Beginnings of 2020 - Daria - The Youngest Barksdale

The Youngest Barksdale
Daria Barksdale looked at Lawndale as the plane flew over on approach to the airport. She still wasn’t sure why she had to live with Helen and her family. She would have preferred to live with Amy. But her mother was insistent, neither Rita nor Amy were ‘suitable’. She shook her head and focused on the town below. She could see various sprawling subdivisions arrayed around a rather small 19th Century core. ‘It’s more middle class. That’s what I’ll say for it,’ she thought.


Jake Morgendorffer waited in the Arrivals Lounge of the Lawndale Municipal Airport. He knew why his wife had sent him there to meet her sister, she was working late on yet another big case. ‘Not enough time for me. Not enough time for Quinn. Now there’s not enough time for Daria either.’ As he was thinking this, he saw Daria approaching, a short teen girl wearing an understated but well-tailored green dress, a pair of small glasses and her auburn hair tied back in two buns above her ears.

“Jake!” she called, as she pulled along her two suitcases.

“Let me help you with that.”

“Thanks,” Daria said as he picked up one of the suitcases.

Quinn's Code - Cafe Geekdale - Part 6

Shortly before recess, the three friends sat in front of Ms. Li's desk.

“Why are we here?” Daria asked in an annoyed tone.

“The school received a phone call this morning from a Mrs. Johannsen. She said three girls came to her door to sell her chocolate bars, and then suddenly refused to do so. Hmm. Even after she offered five dollars a bar, or more than twice the asking price,” Ms. Li said.

“She was hyperglycemic. The chocolate would've killed her,” Daria said.

“She passed out while we were standing there,” Jennifer said. 'There is no way she can refute that,' she thought.

“Did she ask you to feed her the chocolate?” Ms. Li asked.

“Of course not,” Jane said.

“How do you know it wasn't for her family?” Ms. Li asked.

“We didn't see any family,” Jennifer said.

“She has no family. She ate them,” Jane said.

Jennifer glared at Jane through her hair 'That is not helping our case!' she thought.

Mr. O'Neill then spoke; “Daria, Jane, Jennifer, we're two hundred dollars short of what we need to open the coffeehouse.” He sounded a little, distressed. But then, that was hardly news.

“So, your refusal to sell chocolate to this woman was based purely on concern for her welfare,” Ms. Li said.

'Of course, didn't you hear what I said?' Jennifer thought.

“And not wanting to do time for manslaughter,” Daria said.

“I second that,” Jennifer put in.

“You have no overall problem with raising money for the coffeehouse?” Ms. Li asked.

“I believe in coffee. Coffee for everyone. But I don't want to sell any more chocolate bars. It makes me feel dirty,” Daria said.

“Well, I can't force you to do fundraising, but I can't give you credit for participating in the coffee house project, either,” Ms. Li said.

'Uh, oh!” Jennifer thought.
“Wait. Daria, what about what we discussed? Reading something on opening night,” Mr. O'Neill said.

“I don't think so!” Daria said.

“You do want this extracurricular activity, don't you?” Ms. Li asked.

“Remember your mom,” Jennifer whispered to Daria.

“Fine!” Daria said.

“Fabulous!” Mr. O'Neill said.

“Although I still don't know where we're going to find that two hundred dollars. Well, maybe the freshman volunteers will make up some of it,” Ms. Li said.

'I hope so,' Jennifer thought.

As if in answer to Jennifer's hopes, the office door opened to reveal Quinn, Cindy and Kristen with pockets and hands full of cash.

“Where do you want us to put this money?” Kristen asked.

“Just give it to Mr. O'Neill. He will take care of it,” Ms. Li said, happy that the Coffee house would be able to open after all.


As she walked away from the principal's office with her friends, Daria thought about what she would do about Friday night. 'I have to do something,' she thought. 'Maybe that Melody Powers song,' she thought.


( At lunch; )