Getting out from the white car Daria almost forgot to say bye to Andrea and Jane and to thank Mrs. Ruttheimer for taking her home.

Yet it was understandable, the last hours had been an emotional rollercost for her.

What had happened had exhausted her so when Quinn came out of a bush saying, "Hold it young lady." in a good imitation of her mother, Daria snapped out of her thoughts and screamed in fear.

"Shush! Or you'll wake up mom and dad! "

"Then don't scare me!"

"It was fun, you 're never out this late."

"I was never out this late. Anyway since you are the expert can you tell me how to sneak in? "

Unfortunately at that moment, Helen and Jake's voices came from their bedroom window, ending Daria and Quinn's attempts to not being found.

-

Without wasting time, Daria changed and went to bed.

Her mother had made her and her sister a short lecture, postponing to the day after the real rebuke.

Daria had almost ignored her and had gone straight into her room.

Well, in the end, it went ok. Thought Daria as she remembered what had happened just before.

It was not easy but in the end Daria had gathered all her courage and told Jane, Andrea and Charles what her aunt Amy had proposed and her decision about it.

"I have decided that I will go to live with my aunt."

In another situation, Daria would have laughed at the sad and frightened expressions of her friends.

"That's why you were so distracted recently." Andrea said after a while.

"Yes. I'm sorry, I wanted to tell you first but I just did not know what to do. "

"When will you leave?" asked Jane.

"I do not know yet. I did not even give a response to my aunt. "

"I see." Jane said before hugging Daria.

"Jane !?"

"I'm sorry amiga, I know you're not much for physical contact but I'm gonna miss you."

"So ... are you ok with it?" Daria asked while, embarrassed, returned the hug.

"Of course we are. Granted we're sad about it but we understand why you're doing it."Andrea said, hugging in turn Daria once Jane had loosened her embrace.

"Thank you girls, this means the world for me." Daria said with her voice broken by emotion.

"Come on Daria, do not tell me now that you are a sentimental." Joked Charles in an attempt to loosen the tension.

"Maybe just a little but it's all your fault. Before I knew you I was a stone cold cynical, you ruined me."Joked back Daria.

"Guilty as charged." Joked Charles raising his hands, making the 3 girls laugh.

"Just promise you will not forget about us." He then said in a very serious voice.

"Never. I could never do it. You're the best thing that happened to me after my aunt. I swear I'll always call you and email you. "

"And you'll invite us to spend weekends with you at Boston,"

"As all the summers from now until graduation."

Andrea and Jane said.

"We have a deal." Daria said smiling, happy to not have that boulder on her soul anymore.

-

As Daria went to bed, Charles was lying in his bed, unable to sleep.

He had somehow managed to keep a poker face after Daria's revelation but once she, Jane and Andrea were gone, desperation took hold of him.

Charles turned his tears back, cursing his bad luck. He tried to think of something else but Daria was his only thought.

All his projects with her were miserably wrecked before they started.

It's not right, it's not right. Continued to repeat the redhead boy until he fell asleep.

Charles's mood did not improve the next morning. His mother, seeing him so sad, asked him what the problem was but the redhead boy just said, "nothing important mom."

Only my dreams being shattered.

"Ok, but remember, you can tell me everything."

"Thanks mom." He said before leaving for school.

Not wanting to see Daria soon, Charles first went to pick up Andrea.

"Are you sad too?" Asked the goth as she climbed into the car looking at the expression of her friend.

"Yeah." Charles replied.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, but thanks for the thought, Andrea."

"Good, because I don't want to either."

Accompanied by a gloomy silence, the two teens reached Jane's home. Not seeing her after a couple of minutes, Charles and Andrea got out of the car and went to check.

"Hi Chuck, hi Andrea." Trent said when he opened the door.

"Hi Trent, is Jane ready?" Charles asked, covering the faint, "Hi Trent." of a very embarrassed Andrea.

"Not yet but honestly I think she'll stay home today. She's kinda in a bad mood from yesterday. "

"That makes three of us." Charles said.

"I'll go talk to her." Andrea said after she sighed.

"Thanks Andrea, you're very kind." Trent said.

"Never mind." Andrea whimpered as she climbed the stairs.

"Meanwhile Chuck, can you explain me what happened? Jane didn't tell me anything. "

"Ok, you see ..."

-

"Go away Trent!" Jane said aloud when she heard a knock at the door.

"It's me. Can I come in?" said Andrea.

"The lock is broken, you know it. I could not stop you anyway." said snorting Jane.

So Andrea entered the bedroom and saw her friend sprawled and belly down on the bed, dressed only with an old and huge, for her, t-shirt she used as a pajamas.

"You know I can see your undies, don't you?"

"Like what you see?" joked Jane.

At least she has not lost her sense of humor. Andrea thought.

"Jane what's up? Trent is worried."

"Do you really need to ask?" Jane asked.

"I'm half an idea of what's bothering you but I think it's better for you to vent." Andrea replied.

"Very well Dr. Freud! Brace yourself because I'm about to unleash on you the greatest rant you've ever heard!"

"I'm listening." Andrea said calmly.

"You want to know what's up!? Well Andrea I'm angry! I'm fucking angry with that bitch Daria!"

"Why?"

"Why!? Why!? That bitch arrived in our lives looking all sad and miserable, we welcomed her, loved her, cuddled her and now she threw us away like we were a pair of old shoes! I thought she was a friend, a sister like you but noooo! She's just an opportunist and an asshole like my crappy siblings! But you know what!? I do not give a fuck! She and her aunt can rot in Boston!" yelled Jane before taking a pillow that Andrea had brought her and screaming even stronger with her face pressed on it.

"Better?" Andrea asked when Jane had finished.

"Yes, thank you. You're the best."

"Was that all?"

"No. I'm angry Andrea, I'm angry at her for leaving us and I'm angry at myself for being angry. Is it normal? "

"Well normal it's not a word I'll use to describe a member of the Lane family,"

"Thanks," she said sarcastically.

"But given the circumstances I would say yes. We're all sad Jane; Me, you, Chuck. However we love Daria and for this we must let her go free."

"Wait, isn't this from Beauty and the Beast!" Jane asked.

"That's not the point!"

"And what is it?"

"It's that she is not happy with her family and you know it otherwise yesterday you would not have given her your ok."

"I do not like when people go away." she said, hugging Andrea.

"I know but this time is different."

"How can you be so sure?" Jane asked.

"Because ... eh ... because ..."

"Because Daria is better than our siblings, way better." Trent said as he entered the room.

"Trent!" Exclaimed the two girls.

"Were you eavesdropping?" Jane asked.

"I did not mean to," Andrea began apologetically.

"No Jane, I was not eavesdropping, your yells could be felt throughout the house and Andrea…"

"Yes?" asked the goth girl blushing in front of Trent's gaze.

"You don't have to apologize for anything. Our relatives are crap. It was nice for you to try to defend them but don't worry. We know how they are. Thank you for helping Jane by the way." Trent said smiling at the end.

"Oh ... okay." Andrea whispered as her face became redder than Charles's hair.

"Charles told me everything. This is not a farewell, it's a goodbye. She wants you in her life, what you have is a strong bond that will last. I'm a musician, I understand these things. "

"I hope so ... wait where is Charlie?" Jane asked.

"Here! Your brother did not let me in because you're not presentable." said the redheaded boy, pulling his right arm out of the half open door.

"Oh! Right." said Jane before starting to change.

"Do not peek!" she joked.

"Please! I'm a gentleman, plus there are your brother and Andrea. I do not want to spend the next 6 weeks at the hospital. "

"Smart boy." Jane said as she clutched her boots.

"Make it ten." Joked Andrea before blushing violently before Trent laughed and said, "Nice one."

"Done!" Jane said as she wore the red jacket.

"Ready for another day at Lawndale High?" Charles asked while entering in the room.

"Ready as I ever be. Honestly today I do not want to see Daria. "

"Tell me about it…" Charles said, stunned.

"Oh yeah, sorry. I forgot about ... well ... that thing." Jane said, realizing that her brother was still in the room and not wanting to reveal Charles' secret.

Unfortunately for her, her brother was not clueless as he seemed.

"His crush on Daria? I already know about it. "

"What!" Exclaimed the three teens.

"But how? When? we didn't tell you? "Jane exclaimed.

"Please Janey, give me some credit. I'm 21 not 91; I still can see when a guy likes a girl. Let me guess, Chuck, you still did not ask her out, am I right? "

"No!" Exclaimed a visibly embarrassed Charles.

"So what're you waiting for?" Trent asked.

"It ... it's not easy!" said Charles, loudly.

"I see. Girls please leave us alone. This is boys talk.

"And don't eavesdrop!" Trent said, closing the door.

"Oh-kay, what's happening?" Asked a confused Charles.

"We're going to talk about your crush on Daria and, if I can, I'll help you."

"Why?"

"Well, you look like you're really in trouble with this situation so…"

"No, no, no, I get it, I know I'm in trouble. What I do not understand is why you want to help me. We barely know each other. "

"I want to help you because you're a good friend of Jane and that means a lot to me. Also according to Jane you're a nice guy and Daria is a great girl, I think you two will make a good couple. Finally there is a personal reason I want to help you. When I was your age I didn't have an older sibling to ask for help. They were too busy with their lives to deal with me or Janey so I swore that I would do all I could to not be like them. So here we are." Trent said with a bit of rage.

"Thanks Trent, you're very kind."

"Don't sweat it. So Chuck let's recap, you like Daria."

"Yes, a lot!"

"But you did not ask her out yet. Why?"

"Because ... because ... look Trent I don't know. Maybe I'm just afraid of being rejected ... Maybe I feel I'm not good enough for her ... Anyway this does not matter anymore. "

"Because she'll leave soon?"

"Yes."

"So that's it? You'll just let her leave without saying anything? Well excuse me, Chuck, but it looks like you don't care much about her. "

"What!? That's not true! She means everything to me! "

"But you did not do anything to prove it."

"And what should I do!? Go to Daria and tell her not to go away because I love her! She'll just laugh in my face."

"You don't have to be so extreme. Ask her out and then do things one step at time. If it goes wrong you will not have the regret of not having tried. If it works well, it will be okay," Trent said smiling.

"But she will leave anyway! How do I have a relationship with her if she is hundreds of miles away? "

"There are e-mails and phones, and I don't think you are short on money to go and visit her."

"You ... have a point." said Charles.

"Chuck I understand you're scared but love takes time and a lot of work. With me and Monique it was the same thing. "

"Monique!?"

"My girlfriend, the singer of the Harpies, they play at the Zon sometimes."

"Is she that pale, scary, punk/goth girl with long black hair?"

"Ahahah, yes that's her. Why scary?"

"Her eyes. They're tiny and black, they make her look like an hunting shark. "

Taking in that description of Monique, Trent bursts in his usual laughs interrupted by a cough.

"My god I'll never be able to look her in the face again. Anyway Chuck let me tell you a story. When I was your age me and Monique were just friends joined by a passion for music and resentment for absent families. I was in love with her but obviously she had no idea. Like many of our school girls, she had a crush on that asshole Tommy Sherman, the QB of the school."

"Weird. I thought that for punks and goths the jocks were the devil. "

"In fact, she entered that phase shortly after, when she realized who he really was. For me it made her even more beautiful but jocks and cheerleaders didn't think so. One day they began to go heavy with her, you must know that at that time Ms. Li taught only economics so there wasn't the no zero tolerance against physical violence. The jokes degenerated into a fight involving Sherman. That bastard made no distinction when it came to pulling fists, so he pushed Monique to the ground. I went to defend her and hit Sherman. I would like to say that I did hurt him but I did not even tickle him. Unfortunately, he hurt me a lot with a fist on my face. It was this that made me write the song Oh my nose! Oh my face! Eventually after a few lawyers quarrelled, things were settled and when Monique asked me why I had done what I did, I confessed my feelings. In a few months it will be our fifth anniversary. Of course our relationship sometimes becomes a bit turbulent but in the end we always come back together. We can't be without each other. "

"Let me guess, the moral of the story is to fight for who you love even if you could hurt you."

"You really are a smart guy," Trent said with a wink. "Go and talk to Daria and if things will go bad, well Janey is still single." Trent said looking at the door.

"TRENT!" Yelled Jane from behind the door.

"I told you not to eavesdrop!" Trent said before giggling and coughing.

-

Trent smiled when he saw Jane, Andrea and Charles got in the car to go to school.

They're nice kids. The better version of me, Jesse and Monique, he thought.

Thinking back to the way Charles had defined Monique, Trent could not help but laugh.

However, when the coughs came to an end, Trent was overwhelmed by the inspiration.

"Shark woman, shark woman, you chew my leg, you chew my heart please don't tear me apart! Your black eyes are a pit of darkness, your grip makes me breathless! You swim in the sea made red by blood ... crap this is good I've got to write it down!" Trent said before rushing to look for a piece of paper and a pen.

"Soo will you ..." started to say Andrea before Charles stopped her.

"Yes. Today. During lunch time. I'm thinking about where to take her this weekend.

"Yeah! Way to go Charles!" said Jane.

"Now that I remember, there's a nice restaurant where Saturday is a jazz night, do you think is it ok?"

"Sure, why not?" Andrea said.

"Don't forget about a movie and flowers, it's a classic." added Jane.

"Right! I have to check what's on schedule! I was thinking of a bonsai rather than flowers. She said she likes them." Charles said, exuding determination.

Seeing their friend in that state, Jane and Andrea exchanged an amused smile.

"Now we need an excuse to justify the delay." said Andrea.

"Easy, I overslept. It's not the first time it happened so she won't suspect anything." Jane said.

"Perfect." Charles said, stopping the car in front of Daria's house.

-

Finally they're here! Daria thought before leaving the house.

"Hi everyone!" she said.

"Hi Daria!" her three friends told her.

"Why so late?" she asked.

"Sleeping beauty here had not finished her nap." Andrea said, pointing to Jane.

"I'm still waiting for my Prince Charming."

"I may have the solution for this problem but we'll talk about this another day. We're already late." Charles said before putting the car in motion and darting toward Lawndale high.

-

Tic, tac, tic, tac ... every second seemed to last an eternity to Charles. His eyes ranged between the clock and Daria. He knew it was stupid but he was afraid that she could vanish at any moment if he had lost sight of her.

During the lessons he prepared what he considered to be the best possible speech and then, at the end of DeMartino's class, he acted.

It was the best time, the last hour before lunch. Everyone, students and teachers, would run to the cafeteria to grab the best food, leaving the classroom empty.

-

"Hey Daria, can I talk to you for a moment?" asked Charles.

"Sure, what's up?" she answered.

Charles felt himself blaze under the sweet gaze of Daria but he managed to keep the cold blood and said, "Well ... this Saturday, in a downtown restaurant, there's going to be a jazz concert and I was wondering if you'd like to go there."

"Sure, my ears are dying to take a break from Mystic Spiral." Daria said smiling.

That's it !? Seriously! It was so easy! I should have done this weeks ago! Charles thought as a smile appeared on his face.

"What about Jane and Andrea? What did they say?" asked Daria.

Charles felt his heart stop but remained focused.

Calm down, she did not say no. You must be more specific.

"Actually I was thinking that this time could be just you and me. I would come to pick you up at your house, then we would go and see a movie and then have at the restaurant ... if you want!" Charles said as the redness spread from his cheeks to his whole face.

Daria giggled with her happy and without malice laugh, then said, "Charles you're making this look like a date."

"Precisely." Charles said, nervously swallowing.

Now his ears were on fire too. He was sure his face was redder than his hair.

In the following years Charles would never forget how confusion and surprise appeared on Daria's face. If the situation had not been so serious, he would have laughed.

"What?" Daria asked with wide eyes and a trembling voice. She looked like a fawn in front of the headlights of a truck.

"Daria, would you like to go out with me?" he asked sweetly but firmly.

A heavy silence fell into the room where the two teens were.

Daria, shell shocked by what Charles had told her, sat down on a chair, took off her glasses and put her thumb and forefinger over her eyes, as if to stop an imminent headache.

Ok Daria, concentrate. This ... thing is unexpected and serious but it can be solved ... I believe. I need more info.

"Are you ok?" asked Charles.

Daria looked up at her friend and scanned him.

The redness of the ears, the voice broken by emotion, the obvious concern printed on the face ... He is not lying. Daria thought.

"Yes Charles, I'm ok, thank you for worrying."

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to upset you."

"I'm not upset. It's true right now I'm freaking out, I would escape through the window if it were not for the bulletproof glass but it's not because of you."

"It's for what I said."

"I didn't expect it to happen. Honestly staying calm is costing me a lot of effort."

"It was the same for me just to ask you out." Charles smiled nervously.

"I think I understand. Look Charles, I do not want to sound cold but I need to know. Why did you ask me out? And why now!? I don't understand! "

Charles sat down in front of Daria, took a deep breath and then, looking into her eyes, said, "I asked you out now because of what you said yesterday. I did not expect it so I had to speed things up and tell you everything now. I'm very sorry because I think it's a lot of trouble but I did not want to hide how I really feel about you anymore. I like you Daria Morgendorffer. I like you a lot. I like you because you're beautiful but you do not show it off because you want to be judged for what you are not for the way you look. I like you because you're so smart that you make me feel dumb ... and I have a pretty high GPA," said Charles with a chuckle.

"I like you for your sarcastic and realistic way of seeing the world, a way that someone who does not know you would call cynical. I like your laugh, I love the smell of your hair, the color of your eyes and ... since I'm being honest, you've got some killer legs," Charles continued, blushing.

"I like everything about you Daria. You entered my life and turned it upside down. If Upchuck is gone it is only because of you. I would have liked to ask you out weeks ago but I wanted to become your friend first to show you who I really am. Upchuck was just a mask ... but you already know that. When I'm with you, Daria, I'm happy, very happy ... and I'd like to make you happy too." Charles concluded smiling.

He was very red in the face but he was not the only one. Daria had not been indifferent to those words.

"Wow ... that was ... very beautiful Charles." Said a very embarassed Daria.
"Thank you."

For a few seconds neither of the two teens spoke then Charles said, "Soooo ... now what?"

"I do not know, Charles. You gave me a lot to think about. I don't know I how feel about you anymore. I need some time to think. Is that a problem? "

"No Daria, it is not. Take the time you need. I'll wait for your answer. "

"Thank you. Um ... I'll ... I'll ... walk home until I figure this out. Sorry but it would be awkward ... not that I don't want to see you! Just ... "

"Daria relax! It's ok! I'll wait don't worry!" said Charles.

"Ok. Then ... thank you for being honest ... and everything! Bye!" Daria said before leaving the room very quickly.

"Bye." Charles said.

Well it seems like I'll have to wait a while. Let's hope things will work out, thought Charles.

As she walked towards the cafeteria Daria felt very strange.

A part of her was still stunned by what happened, while the other had sharpened her senses to the maximum, like a prey that knows that the predator was close.

She knew it was absurd, but it was as if every person in the corridors knew what had happened and looked through her.

Unable to handle stress, she entered the bathroom and jumped into one of the cubicles.

Breathe Morgendorffer, breathe. This is normal, there is no reason to go crazy. A boy ask a girl out, it happens all days.

But not to you ... and at the worst possible moment by the way. said a little voice inside her.

I can't do this alone! I need to talk to Jane and Andrea ... no matter how embarassing.thought Daria blushing strongly.

-

"There you're morgendorffer, I thought aliens had kidnapped you." Jane said when she saw her friend coming.

"I had to go to the lady room." Daria said blushing.

Yeah sure. Jane and Andrea thought in unison, exchanging a knowing look.

Of course they knew what had happened since Charles had told them everything.

"Where is Charles?" Asked Daria.

"Over there, he said he has a bad headache and as soon as the lessons are over he will go home." Andrea said, pointing to a table in the distance as she told the lie they had agreed.

"Oh. Okay. "Daria said as she sat down.

"Are not you hungry?" Andrea asked, seeing that Daria had not taken anything.

"Right." Daria said before getting up and going to the cafeteria.

"She did not take it well." Jane said when her friend was away.

"This is minimizing. It looks like she was hit by a train. "Andrea said.

"What do we do?"

"We help her if she decides to talk to us."

"What if she does not want to talk?"

"I doubt it. In that case, however, we will only have to bring the topic subtly to the surface. "

"Got that." Jane said before eating a mouthful of a mush that was meatloaf in theory.

When Daria returned shortly after, Jane wasted no time and asked, "Yo amiga, is everything ok? you seem kinda absent."

Hearing that words Andrea's face assumed an expression that, translated into words, would have sounded more or less like, "Are you fucking kidding me !? I said subtly, this is the opposite of subtly! "

"Well ... actually there is something ... would you mind come to my house later?"

"No problem amiga." Said Jane throwing a knowing look at Andrea while showing off a very pleased smile.

Show off. Andrea thought before saying, "Sure, you know you can always count on us."

"Thank you girls." Said Daria with a big smile.

-

The return home was very silent. Daria was thinking of the best way to tell her friends what had happened and how she felt while Jane and Andrea, who knew everything, said nothing to not put pressure on their friend.

Arriving in front of the door of the morgendorffer house, Daria was still on the high seas and her plans finally collapsed when she saw that her family had already returned and that, judging by the expressions on their faces, they were waiting for her.

What the heck !? The bespectacled girl thought.

"Hello Daria, you finally arrived! Now we can start. "Helen said.

"Start what?" She asked.

"The family court! I'll be the judge! "Jake exclaimed, happy as a child, from the armchair where he was sitting.

"Actually I should talk about a very important things with Jane and Andrea, can I delegate my presence?" Daria asked, pointing to her friends.

"Hi Mr. M," "Hello Mrs. Morgendorffer." The two girls said.

"Hi girls!" Jake exclaimed, "Hello dears, I'm sorry Daria, but you'll have to postpone it, your presence is mandatory." Helen said.

Daria held back a wave of annoyance, rolled her eyes, then turned and said, "Jane can we meet at your house later?"

"Mi casa es tu casa ."

"Ok, see you later then, bye."

"Bye." The two girls answered.

Once the door was closed, Daria turned and went to sit on the couch.

Let's hope this will be quick. She thought.

-

Unfortunately for her it was not like that. After having endured that fake trial with his father's antics, her sister's hysterical scenes and her mother's omnipotence ravings,

Seriously how the hell did she manage to have two reproductions of the tables of the ten commandments in less than a day !?

Daria had to listen to a long series of new rules to which she and her sister were subjected, including a curfew.

Rules that Quinn immediately infringed. Since she was no longer allowed to have a date during school's night, she said she had an algebra study group.

"You are giving her rope to hang herself, right?" Daria asked when her sister was gone.

"What? Helen asked.

"She do not even know how to add, how could she study algebra?"

"Remeber rule number one Daria, persistent questioning of parental judgment is punishable."

"Very well your honor. Now if you'll excuse me I'll meet my friends to discuss important personal matters and don't worry! I will return before the end of the curfew and i'll put my sign. "Daria said preceding her mother's objection.

"Ok, this time I can grant it."

"Good. See you later. Daria said before leaving the house.

That afternoon Charles tried to behave as if nothing had happened. He did his homework and then read a book. However every time the phone rang he would sprint like a hunting dog to answer.

Unfortunately, on the other side there was never Daria.

Luckily that night his parents went to dine out so he could stop pretending.

He sat down on the sofa in the living room, right in front of the phone and waited. Always hoping for a phone call from Daria.

It was there that his parents found him, hours later, when they returned home.

Asleep uncomfortably on the sofa with his right arm hanging out and the phone not far from the floor.

"Poor dear. I wonder whose call he was waiting." His mother said, looking at him.

"Probably that Daria girl. He said he wanted to ask her out. I think he did it and was waiting for her answer." said her husband.

Charles had tried to behave normally but his parents know him too well.

"Seems like she did not call." Said Susan.

"Of course she did't. "If you ask a girl out she'll answer you pronto, not hours later." Charles said.

Susan snorted at the words.

"First of all that is not true,"

"It was for me,"

"But Charles is not you. Besides I said you no a lot of times before accepting your invitation. "

Faced with the facts Charles could only grunt.

Susan smiled amused, she loved to tease her husband on that subject.

"Now help me bring Charles to bed."

"Isn't he a little too old for this? He can sleep on the couch. "

"Ok, fine, can you at least get a blanket or is that too heavy too?"

"Woman you are playing with fire." Charles answered before taking his son over his shoulder and carrying him to his bed.

For him it was like carrying a rag doll.

"See." He said satisfied.

"Good. You still are my stong man. "Susan said giving her husband a kiss on the cheek after she rolled up the blankets to his son.

"I was afraid you had softened." Susan said once she closed the door of her son's room.

"Oh I'll show you who's soft." Charles said with a mischievous smile before lifting his wife and taking her to their bedroom.

All while she laughed amused.

It was fortunate that Charles had incredibly heavy sleep.

While Charles waited for a phone call from her, Daria was walking towards Jane's house.

The journey was quite short but that time it seemed to last even less to Daria.

Anger at her parents had quickly been replaced by the thoughts that had been bothering her since that afternoon.

She was almost tempted to escape when Jane opened the door of the Lane house ... but eventually she went upstairs with her and went into her bedroom where Andrea was waiting for them.

It was Jane who spoke first.

"So amiga, spill the beans, what's on your mind?" She asked.

"Well ..." Daria began to say.

She wanted to tell everything quickly and in detail to her friends but for Jane and Andrea it was like seeing Kevin trying to recite the divine comedy.

After a while, to save Daria fatigue, Andrea said, "Look Daria we already know everything."

"W ... what?" Daria asked.

"We know Charles asked you out because she likes you. I know because he asked me if you were back at Brittany's party, Andrea figured it out recently and, as it may seem absurd, I know my brother! "

Daria did not answer. Her face just became tremendously red.

Then she jumped into Jane's closet and closed the doors behind her.

It happened so quickly that Jane and Andrea barely noticed it.

The two girls then spent the rest of the evening talking to Daria through the doors.

"Oh come on Daria! Why are you making such a scene !? Some time ago while we were teasing Andrea you said you had a couple of dreams about my brother! Why should be this worse !? "Jane exclaimed after a while.

"Because that time I was joking! This is different! "

"Why? Because a guy asked you out? "Asked Andrea.

"Yes! And he did it in the worst possible moment! "

"But he had no other choice!" Said Jane.

"Beside, if this is such a problem just tell him no. He'll understand. "Andrea echoed.

"But ... I do not know if I want to tell him no," Daria said faintly.

"What?" Asked Jane and Andrea in chorus.

Daria opened the doors and repeated what was said.

"I really do not know what I want ... no, I know, but I can not have it." she added immediately.

"And what is that you want?" Jane asked.

"I want to be with my aunt, I want to be with you and Andrea and ... and also with Charles." She said.

The bespectacled girl looked miserably then her friends instinctively embraced her.

Daria answered the hug.

The three girls stayed like this for a while. When they parted Daria said, "thank you I needed it."

"Anytime amiga, anytime."

"Maybe now I can think of what to do calmly," Daria said.

"I've an idea Daria, let's try the maieutic method, what do you think?"

"Sounds good to me." Daria replied, shrugging.

"Ok, then ... do you like Charles, as a friend I mean?"

"Yes, he's such a nice guy."

"Ok, do you think he could be more than a friend for you?"

Daria thought for a moment about what Charles had said to him that afternoon and in doing so he blushed violently.

It is useless to deny it. Daria thought before saying, "Yes, it was all my life I was waiting for someone to tell me what he told me."

Andrea and Jane smiled at 32 teeth when they heard the answer.

"So what are you afraid of?"

"To hurt him, you, my aunt ... to suffer too much ... Already now it's difficult for me. If things with Charles become serious, I do not know if I could do it. "

"I understand." Andrea said. She understood her friend's feelings and honestly did not know how to help her except by forcing her to do what she wanted.

"Look Daria, I do not want to be presumptuous but I think you're exaggerating." Jane said.

"What?" Daria asked.

"Yeah, you're overthinking, go out with Charles! If it do not work out you go to Boston without regrets, if it works, try a distance relationship! I mean it's not like you're leaving tomorrow. "

Daria was about to retaliate but then made sure that Jane was right. With all that had happened in those days she had not had time to talk to her aunt about the details of the departure.

Jane you're a genius!

I know, know, even if I do not know what maieutics is.

"Maybe I can stay here until the end of the school year! It would be great!"

And then you take us to Boston for summer! It's a win-win! Said Jane.

"Lane!" Andrea exclaimed with a false rebuke in his voice.

"Oh shut up Hecuba! You tought it too!"

Andrea was about to reply but was stopped when Daria choked her and Jane in a bear hug.

"Girls you're the best! I can not wait for tomorrow, all I have to do is talk to aunt amy and charles!" Daria exclaimed.

Shortly after Andrea and Daria returned home because the day after was school day.

Daria felt great.

Maybe things can work out! She thought as she put her on a paper and said hello to her father who was looking at John Wayne movie on tv.

She was wrong but he would only find out the following morning.

Well, apparently there is a first time for everything. Daria thought when she saw her sister walk in the kitchen.

Now the whole family was gathered at the table to have breakfast.

Daria, who was only interested in eating, left the conversation to the family.

"There she is, Miss American Bookworm! The midnight oil last night! "Exclaimed Jake.

"We weren't burning anything."

"I mean your algebra study group."

"What are you talking about?" Quinn asked, still almost asleep.

"The study group you went to. The sign in sheet said you got back at eleven-thirty ... but now that I think about it, I went to bed at eleven-forty-five. Hey, I thought you got that watch fixed? "

"Yes, you , were you at a study group last night or did you go on a date?" Asked Helen.

"Don't you see how your rules are strangling me?" Yes, I went on a date, but we're in love, and the rules and regulations in the world can't stop that. "

"In love !?"

"With whom?"

"His name is Cliff. Oop, no wait, it's Clint. I'm not positive, but I can find out at school. "

"You don't even know his name, and you're in love with him!"

"You know what? You're confused about my use of the word love ... "

"Do you have any idea how many of these rules you've broken ?!"

"Argh! Okay, ground me! "

"Oh you can be sure about it young lady. You're grounded for a month!" Helen exclaimed.

Food and entertainment, a nice way to start the day. Daria thought with a smile.

"And you're grounded too Daria!" Helen continued.

Hearing those words, the smile died on the bespectacled girl's face.

"Excuse me !?" she said accusingly.

"You heard me, you're grounded."

"For doing what? Yesterday I was back home before curfew! Dad saw me! "Daria exclaimed. Anger growing in her voice.

"You know Helen, I think she's right, I was ..." Jake began to say before Helen gave him a dirty look.

"What have you told me about backing me up?" Hissed Helen.

"We have to set boundaries, Daria. Nobody said the justice system would be fair. "Helen then continued addressing her eldest daughter.

"Are you fucking kidding me!? I´ll not be grounded just because this bitch was late or for your delirium of omnipotence!"

A heavy silence fell on the kitchen.

Jake was shocked, Quinn was shocked and angry, Helen the same as her daughter but much more so.

Thinking about it, Daria realized that insulting her sister and her mother hadn't been a good idea.

Her outburst had given Helen an excuse for ground her.

However Daria had no intention of giving up.

I just have to plan something to drive them crazy. But there is one thing to do first.

Daria thought in the solitude of her room as she got out of bed and went to her desk.

Without wasting time she took a sheet of paper, a pen and wrote a letter to her aunt Amy.

She would be gone in two days and Daria owed her an answer.

It took her a while to put together those few lines but they were written with the heart.

Long story short Daria told her aunt that she was going to live with her but she would have preferred to do it after the end of the school year, so that she could spend more time with her friends and not have problems at a school level.

When she had finished, Daria put the letter in an envelope and put it in her backpack. She would have given it to Jane who, in turn, would have given it to Amy.

The next day Daria did what was planned. She told her friends what had happened, gave the letter to Jane and then, with some embarrassment, told Charles that she accepted his invitation.

The redhead boy immediately became the happiest guy in the world.

Her smile didn't fade even when Daria told her that she was grounded. He was too, technically.

"So ... can I tell my parents about our dates or you want me to wait?"

"It´s not like we have something to hide, tell them."

So Charles did it but although his parents were happy about the date, they decided to keep him grounded for a few more days.

For her part, Daria, with the unaware help of her sister who was monopolizing the phone, was doing everything possible to make life unbearable for her parents but Helen, and therefore Jake, were particularly obstinate.

The only thing that kept her going was her aunt's letter.

Amy had written her how happy she was that she had decided to come and live with her and that waiting a few months was not a problem.

It will mean that I will come to see you more often. Of course I will take away the money for the trip from your college fund but it is a sacrifice I am willing to make. Just kidding.

See you soon.

Love, Amy.

-

Meanwhile, Jane and Andrea enjoyed the wonders that Lawndale had to offer.

One of them was the faculty-DJ roller hockey game.

The previous year, during the game, DeMartino had a heart attack. Only an emergency angioplasty had saved him.

This year all the students had bet on the fate of their history teacher.

Few rejoiced when, after the match, DeMartino was still alive and healthy.

Andrea and Jane were among them. Wisely one had bet on DeMartino's departure, the other on survival.

Regardless of the outcome, they would have pocketed a nice nest egg.

-

A few days later, Charles's parents canceled his punishment.

He thanked them and immediately told Daria who, in turn, told her parents, asking for the end of her imprisonment due to force majeure.

Now, Jake and Helen were exasperated and would gladly have left their daughters free to have some peace ... yet helen didn't trust her daughter at all.

The two teenagers were friends, it could be a trick.

However Charles looked like a good boy and his father was a very rich and powerful man.

If it was true it would have been great! So Helen thought of a way to unravel her daughter's possible deception.

She would have dictated the conditions for the cancellation of the punishment, conditions so heavy that if the date had not been true Daria would have refused.

To her enormous surprise Daria accepted them all and bargained only on two or three small things.

A smile filled with happiness appeared on Helen's face at the end of that discussion.

-

The weekend came quickly and so did the big date.

Daria looked at her reflection in the mirror and saw a chimera.

Except for her usual boots and the old silver pendant with a jade that she had from Highland times everything was different in her.

The black dress, the green jacket, the make-up and the glasses she was wearing were new, bought by her mother for her.

Even the haircut was different but at least Daria had managed to have them cut like she wanted ... the same of Aunt Amy.

Which had unconsciously worried her mother.

Well mom can't really complain, I look great. Daria thought with mixed feelings.

The sound of the bell distracted Daria from her thoughts.

"Dariaaaa! Your date is here!" His father shouted.

That's so weird. Daria thought.

Without wasting time Daria came out of her room and went down the stairs.

She had been too much in that house.

Waiting for her was Charles and her parents.

He was wearing a simple pair of jean, a shirt and a leather jacket but looked kinda cute.

When he saw her he blushed a lot.

"Hi Daria you ... you look beautiful." he said timidly.

Daria blushed in turn and said, "Thanks you ... you're very elegant."

"I took something for you. I remeber you saying that you liked the bonsai in my room so here. "

Charles said handing her a small weeping willow.

Only then did Daria notice the plant that Charles held in his hands.

"Thanks, it's adorable." she said while taking it.

Daria looked around, not knowing where to put the bonsai.

On his wife's orders, Jake took the plant and took it to Daria's room ... not without muttering.

Then Helen wished the two teens a good evening and let them go ... not before taking a couple of dozen photos.

Once Daria and Charles were out of the house they looked at each other.

"Ready to go?" Charles asked with a nervous smile.

"I am." said Daria, blushing.

THE END

End of season 1