4: ON THE FOURTH DAY (Stop It, I Love It)

Yet Daria in a way, wished what happened that night 
was all a dream, and that she would wake up, on her 
own bed, in House Morgendorffer.

No luck at all. For at 6:00 A. M., the auburn chanced to 
wonder  if she WAS at home.Waking up, she squinted,
till it dawned on her she needed her glasses. Reaching
for the nightstand, she got them on--and discovered the
hard way she was still in room 2112 on the 21st floor
of The Red Barchetta Hotel. Naked. The clock tower 
overhead chiming 6:00. And to top it off, an equally
naked Sandi Griffin with her, her arm 'round Daria.
Gently pulling free so the she didn't wake up the brunette,
the auburn climbed from the bed and used the bathroom
to answer nature's call and to shower. After she had dried off,
the nude cynic headed to the window, and peeped twixt the 
curtains, observing the waking activity of Lawndale take place.
"Please, a brain stroke," she murmured. The fact that she had 
gave new meaning to sleeping with the enemy.
But the fact was no joke. Especially when it came to The 
Morgendorffer/Griffin war. And the war twixt the 
unpopular and the popular.
What Daria and Sandi now had was what the Latin community
termed as amor prohibito--forbidden love. But for what it was
worth, that implelling force which brought them to their goal,
had been the manifestation to....a phase, maybe? For the moment,
Daria had no idea where to go from there, now that she and Sandi
got what they came for. Was it worth it? Whatever the reason, she
went back to bed--just as the sweetly yawning brunette re entwined
her arms 'round the auburn, holding her while they kissed. From 
there, The Fashion Clubber laid her head on the cynic's shoulder.
"Good morning, lovergirl, " she said. "I had a feeling you'd come back 
to me."
"Something tells me I've come a long way from Quinn's cousin or
whatever."
Laughing gently, the brunette said, "That you did. .
Like, you surprised me."
"Where do we go from here?" said the auburn Word gets around 
in Lawndale."
"I hope not. My life would be over if everyone knew that I love girls like
you!!"
"Tell me all 'bout it," murmured Daria, thinking over when Kevin and 
Brittany had overheard Sandi's confession to Tiffany. But that wasn't
all--remembering that she WAS dating Tom Sloane, it occured that the
cynic had cheated on Tom. 
Yet the fact she and Tom would be split up when they went to their 
seperate collages....
She came out of her reverie just as the brunette propped herself on one
elbow saying, "All that time....I didn't even know we each had a different 
side of ourselves. I never even felt that way."
"Neither did I," said the auburn. "I didn't even think you, of all people,
the narcisstic and cliquey head of The Fashion Club, had another side
to you. But then, it beats getting tormented by two knuckleheads from 
Highland that were worse than your brothers and Upchuck combined."
"My brothers, I wouldn't doubt, but worse than Upchuck?"
"Yup. And Beavis and Butt Head were their names."
For the third time, Sandi was laughing. "Butt Head? BUTT HEAD?!?"
Shrugging, Daria replied, "Let's just say his mom was high on morphine
at the time."
"Like, drugs suck. Even The Fashion Club would think twice 'bout using
drugs, no matter how popular they get."
"Amen. You should see what it did to Beavis and Butt Head."
There was a pause before Sandi stated, "Daria.....I got some confessions
to make."
"That you formed The Fashion Club just to date girls?" asked Daria.
Glaring at the surprised auburn, the brunette said crisply, "Stop it, Daria!!
Be serious!!"
"Sorry."
As somber as she could, Sandi said, "Like....., that day I chased you........when
Quinn, Stacy, Tiffany and me were on our way to Cashman's, I sensed there
was something strange when Quinn said she'd meet up later. The fact that I
also saw you and Jane....I knew something was up, so I told Stacy and Tiffany
to meet me at Cashman's, and followed Quinn at a distance, till she was in 
that railroad tunnel with you and your friend. When you didn't come out, I 
waited till the train came out and went inside. I saw you between the cars, 
and that was when I confronted you the best way I could. Quinn thought 
she could be sneaky, but I can be sneakier."
"Ah......," said Daria. "Then----it WAS you, inside R. R. Tunnel No. 558."
Sandi nodded. "I wanted to tell you then--to tell you I loved you...."
"I thought so.....so......anything else you can relate to me on?"
"Just one other thing...........as much as it hurts the image, if not my
reputation, as the President of The Fashion Club, I got something, all
joking aside, to say....." The brunette took a breath before saying the 
following words--which was a shock to the auburn:
"I envy you, Daria Morgendorffer."
Unable to believe what she had just heard, Daria blurted out, "WHAT?!?"
"Like, it's no joke," said Sandi, who sounded beyond serious. "You don't know
how lucky you can be to have a sister like Quinn."
"Me?"
"Yup. All I got to show for, is two rug rat brothers that play a LOT of havoc 
on me, make me at times CRY!! I never even had a sister!! Like, I WISH
I had a sister...."
"Brittany's got a brother that does the same stuff," said the auburn.
"True," agreed the brunette. "For Brittany, one brat of a brother is one
thing, but the two I got is a nightmare!!"
"Now that I think of it, you'd think we'd get along ourselves since we're 
united by one thing." From there, Sandi and Daria said in unison:
"Quinn."
"Yup," said the cynic. "That ol' love/hate relationship with Quinn...."
Sighing, the fashion diva said, "I wish we could love all over again."
"The thing is," said the auburn,  "CAN it be done again?"
"Oh, Daria........" breathed the brunette, "I just don't care....but right now, I love
you SO MUCH!!"
"Whatever," said the auburn. "We've proved to each other that life is 'bout 
trying new stuff. Now let's hurry....."

As soon as they could, Daria and Sandi showered, dried, dressed, packed up and
headed for the elevator, each girl descending down in her own elevator. Once
in the foyer, the auburn deposited her key card in the key drop box before picking 
up her bill for her stay at the desk. That completed, she went for the exit, while
the brunette ran out a different door. Soon after that, the girls headed their own
ways, back to their homes, got ready, and made to Lawndale High just in time.

After depositing her back pack in her locker, Daria saw Jane arrive on the scene.
"You're here bright and early," said the artist. "How'd your sabbatical at The
Red Barchetta Hotel do?"
"Couldn't be better, Jane," replied the cynic.
"Oh......so your night with Sandi was great, wasn't it? "
Jumping back as if she had been stung, Daria gasped, "WHAT?!?"
"Take it easy," said Jane, holding up her hand and laughing. "I wouldn't 
abandon my partner in crime. I mean, Tom was one thing, but.......we're STILL
freakin' friends." Then bursting into wild laughter, she added, "You and Sandi, 
the F.C. President, gettin' with it?!? How's that for a page of Lawndale 
history?"
"Just as long as neither Brittany, nor Kevin, nor Upchuck, nor anyone else get
wind of it," said the auburn meanacingly, thankful that her friend was still
her friend.
"Your secret's safe with me," said the artist, with a grin before she started laughing
again. "Remember, I had a near run in with a lezzie myself."
"Alison....but.......," stammered Daria, "how'd you......?!?"
"How'd I know?" said Jane, who got herself back in control of her giggles. "For
one thing, when you stuck your pack in the locker, I could smell Sandi's perfume 
coming from it. For another, why would you choose a fancy joint like The Red
Barchetta Hotel for your solace? Only clandestine lovers would choose hotels
for their meetings. And that bribe money you used to pay for last night--why
else would you resort to such expense? Besides, the day before last, when you
came out from the forest after Sandi chased you, I chanced to notice your
lipstick was smeared big time. But the real clincher was when I came to
the bathroom last morning and overheard you and Sandi through the
air vents that led to the roof--right up to the lip lock.  "
"The air vents. No wonder Kevin and Brittany--"
"--overheard Sandi and Tiffany." Again, Jane smirked.
Sighing, Daria hung her head and said dejectedly, "OK, so you know. PLEASE
forgive me, Jane. I don't want Quinn and Tom to know. I'll be ruined for life."
"I said it was OK," assured Jane, who placed a comforting hand on her friend's
shoulder. "Only where will you two go from here?"

A good question indeed--where would they go from here?
For the rest of the day, Daria knew that now that she and Sandi got what 
they came for, she could see the romance was dying out, that she was bored.
That, plus the fact that the auburn and the brunette were of different worlds
different lifestyles and different ways of life. Quinn notwithstanding, Sandi,
Tiffany and Stacy (well, maybe not Stacy) hadn't been her friends at all, since
she and her family first came to Lawndale. They may had been Quinn's friends
but not Daria's; for that matter, whoever heard of a student in love with another 
that was a year below her? Especially someone that was arrogant, stuck up, 
egotistical and self centered. But then, Sandi was only that way because of 
her mom Linda. 
There were also reputations to protect, Daria with her cynicism and Sandi 
with her hyper bitch ways. And yet the irony was for their differences, the
auburn and the brunette WERE united by one common thing--Quinn. Sister,
best friend, and at the same time, some one to fight with.
And then there was one problem: how to break up with Sandi. Knowing the
diva's fierce temper, and her tears, the cynic was torn. Should she risk
breaking Sandi's heart and get hurt, or be stuck in a joyless love affair?

Daria had never felt so lost--and yet at the same time, so was Sandi, 
unable to decide to stop the romance or carry on.

Plodding along Dega St. to meet up with Jane prior to eating at The 
Pizza King, all Daria could do was ponder her fate. Right now, she
was walking past The Red Barchetta Hotel, when Amy broke into
her reverie:
"Daria? How's my favorite niece?"
Seeing that her aunt was standing before her a yard at the entrance,
the auburn repiled glumly, "Like someone threw a monkey wrench
into the works of the so called Ya Ya Sisterhood."
"Oh, what's the matter? Did your sister pull a fashion prank on your 
black skirts?"
"It's much worse.....would you hate me if I was in love with another girl?"
"Hate you?" said Amy. "My favorite niece? But what happened to Tom?"
"It's a long story," said Daria somberly.
At that moment, an Asian accented voice said,  "Is that your niece you've 
been mentioning to me?"
Turning, Daria saw a business suited Japanese man with the looks of
Ming Tsai. "You Daria Morgendorffer? Permit me to introduce myself--
I am Eiji Tachibana, owner and general manager of The Red Barchetta 
Hotel. "
"And my aunt's new boyfriend."
"Hai. Which means you're definitely her niece. It is an honor to meet 
with you, Morgendorffer san. Your aunt told me so much of your life."
"You'd be surprised at some of the talents she's got," said Amy. "Right 
now, it seems she's in a quandry."
Nodding in agreement, Eiji stated, "A serious matter indeed. She seems
rather troubled, judging from the mood she is in." To Daria, he said,
"In Japan, there is no problem that is impossible to solve. Perhaps you
would like to stop by my office for a soda."
"Knowing that I am sane," said Daria hesitantly, "I guess I could stand 
a pit stop."
"What I tell you?" said Amy to Eiji. "Daria's a card."

The interior of Eiji's office was half spartan and half in Japanese Shinto
decor, yet was still businesslike, with a touch a homeyness--and it was here
that Daria, sipping a soda, related to Amy and Eiji, the kiss she shared 
with Sandi, the nightmares she had, the incident in R.R. Tunnel No. 558,
the chase the brunette gave her, the second kiss, the love affair she and 
Sandi had, and the problem of trying to break up with The Fashion 
Clubber. 
Indeed, to Daria's delight, Eiji turned out to be an understanding type, 
while he and Amy listened. When the cynic had finished, Amy said, "So
all that time you thought you were bi, yet your first love relationship's
got a lot of fizz than an Ultra Cola can and you want out."
"Like I said," said Eiji, "a serious matter." Standing up, a cola can in hand,
he paced the office. "The fact you don't know how to break up from that
girl.....I would suggest you be tactful with her and tell her the truth. In
Japan there is a saying which is identical to your 'The squeaky wheel
gets the grease'--and that saying is: 'The nail that sticks up, gets
pounded down.' Which means you should be honest and tell her the
romance is over."
"And if I do," said the auburn, "she'll scratch my eyes out. What am I
supposed to do, say 'Stop it, I love it'?"
"Sometimes, Morgendorffer san, there's risks we all must take..... 
what you Americans would call 'one huge explosion and get it over with', 
ne? All I can say is.....it's up to you."
"Maybe the following story might help," said Amy. "When I was a teen like 
you, I too, also had a lesbian love affair with a friend of mine with a 
friend of mine named Trishelle. But when the thrill was gone, I was 
worried over how to break off the relationship. So I broke it to her with 
tact, and it turned out she as the understanding type. After the breakup,
she married a man, and gave birth to a daughter, who to Trishelle's
surprise, also became a lesbian and went to live in some independent
colony."
"Was her daughter by any chance," asked Daria, "named Alison?"
Her face lighting up, Amy said, "Why yes......how'd you know that?"
"She tried to seduce my good friend Jane some time ago."
"Some things never change, eh, Daria? Like mother, like daughter."
Shaking his head in surprise, Eiji could only say, "So scandal does
run in the family. How shocking. I guess it takes all kinds."
"So it would seem," said the auburn. "Just another day in the sick 
sad world."
Placing aside her cola can, Amy turned to her niece, and said, 
"So it would seem indeed. Anyhow, my advice is what Eiji said--
be tactful and break it to Sandi gently. But most important of all is:
do what you think is right."

Poor Daria--she's now stuck between the Scylla of a controversial
love affair and the Charibdes of breaking Sandi's heart--and 
upsetting her at the same time. Who was it that said, "Don't
make waves"? Sometimes love can be dangerous. At least 
that didn't happen between Daria and Tom--oh wait, that
almost jeparodized her friendship with Jane. Anyhow, our
heroine's got a tough choice to make. And how will Sandi 
react? Given her reputation as a hyper diva, it's no hype 
what she might do. But then again....
Oh, one last thing--in case you didn't know, hai and ne?,
they're Japanese for yes and "Ain't it so?" respectively.
I thought you should know, minna san (that means all or 
all of you.),eh?

Next: 5: On The Fifth Day (Try To Understand)

--Weenie Hut Jr.