The words were so surprising and seemed to peak the interest of the three girls as they walked down the stairs, "Was that Sandi?" Quinn asked percuriously before trying to fathom the unfathomable. "Is she talking to herself?"
Stacy and Tiffany looked at the vice president with confusion, then back up the stairs, "Do you think she's okay?" Stacy mumbled before stopping at the foot of the stairs, "Should we... check on her?" She didn't want to but she looked at Quinn in dismay.
"Dog...?" Tiffany muttered, understanding what Sandi had shouted down the stairs, "Bitch...?" She pieced those two together fairly well but she didn't like to call Sandi something so... disrespectful, "Maybe it's an imaginary friend..."
Stacy thought and then looked at Quinn, "What do you think?" She had imaginary friends before, they were the only people she could really trust. "I don't remember my ima-" Realizing she was about to admit she /had/ imaginary friends when she was younger, she shut up and nervously stared at her non-imaginary friends.
"I don't know you guys but let's just pretend we didn't hear it, okay?" Quinn spoke, trying to be the nice friend and somewhat diplomat, despite this had somehow really made what Sam and Chris said stand out even more.
Quinn's room still had the loftly smell of perfumes and lotions hovering throughout it. It didn't smell like a Hudson's perfume department but it did smell quite flowery. Sitting on her bed with a closed bottle of lotion at her feet and her cell phone in hand, Quinn Morgendorffer sighed. She knew one person who knew all this brainy, science fiction stuff who might be able to send her in the right direction. She just didn't like to talk to that person... ever.
"Hello?" The familiar monotone voice filled her ears with the unappealing squirmishness that it always had. Ugh, that voice. So... not... warm and fuzzy. [like her new blue slippers]
Quinn sucked up her pride, calling her sister wasn't a bad thing, it was just a thing, after all... and no one had to know she was calling her, but what was her sister going to think when she asked what she was going to ask. "Daria? I think Sandi is a werewolf." Swallowing hard she braced herself for the massive-flaming her sister was about to place onto her.
On the other end of the line Daria raised her eyebrow, "Quinn?" She paused, "Did you try eating your cosmetics again?"
"Daria, this is serious. Like, I actually think she's a werewolf or something... Do werewolves even exist?" Her voice sped up a bit, not liking to think of her fashion frienemy as a giant monster, who COULD EAT HER OR SOMETHING. "I mean, I've seen them in the movies and stuff but that's just make-up, right?"
Taking a deep breath and preparing a reassuring statement to her younger, much dumber, sister, Daria mulled it over in her mind, "Quinn, the only monsters that exist are the-"
Daria's voice was cut off the phone as another familiar voice took the receiver, "Yo." Jane Lane's voice came on, "A Werewolf you say...?"
Quinn blinked a few times before coming back to reality. It took her a moment to grasp the familiar voice but she knew who it was, not that she could put a name to the face and or voice... she just knew it was her sister's only friend. "Werewolf..." Quinn pondered, "I mean, ugh. Don't mock me or anything, it's just, I'm really freaked. Sandi has been acting so weird ever since she was attacked by this... Dog or bear or something. I mean, yesterday our weekly fashion club 'get together at Sandi's house' meeting, she was SO WEIRD. She started yelling to herself that she wasn't a dog... It really freaked Stacy, Tiffany, and I out."
Mulling it over for a few minutes Jane nodded, "Mmhmm... Aside from the obvious Schizofrenic Post-Monster attack psychoticness, has she been experiencing anything else? Hair growth? Nail problems? A strange inability to wear silver jewelry?"
Thinking for a moment, the symptoms Daria's friend just listed off seemed to be right on with Sandi's... changes in behaviour, well, maybe. "A few months ago, like a week after she got out of the hospital... we were having a fashion club meeting at her house and she broke out in this really bad rash... It was so gross. She always wears jewelry... but after she broke out in the rash she dragged us jewelry shopping for hours! Which was fine and all, because I needed to pick up some new earrings, but she kept saying that none of the earrings would work!"
Silence came from the other end of the phone line as Jane somewhat zoned out while Quinn talked of Earrings, "Oh, yeah... She's probably a werewolf." She said it somewhat nonchaluntly, "But there's nothing /I/ can do about it. Go ask Trent. Don't speak to Sandi about this directly... don't want her to eat ya... annnnd... if you have any questions, hesitate to call."
"WAIT!" Quinn nervously yelled at Jane as she tried to fathom what to do, "You mean she is a..." She couldn't use the 'W' word with Sandi. It was too... WRONG. But what else was she gonna call it? It wasn't like 'Fat' versus 'Thinly - Challenged.' "What do I do? What does she do...?" Thinking about it, Quinn grew skeptic, "Why are you telling me these things?"
Sighing, Jane answered Quinn's questions rather straight forwardly - after all it was SORTA her duty to follow in the name of her insane family, "My family doesn't just travel the world painting sunsets and selling hand-crafted picture frames. We hunt, research, kill, study, trap... monsters and stuff." She mumbled those last few words.
"Geeeze. Daria's friends ARE weird." Quinn rolled her eyes and looked at her nails breifly, "But what do I do! I mean, this is really weird... if she is a werewolf..."
"Which she is." Jane responded, "If what you've told me is true... and you don't want to see your friends... or Sandi's bloody heads roll across the floor... Go talk to Mrs. Bennett. Otherwise, go talk to Trent. I heard he and the band are looking for a gig."
Staring at his younger brother outside on the stairs, Sam Griffin held up a handful of what seemed like ordinary pocket change, "If this works. Then we'll know Sandi is a werewolf." Grinning, he cracked open his sister's door, "Hey Sis!" He walked over to his older sister who had been staring somewhat vacantly at herself in the mirror. "I need some singles for the arcade! Can I swap ya some change?"
Chris was utterly confused at what was going on but he stood somewhat curiously next to his older brother with his camera still on hand. The still silence of the room felt erie as he watched his brother's plan fall into action.
"-[i]Can I swap ya some change?[/i]" Those words hit Sandi's ears like a bullet and she turned around, glaring at her brothers, before forcing to calm herself. "Gee." She scoffed, "Don't you know how to knock?" Growling to herself she looked back at herself in the mirror, feeling the rage still boiling up inside her.
The boys glanced at eachother. So was she going to give them change? "Come on Sandi!" Chris added in as he went up to her, "I mean, we took that awesome picture of yo-"
"Shut up stupid!" Sam punched his brother in the arm before he could finish.
She wanted them out of there. That she knew. If she just did as she was asked, they'd leave and not hassle her. "Okay, give me the change. Then stay out of my room for the next week you little brats!" She snatched the coins out of Sam's hands, immediately feeling a horrible, allergic sting wherever they touched. Like a burning piece of metal she dropped them immediately to the floor.
Staring at their sister in shock and awe, Chris and Sam were completely, and utterly astonished. "Whoa." Chris said while rubbing his arm, "How'd you make her drop them?"
Sandi immediately dropped to the floor to look at the coins she just dropped. There was nothing ABNORMAL about them. They were Quarters and Dimes, a few Nickels. "How long have those been in your pocket, Sam?" She had no idea why they burned, "I mean uhm, you must have a fever or something." She attempted to pick them up again, this time with the intention of not letting go.
"They're silver... from my coin collection." He blinked some, looking at his sister who once again dropped the coins on the floor and held her hand in pain, "Woow Sis!"
Chris snapped a picture as their older sister stood up in angst and stomped towards the door and slammed it shut. "Is this some cruel idea of a joke?" She folded her arms, "Because it is not funny." Trying to run it over in her shallow mind, she came to the realization that the word was out and there really was nothing she could do, except try to avoid it. "Like uhm..." Pausing she looked down, the tough girl attitude dropping off her, "It's just a thing, okay?"
"Just a thing?" Sam stared at his sister, "You're a werewolf..."
He didn't like being in that ring of salt very much but Kristen was a suitable person to keep him occupied. "You know... You're like a cuter Tom Brady..." Kristen kept her eyes on Tommy Sherman as Speed played in the background, "Except I bet you ran goal posts better than he does." She didn't know anything about US Football. She didn't even really know who Tom Brady was.
"Oo." Being compared to Tom Brady wasn't a bad thing, and being told that by a pretty girl wasn't anything bad at all. Now if Tommy could get out of this trap, he'd be able to really show her what he's made of, but unfortunately he was trapped inside, only being able to weakly interact with her, "Yeah, when I was around, Tommy Sherman got that a lot." Winking he looked at ghost girl, "So, is your roomate here?"
Shaking her head, Kristen looked back at Tommy, "Just you and me..." She sighed, "Jelly goes to chruch on Sundays."
Well that was new. A Vampire going to church. "They're allowed in those places?" He tried to grasp that for a moment but realized he had more important things on his mind, "So, why do you hang around 'Jelly?'"
Good thing Daria's friend gave her the address to her house or she'd never find this Trent guy. Dressing for the occassion , as if going on a date, Quinn Morgendorffer stood outside the brooding doors and knocked on them nervously, taking care to come later in the afternoon, as to make sure that this Trent guy was AWAKE. According to Jane, he slept most of the day.
"Hello?" Leather vest and long brown hair, muscles, sunglasses, the whole nine-yards, Jesse Moreno opened the door and stared at the girl who had arrived at the door, "I don't see any pizzas." Turning away from the door for a minute, he turned back, "Are you selling girl scout cookies?" His voice was overly laid back.
Quinn blinked, unsure of what to make of this. "No..." She stared awkwardly at the somewhat bruteish guy, "Is there a Trent Lane here?"
"Because..." Kristen smiled at the football player with a smile on her face, "She's my like, best friend... and besides. Without her, I'd be haunting some house with someone who doesn't want me there. Melissa treats me like a... friend... well, except for..." Looking away, the ghost sighed.
Confused, Tommy looked at the ghostly girl, "She do something to a cute girl like you?"
"No, no... nothing to me." Pausing she tried to figure out to explain herself, "Ever since I've met her, she's told me she's wanted to... die." If dying was the right word to call a Vampire, "Everyday she prays to God and visits the church when she can to pray for forgivness for being well... what she is."
Being somewhat agnostic now, especially after his 'goal post execution', Tommy Sherman tried to rationalize this in his mind, "She doesn't like the powers? Tommy Sherman'd trade places with her whenever he could."
Kristen shook her head, "It's not as pleasant as it looks. You have to drink blood all the time. Fight temptations, murder and maul and..." Sighing she hugged herself, "She's getting desperate... she keeps telling me that if she kills Mr. and Mrs. Bennett..." Trying to think about her hatred of killing and death, she started to cry, "Such a nice couple shouldn't be killed."
Tommy tried to understand everything. "Wait, so Janet Barch and this Marz doctor have a problem with each other... and you're saying that Melissa Jel and the Bennetts got a problem with each other too?" He'd never heard of such a mess, "So let me guess, you're supposed to be Tommy Sherman's archnemesis in this mess?"
Wiping the tears from her face, Kristen laughed a bit, "No silly. I mean, it was like that but... They only asked me to distract you at the hospital while Mikey tried to kill your friend... I didn't think I'd actually like you."
Slightly skeptic but taking it in stride, Tommy Sherman agreed, "So where do you stand in all this mess?" He didn't move much as the space she left him was quite tight, but he didn't mind, he wasn't worried she was going to hurt him. "Tommy Sherman doesn't promote violence. Was one of his mottos back in high school. Also a big fan of 'using your head' if you know what he means." Laughing a bit to himself he glanced at the TV.
"I just want this to be over... I don't want anyone to die..." She started to cry again.
"Trent!" Jesse called behind him, "I think this girl scout wants to sell you cookies." He walked into the house leaving the door open, "What kind should we get?"
"Get me three boxes of Samoas!" An unfamiliar voice shouted out from the background, "Oh, and a box of Tagalongs!"
Quinn grew frustrated quickly, as she had come to ask Trent about something as insane as werewolves and mythology, and not be thought of as a girlscout, "I'm not a freaking girl scout, alright!"
"Okay..." Trent rubbed his eyes, "Hey... aren't you Daria's sister?" He said walking to the door, "Hmm... I think Daria's still in college..."
Thinking for a moment, Quinn sighed, realizing that Trent was far beyond someone she could actually speak to about this, but sorta had to, "Uhm, yeah... so like... I need advice."
"Whoaaaa." Trent stared at the redhead in confusion, "Advice? Shouldn't you talk to your mother about these kind of things?" He tried to be somewhat responsible.
"I think my friend Sandi is a werewolf." She whispered quietly to the tall, slouching, musician, "That's why I'm here..."
Taking that in for a moment, Trent nodded, "Oh... hmm... have you asked Janey what to do? She's usually good at the whole... Supernatural stuff..." He yawned, trying to figure out how she could contact her, "Maybe-"
"Yeah, I did talk to her, she said to talk to you..." Quinn sighed, "But I don't wanna kill Sandi... I just want to help her!"
"Ohh..." Thinking some more, Trent came up with a brilliant idea, "Well, there's not much I can do... The band and I are sorta... busy at the moment." Since Trent considered the band thinking about pracitising being busy work and almost comparable to being practising, "If Janey said to talk to me, then I guess your friend Sandi is a werewolf... and if you know then I /guess/ it's okay to talk to uh..." He racked his brain for her name, "Mrs. Bennett..."
Quinn knew that person, she thought, yeah, "You mean... like, at Lawndale High?"
"Yeah... She teaches economics or something..."
Unsure of why her ecomonics teacher would know anything about werewolves, Quinn sceptically sighed, believing that she had been pulled along by these brains [and weirdo musician]. "Come with me." She folded her arms, "I mean, I trust you and everything but... I am not risking my popularity by talking to a teacher about whether or not my friend Sandi is a werewolf, let alone TALKING TO A TEACHER when I don't have to, especially... Mrs. Bennett... ugh. Have you SEEN how she dresses? It's like it's 1976 with her all the time... and what is with those butterflies?"
Not having caught a word about the fashion diva's problems, Trent sighed, "Yeah, you're right. I guess this is a lot to take in for you..."
"I am NOT!" Sandi yelled at her oldest brother before, "Do I /look/ like a werewolf to you?" She stammered, trying to figure out how to get her way out of this. "I mean, GEE. It's like, everyone's been accusing me of acting like I'm so different ever since I was so maliciously attacked by that so called animal, but I am obviously fine."
The boys looked at each other, "We've done our research..." Chris pulled out a small piece of paper from his back pocket, "You're allergic to silver! Mom says you wax too much now, and last night..." He stepped back nervously, "I snuck into your room and your nails were really long, like you've not cut them in days!"
"What were you doing in my room you little creep?" She stepped up closer to Chris, immediately intimidating him, "Why would you even-"
Sam tried to defend his brother, "We're worried about you, sis...!" He was, after all. Being her brother and everything. Despite he and Chris were immature jerks who went about things in the wrongest manner, they did still care about their sister in a sibling sort of way, "I mean..." He did intend this as a prank, but he didn't actually think she'd have an allergic reaction and actually turn out to be a werewolf, though he had his doubts, "We love you..."
Nervously Chris nodded in agreement as Sandi stepped back. "It's more difficult than that." She exhaled, "Look at my SHOULDER!" She grabbed the neck of her shirt and pulled it down to show the scarring from the animal attack before, "I mean, my modeling career is ruined!" She then sat on her bed looking at the two boys, "I'm covered in scars now, it's so WRONG." She glanced at them, "It's like I'm a mutated freak... and if that's not bad enough, once a month I'm apparently going to go on an uncontrollable killing spree if I don't cage myself up like an animal."
Looking at each other the boys tried to relate to their sister but had a hard time, "It's not /so/ bad... At least... You get a cool story to tell friends and stuff!"
"No one I know is ever going to find out." She looked at a scar on her arm she had covered with make-up well enough to hide it, "It's bad enough you little twerps know. I was going to tell mom but she clearly didn't believe me." Glancing at the boys she thought of an idea, "So don't tell anyone, especially Quinn, okay? She must NEVER find out."
Lawndale High was filled with it's usual hustle and bustle of insanity as Sandi made her way towards her two longest time friends; Stacy and Tiffany outside the second-floor girl's bathroom. They were still talking about the madness that they usually talk of, boys, fashion, eyeshadow, but a strange aura of silence seemed to fall over the group as Sandi walked up to them. "Wow you guys. I am so sorry about the other day. I can't bare to deal with-"
"It's okay Sandi!" Stacy stepped in immediately with her usual understanding voice, despite she sounded a bit nervous and uneasy about everything around her, "I mean, we're okay with it!"
Tiffany nodded vacantly in reponse to Stacy, "Yeah... You're really pretty today..." She muttered and then entered the bathroom to get first dibs at the mirror, "So jealous..."
A bit shocked and dumbfounded, Sandi blinked, "Uhm. Okay..." Quietly she followed Tiffany into the bathroom, "Where is Quinn?"
"She said she was going to come later." Stacy followed in and began to check her make-up. "Ugh. Why does my hair /never/ look perfect in the morning?"
Something was definately wrong. She just knew it. Stacy and Tiffany were acting overly nice for some reason and they seemed to know something strange that she didn't know. "About the other day..." She blurted out uncharacteristically but unsure of how to do it any other way, "I..."
"Don't worry!" Stacy reassured as Tiffany spaced out completely on her make-up, "Uhm, I hope. I mean, it's not like we're going to tell anyone you hear voices in your head..." Realising what she just said, Stacy started to panic, "I mean, not that it's a bad thing, it's just a thing, right? So hearing voices after a disaster is completely normal. I mean, you're our friend and we'll accept you for how you are, right, Tiffany?"
"Sandi is perfectly fine!" Quinn came walking in nervously, "Right Sandi?" She was doing a horrible job at covering up she knew something, "Soooo, how is everyone's college applications going?"
Thinking this over quickly, Sandi tried her hardest to steer the conversation off her, something she'd never thought she'd have to do, "Well, I've been accepted into Lawndale State, so I guess Stacy and I will be heading off to college at the same school."
Nervously, and somewhat unhappily, Stacy nodded, "Yeah. We'll be going there together I guess..."
"See Sandi? You're not abnormal...!" Quinn inconspicuously said, "You're the same you've always been!"
Scowling, Sandi folded her arms, "Uhm, what is that supposed to mean?"
"Oh..." She realised what she had said, "Nothing..."
