Intro to We Can Work It Out by Heather Nova, with images of Jane upset and then talking to Trent, leading into the scene
Try to see it my way / Only time will tell if I am right or I am wrong / While you see it your way / There's a chance that we might fall apart before too long / We can work it out / We can work it out
We Can Work It Out continues playing in the background while Daria sits uncomfortably by herself in the pizza parlor. Jane was late, and the writer only felt awkward about this because of her behavior lately. Sure, they had been going about their usual get-togethers and everything the same as ever, but… It seemed to Daria as if her best friend was trying to get her attention, and she wasn't sure just yet how to feel about that, no matter how much she thought about it.
Daria sighed and let her face slump into her crossed arms on the table. She didn't move as Jodie and Mack walked over to the table, having must have seen her as they started leaving. She guessed that Jodie finally exhibited so independence from her parents and got some time for the two of them to get together; whatever.
Jodie called over, "Hey Daria."
"Hey Jodie." If the other girl was expecting something other than Daria's usual tone, it didn't show.
"Waiting for Jane?"
"Yeah, but it might be someone else smiling at me in that body."
Obvious confusion on Jodie's part. "Huh? Wha'd'you mean?"
Yeah, like Jodie was the first person she wanted to discuss her social insecurities with, but considering talking to Jane was out of the question--more or less--it looked like she was the only available substitute. "What would it take for you to not want to be around a friend anymore?"
The couple sat on the other side of the table, with Jodie commenting, "Um, depends on the situation? Why, did Jane get a boyfriend or something?"
For whatever reason, a minor anger thought popped out of Daria's mouth: "That's the problem with people, you can only ever think in the norms that society has wrapped around your necks. Any thought regarding the 'uncommon' makes you uncomfortable and escapist." Her little rant done, she felt worse because she might as well have been yelling at herself; she was just as guilty.
Jodie didn't appear upset, but it was probably because she didn't understand what Daria was talking about, and it showed.
Daria finally spit out, "Jane might like me. Really like me."
There was the nervous, awkward expression she expected, the common reaction of considering it out of the ordinary. "I… I don't know what to say. I don't think you should let it interfere with your friendship, though."
"Easy for you to say."
Realizing this was going nowhere and Daria wasn't feeling any better, Jodie gestured for Mack to stand up, following behind him while telling the writer, "Sorry I couldn't be of any help."
"At least you're staying consistent." The comment was a bit cruel, but she wasn't exactly in the mood to curb her language.
Alone at last, just in time for Jane to come in--which prompted Daria to adopt her "what the hell" look."
Jane raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"What happened to you?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You look like you were mugged and left for pretty by the Fashion Club."
Jane's effort in appearance was evident: hair probably done up with the fancier shampoos that do the extra volumizing and vitamizing crap, face marked with eye shadow and mascara and whatever else Daria herself never bothered to use, and her red and black outfit was replaced with a smaller, lighter black shirt that hugged her curves more; on the other hand, she still had her earrings in, but those probably couldn't come out, anyway.
"Um, is that a compliment?" Jane forced a smile, then looked like she felt bad and adopted the "collapsing into crossed arms" posture Daria had moments before. That melancholic look in her eyes was starting to get to the writer, making her turn to stare out the far window.
Their usual pizza came to the table, causing at least a little break in the stalemate of conversation. They started eating, watching the brief, amusing event of Upchuck running past the pizza place while being chased by several angry young women, then somehow found themselves back in that little dip with only the matter at hand on both their minds. Daria wanted this over with as soon as possible in order to get back to their regular, old lives, even if she didn't quite know the words.
She finally took a breath and asked, "So when are you going to get over this?"
Jane looked up. "Wha'd'ya mean?"
"This dream of yours. First you say it's a dream, then you start acting like this is what you've wanted all your life, as if we're a couple and I'm the only one in denial here."
The artist's face turned more red than the rouge on her cheeks, but it was a combination of embarrassment and anger. "Hey, who the hell are you to tell me what I think and feel!? It's not like you've ever had a boyfriend other than Tom, and I had to soften him up for you!"
That did it. "Listen, bitch, this isn't about me, this is about you obsessing over a random thought that lodged itself into your love-hungry brain, and now you can't get over it because you've nothing else better to do with your life. You want to believe that you can make everything happy in your life by just conforming with your dreams; well it doesn't work that way."
She dropped her money on the table for the pizza before walking quickly out the door, leaving the artist alone to steam and shout, "Fine, be that way!"
And then Jane was alone, no one understanding, not even herself, so she collapsed into her arms and tried not to cry.
Transition to Simple And Clean by Utada Hikaru
When you walk away / You don't hear me say / Please, oh baby, don't go / Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight / It's hard to let go
Daria comes home and walks inside. Everything's quiet except for Helen's pacing around and yelling on the phone. She started moving towards the stairs when she caught her mother stomping into the living room while turning off her phone. Daria glanced around a bit for a moment, weighing her options, then finally decided to give in.
"Mom?"
"Yes dear?"
"Do you think we can have a talk?"
"Why of course, dear, what's the matter?"
They proceeded to sit next to each other on the two separate couches, Helen open, Daria as herself.
"Um…" The writer's eyes darted around again, not sure how to go about this but knowing she was already stuck with her decision. "I need to ask you about sexuality."
Helen's expression quickly changed to one of strong awkwardness and general anxiety, her cheeks a hot red as she took a turn at staring at the ground and away. "Well, I, uh, what brings this up?"
Daria was a bit surprised at this reaction. "What's the matter?"
"Well, you know, you're my daughter and I'm your mother, plus I don't know how much you know, I mean you're growing up and all, but still, I, uh…" They finally resumed staring at each other, though now Helen was clearly anxious and Daria was the same as ever. "D--"
"No, we don't need to have that talk. No, I never did anything with Tom. And no, you don't need to know how I learned most things on my own."
"Well I guess that's one less awkward question. So then what's your problem?"
"What if I told you Jane was a lesbian?"
"Well, I guess I'd tell you to be more careful around her, be more conscious of the way you two act, otherwise, um, I wouldn't tell you to stop being friends with her, if that's what you're asking."
"What if I told you I was a lesbian?"
The mutual blank stare again, this time Helen's cheeks were twice as red. "D--"
"It was a rhetorical question. I'm not. I just want to understand what your views on different than usual sexualities are."
"This is about Jane, isn't it?"
"I'd give you a prize, but I forgot the pizza."
"Daria, I can't tell you how to feel, but if you wanted to know exactly how I felt on the subject, well, I wouldn't be able to say. You have to remember that when I was growing up, anything other than clear-cut male and female relationships were out of the question, it just didn't happen. And now as you're growing up, everyone's trying to find their own bit of happiness and rights to exist. I want to tell you to give this new Jane a chance because she's still mostly the same Jane you've been friends with for so long now, but I can't force you to accept her. You have to make this choice on your own, and whatever you decide, I'll love you just the same."
Daria frowned. "Why is it always left up to me? I wish life would be a lot less complicated."
Looking a lot more calm and composed, her mom smiled softly and told her, "I'm guessing Jane's thinking the same thing right now."
The writer finally looked up, gave a smirk and said, "Thanks, Mom."
"Any time, Daria." She got up and started to walk away, only stopping when the phone rang. She listened for a moment before heading to the kitchen and shouting, "Are you telling me Tamasaki was mauled by pandas!? I'll have your head for this!"
Daria left her mom to the struggles of corporate life to head up to her room and lay out on her bed. She stared at the ceiling as usual, until it all started to blur and she had to let herself think.
Okay, this is the part where I either admit that I've been a bitch to Jane lately and that I'll live with this delusion of hers, or I'll become too nervous regarding my own sexuality and drive her away forever, thus becoming a wandering hermit with no happiness in life outside of putting idiots in line. …Well, when I put it that way…
She rolled over and picked up the phone, dialing in Jane's number. A few rings passed before the artist finally picked up. "Hey's" were exchanged; silence then settled in for a couple moments until Daria finally said honestly, "Look, I'm sorry for acting like a jerk earlier. It's just that this change in you has been hard for me to get over, but I promise to make a stronger attempt." Even though she was talking in her usual monotone, Jane could tell Daria was telling the truth.
"Yeah, well, can't say I haven't been the majority of the problem. I shouldn't have met with you all glitzed up like that, or even tried to make any advances. You're my friend, I know you, you wouldn't be interested. I don't even know if I'm interested."
"So can we both say we're oversensitive bitches and that we're even?"
"Done."
They could practically hear each other's smiles across the phone.
Outro to Across The Universe by Rufus Wainwright, to images of Daria and Jane yelling, Daria talking to Helen, and Daria smiling on the phone
Jai guru deva om / Nothing's gonna change my world / Nothing's gonna change my world
Part 3 of 3 coming soon.