The Punk and the Snark (Pt. 11)
Dinner was very much the disaster that Daria had predicted it to be.
Things started off cordial, Bob had arrived in an actual suit and tie and even with his piercings and blue hair looked good in.
Her father had palled around with him, which had Daria breathing a sigh of relief.
Helen on the other hand gave him the sort of looks that Daria recognized from those times she had gone with her Mom to the courthouse.
It hadn't boded well then, and it wasn't working out now.
"Not even Quinn's idiot date is helping much." Daria thought with a glance at the J in question, what was his name again? She couldn't keep them straight, and she suspected no one else could either.
Whatever his name, the poor lad was only serving as a temporary distraction. Helen in her maternal hypocrisy saw very little wrong with Quinn bringing a fellow brain-dead popular as a 'date'.
Her date on the other hand...
"So Bob," Helen stated very evenly while cutting up her steak, "What exactly do you do in terms of activities?"
Jake saw Daria's glare and began loading up on rolls, praying that things wouldn't get out of hand.
Bob shrugged, even as his leg rubbed up against Daria's, "I do some wrestling and weight lifting to keep Li off my back, other than that not much else."
Helen gave him a penetrating stare, but Bob didn't wilt.
"Even that much is more than what Daria's been willing to do." Helen commented, her tone casual, but even Quinn could pick up the subtext.
Daria took a sip of her soda, if looks could kill, Daria would have been arrested for matricide.
"But surely they wouldn't allow you to have such an... unconventional appearance on the mat." Helen added, her laser like focus never wavering from the perp, I mean boyfriend.
Daria clenched her glass so hard it started to crack.
"I take out the piercings for meets," Bob admitted, "But I put 'em back in afterward."
"Seems inconvenient," Helen stated, her tone cool and icy, "Surely it would be easier to just leave them out...?"
"Maybe he doesn't want to leave them out." Daria snapped, her patience wearing thin.
"Daria!" Helen snapped back, "You watch your tone young lady."
"Only if you dropped the interrogation." Daria growled, not backing down an inch.
"Girls..." Jake began butting in as a peacekeeper. But one glare from Helen had him squeaking and shutting up.
As Helen turned back to Daria and the two of them really started getting into it, Quinn and the J (what was his name again?) took this as their chance to escape while escaping was good.
As soon as the pair had left the room, and Daria and Helen were starting to outright yell at each other, a bellow of, "HEY!" filled the room.
Jake, Helen, and Daria turned as one to see Bob sitting in seat, cool as a cucumber with his hands cupped in front of his mouth.
He lowered them and said while getting up, "Well you were right Daria, this dinner was doomed to suck. But I don't feel like being the reason for a fight so I'll show myself out. I'll see you in the morning."
"Bob..." Daria began, her voice held the hint of a quiver.
Bob turned back and gave her a small grin, "It's ok Daria, I'll see you tomorrow. Promise."
As Bob turned his back on the group, Helen found her voice.
"Young man..."
That was as far as she got.
Without looking back as he left, Bob simply called out, "No more drama Mrs. Morgendorffer, I'm not giving you and Daria an excuse to tear into each other tonight."
And with that he stepped out of the Morgendorffer's rarely used dining room.
A minute later they heard the front door open and slam shut.
Then they finally noticed that Quinn and her date had bailed on them.
As Helen turned her remaining ire on this 'desertion', Daria took her own chance to escape, briefly bemused that her father was doing the same.
Then she felt the panic beginning to return and needed to call Jane for advice, and hopefully a way to make it up to Bob.
"I don't think buying out all the pizza in Lawndale could make up for this." Daria thought darkly.
She'd have to do something else.
But what?