Other Fan Fiction ❯ Daria: College Pains ❯ College Weekends ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7: College Weekends

 

Saturday morning was welcomed by everyone at Raft. The first week of college had been something many had waited for and dreaded. Many had gone to parties the night before and were recovering while three were deciding what to do. “Would you like the museum?”

 

“That's a Sunday thing Daria. This is a college town there has to be clubs to go to later.” Jane is going through a phone book for ideas.

 

“Find some amateur bands playing and I'm there.” Andrea is in a lawn chair watching TV. She is letting Jane and Daria hang out.

 

“But what about now?” It wasn't noon yet so they had a lot of time to kill. “Want to get something to eat?”

 

“Not Pizza King.” Jane finds something in a newspaper. “Fall Art Show And Sale, at the Dalanar Park, Daria you know where that is?”

 

“No, use Map Search to find it while I take a shower.” Daria gets clean clothes and takes a shower. She comes out and finds Lindsey and Skaz in the living room. “Just getting back?”

 

“And front,” Skaz smiles. “She was pretty wasted last night so I let her stay at my dorm room.”

 

“Oh you let her stay?” Daria raises an eyebrow.

 

“I didn't think you and your friends would appreciate a smashed redhead ruining your fun.” Lindsey sits down on the floor holding her head.

 

“I'm okay, headache won't go away though.” She rubs her temples. Daria goes back into the bathroom and gets Advil. “Thanks.”

 

“Won't party so hard next time will you?” Daria walks around Lindsey and Skaz. To get a glass of water for Lindsey to wash the pills down.

 

“Skaz, you know where the Dalanar Park is?” Jane shows him the advertisement for the Art Show.

 

“Yeah, just get on 80 and go left until you get to First and take a right.” Skaz takes the glass from Lindsey when she finishes it and takes it to the sink. “When are you going?”

 

“I don't know, Jane, Andrea, when do you want to go?” Daria was doing whatever they wanted since she didn't care.

 

“Need to shower, then we can go.”

 

“Lindsey, want to go to the Art Show?” Skaz rubs her shoulders.

 

“Sure, if this headache goes away.” Lindsey stands up and goes to her room. She lies down on the bed. “Much better then the floor.” She continues to rub her temples as her headache seems to get worse. Skaz walks in and sits on the bed next to her.

 

“Want to do something else next weekend?” Lindsey nods. Daria closes the door.

 

“Pathetic.”

 

“Yes you are.” Daria turns around and sees Jane.

 

“What? I'm not the one in my room curled up into a ball wondering why God let me live.”

 

“Exactly. She partied, you stayed here. If me and Andrea hadn't come you would have sat in your room on your computer playing Zombie Blaster 2000.”

 

“Get a shower so we can go to the Fall Art Show And Sale.” Daria holds her nose. Jane sniffs the air.

 

“I don't smell.” Jane goes to Daria's room and grabs a bag and goes into the bathroom. Daria sits down in a lawn chair.

 

“You really don't want to go do you?” Andrea is flipping through the channels waiting for her turn to use the shower.

 

“No, I just wanted to do nothing this weekend. College is High School but more. More homework, more insane teachers, more people I don't know or want to know.” Daria motions to Lindsey's room.

 

“She doesn't seem that bad.”

 

“You haven't talked to her or dealt with her. Just wait when she starts to talk about something then stops. Or just, I'm starting to wish I went to Crownwell.”

 

“Until you go there and realize this is ten times better.” Andrea gets up when she hears the shower stop running. She goes to Daria's room and gets a bag and waits for Jane to leave the bathroom before going in. Jane knocks on Lindsey's door.

 

“Lindsey, is it ok if I come in?” The door opens and Skaz lets her in. “I was looking at your pictures last night…”

 

“What? You went in my room?” Lindsey sits up on the bed. “I didn't say you could come in, if Daria said you could…” Jane stops her.

 

“She told me to stay out. I'm an artist and your work is really good.” Jane picks up a picture. “The shading on the right side of the face really makes one see a light and dark side.”

 

“You take pictures?”

 

“No, paint, sculpt, some modern stuff. My dad, he takes pictures.” Jane sets the picture down and looks at some pictures Lindsey has tacked up on the wall. “What kind of camera do you use?”

 

“I, it's an old Nivon 26x.”

 

“My dad used one of those before, still does when he's doing something dangerous like African animals.” Jane looks around some more. “You have anything not in the open?” Jane knew she had art she didn't show anyone else and wondered if Lindsey did to.

 

“I, well, some, but it's not for anyone to see.” Jane had been dead on.

 

“I have that to. To personal or the subject would hurt you if you showed anyone else.” Jane laughs a little. She talks with Lindsey some more about art when Andrea comes out of the bathroom in clean clothes.

 

“Are you ready Jane?” Jane nods.

 

“Are you coming with us?” Jane had fun talking with Lindsey about art.

 

“I don't know, you and Daria are friends, and I'd…” Lindsey doesn't finish her sentence.

 

“Come on, if you're worried about being a third wheel don't. I was a third wheel with my own boyfriend until he and Daria got together.”

 

“Tom?” Lindsey looks at Jane with a confused look.

 

“She didn't tell you about that?” Lindsey shakes her head. “Long story, ends with me hating Daria and Tom for awhile but made up in the end.”

 

“If Daria doesn't mind we'll go.” Lindsey holds Skaz's hand.

 

“Don't worry about her she can't say no to me.” Jane and the other two leave Lindsey's room and go out into the living room. “Ready?”

 

“Yes.” Daria goes to the door and opens it. Everyone leaves and she locks the door. They go out to the parking lot. “Who's riding with who?”

 

“Lindsey ride with me, I want to talk to you.” Jane walks towards Andrea's car. Lindsey turns to Skaz.

 

“Could we all fit in your truck?” He nods.

 

“No, I want to talk to her without Daria, or you, listening.” Jane wanted to talk about Daria and try and help Lindsey with dealing with Daria. Daria was her best friend and knew how Daria could be around people she didn't know. Daria had even been resistant to getting to know her. “Ms. Morgendorffer can be…” Jane leads Lindsey to Andrea's car.

 

“I guess you're with me then.” Skaz opens the passenger door. “What? To old fashion for you?” Skaz laughs and goes to the driver side. “Hey, just follow me!” He yells so Andrea and the other two can hear. He gets in his truck and waits for Daria to put her seatbelt on. They drive to the park and see a few cars in a parking lot and a bunch of tents and booths set up in a park across the street. The two car loads of college students go across the street.

 

“They call this art?” Daria looks at something that she can't identify.

 

“I don't get it either.” Skaz looks at it to and can't make it out. A man comes out from the tent.

 

“Ah my sculpture made from bat guano…” Daria and Skaz back away from it immediately.

 

“Paint strokes, they, who did this, a monkey?” Jane, Andrea, and Lindsey are looking at a painting that is random, all different colors, has no order to it. A woman is at a table and walks over to the three.

 

“No, it was done by a chimpanzee. The zoo sells these to raise money.” Jane finds a price tag.

 

“For ten thousand dollars I'll wait for a painting by an elephant.”

 

“Those are usually twenty thousand.” Jane rolls her eyes and goes over to the table Daria and Skaz are at.

 

“If that what I think it is?”

 

“Paste?” Jane touches it. “Jane its bat shit.” Jane pulls her hand away from it.

 

“Daria why didn't you tell me!?” Jane wipes her hand on her pant leg.

 

“That is bat guano, not, such an unsophisticated word.”

 

“Where do you get that much bat shit?” Daria isn't going to call shit guano.

 

“The zoo is kind enough to collect it and sell it to me for my art work. If you are not going to appreciate it then please leave so someone else can see my work.” Daria and the others leave the table for something else.

 

“Here we go, my media.” Jane goes over to some paintings that look like they were done by human hands. “What do you think Andrea?”

 

“To bright.” Andrea puts a hand up as if the painting was blinding her.

 

“If it has anything but black and grey you say that.”

 

“I use white and red.” Andrea nudges Jane away from another painting of a woman on the beach. She leads Jane over to another painting of a storm. “This is art.” It is of a thundercloud with lightning and a tornado powering through a trailer park.

 

“That's mean.” Lindsey had followed the two over to the painting. She goes back to Skaz.

 

“She gets upset easily. Should show her some of my work.” Andrea and Jane continue to look through more paintings while Skaz and Lindsey go to another tent. Daria walks around and find something more to her liking. Inside a tent is a woman currently working on a painting. A man is smiling, or trying to smile, but his cheeks are moving as his muscles get tired. “Don't move! If you want a true painting of yourself you must stay still.”

 

“You have someone here.” The woman turns around.

 

“Oh, dear, look through, if you see something you like please say something. If you would like to see the process then take a seat and watch.” The woman stares at Daria then walks over to her. “Could you take your glasses off?”

 

“No.”

 

“Yes, good choice, don't want to focus on the eyes anyways. Those cheeks are too strong to try and take attention away from them.” She cups Daria's face in her hands.

 

“Unhand me before you lose them.” The woman pulls her hands away from Daria's face.

 

“Sorry, when I see something I want to paint I get excited. If you want to model for me I can give you a card.”

 

“I won't model for my friend so there is no chance in hell I'll model for you.”

 

“A friend of your is an artist?” Daria nods. “Is she here, at the show?” Daria nods again. “Could you please bring her here? When she can, there is a lot to see but most of these, artists,” She says it with a sneer. “Refuse to talk to anyone and are to concerned with selling their work.”

 

“And you aren't?”

 

“My family has made it so I would not need to work. This is not a job this is a way of life. I do this because I want to not because I need to.” The woman goes over to a smaller table and picks something up. She hands a card to Daria.

 

“Danielle Thomas?” Daria reads the rest of it. “I don't want to model.”

 

“Keep it I got dozens of them.” Someone clears their throat. “Oh I'm sorry Tony.” She goes back to her canvas.

 

“Ms. Thomas you don't have to complete this. You're paying me to help you load and unload your things.”

 

“No, no Tony your face, that hair, it's perfect for what I've been needing and call me Danielle.” Tony is about as tall as Trent is with short black hair. He is wearing a blue shirt with blue jeans and blue tennis shoes. He looks at Daria.

 

“You going to college around here?” Daria doesn't reply. “Already graduate or do you look older then what you are? I'm usually good with ages.”

 

“Raft, I go to Raft.” Daria looks at a painting. “My friend would probably like this. Ms. Thomas,” Daria is cut off.

 

“Danielle, please call me Danielle. Using my last name just makes me sound old.” Danielle gets some supplies out. “If you are getting your friend then Tony can take a break. Here's a five, get some soda.” She hands Tony money.

 

“Danielle you don't have to give me money for drinks.” He tries to hand it back to Danielle but she won't take it back. Daria and Tony leave the tent and go separate ways. Daria finds Jane and Andrea looking at paintings.

 

Hey Jane, I found an artist you'd probably like. She said she'd like to talk to you.” Jane looks around. “Jane?”

 

“Sorry, thought I heard something. What were you saying?” Daria sighs.

 

“I went in a tent and found some art you'd probably like. I told the artist I had a friend who painted and she asked if you wanted to talk about art.” Jane thinks about it for a second.

 

“Can't be any worse then the stuff we've been looking at.” Jane and Andrea follow Daria over to a tent and go in.

 

“Oh you're back and you brought your artist friend, friends.” Danielle hands both Jane and Andrea cards. “Look around, when my current model comes back you can watch me in action.”

 

“Current model?” Danielle points towards her canvas at the unfinished painting. Tony's face is mostly done but Danielle was working on his ears, neck, and hair. “Good colors, is his chin really like that?”

 

“You'll see when he gets back.” Danielle shows another painting to Jane. “This is an older one I did…” They talk about art when Tony comes back from the store.

 

“Hello ladies. Met some friends on the way back.” Skaz and Lindsey follows him into the tent.

 

“Oh, hi Daria.”

 

“You know her?” Tony opens a twelve pack of soda and hands a can to Lindsey.

 

“She's my roomie!” Lindsey's excitement doesn't affect Daria.

 

“You go to Raft? Why didn't you say so when I told you I went to Raft?” Daria catches a soda can that Tony throws to her.

 

“You didn't ask.” He motions to Jane and Andrea and they shake their heads. “I know Lindsey isn't an artist so they must be your artist friends.” Tony smiles at them as he walks over to a stool. “I did something right, get to spend my Saturday surrounded by women, and Skaz.” Tony laughs at his joke, as does Lindsey and Skaz.

 

“Hmm, that face, it does match the painting.” Jane had been studying Tom's face. “Although the hair could use more work.”

 

“No, no, I don't want the hair to distract from the chin and the eyes. The hair is there but it isn't important.” Danielle talks to Jane more about the painting and what she was planning on doing.

 

“Like I'm a piece of meat.”

 

“Clay, to an artist you are a piece of clay, or a lump of paint, whatever they use to create their work.” Andrea looks at the painting then back at Tony. “Not that I would use you. Your skin color is wrong for my work.”

 

“See, a piece of meat.” Tony sits down on the stool. “Danielle if you want to be with your kind I can take a break.”

 

“Yes, I love talking with other artists.” Tony gets off the stool and walks over to Daria, Lindsey, and Skaz.

 

“What classes do you take? I've never seen you at school.” Daria stares at the back of Jane's head wondering how long this would take.

 

“Economics with Skaz. Our schedules vary so I've never got to meet you. At the party last night was hoping to meet you but Lindsey said your friends came up from, Dawnale?”

 

“Lawn…” Daria starts to answer then stops. Tony didn't need to know where she went to school. “Why were you hoping to meet me?”

 

“So I'd have someone to talk to. Skaz and Mike got me to go to the party since they didn't want me staying at my dorm room all weekend. Told them I was going to work at the Art Show today but they said I would have someone else to talk to while they partied.” Tony sounds a little disappointed.

 

“Why don't you party?” Daria stops, she doesn't know why she's talking to him.

 

“Not my thing. Give me a book and some music playing not that crap they have now blasting while idiots drink and smoke.”

 

“You don't drink?”

 

“Not enough to get drunk. A cup of beer is ok but why anyone would drink that much is stupid. You?”

 

“No.”

 

“Yes you do Daria you drank the beer I gave you at the last party.” Lindsey looks over to Jane and Andrea. “They don't and you don't want them to know?”

 

“I was thirsty and didn't have anything else to drink.” Daria didn't want to admit she liked the beer. Tony was a stranger, Skaz and Lindsey annoyed her. Her only friend, Jane, was busy with Danielle. Daria walks over to Jane. “Jane, save me from them.”

 

“What?” Jane didn't hear Daria.

 

“Never mind. Danielle, if you don't have to work why do you do this? Wouldn't it be easier to sell these things over the internet or something?”

 

“At first I liked being with other artists but these people are hardly artists. Most of them are from the zoo and try to act like a chimpanzee smearing paint on a flat surface is art. Or that man with his shit art. He won't speak to me anymore because I ridiculed him.”

 

“Good for you.” Andrea looks at another painting while Jane and Danielle continue to talk. Daria acts like she is part of the conversation to keep Lindsey, Skaz, or Tony from talking to her.

 

After awhile Danielle and Jane stop talking about art when Jane starts to feel hungry. “Daria, want to get something to eat?” They leave the tent with Andrea.

 

“Sure, where though?”

 

“You're the one living in Boston.”

 

“Well, I don't know.” Skaz and Lindsey come out of the tent with Tony behind them.

 

“Skaz, you know a good place to eat? We got pizza last night and want something different.” Daria puts a hand on Jane's arm.

 

“Don't let them…” It was too late.

 

“Sure, Applebee's sounds good right now.” Skaz turns to Tony. “Danielle cut you loose want to come?”

 

“Sure, can I ride with you so I don't have to take a cab again?” Skaz nods.

 

“I'm riding with Jane this time.” Daria makes sure she stays close to Jane and Andrea as they walk back to the parking lot. They get in the different vehicles and Andrea follows Skaz to the Applebee's. “Do we have to eat with them?”

 

“Daria she's not that bad. I talked to her so she should know you a little better. Just give it time. You can't treat her like Britney. She has a brain and uses it.”

 

“I know that Jane but you don't live with her. She is fine, most of the time, then she has these moments…” Daria puts her hands up like she was choking someone.

 

“And you don't? Daria you are my best friend but there were times I wanted to do that to. I usually had to drag you kicking and screaming even after I showed you why you should do whatever it was.” Jane leans back in her seat so she could look at Daria's face. “Or is this about Tony?” She sees a reaction. “He's cute, that chin, reminds me of Trent's chin.” Jane chuckles when Daria ignores her.

 

“Leave her alone Jane. If she doesn't want to…” Daria cuts Andrea off.

 

“Don't tell Jane what to do.” Andrea looks at Jane.

 

“Protective of you isn't she?” Jane laughs. Daria stares at Andrea knowing Andrea did it to get a response from her. They get to the Applebee's and go inside.

 

“Table for six.” A waitress leads the group to a table. They order drinks and look through the menu deciding what to get.

 

“Get what you want Lindsey I'm paying for you.” Skaz is going through the lunch specials.

 

“What about me? I'm not pretty enough for you?” Tony bats his eyes at Skaz smiling.

 

“Unless you're willing to do the things Lindsey is…” Lindsey hits Skaz in the arm.

 

“We haven't done anything! Much…” She goes back to her menu. They order and talk while waiting for food. “So Jane, Andrea, you have boyfriends?”

 

“Uh, no.” Jane rubs the back of her neck.

 

“Oh, why? A girl with your figure, if only I could keep mine like that.” Lindsey squeezes her stomach and grabs a tiny bit of fat.

 

“I, uh, I'm not looking for that.” Jane looks around the restaurant.

 

“Are you going to college?” Tony is looking at Jane studying her.

 

“I'm going to BFAC this winter.” Jane looks out the window.

 

“What about you?” Tony smiles at Andrea.

 

“I go to a community college.” Andrea holds Jane's hand under the table and squeezes it. “You go to Raft with Daria?”

 

“Sure do, don't have any classes with her though. My loss right?” Tony nudges Skaz in the side with his elbow.

 

“How did you get a job working for Danielle?” Skaz sees the three girls sitting across from him are getting uncomfortable by Tony's and Lindsey's questions.

 

“Ad in the newspaper. Needed a big strong man to carry things. Since you wouldn't do it I figured a scrawny medium sized man could do it.” Tony turns around when he hears something. “Food, yummy.” The waitress comes with the food and the group eats.

 

After they eat and talk some more they go out to their cars. “I need to drop Tony back off at the Art Show, if you guys want to do anything later we'll stop by the dorm room.” Skaz opens the passenger door for Lindsey then goes to the driver side.

 

“No, today was enough.” Daria wants to go back to her dorm room and work on her Creative Writing homework. She had ignored it the night before since she was hanging out with Jane and Andrea.

 

“Ok, I'll make sure Lindsey gets back tonight.”

 

“I'll make sure of that. My bed is so much better then your floor.”

 

“How would you know? You were passed out the second I laid you down.” Skaz and Lindsey laugh. They get in Skaz's truck after Tony gets in the back seat. Jane, Andrea, and Daria go to Andrea's car.

 

“So Daria what are we doing tonight?”

 

“I am working on homework. You two can go to a party if you want.”

 

“Come on Daria you can work on homework tomorrow.” Jane leans back in the seat. “Why not go to a party? Are you scared you'll see Tony?”

 

“I do not want to go to a party. I went to one last week. I'm done for this semester.”

 

“Hmm, one a semester, that does sound about right for you.” Jane reaches out and nudges Daria. “What about Tony? He seems like fun.”

 

“If he seems so fun why don't you go after him?”

 

“I see you only date them if you can take them from me.” Jane looks at Andrea. “I don't think you're her type.” Jane chuckles.

 

“That's not it. I came here for school not parties or boyfriends or anything else.” Daria is getting annoyed. To many people she didn't know or like and now Jane was getting on her last nerve. She had to deal with strangers all week and now someone she knew was starting to push her over the edge. “I need to do my homework. Tomorrow aren't we going to the museum?”

 

“Maybe, Danielle was talking about letting us see some of her other work. She gave me direction to get to her house. Since I probably won't be making it back up here for awhile might go there instead.”

 

“Then I won't be able to do my homework tomorrow will I?” Jane sets the seat back up. “Sorry Jane, I, it's been stressful.”

 

“I get it Daria. Moving away from home, leaving your friends behind, dealing with college. It will probably get to me to.” Even though Jane says she understands her mood doesn't change.

 

“Then pull that stick out of your ass before I do it for you. I was planning a quiet weekend where I would get my homework done and hope that Lindsey would be at a party or with Skaz so I could get some peace.” Jane doesn't respond. The car ride back to the college is quiet.

 

At the college the three go to Daria's dorm room. “Daria, we'll watch TV while you do your homework ok?” Jane feels stupid for the way she was acting. She had surprised Daria and kept nagging her to go somewhere. But Jane has a feeling Daria is just being friendly not being a friend after Jane told her about her and Andrea. Daria said she didn't care but Jane doesn't believe it would be that easy. “Ok?”

 

“Yes Jane just leave me alone for about two hours. When I get everything done we can do anything you want ok?” Daria feels stupid about how she is acting. Jane came all the way up to see her. Jane told her something that she had apparently only told one other person, her brother. Jane and her were best friends but Daria wasn't acting like it. “I'll, I'll even call Skaz and see if he and Lindsey are going to a party later.”

 

“Don't force yourself to do anything you don't want to.” Jane turns away from Daria. “Like being my friend.” Jane shakes her head. She was seeing too much into this. Daria was stressed out, she was planning to do homework, Jane was the one to interfere with that. “Andrea anything good on TV?” She sits down in a lawn chair next to Andrea who is flipping through the channels.