Quinn's Code - Blue Screen of Sherman - Part 1

 

Quinn's Code 10: Blue Screen of Sherman Part 1

Thursday, February 15, 2006

Lawndale

Helen and Jake Morgendorffer were admiring their daughter, Quinn's, school photos.

“Why, Quinn, you look darling!” Helen said.

 

“You look so happy, sweetie!” Jake added.

 

“I felt happy. I always feel happy on picture day. Do you think that 'Wilds of California' was a good background? Because I almost went with 'Silicon Valley at Sunset',” Quinn said, referring to a picture of herself posing in front of a rainforest waterfall.

 

“I think it was a fine choice,” What did you pick, Daria?”

 

“Sea Tainted by Morris J. Berman?” Her other daughter, Daria, said.

 

“Come on, Daria, where's your school picture?” Helen asked. Daria handed over her picture, showing her against a plain black background.

 

“Wow, that's sharp focus,” Jake said.

 

“Daria, just once, why can't you smile when somebody takes your picture?”

 

“I don't like to smile unless I have a reason.”

 

“Daria, people judge you by your expression.”

 

“Yes, and I believe there is something wrong intrinsically wrong with that system, and have dedicated myself to changing it.”

 

“Hey, did you see these?” Quinn asked, holding some wallet-sized photos.

 

 

 

Friday, 16 February 2006

Lawndale High

“This is it, Mack Daddy! The week of weeks,” Kevin Thompson said.

 

“Too much hero worship isn't healthy, you know. And don't call me that!” Michael 'Mack' McKenzie said.

 

“But the man is coming! The man! Tommy Sherman brought it home, bro! The State Championship. And now he's coming back to Lawndale!”

 

“I know all about it. Jodie's giving the speech about the Goal Post, remember?”

 

“Oh, yeah! Does she need any help with ideas for that? Like from a Quarterback's point of view?”

 

“Gee, I'll ask her, when there aren't any sharp objects around.”

 

“Cool!”

Daria sat near the library, near her friends Jane Lane and Jennifer Burns. “What is the big deal about the football guy anyway?”

 

“He was the Quarterback three years ago when the school won the state championship,” Jennifer explained.

 

Trent knew him,” Jane added, referring to her brother.

 

“Well, why name the goal posts after him? Why not the whole stadium?”

 

“Goal post,” Jane corrected.

 

 

Flashback (3 years earlier)

“See, his trademark was, he always wanted to run the touchdown in himself...”

 

A game was in action. Indeed, Tommy Sherman was running the ball in, and waving to the crowd. Slam! He hit the goal post. Hard! Blood 'spurted' out of his nose...

 

“He broke his nose twice. Then, in the playoffs a week before the state championship, he scored the winning touchdown, and hit the goal post so hard he cracked his helmet.”

 

End Flashback

 

“He was unconscious for six days. Miraculously he woke up the night before the big game feeling great. The next day he led the team to victory.”

 

“Stirring,” Daria commented.

 

“Isn't it – so now the school's bought one of the new goal posts designed to break apart rather than split your skull.”

 

“Why only one?” Daria asked.

 

“Budget cuts, Li figured she'll get one at a time,” Jennifer answered. 'I think that is right,' she considered.

 

“Of course.”

 

“And they're naming it after good ol' Tommy Sherman,” Jane commented. She saw Jodie Landon approaching. “Here comes the lucky student council member who will do the honours.”

 

Jodie sat next to Jennifer. “Gimme a break,” she said to Jane. She turned to Daria. “I can't get past the introduction to the speech. Can I read it to you?”

 

“Does that mean I don't have to listen to it later?”

 

“'Good afternoon, students, faculty, and distinguished alumni of Lawndale High. As a representative of your Student Council...' Any ideas?”

 

“'It is my privilege today to once again send the message that learning is no substitute for winning.'” Daria suggested.

 

"And that it's not how hard you study, it's how hard you play football," Jane added.

 

“Gosh, thanks so much. You think I like this?”

 

“If you don't believe any of it, why give the speech?” Daria asked.

 

“Because I'm on the Student Council. It's a job with many responsibilities, and today it's my responsibility to kiss the butt of some jerk getting a goal post named after him, but at least now I feel really good about it.”

 

Mack came up. “Hey.”

 

“Leave me alone!” Jodie said, as she dashed off.

 

 

Later Brittany was tying her shoelace when she noticed that she wasn't alone... She looked up and saw muscular legs. “Keep going. It gets better,” the young man said. He helped her to her feet. “Hello, beautiful,” He said, looking lower than her eyes. “I see one thing about Lawndale football has improved a lot since I was unanimously voted most valuable player: the cheerleaders.”

 

Brittany looked him in the eyes, ensuring that he would look in hers. “You're Tommy Sherman!”

 

Sherman did look in her eyes, but she knew what was there; lust. “You know your sports,” he said.

 

Brittany decided to get his mind on something else. “My boyfriend's Kevin Thompson. He's quarterback of the team. He worships you!” 'I don't!' she added mentally.

 

“That's great. Listen, they're putting me up at the Lawndale Manor. Why don't we head back there, order you some champagne, get horizontal, and you can find out just how big a hero I am.”

 

Brittany glared back at him. How dare he confirm her fears. “Didn't you hear what I said? My boyfriend is your biggest fan?” 'Even that won't save you from him, he's jelous,' she wanted to add.

 

“What are you telling me? He wants to watch? I don't know...”

 

Brittany finally lost it, and slapped him. 'I don't want to see you again!' She dashed off.

 

“All right, all right, he can watch. Hey, where are you going? Did someone flash the bimbo signal?”

 

Unknown to both the cheerleader and the 'Big Man on campus', Daria and Jennifer had witnessed the whole exchange. “That Jerk!” Daria ejaculated. She clenched her fists. “Brittany doesn't deserve to be treated like that.”

 

Jennifer grabbed her shoulder. “I know, but you can't just go and hit him!”

 

Daria calmed down. “I know.” She had been working on trying to subdue her temper since the whole situation with the lab mouse. (The situation at Donna's could have gone either way.)

 

 

Tommy Sherman was walking through the corridors of Lawndale High. He noticed a young short haired redhead, wearing a shirt advertising a science fiction film. She was talking to a geek and a goth but he didn't take notice of them. “Hello, gorgeous.”

 

 

Quinn Morgendorffer saw the football guy checking her out. “I may be 'georgeous' but I' not interested in a guy like you! Leave me alone!”

 

“Yeah, leave my friend alone!” Kristen Leung-Bell said.

 

“You heard her!” Cindy Brolsma added, as she noticed the football guy's gaze wandering downwards.

 

“Fine!” he said as he turned around.