Other Fan Fiction ❯ Daria: College Pains ❯ Mask ( Chapter 9 )

Chapter 9: Mask

 

Daria is sitting in her creative writings class reading a book. Others were working on the assignment, to write an action story, but she was doing the story on her computer. She feels a tap on her shoulder. “Hey, are you done with your story?”

 

“I'm doing it on my computer.” Daria turns around and sees it is a girl, blonde, with glasses. She is wearing a blue tank top with matching blue skirt.

 

“Um, you know that you have to write it out, she won't accept it if you just print it out.” Daria sets her book down.

 

“What?”

 

“I already asked her and she told me we have to write it out with a pen and paper. It sucks but those are her rules.”

 

“This is the new millennium, to actually write a story on pen and paper, cruel and unusual hell.” The girl laughs.

 

“I thought so to but rules are rules.” The girl goes back to her story as Daria curses the teacher. She had most of the story done, on her computer, but now would have to write it out.

 

“I'm going to have a long night.” Daria continues to read figuring there was nothing she could do until she got back to her dorm room.

 

After classes Daria goes to her dorm room. “Cola, ice, gloves, hammer. I'm set to smash my hand so I have an excuse not to write my story by hand.” Daria walks to the back of the dorm room to her bedroom when she hears the dorm room door open. She turns around and sees Lindsey walking in with Skaz.

 

“Hi Daria, want to go and see a movie? They got Boondocks Saints 2 playing.”

 

“Homework.” Daria ignores the two as she opens her door and closes it behind her.

 

“I thought maybe her friends would have made her be nicer but I guess not.” Lindsey pouts that Daria is acting like she had been.

 

“Not to be mean but I was surprised she had good enough friends to come here. She, she isn't anti-social she just doesn't seem to like anyone unless they fit the mold she made. Amazing she found two people to fit that mold.”

 

“They were both artists to even though Daria isn't. Isn't that a little weird?” Lindsey hadn't told Skaz what she had seen and wasn't going to. “I wonder if Tom was an artist.”

 

“You could ask her but that would probably annoy her. Let's go see the movie ok Lindsey?” Skaz leans down and whispers in her ear. “Mike said he was going somewhere with a girl so my dorm room will be empty when the movie is over.”

 

“I have homework, but, most of it isn't due until Friday.” Lindsey kisses Skaz and they leave the dorm room.

 

A couple of hours later Daria walks out of her room going to the mini fridge. “Why didn't I smash my hand?” She pulls the ice tray out and puts her right hand in it. “Cramps.” Her hand felt like it was going to fall off but she was close to getting her story done. “Have to take a break, it isn't due for awhile, why am I pushing myself?” It wouldn't be due for more then a week but what else did she have to do? Jane was in Lawndale, Tom was at Bromwell. She was a woman on an island, unless she wanted to go out and mingle with the masses of college students. Daria goes over to the phone and picks it up, then sets it down. “Come on Daria, Jane won't surprise you every weekend. Go out there and find someone you don't want to poison.” Daria sighs and puts the ice tray away. “Now I can't feel my hand.” The ice had made it numb. “It must have made my brain numb if I'm thinking about going outside.” Daria looks at the door to her bedroom and the door of her dorm room. “Hell alone or hell with people?” She decides she couldn't deal with any more writing for awhile.” She leaves her dorm room.

 

A few minutes later Skaz and Lindsey walk into the dorm room. “I can't believe his date blew him off, sorry.”

 

“This gives me time to do homework so I'll have more time to spend with you this weekend. You get any better in English Lit?”

 

“No, ask Daria to help you with that. Give me math or give me history.” Skaz and Lindsey laugh at the joke.

 

“Daria?” Lindsey calls for Daria but no one answers. “Wait here Skaz.” Lindsey walks over to Daria's room and knocks on the door, no answer. She opens the door and finds the room is empty. “Hmmm, Daria's not here.” Lindsey closes the door and goes back to Skaz. “Daria's not here Skaz.” Skaz's eyebrows rise.

 

“How long do you think she'll be gone?”

 

“She might have gone to get something to eat, or maybe your friend Tony called her and convinced her to go somewhere.” Lindsey puts a hand on Skaz's chest. “How about we stop talking and you find a better use for that mouth?” Lindsey and Skaz kiss as they go to her room.

 

Daria goes across the campus not sure where she's going. Jane had told her to make friends, new ones, but that was easier said then done. “Where would I find someone who wouldn't annoy me or bore me?” She looks around. “Astronomy? To much time with your head in the clouds and that's dangerous with all the airplanes flying around.” She looks at another building. “Band? To noisy and to formal with those uniforms.” She goes to another building. “Art, Jane is an artist, but she's one in a million. Ok, one in about seventeen.” Daria shakes her head. “I have to do this or I'll be stuck with Lindsey on weekends.” Daria walks over to the art building and walks in. She is hit with the fumes of paint and paint thinner. To most this would cause nausea but Daria had gotten use to it when she was at Jane's. “Damn, what do I do? Make an application?” Daria walks down the main hall and sees an open door. She looks in and sees several college students painting.

 

“Pastels are passé, primaries are prime.” A tall male student is working on a painting of a mountain scene.

 

“Another mountain Dantanius? Do you paint anything else?” A brunette girl shows Dantanius what she is working on.

 

“Death? How about a mountain in the shape of a skull? Have the outline of the eyes as caves…” They continue talking about art as Daria looks around the room nervous. Jane had gone to her, she had talked to her. Daria wouldn't have been friends with her if Jane hadn't done that.

 

“Are you looking for someone?” Daria jumps when someone had walked behind her.

 

“Uh, I was, looking for a friend. They're not here, I'm going to go back, sorry.” Daria walks away and leaves the building. “Stupid, at least I didn't lie.” Daria hurries back to her dorm room. “I don't remember turning the TV on,” Daria hears noises coming from the dorm room. She unlocks the door and walks in when she realizes where the sounds are coming from. “Eep!” She hurries back out of the room. “What the hell were they doing? I thought they were going back to Skaz's room.” Daria shakes her head trying to get the images that have been planted in her head out. “Hell out there or make a suicide pact with myself and go back in there.” Daria hears a squeal coming from the dorm room and runs away.

 

“Skaz stop it!” Skaz was tickling Lindsey. They had been doing homework since they didn't know when Daria would come back and did not want her to walk in with them doing anything. “Skaz!” Lindsey's voice is getting higher and higher as she starts to laugh harder and harder. Her voice turns into a high pitched unintelligible squeal as Skaz continues to tickle her.

 

“Now what do I do?” Daria wasn't going back to her dorm room until hell froze over but she had nowhere else to go. “Damn.” Daria walks down the hall and decides to go to the library and maybe find a book to read.

 

At the library Daria finds Born In Death and sits down to read it. After a couple chapters someone taps her on the shoulder. She turns around, and no one is there. She goes back to her book when she feels the tap on her shoulder again. She turns around and catches a glimpse of movement. She quickly turn her head the other way and catches the person. “Tony?”

 

“Caught me, just when I was starting to have fun.” Tony sits down next to Daria. “I'm usually able to get the person six or seven times before they get frustrated and get up.”

 

“I'm too lazy to get up.” Daria sighs and goes back to the book.

 

“I haven't seen you here before what's wrong?”

 

“Nothing, don't you have something to do?” Daria tries to ignore Tony.

 

“No, I finished my homework.”

 

“Did you get the list?” Daria is referring to a list given at the beginning of the school year that had a list of what the homework would be. This way if a student became sick they would not fall behind since they would know what was to be done. Some students would get a month done just so the have more time to party but most students did as little as possible until it was due.

 

“Yeah and I got a lot of it done. When you have no life it's easy to get a lot done.”

 

“No life? Don't Skaz and Lindsey drag you to parties?”

 

“Sometimes. But during the school week I have nothing else to do. Not worried about getting a job since, you know. Last week I got most of my science done for the year.”

 

“Then work on your English Lit.”

 

“That's next on my list.”

 

“Why are you here?” Daria is getting more and more annoyed by Tony.

 

“Why are you here?”

 

“Skaz and Lindsey are at the dorm room.” Daria gives him a look that almost transfers the images she had in her head.

 

“Oh.” Tony shakes a little. “Why'd you have to put that in my head?” He sighs. “What the hell.” He doesn't do anything.

 

“What? You have a thought and lost it?”

 

“No, I don't know why I did that to you, sorry.” Now Daria is really confused. This confusion replaces her annoyance.

 

“I should know better then to do that to you, the shoulder tapping. I had to refill just to get through last week and am low on it again.” Daria is still confused. “I'll leave you alone.”

 

“No, stay. It's either talk to you or go back, there.” Daria shakes a little in disgust.

 

“Born in Death? Never read it, is it any good?”

 

“Just started it. Someone dealing in the underground baby market kills someone who was catching on. I'm guessing it's the last person you'd suspect that did it.” Daria puts the book down. “Are you ok? You, you were acting hyper and not like this.”

 

“You wouldn't understand Daria.” Daria sees his left eye twitch. “My Father, image is everything. What you do when you're young will come back and bite you on the ass so you must present the image of openness and friendliness.”

 

“Is that why you act like this?” Tony shakes his head, then nods. “You're a confusing person.”

 

“Daria, if I tell you something, promise not to tell anyone?”

 

“I guess, as long as it isn't about the Herpes you got off the toilet seat.”

 

“I didn't know you could get them off of toilet seats I always thought I got them because the doctor didn't use new gloves when he was giving me my physical.” Neither Tony nor Daria laugh. “Promise not to tell anyone?” Daria nods. “I'm on some serious medication. I tried quitting but can't I just can't handle not being on them all these years.”

 

“Well you just, why, what are you planning?” Daria is getting a bad feeling from Tony.

 

“I'm not planning anything but why, why am I telling you? I've been acting for so long and I've charmed everyone I met. But you, just watching you with your friend Jane, your friend Andrea, I could tell you were different. You are what I'd be if I could be myself instead of act.”

 

“A woman?” Daria is trying to ease the mood.

 

“Normal, well, not like this. I hate people like you but admire and wish I could be like you. You don't put on an act. You don't mask your feelings or thoughts to get along with others. After all they did to me I can never be like you. Have you, have your parents, ever made you see a psychiatrist?” Tony waits a moment for a response. “Sorry I shouldn't have asked that.”

 

“No, I did, when I was young. They were worried when I wouldn't talk to other kids. They just didn't understand…”

 

“They didn't have anything to say that interested you.” Tony has finished Daria's sentence knowing exactly what she was talking about. “Did they make you do anything more?”

 

“No, in high school I had to take a self esteem class but I met Jane there so it wasn't that bad.” Tony looks away. “What did your parents do to you?”

 

“You asked me a serious question, I'm making progress.” Tony smiles. “After the medication they did `therapy' that is probably illegal.”

 

“What drugs are you on? Damn, I was lucky enough my Mom and Dad were hippies and didn't believe in using drugs,” Tony raises and eye brow. “Made by The Man.” Daria shakes her head and tries to figure out what was going on. Tony sits down and reveals a bunch of things to her when she didn't even really like him. “What are you doing? I mean, you just tell me all of this, I don't get why you're dropping your act around me.”

 

“You don't? Daria I won't tell you, you should know.”

 

“Give me a hint?” Tony doesn't reply. “Hey, Tony…” Now Tony responds.

 

“It's more then you being what I wish I could be. Honest, witty, sarcastic, all the things that I would never be allowed to be. I, after all the things I've dealt with over the years I can tell things about people they don't even know. One of the few things I appreciate from my father.” Tony smiles at Daria. “That enough of a hint?”

 

“I, I think I'd rather, um, I have homework to do back at my dorm room.” Daria pushes away from the table and stands up. She walks away confused and a little scared. Tony appeared to be smart but the way he acted, it was scary. “Damn, I forgot the book.” Daria turns around and goes back to the library. She finds the book and notices Tony is gone. “Is he stalking me?” Daria looks around, the library is quiet. “What the hell is wrong with him?” Daria quickly leaves the library wondering if Tony was watching her or if she was just getting paranoid. She goes to her dorm room and goes in. She finds Skaz and Lindsey in the living room. “Um, hi.”

 

“Hi Daria, where'd you go?” Lindsey sees Daria make a weird face. “What happened?”

 

“Nothing, I, I went to the library.”

 

“Library? You see Tony?” Skaz's question catches Daria off guard.

 

“How did you know Tony was there?”

 

“He hangs out there a lot. I'm not sure why and won't find out, the library is like kryptonite.” Daria can't hide the look on her face. “Daria are you ok?”

 

“How well do you know Tony?”

 

“We talk during economics, sometimes hang out after class, why?”

 

“I think Daria has a crush!” Lindsey gets out of the lawn chair. “But you don't want to admit it. How cute.”

 

“I do not have a crush on Tony. He just said some really weird things that, I can't say.”

 

“Lindsey could you go to your room for a minute? I want to talk to Daria.” Lindsey looks at Skaz who winks at her.

 

“Oh, ok.” Lindsey goes to her room.

 

“Skaz I don't have a crush on Tony.”

 

“What did he say? What did he do? He's said some strange things when we were alone but then he, he changes.” Skaz whispers to make sure Lindsey doesn't hear. “I tried to look in his medicine cabinet but I only found regular stuff.”

 

“You think he's on drugs?”

 

“I don't know, maybe, but he changes sometimes. I don't think he'd do drugs since he won't even drink a beer but maybe that's because a lot of those drugs they have out there can't be taken with alcohol.”

 

“I promised Tony I wouldn't tell anyone what he told me but Skaz, keep an eye on him. I don't know what's wrong with him but I don't think he's stable.”

 

“Stable? He won't like, snap and do a Columbine, will he? Maybe we should…” Daria stops him.

 

“No. Just keep an eye on Tony and keep him away from me.”

 

“I guess I could do that.” Skaz rubs the back of his neck. “Don't tell anyone I told you about how Tony changes.”

 

“If you've noticed I'm sure others have to.” Daria goes to her room to do work on her story.

 

The next day after classes Daria decides she can't sit in her room and do homework. If she kept this up she'd have the whole semesters work load done by the end of the month. She leaves the dorm building and walks over to the art building. “You can do this Daria, they're Jane's, lots of Jane's that you don't know.” Daria walks in and goes to the room she had been at the day before.

 

“Come on Elena I think you'd be a great model for a painting.” She sees a new male artist and the same female artist from yesterday.

 

“In your dreams John.” The girls laughs and turns around seeing Daria. “Hi there, you don't look familiar, what grade are you in?”

 

“Um, freshman, I don't take art I was just, um, I don't know.” Daria feels really stupid for the answer and for leaving her room.

 

“It's been over a week so I don't think she's lost.” Dantanius studies Daria. “Very waif like, you ever model for any paintings?”

 

“No, look, I'm sorry for wasting your time.”

 

“Hey you're the girl from yesterday.” Daria turns around and sees the girl she saw yesterday. “You find your friend?”

 

“No, not, sorry.”

 

“Don't go maybe your friend will show up later, what's their name?”

 

“Um, he isn't here, I have to go.” Daria starts to walk towards the door when the female artist who's name Daria didn't know blocks her.

 

“What's your name? How come I haven't seen you in any of my classes?”

 

“Daria, I don't take art, just, my friend back home does and I, I wanted to see someone else's art.”

 

“Really? If your friend is at home then why did you tell us you were looking for your friend?”

 

“I meant someone else. I have more then one friend.”

 

“I'm sure you do what's their name?” The artist wasn't going to let Daria go so she decides to lie.

 

“Tony. I didn't mean to take up your time from, that.” Daria points towards several easels with canvases on them.

 

“This isn't class we aren't on a deadline. Sit down. I'm guessing your friend back home painted since you're in here.”

 

“She, she also did sculptures and I guess you'd call it modern art. She's going to BFAC next semester.” Daria looks around and sees a chair. The artist did ask Daria to sit down. “Um, what's your name?”

 

“Amalia. That's Elena and that goofball is Dantanius.” She points at the two as she tells Daria their names. “What was your friend's name?”

 

“Jane, Jane Lane.” Amalia scrunches her face up as she thinks.

 

“No, I don't think I've ever heard of her.” She looks at the other two artists and they shake their heads.

 

“What do you consider art?” Dantanius says it with a sneer.

 

“Crying clowns and bowls of fruit.” Dantanius rolls his eyes. “I was kidding.” Daria looks at one of the canvases and sees Dantanius is working on the mountain with the shape of a skull. “That's more like Jane's work.” Daria points to the canvas.

 

“She did mountains?”

 

“No, the skull, how it's hidden. She had some things that were um, twisted?” Daria isn't sure what art word would be used to describe Jane's art.

 

“The skull is that visible? I'm not even done yet, maybe if I cover part of it, blur it some, make it harder to see.” Dantanius looks at the canvas trying to figure out how to change it.

 

“No, its, I heard you talk about it yesterday with the other artist, I didn't get her name.”

 

“Ashley, her death painting was the inspiration for Skull Mountain.” Dantanius looks at his painting still. “I think I will make it harder to see, maybe, hmmm.”

 

“Make trees at the base like a beard?” Daria shakes her head, stupid thing to suggest.

 

“Yes, that, pirate or lumberjack beard?” Dantanius asks Daria but she doesn't answer. “Pirate, long, frames it with two rivers coming from the caves like tears.”

 

“That was a good suggestion Daria you do that for your friend Jane?” Daria shakes her head. Amalia sits down next to Daria. “You know, your face, did Jane ever use you for a model?”

 

“No.”

 

“Such a shame, but I'm guessing it's because you said no. As an artist she would have yearned to paint you.”

 

“She really didn't do portraits, she was more, abstract, I don't know what you would call it.”

 

“Oh, well, want to see my work?” Daria looks at Amalia with a strange look. “Us starving artists love to show our work to anyone. Come on you might like it and if you don't tell me. It will get me use to the critics.” Amalia and Daria go over to a couple of canvases. “My class painting,” She points to the canvas on the right. It is of a statue. “And my work,” She points at the canvas on the left. It is incomplete but appears to be flying keys over a starving person who is outside a locked door with the word KITCHEN on it. “I got the idea from an old urban legend I heard. Woman gets locked in a fallout shelter. She isn't worried since there is a lot of food cans but she doesn't have a can opener.”

 

“This, this reminds me of Jane's work.”

 

“Really?” Amalia looks at the painting. “I have some more details to add, more keys, maybe show an extra rib or two. What do you think?”

 

“Um, ok, sure?” Daria wasn't an art critic and didn't really care. If Jane painted something like this or a basket full of puppies she wasn't going to say anything about it. Well, maybe she would if Jane painted puppies, but that would just be out of concern for her friend's sanity. “Salvation so close yet so far away, will not live to see another day.”

 

“Hey, that's pretty good, that's a good title for this.” Daria isn't sure why she had said what she said it just came out.

 

“That's so depressing.” Daria hears the voice and doesn't want it to be who she thinks it is. “Dantanius did you forget?” Daria turns around and sees Tony talking to Dantanius. “Don't answer that look tells me everything. You have to get away from these paint fumes before it fries your brain, even more.”

 

“Man I forgot sorry. I'll do dishes when I get back.”

 

“Its ok I already did them.” Tony looks around the room and sees Daria. “Daria? Um, hi.”

 

“Wait, Daria, you said your other friend's name was Tony, why didn't I put it together?” Dantanius turns to Tony. “Maybe you're right the paint fumes are getting to me. She said she was looking for her friend Tony but I didn't think she meant you buddy.”

 

“Tell you the truth I'm a little surprised to. You were looking for me? Skaz has my cell number if you wanted to talk to me.” Tony gives Daria a bright charming smile, a smile she knows is as fake as his act.

 

“Maybe you should have your friend Dantanius make you a mask.” Daria sees Tony's face twitch then returns to normal.

 

“He's not my friend he's my slob of a dorm mate.” Dantanius and Tony laugh. “Well Daria if you were looking for me here I am.”

 

“And here I am not.” Daria walks away and leaves the art building. “He's everywhere, maybe he is stalking me.” She turns around to see if he was following her, he isn't. “Homework, have to get the rest wrote out.” She looks down at her right hand. “Sorry but you have to take one for the team.” She was not going back to the art building. She went out, tried to make a friend, and Tony appeared. Amalia seemed ok, so did the others, but Tony was friend's with them.

 

“She has a real good sense of art.” Amalia and Tony are talking now.

 

“Both her friends back home are artists. She just seems to be lured by artists, or the paint fumes.” Tony's joke gets a laugh out of Amalia. “Dantanius you have to do dishes for the next two weeks. Make sure you get as much paint on them as you can so you know how hard it is to get that crap off.”

 

“Just use paint thinner. Now where did I put that liquid white?” Dantanius goes through some paint supplies looking for the liquid white.

 

“I got to get going, see you Dantanius, ladies.” Tony bows and leaves. As he walks out of the building he shakes his head. “Have to act, they'd never like the real you. Have to wear this mask.” He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a pill. He pops it in his mouth and swallows it.