For context, this is an alternative universe where Jane and Daria did not make up after 'Dye! Dye! My Darling!' and 'Is it Fall Yet?', set roughly six months later or so.
It should not have been such an alien feeling. It had not been the first time that Daria Morgendorffer had flown solo; so why did it depress her now more than it had ever done in her lifetime? As far back as Highland the spectacled cynic had had a lack of companions, through her own admission of course. She never claimed to be sociable or seek people out. If anything, she wanted nothing to do with humans. Other people were confusing and irritating so why subject herself to it?
The rumbling of the cars wheels was the only sound that kept Daria company as she drove down the foggy street. She was not quite as familiar to these roads as her own. Hell, she could drive to Jane's house without her glasses. Not that she ever attempted it; it would only result badly for dogs. Or maybe travelling singing cowboys. Neither seemed very car friendly. But still, here she was, driving down this street on a Friday night rather than being nestled in her room with a good book.
Daria sniffed and scratched her nose as she turned a corner. This cold was getting worse. Her nose was now clogged, so everything smelled and tasted like Styrofoam. How she knew that was a story for nobody's ears. But even this had its perks. She did not have to taste the newest incarnation of chillie con cheese-puffs Jake had created. Just nod and approve, that was how to get through life.
Shame that it did nothing to save her friendship with Jane. Just the thought of the woman was enough to make Daria want to pull over and just curl into a ball. The one friend she made in life and she just had to blow it. And for what? A boy? Tom? As she pulled onto the curb, Daria sighed and rested her chin against the steering wheel.
The last year had been awful. Seriously, no sarcasm. Jane hated her, that summer camp did nothing to help her forget, she could not help someone like herself in Link and to top it off she pushed Tom away in anger, never to hear from him again. If only she hadn't kissed him. Everything would have been okay.
Ever since then whenever she saw the dark-haired artist in school, she would avert eye contact or avoid her entirely. And it seemed that Jane shared the sentiment. Outside of school there were no hangouts at the pizza joint, no supporting Mystik Spiral at the Zon, no just sitting in Jane's room riffing on Sick Sad World or whatever idiotic crap spewed from their classmate's mouths.
Nope. None of that. Just… nestled in her room with a good book.
Daria could not stop thinking about her. Everything about Jane; it could not leave her. And it felt worse than any illness. She had to drive past Jane's house to get here. She wanted nothing more than to stop and knock her door. If her prayers could be answered, Jane would open the door and she could beg for forgiveness. Or not, at this point she would even do something radical. Like gush over her perfume to get a response. She just wanted to talk to Jane…
Daria pinched the bridge of her nose before looking at the house. It seemed that showing Kevin how to properly use a calculator got her in the football team's good books and got her an invite to this stupid party. And all she had to do was show him how to type 8008S into a screen. Getting out of the car, she paused.
"Why am I even doing this?" Daria asked to nobody, almost glancing to the empty passenger seat as if it would answer, "It might make a good dissertation on the destructive nature of party culture… or maybe it would be fun to see people get drunk and hit each other… Nah. Just one of those would be fine."
Shutting the door, Daria shuddered at the cold. Rather than her usual skirt and green jacket, she had opted for jeans and a Sick Sad World t-shirt. She wondered what was on that show tonight. Maybe Jane was watching it right now? What would it be?
"Best friend snogging your boyfriend after messing your hair up? The Backstabbing Bastard Bitch tonight on Sick Sad World." Daria sniffed, damn this cold, "An exclusive." With a final sigh, she approached the door and rang the bell. Taking a step back, she had half a mind to go back to the car and take off. This was stupid.
Well, it might help to forget about Jane, even for a little.
The door opened and the ear-splitting pounding of base music roared into the street and bright and flashing fluorescent lights could have caused a blind man to have a seizure. A burly knucklehead looked down at her.
"Yuh?" He blinked in confusion.
"Um… I'm here for the party?" she looked around his form, "Or midnight demon summoning ritual. Either sounds fun."
"Huh?"
"Kevin invited me."
No response this time. Daria sighed through her teeth. This was already a bad idea.
"…Eight. Zero, zero, eight… Five?"
"OH!" The guy howled, "You're the boobs chick!" Daria winced at the name.
"Oh God… Yes. The boob chick." Jane would have already had a field day with this. Still laughing, the guy slapped Daria on the back, practically sending her firing through the door. Daria only growled at the pain in her back as she collected herself. Her only escape was gone behind her with the slam of the door. Daria sighed and slowly made her way through the crowd.
It was loud. Sticky. Too hot and full of humans. Not exactly what she would consider a good time. But Daria still felt compelled to be here. Surely this would not be any different to Brittany's party a few years back… Except that Jane was not here. How was it that with one less person this place somehow felt more claustrophobic?
Daria finally worked her way through the maze of people to the crowded kitchen. The wooden table creaked with the number of bottles balanced precariously up until the edges. Daria frowned in thought. How was it done again? She had only drunk once in her life and let's just say it was not a day she wished to repeat. Oh, the screaming, her throat could not go through that again. Taking the vodka, she would have made a chemist proud with how accurately she dropped a millimetre of the stuff into a cup. It was quickly drowned by Pepsi so it would not have mattered anyway.
Taking her cup, Daria leant against the table and observed. Already food was being thrown and people were hooking up.
"And here we see the common high-schooler in their natural habitat." Daria blinked as one of the football team tipped the whole bowl of chips on someone's head, hooting laughter ensuing, "The horror… the horror."
"Hey Daria!" The brunette jumped as a familiar voice cut through the pulsing music. Jodie seemed to have appeared from nothing.
"Oh um." Daria wrestled with herself to come up with a response that would not prompt the question of "how are you?" but all that slipped out was a "Hi."
"How've you been?"
Shit.
"Fine. Or I was until you just costed me my newest record of the longest time, I spent not talking to anyone. Dammit Landon."
"I'm sure that's a title you can live without." Jodie folded her arms. She seemed dressed for the occasion too. A loose pink shirt and black jeans. Daria could not think of any time she saw Jodie in any kind of leisure wear. "But in all seriousness, are you okay?"
"Yes. Now shoo doggy, go on git be free." Daria sipped from her cup, trying to avoid eye contact.
"Are you really? You don't seem okay." Damn, this girl was not going to give up.
What was she supposed to do? Curl up with a bottle of vodka singing her woes of how she messed up every important relationship she ever had? Daria held her cup tight in both hands and sighed through her mouth. Well here goes.
"Um…Okay. Actually, I've been-"
"JODIE!" A shrill voice cut Daria off as Brittany suddenly made an appearance, yanking at Jodie's arm, "Jodie Jodie Jodie!"
"Brittany Brittany Brittany what's wrong?" Jodie blinked in surprise and pulled her arm free.
"Oh, it's teeeeerible! One of the boys thought it'd be funny to drink a Smoker's Cough in one go-!"
"Lung cancer in drink form, lovely." Daria deadpanned.
"And he threw up all over our jackets!" Brittany squeaked, pulling her ponytail frantically. Daria wanted to scoff but to her surprise, Jodie's irises seemed to have shrank at this news.
"Um Jodie?"
"My mum is going to murder me!" Jodie spoke with an air Daria rarely heard and did not want to comprehend, fear.
"What?"
"I borrowed one of her coats because it's so cold, she'll freak if something has happened to it!"
"Um…" Daria sighed ruefully, well so much for that, "You'd better check it out. Don't want it to gain a Jägermeister and mayonnaise after-smell."
Jodie sighed and shook her head in annoyance, "Okay. But once I deal with this we are having that talk!"
Daria had to turn away as Jodie was dragged off by the blonde hurricane, looking towards the large window that looked into a backyard and the lights of Lawndale further away like stars on the ground. Why did this guy live so far out of Lawndale? Granted she wished she did the same thing. Daria sniffed and tried to wipe her nose with the back of her hand. Even if this drink had been spiked with more vodka she would not have known. Damn this cold.
Turning away from the window, Daria was reluctant to return to the maddened crowd. No thanks. There had to be something to get her mind off everything. Through the clutter of people, she saw her answer. Another table, bearing snacks.
"If this place doesn't have chillie con cheesepuffs, I'm out of here." Daria grumbled to nobody as she pushed her way through. There was the usual affair. Pizza, chips, hot dogs, chicken drumsticks, brownies- wait brownies? Daria blinked and looked at the rest of the table. Who put brownies out next to pizza?
"Well… I've eaten chocolate cake for breakfast before. You're a wild one, Morgandorffer." After getting a paper plate, off she went with four of them, taking a bite out of one as she tried to find a nice corner to stand in. "Mmh. Styrofoam. Lovely. Gotta ask for the recipe."
Unbeknownst to Daria, the chefs behind those brownies had ventured to their table to pick up their own rations.
"Four? Oof, hope she knows what she's doing."
"Sure, she does, that's the brain Kevin invited."
"Good call. By the way you owe me $50 for the cannabutter."