The Youngest Barksdale - Part 4

 Daria arrived at Lawndale High the second time to find Scarlett waiting for her. “Scarlett?”

 

“I thought I’d meet you out here,” Scarlett responded.

 

“Sure,” Daria said with a smile.

 

“Today will be good.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Wait and see,” Scarlett responded.

 

‘Something’s certainly happening,’ Daria thought.

 

 

They entered the school and saw that most of the students were wearing the school colors, yellow and blue. “So, what’s happening?” Daria asked.

 

“Someone won a contest that they were entered into by Mr. O’Neill,” Scarlett answered.

 

“I see,” Daria said. “But that’s not all, is it?”

 

“No. They were entered into the contest without consent, and now they have to play host to a vapid magazine editor visiting the school,” Scarlett explained. She looked around. “Here they come now.”

 

Daria saw the magazine editor immediately. She was wearing clothing entirely inappropriate for her age and had dyed blonde hair. That was in contrast to the student she was accompanying, who was wearing dark clothing and Eye of Horus makeup and looked quite annoyed.

 

The student ran up to Scarlett and Daria, the magazine editor powerwalking behind. “Scarlett!” she said.

 

“Andrea,” Scarlett said. “This is Daria, she started here yesterday.”

 

“Hi, Daria, I saw you in class, but I was preparing for Val’s visit,” she said in apology as she indicated the magazine editor who had caught up with them.

 

“Hey, Drey, introduce me to your friends, would you,” the magazine editor, Val, requested.

 

“This is Scarlett, and that’s Daria.”

 

Val put out her hand to take Scarlett’s. “Hi! I’m Val! As in Val!”

 

‘Great! She named the magazine after herself,’ Daria thought. “Hi.”

 

“Are you Drey’s friend?” Val asked.

 

“No. I just started here yesterday,” Daria answered.

 

“I see,” Val responded. “Do you like it so far?”

 

“It seems rather like a cookie-cutter suburban town, typical of this region of America.”

 

“I see,” Val said. She turned to Scarlett. “You’re Drey’s friend, right?”

 

“Yes,” Scarlett answered.

 

“Jiggy!” Val exclaimed.

 

Andrea groaned at that.

 

“So, I think our strategy should be we basically just hang, and I'll come up with some ear candy, and you'll write about your day with me, Val, and I'll write about Val's day with you, and we'll really get at the hidden heart of high school. Are you with?”

 

“Certainly!” Andrea said in a sarcastic tone.

 

“Question, why are most people wearing blue and yellow?” Val asked.

 

“It’s school colors day,” Andrea said. “A random event brought up by the Principal to inspire school spirit. It definitely doesn’t have anything to do with your visit.”

 

“You should have told me! I want to fit in while I'm here,” Val exclaimed as she took out her phone.

 

“Just one difference between us!” Andrea murmured.

 

“George, I'm going to need a wardrobe change. Pull something yellow and blue and jiggy. I don't know -- call a courier or ask the concierge.” She then hung up. “I hope no one acts differently around me, but you'll let me know, right, Andrea?”

 

Andrea sighed.

 

 

Daria saw Brittany approaching, dragging a boy behind her. Unlike the day before, she wasn’t dressed in blue and yellow.

 

“Oh no!” Andrea said quietly, with an annoyed expression on her face.

 

‘Huh?’’ Daria wondered. There was something about Andrea’s expression.

 

“Oh! There’s Andrea. Let’s say hi to our buddy Andrea!”

 

“Andrea? Our buddy?” the boyfriend asked with confusion.

 

“Kevin, we love Andrea,” Brittany responded with slight sarcasm. “Hi, you! Andrea. It’s me, your friend, Brittany.”

 

“Really, Brittany?” Andrea asked with an edge in her voice.

 

‘There’s something there,’ Daria thought.

 

“Um… Hi,” Brittany said to Val.

 

“Only Brittany is acting differently,” Andrea groused, more to herself and Scarlett, than to Val.

 

“How come you aren’t wearing yellow and blue?” Scarlett asked Brittany.

 

“It's School Colors Day, Scarlett!” Brittany responded.

 

“Yeah. We're not colorful enough for you?” the cheerleader’s boyfriend, Kevin, responded.

 

‘I get the feeling that they’re not the brightest,’ Daria thought.

 

“So, Andrea. You’re going to introduce your visitor?” Brittany asked.

 

“Um, she’s an acquaintance…” Andrea said, uncertainly.

 

“Oh, Andrea, we might as well give it up. I'm just too recognizable. Okay, it's me, Val. Yes, the Val, as in Val.”

 

“You're kidding! I love Val!” Brittany exclaimed.

 

‘Of course!’ Daria thought.

 

“You know each other?” Kevin asked in confusion.

 

“How about doing a cheer for America's coolest young women, my readers?” Val asked.

 

“Um, okay.” Brittany said. “Give me a "V"! Give me an "A"! Give me an "L"... gosh, that's short”

 

“Maybe I should write about cheerleading as the new yoga. Last year I did yoga as the new cheerleading, but I'm ready for a different spin. Pretty good for a 28-year-old, huh?”

 

Daria knew she was lying. “Twenty-eight?” she looked at Andrea and could tell she was about to ask the same thing. Brittany and Scarlett looked slightly shocked too. ‘More like forty-eight.’

 

“I know, I know. People still think I'm, like, 16. When Drew and I go out clubbing I'm always the one who gets carded.”

 

‘More like ‘Drew’ would be the one who gets carded,’ Daria thought.

 

“Are these clubs very dark?” Andrea asked.

 

“Oh, it's so cool to be back in school!”

 

The Homeroom bell then rang.