When Daria first noticed something weird about Jane was right after she was back from the art colony, when they had just started a new year of school. Things had rushed into that horrible accident only a weeks after Daria started to notice something weird was going on, she used to think, but she wasn't thinking much about the 2 months her friend had spent away where the drinking problem bloomed really fast, as if it was an existent and dormant condition waiting inside of her to be activated someday.
She noticed how the first day of school Jane had gotten there with sunglasses and her hair looked messy. She had a hangover and the day was terrible for her, with so many people, the noisy teachers and students.
"What happened to you? You look awful".
"Gee, thank you" replied Jane with a frown.
"Sorry, but you look like you had too much fun right before school".
"Well, I went to the Zon and found some people there and we started to talk until we lost notion of time and I'm just tired because I didn't have enough sleep".
"Hmm... I see. Why do I feel like you omitted something?".
"What do you mean?".
"Jane, it's obvious that you have a hangover. What I'm wondering is, well, many things".
"Okay, maybe I did have a couple of beers but it wasn't really a big deal".
"And a couple of beers made you end up in school with sunglasses and the will to kill someone if they make any sudden noise? Look, I'm not even going to ask why are you drinking, but why would you get drunk if you know you'll have to deal with a hangover in the worst place to have one?".
"I don't know, Daria. It's not like I'm used to drink, you know?" she lied ". I hung out with some people and ended up drinking more than I thought I was drinking, my bad. But it's nothing".
"When did you even start drinking?" her friend asked.
"Hey, it's not like I'm a drug addict or something. I just drink when I'm with people and things like that".
"Okay, whatever you say. Anyway, wanna go for pizza after school?".
"Sorry, I can't. I promised Trent I'm going to see him play at McGrundy's today and I need to work on this painting I haven't finished. You can tag along, I promise I won't leave with a random guy and then almost destroy our friendship again, what do you say?".
"I guess I haven't heard Mystik Spiral since they played at the art colony".
"Don't worry, they're still as bad but at least we can get free onion rings".
Jane sat in front of Daria with a large glass of beer in front of her and a plate of onion rings.
"Whoa, isn't that a lot?" Daria pointed out staring at the glass of beer.
"I don't know... I mean, I'm so hungry that I'm sure I can eat even two plates of this".
"I meant that beer" she explained.
"Oh. The beer".
"How did you even get them to sell it to you? You're a minor".
"Yeah but they don't really know that. They also may think I'm Trent's girlfriend".
"Incest in the name of booze, huh?".
"Look, Mystik Spiral's about to play".
"I'm sure you won't want to miss your boyfriend's performance" said Daria with a smirk.
Jane finished her beer within the first 2 songs and then kept drinking to the point she already seemed drunk while her brother was still in stage. She took a pack of cigarettes from her pocket and a lighter and went outside. Daria followed her, confused. Trent didn't notice they left, too focused on his guitar riff.
"What are you doing?" asked Daria.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm smoking" she said with a little slow voice tone and laughed.
"Jane, what the hell is going on? Are you drunk?".
"I'm not drunk".
"Uh, I didn't exactly say you were but I don't think I'll argue that at this point".
"God, I really miss Tom. Do you think it'd be okay if I call him? Because I really feel like I need to apologize for all the fights we had" she now looked sad.
"Jane, you are seriously starting to freak me out".
Jane threw the cigarette butt to the floor and stepped on it.
"With all this Tom shit everything is messy, dammit! I miss him so much but I know it just can't happen. I need someone really bad!".
Daria looked around, finding there was no one there but the security guard who seemed to be ignoring them.
"Are you feeling alright? You're...shaking a little and maybe you shouldn't...".
"Hey, Tom" the words came out of Jane's mouth and Daria didn't know how to handle the situation anymore ". I miss you, Tom!".
"Um... Jane, you drank too much".
"Can't we make it work out? Please! Things were so damn good and I'm sorry Daria and I screwed up everything. We can have a threesome if you want to".
"Jane, what the hell are you talking about?" Daria yelled and then took Jane's phone off her friend's hand.
"Hey, give it back!" Jane screamed and struggled to get back her phone, but Daria struggled back and her friend couldn't do anything but complain.
"Uh, Tom, I'm sorry about this, Jane isn't feeling very well".
"I thought so" he said ". It's okay".
"Well, nice talking to you" she said not knowing what else to say and not wanting to get into a long or deeper conversation with Tom". Bye" and she hung up.
A smirk was now on the face of the big, tall, security guard, feeling the awkwardness in that phone conversation.
"What the hell, Morgendorffer?" Jane yelled ". You just have to keep stealing him from me, don't you?".
"Jane, I'm not stealing anyone" she sighed ". Come on, I'll take you home. I'll tell Trent you're not feeling well".