'Okay this is not good; this is not good at all. Why did you even come here -you don't know any of these people, not really! You think you're smarter than them but you're not, dammit! What does that even mean? Being smart doesn't mean shit and you're an idiot for thinking so!'

Daria pushed through the sea of people, shoving harder than she meant to. Everything smeared as if she had been on a train with the scenery flying by.

"Watch it!" An annoyed jock grumbled as Daria shoved past him. The brunette squeaked as he almost towered over her at an impossible angle! When did everyone suddenly get so tall? What was going on? Was there actually something wrong with her like how Jodie said? The neon primary colours and thumping music were like a deranged merry-go-round.

'Okay okay don't panic- We need to look at this calmly and objectively. Everything's gigantic, everyone's moving faster than you and Jane is outside. Jane is outside. OH GOD-!'

"Hey crazy lips!" A voice cut through belonging to… she didn't know, a cheerleader? "Can you like, not?"

"Crazy lips?" Daria blinked, swinging her head around. Oh shit people were looking, why? Did she say that out loud?! How or why did she say that out loud? "Uh… Wrong number!" She swiftly, in her mind at least, made her way into the bathroom, leaving the confused cheerleader in the dust. She was only made more confused as Mack ran past, still on her tail. Kevin looked up from his pizza as Mack stopped, looking around wildly.

"Hey Mack-daddy I forgot to-!" He began but was swiftly halted by a wave of the hand as Mack caught sight of Daria retreating into the bathroom.

Slamming the door shut, Daria leant against it, her breathing rushed. What was wrong with her?

A firm set of knocks almost caused Daria to fall over in shock.

"Daria? Are you in there?" Mack's voice called through the wood.

"No!" Daria squawked as she got to her feet, holding both sides of her head. Everything was spinning like a top even though she knew full well that was standing still! At least she thought she was, what was anything anymore?! Where was the light? This better not be one of those stupid string cords! Despite the darkness, the colours swirled like a carousel.

Breathing heavily, Daria could only stare and push her back further against the wall, holding her head still in both hands.

"Okay, okay c'mon think dammit!" She growled through her teeth, "This is fine, this is fine there's nothing to be afraid of-"

"Why don't you say what you're really afraid of? The idea that you might actually start caring about someone? 'Cause that would make you vulnerable!" Tom's voice suddenly snarled, Daria's eyes flashed open and she was… in her driveway next to Tom?! The young man was angry, standing with his arms folded. The night sky that had been still that night was swirling not unlike the Van Gogh painting

"Wuh-? Why are you here-what's going on-where am I?" she stammered anxiously, to which Tom glared angrily and clenched his fists.

"We were going out until you began attacking me over at least three contradicting things! Why do you keep doing this?" His voice was unsettlingly booming unlike the smooth tone she remembered. He was angrier, making Daria shrink more than she should have been able to.

"I-I'm sorry-!"

"You can't keep doing shitty things and push people away and then feel bad about it! You! Need! To! Be! BETTER!"

"Please, Tom-!"

"Look where you got yourself! You drive Jane away for me and then do the same- now you have NOBODY! "

"I know, I-I-I'm sorry-!"

"You are the common denominator here!"

"Ah!" Daria jumped, everything around her sinking below her feet until she was back in the dark bathroom. She gripped onto the sink and stared into the mirror. Nothing was staying still, despite her grip on the porcelain. She knew she was standing still! Why was everything moving? Why was her skin moving?

"Oh God, oh God!" Turning on the faucet, she splashed cold water onto her hot face, the chill making her gasp and reach for a towel. "What-What is wrong with me-?" A vibrant red suddenly lurched from under her t-shirt collar and across her face. Red like the pits of hell.

"Ah! What?" She rubbed her eyes, but upon opening them, the checker-tile patter on the walls were switching places. Was she losing her mind?! "Okay- this isn't real. None of this is real. I… I-" she rubbed her arms anxiously, a sense of unfamiliar fear rising within her. Was she having a heart attack? A stroke? She needed help! But- but from who? Everybody hated her! She had pushed Tom away, Link never wanted to talk to her again, Helen and Jake would freak out- and she had caused one argument between them before, she could not do that again! What was she going to do? She was going to die in this tiny bathroom?!

"Daria!" Mack's voice echoed through the ever-shifting door, "Are you okay?"

"…Jane," Daria spoke through shallow breaths, leaning against the door.

"What?"

"I need Jane," she squeaked, "Where's Jane?"

"Daria? What is going on-?"

"Jaaaaaaaaaane!"

…

"Jane?" Jodie had made her way into the cold street to rap her knuckles against the window of Jane's window. Inside, the artist seemed to be out for the count. Her shoulders slowly rose and fell as she slept. Jodie tapped the glass. "Jane. Jane!"

"Officer it's not even my car!" Jane jolted awake in a frenzy before turning to the source of her rude awakening. "Oh good, my sleep paralysis demon wants to trick me."

Jodie only tilted her head with a raised brow. Jane blinked as her head cleared enough to realise she still had her window up. She leant over to crank it down.

"I said my sleep paralysis demon-"

"Yeah yeah, look you need to come in right now." Jodie cut her off, leaving Jane perplexed.

"Why? Got an interesting assortment of inebriated people all in a pile I could articulate into a compelling piece commenting on the current state of our young people?"

"This isn't a game, Jane! It's Daria."

"What?" Jane sat up suddenly, "Daria? She's here?" Her heartrate jolted.

"Yes, and I think she needs you!"

"What could she possibly need me for?" Jane frowned "If she's in trouble she can just call Tom." She added venomously. She grabbed onto the steering wheel, intending to re-attempt the 80-point turn but Jodie leant through the window before she could and grabbed the keys from her.

"Hey what the f-?" Jane spluttered, taken aback by this sudden action from the normally passive woman.

"Listen to me!" Jodie barked, "I don't know what drama is going on between you two, but Daria needs you!"

"Why?" Jane shook her head in confusion, "What is going on?"

"That's the thing, I don't know! She's been acting weird all night and she just ran off after saying… things." Jodie hesitated. She wanted to tell Jane what she had heard but would that really help? It was still replaying again and again in her head. Ultimately, she chose against it, she wanted Jane to act, not to frighten her. For the typically stoic Daria to be this emotional- something was very, very wrong. Whatever she was feeling had to have been brewing in her head for a long time.

Jane blinked and sat forward; her thin eyebrows now furrowed in concern. This must have been serious after all. "What did she say?"

"That doesn't matter, you need to come inside! Please Jane!" The artist was taken aback, having never heard Jodie this urgent before, "I'm… I'm scared she might do something!" she added in a quieter yet still worried tone. Now Jane had her complete attention.

"Do… something?" She blinked and after one more moment of thought, she unclipped her seatbelt. But before she could get out…

"JAAANE! JOOODIIIE!" Both women jumped as Mack's voice bellowed across the yard from the door, "We have a problem!"