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BEGIN CHAPTER 2

INT. THE HOME OF THE MORGENDORFFERS – DOORWAY – EVENING
The entrance door rings. Jake opens it and turns his face to the stairs.

JAKE:
*Qui*-*inn*. Your date is…
(talking to himself, he turns back towards the door)
Silly me. She has gone alrea…

Jake sees Trinity and just stares at her beautiful dark eyes. While he glances at her with an opened mouth. Daria comes down the stairs behind him.

TRINITY: (she nods at Daria)
Hey Daria. (she nods at Jake)Your Dad?

DARIA: (she passes Jake)
I couldn't be picky at the witness protection program.

Trinity chuckles and coughs.

DARIA:
Bye Dad.

TRINITY:
Bye Mr. Morgendorffer.

They both walk to Trinity's car, get in and drive off. Jake is staring after them

JAKE: (in trance)
…Bye.

INT. TRINITY'S CAR – NIGHT
The night has broken over Lawndale. Trinity is driving while Daria sits beside her.

DARIA:
So… What kind of person is your little brother?

TRINITY:
He is very mature. When I had left for College he had to grow up on his own.

DARIA:
But what about your parents?

TRINITY:
They were visiting self-finding courses in distant countries… like Idaho. But he can take care of himself. He is a big boy.

DARIA:
And he does painting?

TRINITY:
Yeah, and sculpturing.

DARIA:
By the way. How do you get the idea he would appreciate my insight?

TRINITY:
I dunno, I just got this feeling. He is like you an artist.

DARIA:
An artist you say?

TRINITY:
You will instantly like him.

DARIA:
Why?

TRINITY:
He is cute.

DARIA:
Isn't that shallow?

TRINITY:
Why? Do you need more?

DARIA:
Yes, some might say that is a pretty shallow argument.

TRINITY:
Some might say I am a shallow woman. But a shallow woman with a cute brother.

DARIA:
You never cease to astonish me!

TRINITY: (smiles)
Thank you!

The car stops at the parking lot of the Lawndale High. A lone figure in the dark is expecting them.

ZANE:
Yo Trinity. What took you so long?

TRINITY:
You know, I don't like to look at my wristwatch. It depresses me.

ZANE:
Then why are you wearing one?

TRINITY:
I like to be depressed. It makes me feel special… Oh…
(she turns towards Daria, who is hiding and thinking about the cruelty of biology)
Hey Daria, this is Zane.
(she notice their reactions)
Do you know each other?

DARIA AND ZANE: (beat)
Unfortunately.

INT. THE VILLA OF THE TAYLORS – SITTING ROOM – NIGHT
Brittany is filling potato chips into bowls. When Kevin tries to eat one. Brittany slaps his hand.

KEVIN:
Ouch. Babe.

BRITTANY:
Eww Kevy! How could you allow Zane to come?

KEVIN:
But Mack said that when a cheerleader has a party, all the football players are automatically invited. Plus those in the track team

BRITTANY:
Really?

KEVIN:
Yes. It is on page 6 of the playbook.

BRITTANY: (thinks and then burst out)
NO IT ISN'T!

KEVIN:
That sucks: Zane must have tricked Mack.

BRITTANY:
At least I told the security guard not to let him in. Do you remember my last party?

KEVIN:
Oh yeah I remember, that was the coolest food fight in my life.
(Brittany glares at him)
Uhm… not cool, cupcake?

BRITTANY:
Zane had invited the most… worst party crashers of Lawndale. We had to change all carpets! But not this time. I have invited really nice people like Daria Morgendorffer, even though she never, ever wears nail polish.

KEVIN:
Yeah, and I have invited her sister Quinn too. She is cool.

BRITTANY:
KEVY! She is too cute. My friends will kill me!

KEVIN:
Uhm… not cool, cupcake?

INT. TRINITY'S CAR – NIGHT
While Trinity drives. Daria is staring mute out the window. Zane sits on the backseat and is puzzled of Trinity's choice of people. Trinity tries to start a conversation between them.

TRINITY:
So you both share classes?

DARIA AND ZANE: (weak)
Yeah.

TRINITY:
And you know each other, since school started this summer?

DARIA AND ZANE:
Yeah.

TRINITY:
How do you…

ZANE:
Stop! We are here!

EXT. ROAD – NIGHT
Trinity's car stops at the gates of the gated community. Daria gets at once out, while Zane still stays in the car.

DARIA: (mumbles)
Humpf. Thank you for the ride, Trinity.

TRINITY:
You are welcome Daria.

ZANE:
Sure you don't want to crash with us?

TRINITY:
Me? A teach at a high school party???

ZANE:
Yeah! You can make them suffer!

TRINITY:
I think I am going to leave that to you.

Zane exit the car.

TRINITY:
Don't do anything I won't do.

She drives off. Daria and Zane stand opposite of each other.

ZANE:
I can't get rid of the impression that she just tried to play the yenta on us.

DARIA:
Only in your dreams.

ZANE:
You mean nightmares (pause while he glances at her face) Oh, la, la… Is that lipstick?

DARIA: (ashamed she turns her back toward him)
I hate you.

ZANE:
Nice conversational skills.

They both walk towards the security guard

DARIA:
Well, since Brittany has mentioned on several occasions, that you are a persona non grata. She must have given the security guard instructions forbidding your entrance.

ZANE: (evil smirk)
We shall see.

EXT. GATED COMMUNITY GUARD STATION – NIGHT
Daria and Zane approach the gates of that upper-class luxury villa estate.

SECURITY GUARD:
Names please…
(he notice Zane)
EEP!

ZANE:
Hello.

SECURITY GUARD:
Oh Mr. Lane… I have orders not to let you in. You are not invited.

ZANE:
So?

SECURITY GUARD:
So… Ehem… Enjoy the party.

He steps aside and Daria and Zane pass the gates.

EXT. GATED COMMUNITY PATHWAY – NIGHT
They walk for a time. Until Daria speaks out.

DARIA:
Okay. My curiosity is about to kill me. Please tell me, why he let you pass?

ZANE:
Because my photographic memory enables me to recoil the time, when I caught him with a banana split.

DARIA:
What is wrong with the consumption of food during work times?

ZANE:
Just imagine what a man with a dirty mind does with whip cream when he is alone.

DARIA: (beat)
Yuck. That is disgusting

ZANE:
And now imagine what a man with a dirty mind does with a banana…

DARIA: (shocked)
EWW!… Gross!

ZANE: (mocks having trauma)
I never ever again can set my eyes with innocent joy on fruit.

Daria couldn't help it, but she had to smirk.

ZANE:
Hey Daria! Wasn't that a smile on your face?

DARIA:
That was only malicious joy.

ZANE:
Gee, if I catch fire and break my legs, then you would end up in hospital from laughing.

Now Daria definitely had to smirk. Followed by her usual guilt of having shown sympathy towards him.

ZANE: (beat, then calm)
Why do you always show me the cold shoulder?

DARIA: (she blushes ashamed, good for Daria, that it is already night and it can't be seen so well)
Whhh…. gnnn… I… I am not showing only you the cold shoulder, I am showing the cold shoulder to everyone else.

ZANE:
Hmm, I conclude from your nervousness, that you are not familiar with the high school party culture.

DARIA: (still blushing)
So what? Don't you know we are from two different worlds? Regular and popular?

ZANE:
How about I give you some party tips?

DARIA: (resigns)
Do I have a choice?

ZANE: (smirks)
First: You don't get invited to parties, you invite yourself to parties. Let yourself go. Behave how you like, since it is party time and people will forgive you, because they are too drunk to remember.
Second: You have to mingle with everybody at the party. Enjoy it when they sink in the depths of human depravity, because it is one more good reason to laugh at them, when they get drunk and loose bladder control.
Third: If you have sex with a drunken person, wear a condom…

DARIA: (disgusted)
THAT IS ENOUGH!

Zane chuckles evilly.

DARIA: (glares at him)
It is hard to believe, that such an obnoxious person is an artist.

ZANE: (surprised and anxious)
What? Who? Trinity must have told you.

DARIA:
Not to mention Brittany, bursting out your artistic qualities.

ZANE:
Oh, yeah Brittany. She was quite bursty. I think she had her burs…

DARIA: (cuts him off)
See what I mean with obnoxious.

ZANE:
You think that is *obnoxious*? I haven't even started yet.

DARIA:
If you would start now, the party is over for me.

ZANE:
So what? I am an obnoxious artist, but an obnoxious artist, who know when it is time to shut up.

DARIA:
Yeah, like 10 minutes ago.

Daria smirks, while Zane glares at her.

EXT. THE VILLA OF THE TAYLORS – ENTRANCE – NIGHT
They arrived at Brittany's house and stop at the door.

ZANE:
How about one last party tip?

DARIA:
Only when it is a serious one.

ZANE:
It is a very serious. Here we go:
Just because people are cliquey and snotty is no reason not to like them.

DARIA:
Or hate them.

ZANE: (smiles)
You learn fast young grasshopper. Okay: Breath in, chin up, nose up…
(Daria does so)
… breast out.
(Daria almost does so, but she halts and glares at the smirking Zane)
All right! Let's party!

Zane presses the bell and Brittany answers the door.

BRITTANY:
Daria! I am glad you made it… Zane! I thought I gave clear orders to the guard...

ZANE: (interrupts her)
I just brought back old distant saga. The legend of the lonely security guard and the banana split incident.

BRITTANY:
Ewww stop that old uncomfortable icky, yucky story!
(Brittany notices that Daria is with Zane, she ask them in a suspicious tone)
Why you came together?

DARIA:
Mere coincidence.

ZANE:
Not that we are engaged.

Daria is embarrassed again.

BRITTANY:
Well come on in Daria.
(Daria walks in, but when Zane wants to follow, Brittany blocks his way.)
Zane you stay out.
(He pinches Brittany's arm.)
Oooooooooh!
(While rubbing her arm, Zane slips in.)

INT. THE VILLA OF THE TAYLORS – ENTRANCE – NIGHT
Inside Zane runs away from Brittany, leaving her standing angry at the door.

BRITTANY:
Oooooh!

At the doorway, Daria looks with mixed feeling at Zane. Meanwhile she doesn't notice that Quinn had spotted her and consequently start to hide behind a huge ceramic tiger.

END CHAPTER 2

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