The Ruin of Quinn
Part 5
Panic. That is what Daria felt as she walked the halls of Lawndale high that morning. She knew the role she'd have to play, but what about the person who played her? She'd ruin her. She may not have all the friends Quinn has, but Jane was all those people combined into one. Her brother, Trent, meant something to her that words alone could not express. Something that even she couldn't quite understand. You have to apologize, Daria said to herself as walked to her locker, wait! you can't go there it's not yours anymore, at least not for now.
As if being controlled she slowly turned around and walked to wherever Quinn went in the morning. She wouldn't answer any question or raise her hand, that would be easy since that probably what Quinn does everyday. They'll all probably believe that I've lost my voice still, but the fashion club will surely tell that I'm not Quinn. I'll have to avoid them somehow.
Her stomach empty and not to be fed, at least until she got home, Daria stayed in the nurse's office until the bell rang for lunch to end. This was not easy and she didn't know how long she could pull it off. The door to mom's room hadn't opened even once last night and Quinn had left to school earlier than her. She must have walked with.. Ack.. Jane.. NO! She can't possibly convince Jane that she's me. There's no way. Unless she didn't. Then Jane would think I hate her, or I'm ignoring her. I have to talk to her on the phone afterschool. Daria's mind was restless throughout the whole day. Her usual pessimistic thinking had gone beyond even her own controlling it.
Walking home wasn't so bad. The solitary feeling of treading down the sidewalk on a breezy afternoon wasn't so bad. That is, if it was just you. Straight ahead she could see what looked like Jane and her supposed 'clone' walking together. Her feet stopped altogether and she continued to watch them from a distance. All of a sudden Quinn quickened her pace and went straight into their house, leaving Jane to wonder what was the matter.
"Daria? What's wrong with you?," Jane yelled as she brought her hands to her mouth. Instead of sounding louder, her cries were muffled. But it's not as though Quinn was listening. She did a pretty good job of disguising herself. As for Daria, without makeup, she would've given herself away if she hadn't completely avoided everyone's glance.
Jane began to walk to her house and Daria felt strange as she neared where she stood. Jane gave her an "Oh, it's you" type of look and brushed past her despite the adequate space for two people to walk freely.
* * * *
Daria opened the door slowly and quietly walked into the kitchen. She was starving. Luckily Quinn was stationed somewhere upstairs. On opening the refrigerator the phone rang and assuming it would be for Quinn, Daria snatched it from the counter.
"Hello?," not trying to change her voice and manner of talking. No one could see her as she spoke.
"Hey Daria..", the voice was deep and casual. Daria recognized it in an instant. Trent. Her heart seemed to stop and she knew she was bright red.
"Yeah?", she managed to choke out as she tried to regain her composure. It was just a guy, no big deal. But not quite. Trent seemed to have some sort of power, or advantage on her. She hoped she wouldn't get another one of those rashes.
"Well I was just calling to ask you about something. Jane says you've been avoiding her, if not you've been silent throughout all her attempts at talking to you. I just want to know what's the matter?," The thought of saying she lost her voice crossed her mind but then she was talking perfectly right now. She couldn't think of any excuse for this. She'd have to play it off somehow, though.
"I was just kidding. It was nothing really. I just wanted to see her reaction," she blurted out hardly even thinking about what she'd just said. That had to be a really dumb excuse, and how dumb exactly she wouldn't know unless Quinn would tell her all the faults she has with Jane as of now.
"Oh alright. I'll tell her that. So now I just wanted to ask you something else," his voice softened a little at this and he had a slight pause. "Are you busy tonight?"
The last four words struck Daria as the best things she'd ever hear in her entire life. But with the circumstances that practically ran her life at the moment they just had to be the worst. Her heart screamed yes but her mind said otherwise.
"I..", she started then her heart began attacking her mind and its decisions. But her mind reigned once more as she'd always chosen it over her heart. "I.. can't."
"Why not?," Trent's voice seemed agitated all of a sudden. As if he was shocked or hurt. Or both. They have been knowing eachother for a long time and he thought he could take this relationship further. He thought wrong. "I mean.. It's fine.. No big deal.. I just.... Bye Daria."
The line broken signified by a faint click, Daria returned the word even though he wouldn't hear her. She decided to sleep, sleep would put all her troubles to rest, at least for a while. Her steps were as careful and quiet as possibly. She dare not let Quinn be aware of her presence. With two steps more, she eyed Quinn's door open at a tiny crack letting a thin line of light seep through. Peeking through her door she saw a bit of Quinn's hair. To her surprise, it was back to normal, as well as her clothes. What's going on?, she thought as she strained to eavesdrop on Quinn's conversation on the phone.
"I just don't get it, Stacy.. I never thought Sandi would do a thing like that..," Quinn twisted her hair in her fingers and her feet kicked up and down on the bed. Turning over to lie down, her face revealed cheeks slightly moistened from tears and a pouty lip. "Helping me? I don't think so.. Well.. Yeah.. That's true.. I had to be in the yearbook somehow.."
"Oh you saw her.. Back to normal?.. I guess so.. Hmm?.. Oh.. I probably was at the nurse's office."
Daria smirked. They did think alike at times. Only she thought harder and about more complex things.
"I'm not that mad... Maybe before but not anymore.. I'll help her out, she's my cousin and all so....Yeah I guess we should just end it all.. I mean it's so pointless.. Let's just reveal it all tommorow.. Okay.. Alright.. Bye."
Daria left to go to her room before she heard Quinn hang up the phone. She shouldn't have. Quinn didn't hang up the phone, she never was on the phone. I knew she'd be listening, Quinn giggled under her breath as she put the phone aside. Her hopes of reconciliation assured, Daria lay her head on her pillow and drifted off to peaceful sleep. A box of dye stood on her dresser. She'd be back to normal tommorow morning and it'll be as if nothing's changed. She hoped. But did will their plans coincide or collide?
Part 5
Panic. That is what Daria felt as she walked the halls of Lawndale high that morning. She knew the role she'd have to play, but what about the person who played her? She'd ruin her. She may not have all the friends Quinn has, but Jane was all those people combined into one. Her brother, Trent, meant something to her that words alone could not express. Something that even she couldn't quite understand. You have to apologize, Daria said to herself as walked to her locker, wait! you can't go there it's not yours anymore, at least not for now.
As if being controlled she slowly turned around and walked to wherever Quinn went in the morning. She wouldn't answer any question or raise her hand, that would be easy since that probably what Quinn does everyday. They'll all probably believe that I've lost my voice still, but the fashion club will surely tell that I'm not Quinn. I'll have to avoid them somehow.
Her stomach empty and not to be fed, at least until she got home, Daria stayed in the nurse's office until the bell rang for lunch to end. This was not easy and she didn't know how long she could pull it off. The door to mom's room hadn't opened even once last night and Quinn had left to school earlier than her. She must have walked with.. Ack.. Jane.. NO! She can't possibly convince Jane that she's me. There's no way. Unless she didn't. Then Jane would think I hate her, or I'm ignoring her. I have to talk to her on the phone afterschool. Daria's mind was restless throughout the whole day. Her usual pessimistic thinking had gone beyond even her own controlling it.
Walking home wasn't so bad. The solitary feeling of treading down the sidewalk on a breezy afternoon wasn't so bad. That is, if it was just you. Straight ahead she could see what looked like Jane and her supposed 'clone' walking together. Her feet stopped altogether and she continued to watch them from a distance. All of a sudden Quinn quickened her pace and went straight into their house, leaving Jane to wonder what was the matter.
"Daria? What's wrong with you?," Jane yelled as she brought her hands to her mouth. Instead of sounding louder, her cries were muffled. But it's not as though Quinn was listening. She did a pretty good job of disguising herself. As for Daria, without makeup, she would've given herself away if she hadn't completely avoided everyone's glance.
Jane began to walk to her house and Daria felt strange as she neared where she stood. Jane gave her an "Oh, it's you" type of look and brushed past her despite the adequate space for two people to walk freely.
* * * *
Daria opened the door slowly and quietly walked into the kitchen. She was starving. Luckily Quinn was stationed somewhere upstairs. On opening the refrigerator the phone rang and assuming it would be for Quinn, Daria snatched it from the counter.
"Hello?," not trying to change her voice and manner of talking. No one could see her as she spoke.
"Hey Daria..", the voice was deep and casual. Daria recognized it in an instant. Trent. Her heart seemed to stop and she knew she was bright red.
"Yeah?", she managed to choke out as she tried to regain her composure. It was just a guy, no big deal. But not quite. Trent seemed to have some sort of power, or advantage on her. She hoped she wouldn't get another one of those rashes.
"Well I was just calling to ask you about something. Jane says you've been avoiding her, if not you've been silent throughout all her attempts at talking to you. I just want to know what's the matter?," The thought of saying she lost her voice crossed her mind but then she was talking perfectly right now. She couldn't think of any excuse for this. She'd have to play it off somehow, though.
"I was just kidding. It was nothing really. I just wanted to see her reaction," she blurted out hardly even thinking about what she'd just said. That had to be a really dumb excuse, and how dumb exactly she wouldn't know unless Quinn would tell her all the faults she has with Jane as of now.
"Oh alright. I'll tell her that. So now I just wanted to ask you something else," his voice softened a little at this and he had a slight pause. "Are you busy tonight?"
The last four words struck Daria as the best things she'd ever hear in her entire life. But with the circumstances that practically ran her life at the moment they just had to be the worst. Her heart screamed yes but her mind said otherwise.
"I..", she started then her heart began attacking her mind and its decisions. But her mind reigned once more as she'd always chosen it over her heart. "I.. can't."
"Why not?," Trent's voice seemed agitated all of a sudden. As if he was shocked or hurt. Or both. They have been knowing eachother for a long time and he thought he could take this relationship further. He thought wrong. "I mean.. It's fine.. No big deal.. I just.... Bye Daria."
The line broken signified by a faint click, Daria returned the word even though he wouldn't hear her. She decided to sleep, sleep would put all her troubles to rest, at least for a while. Her steps were as careful and quiet as possibly. She dare not let Quinn be aware of her presence. With two steps more, she eyed Quinn's door open at a tiny crack letting a thin line of light seep through. Peeking through her door she saw a bit of Quinn's hair. To her surprise, it was back to normal, as well as her clothes. What's going on?, she thought as she strained to eavesdrop on Quinn's conversation on the phone.
"I just don't get it, Stacy.. I never thought Sandi would do a thing like that..," Quinn twisted her hair in her fingers and her feet kicked up and down on the bed. Turning over to lie down, her face revealed cheeks slightly moistened from tears and a pouty lip. "Helping me? I don't think so.. Well.. Yeah.. That's true.. I had to be in the yearbook somehow.."
"Oh you saw her.. Back to normal?.. I guess so.. Hmm?.. Oh.. I probably was at the nurse's office."
Daria smirked. They did think alike at times. Only she thought harder and about more complex things.
"I'm not that mad... Maybe before but not anymore.. I'll help her out, she's my cousin and all so....Yeah I guess we should just end it all.. I mean it's so pointless.. Let's just reveal it all tommorow.. Okay.. Alright.. Bye."
Daria left to go to her room before she heard Quinn hang up the phone. She shouldn't have. Quinn didn't hang up the phone, she never was on the phone. I knew she'd be listening, Quinn giggled under her breath as she put the phone aside. Her hopes of reconciliation assured, Daria lay her head on her pillow and drifted off to peaceful sleep. A box of dye stood on her dresser. She'd be back to normal tommorow morning and it'll be as if nothing's changed. She hoped. But did will their plans coincide or collide?
