A Disclaimer: These characters are the property of MTV, and the intellectual property of the creators of Daria. I appreciate their indulgence in letting me build a world around them. I am doing this for love, not money, so please do not get your panties in a twist about it. Thanks.
The Long Hot Summer
By Ruthless Bunny
It was a warm summer night in Lawndale, and Daria found herself, yet again, at The Zon hanging out with Jane and Mystik Spiral. A night like a hundred other nights. She was philosophical about it, these were her friends, and this was their last summer together. In September they would all be moving to California. Daria was trying to savor the last little bit of her adolescence, living at home, working a part-time job and staying out late on a summer night. It was hard to savor anything in the club. The air conditioning, which was a dicey proposition on a normal night, was barely functioning on this sultry July evening. The thick, hot air and stale smoke in the club were too much for Daria to deal with so she was standing near the entrance, trying to catch a whiff of a breeze.
Dino, the bouncer, was also hanging out at the door. The Zon was an all ages club, but it was his job to authenticate ID and to keep out the riff-raff. Daria tried to imagine what would constitute riff-raff at The Zon. Daria pondered it for a while, sipping her water, and watching the parade of 'regulars' enter the club. Dino seemed a bit down this evening. He usually had a slap on the back for the 'dudes' and a line of patter for the ladies. Tonight he was just shining his flashlight on proof, and letting even the most obnoxious fakes pass him by.
"Um, Dino, are you feeling okay?" Daria asked him with a note of concern in her voice.
"Yuh, why you ask Daria?" Dino said, as he stamped yet another under-aged hand.
"Well, you've just let in most of the JV Football team, and have given them drinking privileges." She remarked. "Not that I care, but those guys have a reputation for being rowdy."
"Yeah, I guess I'm not feeling my best this evening. Tina broke up with me." He looked really forlorn. It was almost comical on a 6 foot 4 inch guy with a 21-inch neck.
"That's too bad." Daria was at a loss for words. Tina and Dino had always been together. She was at The Zon as often as Jane and Daria. They often sat together, slightly bored, but being supportive and drinking massive amounts of soda. They would sometimes get goofy on sugar and caffeine and they would rank on the people in the club. Daria always had a good time when Tina was around, but she wasn't really a friend, more like an acquaintance.
"Yeah, I miss her." Dino looked like he might cry.
Daria didn't really know what to say, she stood up on her tip-toes and patted him on his massive bicep, it felt like a cantaloupe. He looked at her, bewildered. He had never seen her touch anyone, and it was a very kind gesture. He did feel better. "Thanks Daria. Hey let me ask you, you're a girl."
Daria smiled, people had been noticing that lately. "Ok, shoot."
"Am I such a bad guy?" He looked really pained.
"A bad guy? No. Why would you ask that?" Daria said staring up at him.
"Well, Tina and I have been getting pretty serious, and I want to, ya know, marry her and stuff." Dino felt a bit awkward here.
"Marry her and stuff?" Daria repeated.
"Well, I put it nicer than that, but she said that she didn't see us together. She didn't see herself marrying a bouncer." Dino whispered the last phrase, obviously overcome with anguish.
Daria was taken aback. She could see where Tina was coming from. In conversations with her, Daria had sensed that Tina had wanted something more than life in Lawndale could give her. But, Daria also knew that Tina genuinely loved Dino. She had known them for nearly three years, and in that time, she had seen how thoughtful Dino could be. It wasn't just the mechanical stuff, filling her gas tank, buying groceries, remembering important dates, it was the stuff above and beyond. The way he touched her face, the way he lit up whenever she was near him, the way he made sure that she was taken care of whenever he was around. Daria envied Tina the protection that a guy like Dino afforded. She smiled a bit at that, with her mouth, Daria needed a guy like Dino around.
"I don't think she meant it the way you think Dino. Have you talked to her?"
Tears welled in his eyes. "I've tried, but she's screening my calls."
Daria knew how hard it must be for him. She thought about the previous summer, and about her relationship with Tom. "Look, I've been in that mood, and to be honest, it wasn't that I didn't want to be with the guy, it was a whole bunch of other stuff that had nothing to do with him. Just give her time. Don't crowd her, and don't bother her, but just let her know that you're there. If it's meant to be, she'll arrive at that conclusion in her own time."
"Do you really think so Daria? Do you think that she might love me, and marry me?" Dino looked hopeful.
"Look, I'll be honest with you, I don't know. But don't go to her house with a boom box playing Peter Gabriel. She needs to think, and stunts like that are so corny. Check back in with her in a couple of weeks. She'll be ready to talk then. I was." Daria smiled at him.
Dino didn't exactly cheer up, but he was heartened. "Thanks Daria." He slapped her on her back, causing her to spill half the contents of her glass. "Oh, sorry."
Dino had to attend to another group of people entering the club. Daria propped herself against the building and thought about her relationship with Tom. They had recently parted amicably, he was spending the last part of his summer with his family at "The Cove," then he was off to the Ivy League. Daria reflected on her romance with Tom. There had been some drama at the beginning, but in the end it had been a safe introduction to dating for her. Tom was nice, smart and a good kisser. They had lots of intellectual things in common, but Daria had never lost herself emotionally with Tom. She wasn't in love with him. It was okay though, he didn't love her either. They just really, really liked each other. Daria thought about their "anti-prom" night, spent here at The Zon, listening to The Harpies. Their fumbling around in that silly car of his. She smiled. Tom was going to be a great memory.
Daria turned her thoughts to Trent. That was a pleasant surprise. One night a couple of months ago, Trent and Daria discovered each other. They agreed to keep it casual and Daria balanced both Trent and Tom. Tom was her official boyfriend. Trent was her guilty pleasure. At first Daria felt guilty, but she gave it some thought and realized that she wasn't betraying either of them. Tom wasn't betrayed, because tacitly, they were just boyfriend and girlfriend. Tom treated her like she was Dresden china, fragile, breakable. Daria appreciated his cautious approach, but she resented it too. Tom was clearly more experienced than she was with relationships. Tom guided her through the machinations of typical boy/girl interaction, but even in the beginning, Daria wanted more than Tom was giving her. When Daria reached out to him to fill those needs, she felt that Tom would guide her back to his notion of a relationship, making her feel that she was too demanding. It was as though the relationship that Tom wanted was the only way to have a relationship. On bad days Daria felt that Tom was patronizing her, on good days, he was just the one with more experience. What Daria eventually found out about herself was that she needed a different kind of relationship than Tom was capable of having with her.
Daria did not feel the need to discuss Trent with Tom. Tom wouldn't have understood, and it would have been much too dramatic for Daria to comfortably deal with. She already knew the clock was ticking on their relationship, why not run it out? She wanted to part on friendly terms with Tom.
Daria was daydreaming about Trent. He put the smile on her face. It wasn't just because to her, he was the sexiest man alive…well, maybe it was. Daria had discovered her sensual side, she didn't even know she had one, but Trent saw it in her, and introduced her to it. Daria's skin remembered how his touch felt, her lips remembered the taste of his kisses, her eyes never tired of gazing into the endless depths of his. Trent was an E ticket. (1)
The band was taking their break between sets. The side door opened and they piled out, some of the guys to smoke, the others to try and horn in on the small bit of fresh air Daria had been able to find.
The guys went to the Tank, to find "something" but Trent stayed behind, to chat with Daria. Daria was holding her hair away from her head in a makeshift ponytail in one hand and holding the glass to her neck with the other, trying to cool down. She was wearing a tank top and a loose skirt, but even in this abbreviated outfit, it was hard to be comfortable.
"Hey Daria, whatcha doin?" He asked casually, what he really wanted to know was if they were going to hook up later. With the heat, he was thinking that it was doubtful, since their rendezvous usually took place in the backseat of his car.
"I'm melting." Daria responded.
Trent smiled, he was drenched with sweat. He felt like he had lost a few pounds during the last set. "You? What about me?"
"I guess we'll have to wring you out later." Daria gave him a look, and he brightened up. "My folks are out of town at a retreat, you want to come over later?"
"Sure. What about your sister?" he asked.
"I think she's out with her friends tonight, but even so, I've got padded walls, remember?" Daria laughed lightly, shooting him a sexy sidelong glance.
Trent swallowed a couple of times. Who WAS she? Where did she come from? If he had known the truth, that he had helped create her, he would never have acknowledged it. All he knew was that she made him crazy. He ached to kiss her, but she didn't want anyone to know about their romance. She wanted it to be their secret. He was her slave. Whatever she wanted, however she wanted it, he was willing to go along. "Great, you want me to drive you home after the gig?"
"No, I've got my Mom's truck. I'm going home, just get there when you get there, k?" Daria grabbed his index finger for just a second, and then she turned to leave. "Tell Jane I turned into a puddle and evaporated." She walked off towards the SUV. She waved goodbye to Dino. Both Trent and Dino watched her walk across the parking lot.
"Man, that is one together chick." Dino remarked to Trent.
"Yeah, she's alright." Trent replied.
When Daria got home Quinn was sitting in her PJ's in the living room, watching an old movie on TV.
"I thought you were out at a party." Daria remarked.
"It was stupid. Same old thing, keg, boom-box and some sweaty guy groping at you. I came home, this movie is more entertaining than some jerk with a J in his name could ever be." Quinn explained.
"What movie is this?" Daria asked. Getting drawn into it.
"The Long, Hot Summer, it's got Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward in it, they are such a cute couple." Quinn turned her attention back to the screen. Daria ran upstairs and took a quick shower to cool down. She slipped on a cotton kimono and went back downstairs to watch the movie with Quinn.
Daria and Quinn sat together for nearly two hours, watching the story unfold. Daria liked it when Quinn wasn't doing her "Fashion Club" act, when they could just be sisters, watching TV together. These moments were few and far between. It was very late when the movie ended. Quinn yawned and started up the stairs, just as Trent knocked at the door.
"I'll get it." Daria said, waving Quinn along.
"Gosh, who would be here this late?" Quinn asked, standing at the base of the stairs, waiting to see who was at the door.
Daria shrugged and opened the door, letting Trent in. He seemed surprised to see Quinn there, but no more surprised than Quinn was to see Trent there. "Hey." He said to Quinn.
"Hey." She said back. Quinn was no dummy. She got it. "Um, I'm really tired, I'm going to sleep. Daria, can you come here for a minute, I need to ask you a question."
The two sisters headed up the stairs, Trent hung out in the living room, waiting for Daria to return. He had his guitar case with him. He sat on the sofa, got out his axe and started to play a tune.
Quinn stood by the door of her room, with her arms folded over her chest. She gaped at Daria.
"What?" Daria asked her.
"Oh, come on." Quinn said in a stage whisper. "Trent is here at this ungodly hour? I've been tutored Daria, I can put two and two together."
Daria just looked at her. "Let me remind you that I'm eighteen now, so I'm technically an adult. Now we both know that Mom and Dad would freak if they knew he was here. So, let's come to an understanding. You forget about this part of the evening, and I'll forget that you were at a kegger tonight."
"Daria, I don't care what you do with Trent, you've known him forever, it's not like he's a scumbag or something. I'm just surprised." Quinn seemed reasonable. "Look, I'm tired, I just want to sleep. Don't keep me up, and I'll never mention this to anyone, okay?"
"Damn, that's nice Quinn." Daria said, regretting jumping down her sister's throat.
"Hey, I'm a nice person. Besides, I like having the house to ourselves for the weekend, if I narc you out, Mom and Dad will never leave us alone again."
"Good point. Hey, thanks." Daria said.
"No problem, 'night Daria." Quinn went into her room and shut the door behind her. She smiled to herself. Quinn really was a great tactician.
Daria went downstairs to see Trent. She tried to kiss him, but he pushed her away with just a peck on the cheek. "Hey, I'm all gross from the gig, can I use your shower?" Daria showed him the way. She set him up with towels and stuff and sat on the toilet while he showered, taking intermittent peeks at him through a gap in the shower curtain. Daria admired his body, loved the way his muscles were accentuated by the gleaming water. They tried to keep quiet, so as not to disturb Quinn. They went into Daria's room, where they sat on the bed, Daria toweling Trent's hair dry. He collapsed backwards, he had started out exhausted but now he was relaxed, the shower had revived him. Daria leaned over him and kissed him upside down. It was a move she had learned from the Kama Sutra a few years back. It paid to have an adult library card.
"Daria," Trent asked, gasping for breath, "where have you been? Where did you come from?"
Daria smiled enigmatically, "Buried in a tomb, waiting for someone to excavate me."
For them there really wasn't a tomorrow, there was only now. Each kiss was stolen from a finite supply of kisses. Daria had her plans, Trent had his, but for now, they had each other.
Author's notes:
(1) E ticket. Way back in the stone-age, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, Disneyland was not an all inclusive ride admission. Patrons had to buy a book of tickets, ranging from A tickets for dopey rides like the merry-go-round, all the way up to E tickets, for cool rides like Space Mountain. You always ran out of E tickets first and the bottom drawer of the breakfront was stuffed with crappy A tickets. Clearly an E ticket bought the best ride.