Aly

February 6th, 1984

"Do you need help, Daria?" I asked. I could hear papers shuffling on the other end of the phone. Daria and I did this every night.

"Na. I'm chill. You wanna come over? My dad and sisters are out of the house." I could hear heavy breathing and a loud sigh.

"Your dad and sisters aren't home?" I asked. I hardly ever got invited to Daria's because she wasn't allowed to bring anyone over when her dad was there.

"They're going to the mall. I decided to stay home and study for math and French."

"French?" I asked. I'd forgotten that Daria was one of the few people I knew who could speak more than one language because I was so used to speaking in English.

I could hear her sigh in exasperation. "My dad made me take it, remember? French is so bogue. I swear, if you were in it with me, you would think so too."

"It can't be that bad," I said.

"IT IS!" Daria yelled.

"Take a chill, dude," I said, taking a deep breath. "I'm coming over soon. Bye."

"Bye."

I don't remember too much, but what I do know is that my parents weren't home, so I could throw on my winter clothes and head out. As soon as I was dressed, I took my school stuff and went out the door. I'd locked it and took the keys with me. Daria and I didn't live far from each other, so I wasn't worried about getting lost.

As soon as I rung the doorbell to Daria's house, I could hear footsteps coming. The door opened, and Daria was standing there, wearing a pair of really short shorts and a shirt with Rebel Rebel written on it and an image of David Bowie smoking a cigarette. Her hair was in pigtails, one tied with a black mesh tie, the other with a white, and they hung high over her ears.

"You're here!" she said, with her voice upbeat. Despite the cold, she didn't seem to be bothered about it. "Come in."

I stepped inside and handed my stuff over to Daria, who took it ran to the kitchen room. I closed the door behind me and took off my outer clothes, then followed Daria to the kitchen room. On the table, a bunch of papers and school supplies were piled carelessly on top of each other, and Daria was sitting in one of the chairs, already writing stuff down with her pencil. I took my school supplies and began to work as well. I don't know how much time had passed before we started talking to each other, but I do know it was a long time. Probably two hours.

"I'm really bored. This homework is so dag I hate it." Daria stood out of her chair and tightened one of her pigtails. I'd been feeling a bit burned out as well from that habit of mine where I'd study for hours and not take any break.

"I wanna take a break," I said, putting down my pencil. I'd been doing corrections on my math homework, and so far, I hadn't found a single wrong answer. It was the same with the rest of my homework. "Do you wanna do our hair up and put on makeup?"

Daria's eyes widened. "Sure! I'll run to Arwa's and get some makeup. You put on music."

I nodded. "Sure."

I put on "Come on Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners. It was one of me and Daria's favourite songs besides almost anything by David Bowie.

Daria came back with a box in her hands. She set it on the table as I turned it up and opened it. Inside, there were a thousand different lipstick colours, along with mascara and eye shadow and some combs and hair mousse. Daria pulled one tube of lipstick out and handed it to me.

"Want it?" Daria smiled cheekily as I smiled back and took. I pulled out a mirror from the box and set it in front of me. I started applying the black lipstick on my face while Daria put on this dark blue eye shadow. She was holding a tube of mascara in her hand with the eye shadow lid.

"Gimme that deadly mascara, betty," I said, with a smile.

"Yeah," she said, handing it over.

"Gotta bounce now, Daria," I said, putting on my anorak and snow pants.

An hour had passed since we started doing the makeup, and I could hear the beginning of "Stayin' Alive" just after hearing "Space Oddity." Daria and I took turns using the makeup, and we even applied some on each other. I braided Daria's hair into two French braids while mine was covered with banana clips and a hot pink bandana.

"It's been crucial, Aly," Daria said, checking to see if her lipstick was still there. She was holding my school stuff in her hand, and she was watching me put on my stuff.

"Damn skippy," I said, with a smile, once I was dressed for the weather.

"I'll see ya," she said, handing me my stuff.

"I'll see you." I walked out the door, with my school materials in my hands, feeling elated.

It was such a great day...

Until I got home.