartino is going to defend me. He's at school right now trying to get the particulars of the complaint. If I win, we all go back and pretend nothing happened. I get reinstated. If I lose, I get expelled for a month, thrown off the team and barred from playing any other sport for bringing shame to 'Laaaawndale High'."
"This stinks."
"Tell me about it."
"What are you going to do now?"
"I'm going to wait and see what Mr. DiMartino finds out and go from there."
"No, I meant what are you going to do right now."
"Oh. Heh. Probably what you're doing. I need to do something to relieve the stress. Running usually helps."
"Did you want some company?"
"Couldn't hurt. I live about four blocks from here. Did you want to hang out while I change?"
"Sure. Daria said you live with your aunt."
"Yeah, but she's gone most of the time for work."
"Who does she work for?"
"The airlines."
"Stewardess?"
"Naughty, Naughty", Eric gently chided, "Ms Barch would string you up for buying into that sexist stereotype. She's the flight engineer on a 747."
"Is she married?"
"Nope. It's just her and me back at the ranch."
"Sounds like my house."
"Your family away a lot too?"
"You could say that. Dad's a photojournalist and mom's a sculptor. They're always on the road. It's just me and my older brother Trent at home. Do you have any siblings?"
"Yeah, a younger brother. He was a 'whoops' baby. He's with my folks in Singapore."
"Why didn't you go with them?"
"They couldn't afford to put us both in private school over there. So they sent me to live with my aunt. They send her money for the food I eat and I get an allowance. Aunt Julie is pretty good to me. I watch the house for her and she gives me the food money. Most of the time I eat out or make sandwiches. Here we are."
Aunt Julie's is a modest but well maintained brownstone townhouse with an attached garage. Eric opens the front door to a modernly furnished living room with hardwood floors. Its spartan nature speaks of someone who doesn't spend much time there. "Help yourself to something to drink. There's bottled water and juice in the fridge. I'm going to change."
"Where's the bathroom?"
"There's a guest bath between the living room and the kitchen. You can't miss it."
"Kind of unique, huh."Jane saw Eric to the door and watched him jog off. Was he flirting with me or just being friendly? He's got a thing for Daria even if he doesn't realize it. Do I want to put myself through that again? Confused, Jane went to take a hot shower and soak her troubles away."Yeah, I've never seen one inside the house before."
"It's a throw back to when my aunt was in California. Out there practically everyone has one, she missed being able to go for a soak any time of the year." Eric walked over and stood next to Jane. "If you look in that corner you can see what looks like a recliner. That's the relaxation chair. It has jets that run the length of your back. Great for sore muscles."
"Why run when you have one of these?"
"They are great for relaxing but not so good if you have nervous energy."
"Like now?"
"Precisely. Ready to go?"
"You bet."
Jane gave Eric a tour of the neighborhood and showed him the local sights. After about 40 minutes they ended up in front of Casa Lane. "And the highlight of your tour. The famous Lane art gallery."
"So this is your house?"
"Yes, come on in and I'll introduce you to my brother."
"He's a musician, right?"
"So he claims."
Upon entering Casa Lane Eric noticed the large collection of art of all styles. "Did your family produce all of these?"
"Yup. The photo's are my dad's, the pottery was done by my mom and sister Summer, my other sister Penny made the handicrafts, and I did the paintings."
"You have a sister named Penny? Penny Lane?"
"Yes, and trust me, she's heard all the jokes."
"I can imagine."
"Let me see if Trent is awake."
While Jane went up stairs to look for her brother, Eric examined the Lane art. It certainly was eclectic. Never having been a big fan of modern art, Eric looked mostly at the photos.
"Trent's asleep still."
"Oh well, some other time then"
"If you're interested, Trent's band has a gig at the Zen Friday night. You can come if you want."
"I think I might be busy Friday. But thanks for the offer."
"Oh, right. Sorry."
"It's the thought that counts. Did you want to go running again tomorrow?"
"Sure."
"Um, if you want to you could bring your swim suit and try out the jacuzzi afterwards."
"Maybe, let's play it by ear."
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye"
Chapter 6 Wednesday
Jane and Eric talked before first period and agreed to meet at her house at 4:00 p.m. to go running. Daria raised an eyebrow when she heard them discussing their plans but said nothing. Jane had been lonely since she and Tom began dating, she was glad but a little surprised in Jane's selection of a new friend. Well, Jane had always been a little bit of a tomboy.
Eric arrived at Casa Lane at precisely 4:00 p.m. Jane was amused. He was, as Daria had described him, punctual to a T. Must be a military school thing. They had been jogging for about fifteen minutes before the conversation began to flow.
"So what did Mr. DiMartino find out?"Chapter 7 Friday at lunch"Let's just say Tom's version of events and mine have very little to do with one another."
"What, you mean he's lying?"
"Let's just say he is being very 'Clintonesque' with the truth"
"In what way?"
"His version of events begins with him coming back from the bathroom and seeing me lunge at Daria. Being the dutiful boyfriend, he came to rescue his lady fair from the hands of an obvious brigand. Needless to say, I used my Lawndale High trained abilities to defeat him and humiliate him in front of said lady. Out of a sense of chivalry, he does not name said lady." Eric's voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Well, just call Daria to the stand and blow his story to pieces."
"I can't call Daria to the stand. The hearing will be held grand jury style. Only the prosecution, Ms. Li, is allowed to call witnesses and Daria is not on the list."
"Why wouldn't Ms. Li want to call Daria as a witness if she can blow his case out of the water."
"You tell me, you know these people better than I do."
Jane took a moment to consider the question. "Well, Tom's family draws a lot of water in this berg. She might not want to offend them come appropriation time. Second, her only goal is to clear the name of Lawndale High. You are expendable. You're a transfer student so you carry no weight since you don't have any real family here."
"The second part I figured out. I'm supposed to salute, charge the machine gun nest and die like a good little soldier. The first part brings things into focus. If Ms. Li thinks I'm going down without a fight she's mistaken. The key will be to get Daria to the hearing."
"Leave that to me. What time is the hearing?"
"4:00 p.m. in the auditorium."
"She'll be there."
Given what Eric had told her, Jane deduced that Daria would be free Friday. She was sure Tom wouldn't tell Daria what he is doing Friday, he would make up some excuse.
"Hey, Daria, did you feel like getting some pizza after school today?"Pizza King, after school"Sounds good. Tom has some family thing he has to do today so my calendar is free."
I'll bet he does. "It's a date."
So far, everything was going according to plan. Jane had Daria at the pizza place, at about 3:45 she would make up an excuse for them to go back to school. She forgot a book or her sketch pad, whatever. They would 'happen' to go by the auditorium and see what was going on. From that point, Jane would depend on Daria's conscience to get her involved. It was too bad Jane never read Clauswitz.
"Hey guys." It was Jodie and Mack."Hi, Jodie. Mack", said Jane. She hoped they wouldn't stay too long, it was already 3:42.
"Hi.", was Daria's only reply.
"Daria, I was wondering if you would be interested in tickets to next week's homecoming dance?" Jodie hoped now that Daria had a boyfriend she would become involved in more school activities.
"Sure, sign me up for two tickets."
"Really?"
"Yes, right after my fairy god mother turns my pumpkin and six mice into a horse and carriage and my sack cloth into a gown."
Jodie rolled her eyes. Why do I even bother.
"Besides, isn't that dance is more for the football types?" asked Jane.
"Yeah, I guess so."
"It's really too bad about Eric", Mack chimed in.
"Too bad? Too bad about what?" Daria was interested now.
"You didn't hear? He's been suspended from the team and Ms. Li is trying to throw him off permanently. It's really too bad too. The coach was going to make him a starter."
"Why did he get suspended?" There was concern in Daria's voice.
"Because of what happened here on Saturday. Someone filed a complaint with the school district. Ms. Li is putting him on trial today."
"WHAT! But the only one who could complain would be ...... Oh, damn it!"
"I didn't mean to break it to you like this Daria, I just thought you knew because, you know."
"When and where is this going to happen?"
Mack looked at his watch, "Right about now, in the school auditorium."
"Thanks, Mack. Come on, Jane, we have to go."
"Okay." Jane looked at her watch, 3:52. They were going to be late.
Chapter 8 4;00 p.m., the school auditorium
"Where are they?" Eric tried not to look at the rear doors too often lest he give away the surprise. Everyone who was supposed to be here was, but to Eric the two most important people were missing. Eric took in the scene before him. The auditorium was configured like a mini court room. The superintendent of schools sat a table by himself. Eric and Mr. DiMartino sat together at the defendant's table while Ms. Li sat at the prosecution's table. Behind Ms. Li sat the witnesses she intended to call, Ms. Mason the school shrink and Tom. Behind them sat Tom's mother, father, and sister.
The superintendent cleared his throat and called the meeting to order. "Good afternoon, I hear by call this hearing to order. We are convened to determine if there is sufficient evidence to warrant a full hearing. Mr. Chou, you are accused with assaulting Mr. Thomas Sloane with malice and conduct unbecoming a Lawndale High Student. Have you been informed of the accusations?"Eric recited the events as he remembered them from the time he came in to the time he left. While Eric was recounting the events, Daria and Jane slipped in unnoticed and sat in the darkened back of the auditorium. After Eric finished telling his side of the story, Ms. Li began her questioning."Yes, your honor."
"How do you plead?"
"Not guilty."
"So noted. Ms. Li, you may proceed."
"Thank you your honor, I call Mr. Chou to the stand."
Eric was administered the oath and seated.
"Mr. Chou, could you please give us your account of last Saturday's events starting from the moment you entered the Pizza King Restaurant."
"Mr. Chou, you state someone pushed you from behind, causing you to fall towards Ms. Morgendorffer. Is that correct?"Eric turned and shook Mr. DiMartino's hand and thanked him for his efforts. Anthony could not help but proud of the way things turned out. In addition, he was proud of the way Daria stood up and chose the truth in spite of what he was sure was going to be great heart ache."Yes."
"Did you see who pushed you?"
"No. I was pushed from behind. My back was to my assailant."
"So you had no way of knowing who pushed you, yet you assume Mr. Sloane did it. Why?"
"When I recovered from the push, I turned and saw Mr. Sloane looking at me with an angry expression. He appeared to be readying himself for an attack. I assumed a defensive posture and prepared to defend myself."
"Mr. Chou, where did you attend school prior to coming to Laaaawndale High?"
"I attended the General Cota Military Academy."
"And how long were you there?"
"Approximately five years."
"While you were there, in addition to the academic studies, did you receive instruction in any of the military arts?"
"Yes."
"Please describe the nature of the these classes."
"Basic firearms training, both pistol and rifle. Intermediate rifle training. Hand to Hand Combat. Field drill."
"Did you complete these courses?"
"Yes."
"And what grades did you receive for these classes?"
"Satisfactory in Hand to Hand combat and field drill. Outstanding in both firearms courses, shooting 'Marksman'."
"In your confrontation with Mr. Sloane, did you use any of these skills?"
"Yes, I used what was taught in the Hand to Hand Combat class."
"Did you use anything that was taught by Laaaawndale High?"
"No."
"Thank you Mr. Chou, no further questions."
"Your witness Mr. DiMartino", said the Superintendent.
"Thank you, your honor. Mr. Chou, you stated after you recovered from the initial attack Mr. Sloane charged you, is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Did you strike Mr. Sloane in any way during that attack?
"No."
"What did you do?"
"I evaded him, got out of his way."
"I see, after you evaded him what did he do next?"
"He attempted to punch me."
"According to your prior testimony, at this point in time you decided to act. Why now?"
"I assumed he was the person who pushed me, his attempt to punch me would have made his third attack. At this point, I felt that Mr. Sloane would not stop until someone was injured, perhaps seriously. I felt I had to end the engagement before someone was seriously injured."
"If it pleases the court, I would like Mr. Chou to demonstrate what he did, using me in the role of Mr. Sloane. At a much slower pace."
Eric and Mr. DiMartino walk through the steps Eric used to take Tom down. After the demonstration, Eric returns to the witness chair.
"Why did you restrain Mr. Sloane in the manner you demonstrated?"
"I wanted him to know that it was over, that further action on his part would be futile. I wanted him to stop"
"Why did you let him go?"
"He wasn't struggling any more. A further use of force was unnecessary."
"How did this make you feel? Were you proud of what you did?"
"No, I was relieved. Relieved I wouldn't have to do any more."
Playing a hunch, Mr. DiMartino continued. "Is that all you felt?"
"No, I was upset."
"Why?"
"Because I hurt someone."
"Because you hurt Mr. Sloane, or someone else?"
"Someone else."
"Who?"
"Ms. Morgendorffer."
In the back Daria and Jane were intently watching the proceedings. When Jane listened to the line of questioning, she could see where Mr. DiMartino was going. Oh Crap! she thought, he's going to make him say it.
"How did you know this?" continued Mr. DiMartino.
"Because I could see it in her eyes."
"Just one more thing, was the technique you used the only one you knew?
"No, I know others."
"How far could you have gone?"
"I have been trained to use deadly force."
"But you didn't, why?"
"It wasn't necessary."
"No further questions your honor."
"You may step down Mr. Chou."
Eric got up and returned to his seat and the defendant's table. While he was returning to his seat, Jane looked at Daria. Her face was a combination of shock and sadness as she processed what had been said. In the meantime, Ms Li called her next witness, Ms. Mason.
"Ms. Mason, what is your position with Laaaawndale High?"
"I am the school psychologist."
"And how long have you had that job?"
"Eight years."
"Did you examine Mr. Chou?"
"Yes, on his first day of class."
"Why?"
"It is school policy to test all new students so their needs may be properly addressed."
Like sending me to self esteem class, you quack, thought Daria.
"And what were your conclusions?"
"I felt he was an intelligent boy but he had problems with anger management. I offered to help him with his rage issues but he never accepted my help."
Why should he, your diagnosis of him was about as good as yours of me. Damn it! Ms. Li is trying to make it sound like he's crazy!
"Thank you, Ms. Mason."
"Your witness Mr. DiMartino", said the Superintendent.
"Ms. Mason, did you listen to Mr. Chou's the testimony?"
"Yes I did."
"Would you consider the actions of Mr. Chou during the fight as those someone who cannot control his anger?"
"No. But these are hardly scientific testing conditions."
"Wouldn't you consider the crucible of combat a stressful situation."
"Yes."
"In a stressful situation like that which existed at the pizza restaurant, what would happen to someone who couldn't control his anger. Would he stop after subduing his opponent out would he continue to attack?"
"He would most likely continue to attack."
"And is that what happened here?"
"No."
"Thank you, Ms. Mason. No further questions."
"You may step down Ms. Mason. Call your next witness Ms. Li."
"I call Thomas Sloane."
"Mr. Sloane, in your written statement you state you saw Mr. Chou lunge towards Ms. Morgendorffer and that is why you acted, is that correct?"
"Yes."
That's not true, thought Daria.
"Mr. Chou states he was pushed causing him to fall forward towards Ms. Morgendorffer. He also asserts you pushed him. Did you push Mr. Chou as he claims?"
"No. I did not."
Lies! It's nothing but lies! He's trying to destroy Eric because he was embarrassed! Unconsciously, Daria began to rise. "LIAR!" she shouted.
"Order! There will be Order!" demanded the Superintendent. "Who is disturbing these proceedings? Come forward"
Daria walked to the front of the auditorium and stood in front of the Superintendent.
"What is your name miss?"
"Daria Morgendorffer."
"You are the young lady in question?"
"Yes, I am."
"Did you witness the events being discussed here?"
"Yes."
"Mr. Sloane, please return to your seat. Ms. Morgendorffer please sit in the witness chair."
The Superintendent administered the oath and began to question Daria.
"Ms. Morgendorffer, did you see who, if anyone, pushed Mr. Chou?"
"Yes, I did."
"Tell me what happened ."
"Eric, Mr. Chou, came to talk to me. To let me know how he did on an English test. I had been tutoring him for several weeks in preparation for this exam. He did well and he wanted to come over to tell me and to thank me for my help. Mr. Sloane had gone to use the rest room. As Mr. Chou and I were talking, I could see Mr. Sloane running up from behind Mr. Chou with his arms outstretched. He then pushed Mr. Chou, causing him to fall towards me. The rest of the events happened substantially as Mr. Chou described them."
"Ms. Morgendorffer, after Mr. Chou had Mr. Sloane on the ground. What did he do next?"
"He looked up at me. Then he said, 'he just wouldn't stop'. Then he let go of Mr. Sloane and left."
"Thank you, Ms. Morgendorffer. You may sit back down. Ladies and Gentlemen, I believe I have heard enough. While I do not condone fighting, I believe Mr. Chou acted in self defense. His response was measured in light of what would have to be considered an unprovoked attack. The charges against Mr. Chou are hear by dropped and he is suspension is ended effective immediately. No mention of this incident will be placed in his permanent file. Mr. Sloane, you are not within my jurisdiction so I may not punish you, but if you were I would have you up on charges of slander and filing a false report. Ms. Li, I would like to see you in my office first thing Monday morning. I would like to discuss the manner in which you conduct your investigations. This hearing is adjourned."
In the meantime, Jane had come to the front to congratulate Eric on his victory. Eric saw Jane and went to her.
"Eric, looks like your off the hook."Then, to the surprise of both of them, he hugged her. Not knowing what to do, Eric just went for it, stopping just short of a bear hug. He was surprised how good it felt to hold Jane, she was surprisingly soft and cuddly. She smelled good too. Jane was shocked by Eric's hug and for a fraction of a second, she stiffened but then relaxed. This feels really good, god I miss this she thought. She leaned into the hug, relishing the warmth of the embrace and the security she felt. Then she backed off. I can't do this, he doesn't know what he wants, he doesn't realize what he's doing to me. Eric felt Jane's grasp loosen and interpreted this as the sign they should stop. He looked at Jane and saw that she was a little red faced, not realizing he was too."Yes, thanks to you. You really came through for me Jane. I wish there was something I could do to repay you."
"Sure, get your aunt to get me two tickets to someplace warm for Christmas break!" said Jane wryly.
"Will do", said Eric with a smirk.
Across the aisle, a not so pleasant embrace was about to happen.Jane and Eric had stood off to the side while maintaining a discreet surveillance of the exchange between Tom and Daria. After watching Tom walk away, Jane and Eric shared a look.As Daria walked towards the Sloanes, she could hear Tom's parents questioning him. "Is what Daria said true, you attacked that boy first?" asked Mrs. Sloane. "Why would you let us file a complaint against an innocent boy?"
Tom never had the opportunity to answer his parents. Seeing Daria approach she told Tom, "We'll discuss this later. I think you have some other explaining to do. Hello, Daria, we'll let you and Tom talk in private. I think we owe Eric an apology."
"I'm sure he would appreciate it, Mrs. Sloane."
"Good bye, Daria. I hope we'll see you again."
"Good bye, Mrs. Sloane."
Daria turned towards Tom. He was looking at her with a forlorn expression on his face and his hands in his pockets.
"Hi, Daria. You probably want an explanation about all of this."
"That would be a good start. Why don't we start with why you told that story to your parents."
"I'm not really sure. I suppose it was because I was still embarrassed by what I had done. After you and my father left, my mother asked me what happened. She wanted to know if someone was bothering us. So I told her the story about Eric lunging at you and having to protect you."
"Carefully omitting the part where you pushed him first."
"Yes. I never imagined they would try and have Eric punished. I didn't want to get him in trouble. I didn't find out they went to the school district until Tuesday."
"Why didn't you try and stop it once you found out? Why did you let this farce continue?"
"By then the thing had snowballed I tried to tell them not to through with it, just to let it drop. I was hoping Ms. Li would let the matter drop and give him a slap on the wrist. I didn't know that she was trying to expel him."
"You did everything short of telling the whole truth."
Guiltily, he replied, "Yes."
"Tom, you put Eric through the wringer over this. What would have happened if I hadn't been here. It would have dragged out for weeks. Eventually the truth would have come out but Eric would have been suspended from football for weeks. How could he study with this hanging over his head? You could have really screwed things up for him."
"So what do you want to do, Daria. Can we get past this. Can you forgive me?"
"I'm not the one who can forgive you. As for us, I don't think there can be anymore us. You asked me to trust you before. After what you did, I don't think I could ever trust you again. When push came to shove, you lied to save you own skin."
"I would never do that to you. I love you. And I know you have feelings for me too."
"That may be true, but without trust there is no relationship", Daria said quietly.
"Then I guess this really is good bye", Tom said in a low voice.
Daria looked at Tom's feet and whispered, "Yes."
Tom stepped forward for one last hug but Daria kept her distance. "Don't" she said.
Tom knew not to press it. His family was waiting by the rear door. "Good bye, Daria."
"Good bye, Tom."
Daria stood there alone, her arms tightly wrapped across her chest while she struggled to maintain her neutral expression.
"I guess we'll catch your brother's band some other time."Eric went to talk to Ms. Li & the Superintendent. Jane hesitated for a moment as she decided what to do. She decided the simplest approach would be the best."That would be best. I have something I need to do."
"I figured as much. I'll see you on Monday?"
"Sure. Good luck at your game tomorrow."
"Thanks, bye."
"Bye."
"Hey, Daria. You ready to get out of here?"The walk to the Morgendorffer abode was slow and mostly silent. Jane invited Daria to spend the night which she gratefully accepted. Jane wanted to say something else but couldn't find the words. Finally, she settled for the words she felt but which seemed insufficient."Never more so."
"I'm sorry, Daria."Daria considered what Jane had to say. She was speaking from experience. Daria was still thinking when they arrived at Casa Lane. Going up the steps of Casa Lane felt like coming home. She was the Misery Chick again walking with her partner in crime. Yet she was different too. For a time she had shared part of her life with a member of the opposite sex and liked it. Now would come the inevitable backlash."I know. I guess I get to find out what it really means to be the Misery Chick."
"It gets better. Eventually."
"When?"
"Not anytime soon. And it's going to get worse before it gets better."
"You're just a bundle of joy aren't you", Daria said, sounding a bit snappish.
Jane shrugged off the attitude. "I do what I can. Can I ask you something? Why did you stand up and say something?"
"Because what Tom said wasn't true and if I didn't say anything an innocent person could have been punished."
"So, would you say it would have been unethical and immoral to let such a lie stand?"
"That's one way to say it."
"So through this whole thing, would you say you held on to your principles?"
"I suppose so. Camus would be proud of me. It seems like cold comfort though."
"In comparison to what you had, yes it is. Daria, I'm not going to tell you to get back on the horse again or any such thing, but now you know what the rewards of being in a relationship are. There will be a time when you are ready to try again. Sometimes it comes from an unlikely direction. For now, go have yourself a good wallow, it's part of the process too."
Chapter 8 Monday Morning, Lawndale High
Jane needed another cup of coffee. She had spent the weekend helping Daria work though what had happened Friday. She didn't begrudge spending the time helping her friend come to terms with what happened, it was just emotionally draining. What made it harder was the fact her own wounds from her relationship with Tom were still tender. In a way, she was glad to be at school. She didn't want to think about relationships any more.
Eric was curious. After the hearing, Eric met with the Superintendent and asked him to write a note to the coach stating his suspension was over and he could play on Saturday. Saturday night he wanted to call Jane to see how things were but decided against it. Most likely, something was going on at Casa Lane and he didn't want to intrude. Using his new found understanding of poetry, Eric spent most of the weekend reading a compilation of works by American poets. It was still slow going for him since breaking down the structure wasn't natural yet.
So this Monday, Eric was again watching for Daria, but for a different reason. Eric wanted to talk to Daria. Circumstances had prevented him from thanking Daria for coming forward on Friday. Without her, he would still be on suspension. As he saw Daria approach her locker, he steadied himself and began to move.
"Morning, Daria."Epilogue"Morning."
"I, uh, wanted to talk to you about last Friday."
"I really don't want to talk about it", she said as she tried to walk away.
Eric's hand shot out and touched her elbow. "Please, hear me out. I wanted to thank you for standing up the way you did. That took courage. Not many people place that high a value on the truth. Especially for someone they hardly know."
"I did what was necessary. Nothing more. Nothing less."
"Okay, but I'm still grateful. If there is anything I can do for you, let me know."
"All right."
"May I ask you something?"
"Yeeees?"
"Is Tennyson right?"
With the first smirk she felt in several days, she answered, "I'll let you know."
While Eric watched Daria walk away, Jane came over and stood next to him.
"That was pretty good", she said."What was?"
"Whatever you said to her. That's the first hint of a smile I've seen in days."
"I'm glad. How are you doing?"
"Better than Daria. Why do you ask?"
"You look a little down in the dumps."
"When something like this happens, it makes you examine your own life. I guess I wasn't completely happy with what I found."
"We don't have practice today. Just reviewing game films. Did you feel like going for a run?"
"I'd like that."
Fin