Monday, 8 November 2021

Daria in the Background - Part 3

 Part 3

Crew Neck, October 4th, 7:32 PM

Daria walked towards Brittany’s mansion. She had already seen several of her fellow students as she had walked through the gated estate. She still wasn’t sure why it was that she had decided to come. It certainly wasn’t to keep an eye on Quinn. ‘They won’t notice one girl who is trying to blend into the background,’ she thought as she came to the Taylors’ property line.

 

No one was waiting at the door when she arrived. She could hear the music. It seemed Brittany was a fan of the Backstreet Boys. She walked in and looked around. She quickly found Quinn talking to three boys nearby.

 

“So, I said, just because people are cliquey and snotty is no reason not to like them.”

 

She didn’t hear what the boys murmured, as she walked further into the party. ‘They will quickly find that I’m a clique of one.’

 

 

She quickly found the snack table. “Wow, two kinds of chips,” she said to herself. “Flat or ridgy?”

 

She grabbed a couple of the flat ones and ate them. A boy with red hair and a lecherous grin approached. ‘Uh oh!’

 

“Chuck Ruttheimer here, and you are.”

 

“Nobody,” Daria shot back as she made herself scarce.

 

 

Chuck watched the new girl disappear around a corner. He knew perfectly well who it was. ‘I’ll catch up with you later,’ he thought.

 

 

Daria looked for a place to be alone for a few minutes. That Chuck was creepy. ‘I hope there aren’t too many like him at school!’ She soon found an isolated spot near the laundry room. But she could hear noises coming out from there. It seemed it was being used as a makeout spot. ‘I don’t want to be here either,’ she decided. She made herself scarce.

 

 

Brittany wondered where Daria was. She was sure she had seen her in the distance earlier. ‘She isn’t hiding, is she?’ She decided to ask someone to look for her. (But certainly not Kevin!) She saw Jodie Landon and ‘Mack’ Mackenzie. Jodie would know where she is! She went up to her. “Jodie?” she asked, as she twirled a pigtail, have you seen Daria Morgendorffer?”

 

 

“Who?” Jodie asked.

 

“One of the new girls,” Brittany answered. “I invited her tonight.”

 

“The shy one who dresses in green?” Mack asked.

 

“Yes,” Brittany answered.

 

“I know now,” Jodie admitted. “But I haven’t seen her.”

 

“Oh!” Brittany exclaimed. ‘Maybe she hasn’t come.’

 

“I think I saw her,” Mack added. “Running away from Upchuck.”

 

“Oh no!” Upchuck was certain to frighten her away. ‘Maybe I should have asked someone else to dissect that frog!’

 

 

Daria was uncomfortable. Everywhere she looked, there were people. ‘But I still need to watch Quinn.’ But her sister wasn’t one of the people she could see. She sighed and continued to look for a vacant spot.

 

 

Brittany wanted to find Daria and see how she was doing, but Kevin was getting the chips mixed up again. “Kevy!”

 

“What?”

 

“Stop mixing the chips up!”

 

“Sorry, Babe!”

 

“Now, have you seen Daria?”

 

“Who?”

 

“Never mind.”

 

 

Daria retreated into a corner. She needed a few moments to herself. She breathed deep calming breaths. It did help, but not by much.



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