The Ruin of Quinn
Part 4



"Next up, the Fashion Club," the announcement rang through Daria's ears like the most terrifying thing she'd ever heard. Jane must have given up looking for her, but she seemed to want to watch the rest of the groups just for the hell of it. Trent sat back down where he had been looking for Daria and stared mockingly at the fashion club. His eyes met Daria's and hers quickly darted away. I can't look at him.. Looking like this, she thought. Sandi was done and vice-president was next. No.. what am I going to do?, her feet trembled wildly as she neared the microphone. Now not only did she worry about her speech she might fall on her face as well. Fortunately she reached the microphone safely and took a look at the audience.

"Yeah!!!! Go Quinn!!!!!," Joey yelled from seven rows away. He lifted his fingers to his mouth and whistled loudly. "I love you!!!!"

"Stop it Joey you're bothering her in the middle of her speech," Jeffy elbowed him roughly then turned to Daria's direction. "I love you, too, Quinn!!!!"

Daria coughed and clear her voice, neither of any help since she'd never sound like Quinn no matter how she tried. Trent laughed and yelled out loud, "Hey Quinn! Where's your sister, Daria?". Their eyes met and for a moment Trent couldn't help but stare. What.., he muttered in disbelief, as if their souls set apart in a distant universe had just intertwined. Trent cocked one eyebrow at her and didn't intend to break the gaze just yet. At this, Daria turned bright red and stomped back to where the fashion club stood. Sandi told her that she had a plan and that she no longer had any reason to worry. She walked up to the microphone and declared that Quinn Morgendorffer had lost her voice that morning and that she'd do her introduction for her instead. Moans of grief are heard from the seventh row.

"Why didn't she say that BEFORE I went up there to humiliate myself?," she asked Stacy, the color now slowly fading from her face. Stacy seemed reluctant to reply but slowly spoke then resorted to whispering into her ear.

"Sandi doesn't really like Quinn, she knew you were going to embarrass yourself," she paused as if gathering her words,"But she knew that you were smart enough not to give yourself away by talking."

"Oh gee, thanks..," she muttered sarcastically as her eyes burned into Sandi's head and continued to even as she returned to the group. Wait, she thought to herself, I'm not Quinn so why should I be mad at her?. I hope I'm not getting so absorbed into this that I'm beginning to actually think that I'm Quinn. A few more announcements were made and the pictorials were to begin backstage. Taking each step down the stairs back as carefully as she went up she followed the group backstage. She could feel Trent looking at her as she stepped behind the curtain.


* * * * *

Meanwhile in the nurse's office, Quinn had requested that the speakers link to the introductions so she could listen to the other members of the fashion club. Yet she was puzzled about the long pause after her name was called and how Sandi filled in for her. The reception to outside comments was poor and she wondered what Joey and Jeffy had been yelling. Someone had mentioned Daria and she hoped it wasn't intented to humiliate her. But why hadn't they just announced beforehand that I wasn't there? She thought about it for a few more minutes until her head began to hurt.

The nurse told her that her acne was caused by the new foundation she used this morning. Her skin couldn't adjust to it and was aggravated. Quinn held a mirror closely to her face and found the breakouts slowly going away. Most of them were gone and hardly left a noticeable mark. Even though she wasn't able to take pictures she was glad to have her skin back to normal. She could've gone back to class but in walking into the office she was hysterical and demanded that her mom send a secretary to take her home.

Stepping out of the office she decided to go to the auditorium to watch the pictures being taken. Her hand pushed the door a bit and she took a small glimpse of the inside. She saw her three admirers, Daria's weird friend Jane, and a few other people she could care less about. Pushing the door open a bit more she motioned to step inside. Suddenly her pager went off and she drew her hands back from the door letting it slide close again. Her ride was at the front of the school. Darn, she adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder and started to the front of the school. Mom's secretary was nice, she asked about the skin condition and told Quinn that she could've stayed in class for the remaining hour. Quinn said she didn't want to make a scene and she'd probably just be bothered by tons of people wondering where'd she been all day.

"It isn't easy being so popular, you know," Quinn exclaimed as she skipped through numerous radio stations. Stopping on one she continued. Quinn took a look at her companion and numbered all her errors in terms of appearance in her head. "Or maybe you don't know.."

There wasn't a reply to that and the car stopped at their house ending any chance of further conversation. Quinn said a small "thanks" and hurried to the door. Helen was sitting at the nook going over her scheduled appointments and meetings while Jake was cooking up another one of his weird concoctions. Looking up she brightened at the sight of Quinn.

"Oh honey you look wonderful!," though she didn't intend on getting up from her chair on account of how busy she was. "I told you it was temporary!."

Jake said something as he stirred the stew but just like everything else he said, it wasn't worth hearing. Quinn took a glass of water and went upstairs to her room. Daria came home shortly and ran upstairs as quickly as possible. On the last step she heard Quinn coming in the same direction. Ack!, she might think she's been cloned if she sees me!, Daria thought in a panic as she stood flat against the wall of the stairs.

"I wonder if anyone called asking for me..," Quinn took half a step more then stopped in place. "Maybe Jeffy called to ask if I came to school.. Oh nevermind he'll probably call again." Turning around she went back to her room and in a few seconds the phone rang."

Daria waited til she heard Quinn close her door and answer it. She let out a sigh of relief and went to her room. Taking off the clothes she was wearing she pulled her usual attire out of her bag and put it on. There, I look just like I do everyday, she looked into the mirror and put on her glasses. She nearly stumbled over at the sight of herself. My hair's still as light as Quinn's!, she hadn't thought of that in the beginning. Her fingers touched her hair and she knew by the dye she'd smelled earlier that morning that it wasn't shampoo-out.

* * * * *

"What do you mean I looked hot?," Quinn's eyes darted around the room frantically and she sat down before her dresser mirror. "You mean you actually saw me? How?"

"You were there but you couldn't do your introduction because you lost your voice", Jeffy was on the other line. He'd called first and knew that Joey and Jamie were getting busy signals at their attempts. "Well I'm glad you got your voice back, it's so great to be talking to you right now. I mean it's always great you know."

"Yeah.. Right.. But what I want to know is..," Quinn tried to ask him something but Jeffy kept rambling on about what had happened at the auditorium.

"Then this jerk asked where your sister Daria was. We all know she's your cousin, you got mad and walked away after that," now he got her attention for once. She listened attentively and held the phone close against her ear. "Do you want me to beat him up, Quinn? Or I can get a little help from Jamie or.."

"No it's fine, Jeffy," Quinn glanced at her door and knew she had to talk to Daria. "I have to go now. Bye."

She hung up the phone and stormed out of her room. Daria heard her loud, furious steps and rushed to lock her door just as Quinn turned the knob. Quinn pounded on the door and screamed.

"Daria!!! Let me in!!!," she began to kick it but stopped and uttered a faint cry of pain. Then she remembered that their rooms had the same kind of lock and she took out her key. The knob unlocked and startled Daria as Quinn slowly opened the door. Quinn's eyes bulged at the sight of her sister. She walked right up to Daria and as her tears watered and her face cringed she slapped Daria hard across the face.

"You bitch!!!," Daria's hand pressed her cheek which felt as if it was swelling up. Her eyes filled with anger, she swiftly got up and thrust a strong punch into Quinn's stomach. Quinn fell to the ground instantly and clutched her stomach. She'd never been hit that hard in her entire life. Tears began to flow down her cheeks and she struggled to sit against the wall. Daria had never been hit by anyone let alone slapped in the face. Quinn coughed softly and lifting herself from the ground stood up. Years of anger of silent rivalry began to unfold, the two sisters couldn't hide their hatred any longer.

"You and mom are pretty much the same hair color aren't you?," Quinn spoke in a cold tone to Daria who looked up at her with rancid eyes.

"Why the hell do you care?," Daria's hand finally came off her cheek, revealing a red mark scattered across the side of her face. Quinn started out of the room in the direction of her mom's. Daria got up and yelled in her direction, "Where are you going?!"

Quinn stopped and turned around. Her puffy eyes were lined with red. Her next sentence filled Daria with inexplicable intrigue and a faint feeling of what she refused to admit.. Fear.

"Two can play at this game, Daria," without another word she slammed the door shut. Daria knew what she meant and she knew it meant war.



Chapter 5 coming soon.