Quinn's Code 14 Wedding Trouble - Part 2
Sep. 19th, 2021 05:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fardell24Quinn’s Code 14 Wedding Trouble – Part 2
It was uncomfortable. Daria figited. It was just as she had feared. The dress was ill fitted and to make it more infuriating, the seemstress was continually pricking her with a pin. She silently steamed. 'She is incompetent!' she thought. Not for the first time.
“Nature didn't see fit to give you much in the way of hips, did she, dearie?”
“That shouldn't be a problem!” Daria said, with a merely annoyed tone.
“Turn around please.”
“Oh, Scarlet, You grow lovlier by the day,” Jane said in a southern accent while batting her eyebrows.
Daria sighed. “I'll kill you.”
Jane merely smiled.
Suddenly a voice that Daria had least expected to hear squeaked out her name. “Daria?”
“Brittany?”
Brittany Taylor, one of the cheerleaders at Lawndale High, had entered the bridal shop.
“What are you doing here?” both asked at the same time.
“Isn't it obvious?” An Arab shiek's in town to buy a few more wives,” Jane joked.
“They're putting on a bridal expo in the gym. We're modelling,” Brittany explained.
“A Bridal Expo, that's a good message to be sending to high school students...” Daria snarked. 'Why is Ms. Li doing that?' she pondered.
“I wonder what sort of extracurricular activities would lead to a wedding...” Jane said.
'I'm sure our Principal may have taken the idea into account,' Daria thought. She was sure that Jane was onto something.
“What about you? Are you in a play or something?” Brittany asked.
“No,” Daria said. She had had enough.
Brittany then went off...
The 'seemstress' pricked Daria with a pin again, harder this time. “Ouch.”
“Hold still. I'm having a hard time with your body as it is.”
'That's it,' Daria thought.
“You shouldn't have said that!” Jane said to the 'seemstress'.
“I'm just underdeveloped!” Daria said with an edge to her voice.
“I'm doing my best, dearie!”
“Could you start again?” Daria asked, trying to calm down.
“That would be a good idea,” Jane suggested.
“I won't!”
“I'm not paying for it,” Daria added, with a calmer tone.
“Fine!” the 'seemstress' said.
Finally, Daria was ready. The seemstress had improved upon her second try, but still had made disparaging remarks about Daria's figure. 'I am going to blog about this!' she thought. She was sure that Jane and Jennifer hadn't discovered all of her blogs.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
After a long drive, the Morgendorffers arrived at the Windsor Hills Resort for Erin's Wedding. “This is an expensive vehicle. Be careful with it,” Jake told the valet.
“Yeah, right,” the valet said, just before driving off with Jake's Lexus.
“Helen!” Rita Barksdale called.
“Rita!” Helen called as she hugged her sister.
“How are you, Jake?” Rita asked.
“Well, I'm not that...”
“Oh, the girls look lovely,” Rita interuppted. She indicated a man next to her. “Everyone, this is Paul, my beau.”
“Hello,” Paul said,
“Paul Meyerson?” Jake asked.
“Jake?” Paul asked. He quickly realised where he knew Jake from. “Jake and I were in boy scouts together. You bring your clubs?”
Jake grumbled.
“Dad, what was that you said about knowing how to pick 'em?” Daria asked. 'I guess, he's willing to see the best in Paul.'
“Oh, Daria...”
A sports car then arrived.
“Who's that?” Daria wondered.
“Aunt Amy?” Quinn asked.
Amy Barksdale got out of the car. “I don't mind a few dents, but change the radio station and a your're a dead man,” she said with heavy sarcasm.
“Amy, how delightful. I thought you weren't coming,” Rita said.
“I wasn't, but I thought if you two could put aside years of bitterness and resentment, then so can I... for a day,” Amy answered.
“Oh, Amy, why do you say such ridiculous things?” Helen asked.
“Out loud?” Amy asked rhetorically as she passed between her sisters. “So, Jake. You're still with Helen, huh? Shows remarkable fortitude.” She turned to Paul. “And Roger. How's the skydiving going?”
“Amy, Roger passed away. This is Paul,” Helen pointed out.
Amy quickly recovered from her faux pas. “Oh, sorry. Paul, how do you do?”
“Who's Roger?” Paul asked.
“A female bovine failed to sufficiently break his fall,” Daria answered. She wondered how Paul would react to that.
“Ick!” Paul responded.
“He was one of the lucky ones,” Quinn said meaningfully.
“Girls!” Helen admonished.
“Hey, what's the point of a senseless tragedy if you can't find a little humour in it? I like the way both of you think, particularly you, Quinn.”
Daria grumbled.
“Now, Amy. I don't know where we're going to seat you...” Rita began as she lead her younger sister into the building.
“I need a drink,” Helen said.
Jake laughed.
“Why are you laughing?” Helen asked.
Jake stopped laughing as he followed his wife inside.
“You know, Quinn, Aunt Amy's really weird,” Daria said, trying to stirr Quinn up.
Quinn didn't take the bait. “Yes, she is,” she said. 'My kind of weird,' she added to herself. It was going to be great, catching up with her aunt.
As the wedding party prepared for the actual ceremony, it was threatening rain. “Oh, it can't rain on Brain and Erin's wedding. It just can't,” one of the bridesmaids said.
“That would be so awful. I couldn't stand it,” another said.
“On the contrary. Rain is an ancient symbol of fertility. Every couple should be so lucky,” a teenage groomsman said in a monotone.
“Oh, don't you see? A little rain won't spoil the happiest day of Brian and Erin's life,” a third bridesmaid said.
Daria and Quinn approached them. “A little heavenly, isn't it Daria?” Quinn asked. 'I know she'd think the opposite...'
“You must be Erin's cousin,” the third bridesmaid said.
“We both are,” Daria said.
“I shall introduce you to your escorts,” the bridesmaid said. She lead them to a handsome young man. “Daria, Quinn, this is Garrett. Garrett will be with Quinn.
“Of course,” Daria said. She walked off with the bridesmaid.
“Quinn, you're just about the loveliest thing I ever saw,” Garrett said. “I kinda imagined the hair would be longer though,” he added.
“You like it?” Quinn asked as she did a pirouette. “It's been like this for a year or so,” she added.
“Yes,” Garrett answered.
“That's cool. Say, you like games?”
“Daria, this is your escort,, Lurhman,” the bridesmaid said, indicating the monotone teen from earlier. She then left.
“Of course,” Daria said.
“How do you do, Da-rye-a?”
“It's Daria, actually.”
“Sorry.”
“So, Luhrman. Is that your first name or your last name?”
“Does it matter?”
“Not really,” Daria said.
Lawndale
The Bridal Expo at Lawndale High was in full swing. Charles Ruttheimer III was announcing. “Here's lovely Brittany in a sleeky and latiny number from Lanurb that says that this may be my wedding day, but dammit, I want to dance!”
Her boyfriend, Kevin Thompson, was in the stands. But he was sleeping. His friend Michael 'Mack' Mckenzie shook him to wake him up. “Wake up! It's Brittany!”
“What? Huh?” Kevin said. He accidently spilled soda on his pants. He stood up. “Oh man!”
“I think you're blowing our cover,” Mack said.
“I don't think so!” Kevin objected.
Brittany saw Kevin in the stands. “Kevin, what are you doing here?”
“Surprise, babe!”
“Ooooh!” Brittany projected as she walked off the stage.
“Now you have,” Mack said.
On the other side of the hall, Jennifer and three of her other friends, Cindy Brolsma, Kristen Leung-Bell and Stacy Rowe, laughed.
Leeville
The reception had started. Lurhman mumbled something. Daria couldn't make it out. “What did you say?”
“Just a little pointless chit chat. Forget it. Would you like another soda?”
“No thanks,” Daria said.
“Or shall we just split a bottle of drain cleaner?” Daria glared at him. “Please be assurred my remark was intended in jest, and not as an incitement to any type of self-destructive behaviour.”
Daria was impressed. She thought that they could get along. “You're not from around here, are you?”
“Not very far,” Lurhman answered, his voice unchanged.
Quinn was in over her head. She had gained the minister's attention. She was sure that it wasn't the right kind of attention. “A wild, rolling, surging ocean of love, on which we, as mere individuals, have no control. Do you understand what I'm saying?”
“A little,” Quinn said as she tried to put to words her objections. Daria came by.
Hi, Quinn. Hi Father,” she said.
“Actually, I'm a minister, not a priest,” the minister clarified.
“The important thing is, you're the voice of morality in the community,” Daria said as she passed by to the bathrooms.
“You know, my sister has a point!” Quinn said, backing off.
“I don't get your meaning,” the minister said.
“I think you do!” Quinn said, backing off again.
“Wait!”
“Gotta go!”
“Wait!” he said, a little louder.
Meanwhile, when she had done her business, Daria found Amy at the sinks. “I hate myself in a formal dress, and everyone else, too. You don't look too thrilled at things, either.”
“Oh, no. I'm overjoyed to be at this big family event. Day to day life isn't humiliating enough,” Daria responded.
“Let's see, you're in college now, or something,” Amy guessed.
“Still high school, unfortunately,” Daria responded. 'She has been out of contact with Mom long enough to have lost contact,' she thought.
“I have some vague memories of high school, but these days, you all carry weapons, right?”
“Well, not to formal occasions like this.”
“That's where you kids make your mistake,” Amy thought for a moment. “I thought when turned thirty I would stop feeling out of place at these things.”
“You feel out of place?” Daria asked in surprise.
“You didn't notice that my sisters are busy competing with each other that I don't even register on their radar?”
“Sounds like Quinn and I,” Daria mused. “But I figured that you were above all that.” She paused. “I mean, you're kind of...” She trailed off, not wanting to use the word she was thinking of out loud to an adult.
Amy knew what word she was going to say. “Cool?”
“Um...”
“I know, you can't say that to me. Law of the teenagers.”
“Thank you for respecting it.”
“When I was a kid, with Helen and Rita going at it all the time, all they left to me was to supply the color commentary. Then one day, I found myself all grown up, with my own point of view, and feeling no particular obligation to listen to anyone else's BS ever.
“So it actually turned out really well,” Darai commented.
“Unless I have to see my sisters at a wedding, yeah. Sarcasm. It's a wonderful way to deal.” Amy paused and put on her glasses. “But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?”
Daria smirked.
Lawndale
Mack and his girlfriend Jodie Landon met, Cindy Brolsma, Kristen Leung-Bell and Jennifer Burns. “You're sick of this expo too, huh?” he asked the three friends.
“Yes,” Cindy answered.
“I don't know why Ms. Li organised it,” Kristen said, with annoyance. She shook her head. 'She's out of control.'
“You want to complain to her?” Jodie asked.
“Yes,” Kristen answered.
“I think so too,” Jodie said.
“Let's do it,” Jennifer contributed.
“Sure,” Jodie said. “She should be in her office.”
Soon, they found the Principal in her office.
“Why are you here?” she asked as she looked up from the paperwork on the desk.
“Asking why you organised the bridal expo,” Kristen said.
“That is really none of your business,” the Principal protested.
“You said the same thing about Amazon Models,” Jodie pointed out.
The Principal was flustered. “Yes. And someone cracked my email and Paypal in order to get that Mercenary to visit!”
“It wasn't anyone here,” Jennifer pointed out.
“That is obvious,” the principal said. “I have my suspicions, but there is no proof. As far as the current Bridal expo is concerned. It's none of your business.” She paused for effect. “As far as that cracker is concerned, he or she will not hear about this. And if they do, they won't find out the reason. But I will know that unauthorised activities were carried out.”
“Ms. Li. I have no idea what you're talking about,” Jodie said.
“I know you don't, Ms. Landon,” the Principal said before Jodie could say anything more.
'I do know, but I'm not saying anything,' Cindy thought. Quinn had told her her suspicions.
“But the question is still valid,” Jodie pressed.
“I am not answering. Good day!” the principal said.
The group exited the office.
“That didn't work,” Mack commented.
“Obviously,” Kristen stated.
Jodie turned to Jennifer. “Spill!” She said.
“What do you mean?” Jennifer asked, with surprise.
“You told Ms. Li that it wasn't anyone here. Therefore you do know who it was,” Jodie answered.
“It's best that we talk elsewhere,” Cindy interjected.
“Sure,” Jodie said.
Leeville
“Oh, it was a lovely ceremony, wasn't it?” Rita asked.
“It really was, Rita,” Jake answered.
“I'm just so sorry Mom couldn't be here.”
“Don't worry, she'll get to live it all vicariously when the bills arrive,” Helen commented. “Jake, how about getting me another glass of wine?”
It was obvious she had had a few already. “Gee, honey, maybe you shouldn't...” he admonished.
Helen was having none of that. “Jake, I'd really like a glass of wine, now.”
“Right!” Jake said as he left.
“Helen, you're not bitter about this.”
“Rita, please. Why why I be bitter?” she asked rhetorically. “You and Erin deserve the best. You always have.” She meant the last part to sting.
“Oh, so I should be punished forever because I made a few bad decisions,” Rita retorted.
Amy approached. “Hi. What are you two arguing about now?”
“Arguing? We're not arguing,” Helen retorted.
“Still mad because Dad gave Rita that MG and all you got was a Plymouth Valiant?” Amy asked.
“My goodness, Amy, the things you remember,” Rita commented.
“It was a Dodge Dart,” Helen added.
Lawndale
Jodie, Mack, Kristen, Jennifer, Stacy and Cindy arrived at a pizza place frequented by Lawndale High students.
“So, tell me about the cracking,” Jodie said to Cindy after they had ordered and sat down.
“It's only Quinn's suspicion, it may be baseless,” Cindy said.
“But you agree with her,” Jodie added.
“I do,” Cindy said.
“So, spill!” Jodie encouraged.
“Quinn thinks that it's Andrea Hecuba,” Jennifer said.
Jodie turned to Kristen. “And you agree?” she asked.
“I agree,” Kristen said simply.
“Why does Quinn think it's her?”
“Strange vibes she has felt since joining the Programming Club and the fact that Daria used to subscribe to Conroy's magazine,” Cindy answered.
“Let me get this straight, Quinn thinks that Daria asked Andrea to ensure that General Conroy would come into the school?” Jodie asked, picking up on the second part of Cindy's statement.
“Yes,” Cindy answered.
“Right,” Jodie said as she thought about it.
“Clearly, cracking was involved. Ms. Li looked quite shocked when the General said that he had the email and Paypal receipt,” Mack pointed out.
“I remember,” Jodie said. “But there's no reason to blame Andrea either. It could be all Daria, or another person entirely.”
Jennifer remained silent. She didn't want to implicate Daria any more than she may have been already.
“So, you want to keep an eye on both of them?” Mack asked.
“Yes,” Jodie said.
They then remained in silence until the pizzas arrived.
It was uncomfortable. Daria figited. It was just as she had feared. The dress was ill fitted and to make it more infuriating, the seemstress was continually pricking her with a pin. She silently steamed. 'She is incompetent!' she thought. Not for the first time.
“Nature didn't see fit to give you much in the way of hips, did she, dearie?”
“That shouldn't be a problem!” Daria said, with a merely annoyed tone.
“Turn around please.”
“Oh, Scarlet, You grow lovlier by the day,” Jane said in a southern accent while batting her eyebrows.
Daria sighed. “I'll kill you.”
Jane merely smiled.
Suddenly a voice that Daria had least expected to hear squeaked out her name. “Daria?”
“Brittany?”
Brittany Taylor, one of the cheerleaders at Lawndale High, had entered the bridal shop.
“What are you doing here?” both asked at the same time.
“Isn't it obvious?” An Arab shiek's in town to buy a few more wives,” Jane joked.
“They're putting on a bridal expo in the gym. We're modelling,” Brittany explained.
“A Bridal Expo, that's a good message to be sending to high school students...” Daria snarked. 'Why is Ms. Li doing that?' she pondered.
“I wonder what sort of extracurricular activities would lead to a wedding...” Jane said.
'I'm sure our Principal may have taken the idea into account,' Daria thought. She was sure that Jane was onto something.
“What about you? Are you in a play or something?” Brittany asked.
“No,” Daria said. She had had enough.
Brittany then went off...
The 'seemstress' pricked Daria with a pin again, harder this time. “Ouch.”
“Hold still. I'm having a hard time with your body as it is.”
'That's it,' Daria thought.
“You shouldn't have said that!” Jane said to the 'seemstress'.
“I'm just underdeveloped!” Daria said with an edge to her voice.
“I'm doing my best, dearie!”
“Could you start again?” Daria asked, trying to calm down.
“That would be a good idea,” Jane suggested.
“I won't!”
“I'm not paying for it,” Daria added, with a calmer tone.
“Fine!” the 'seemstress' said.
Finally, Daria was ready. The seemstress had improved upon her second try, but still had made disparaging remarks about Daria's figure. 'I am going to blog about this!' she thought. She was sure that Jane and Jennifer hadn't discovered all of her blogs.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
After a long drive, the Morgendorffers arrived at the Windsor Hills Resort for Erin's Wedding. “This is an expensive vehicle. Be careful with it,” Jake told the valet.
“Yeah, right,” the valet said, just before driving off with Jake's Lexus.
“Helen!” Rita Barksdale called.
“Rita!” Helen called as she hugged her sister.
“How are you, Jake?” Rita asked.
“Well, I'm not that...”
“Oh, the girls look lovely,” Rita interuppted. She indicated a man next to her. “Everyone, this is Paul, my beau.”
“Hello,” Paul said,
“Paul Meyerson?” Jake asked.
“Jake?” Paul asked. He quickly realised where he knew Jake from. “Jake and I were in boy scouts together. You bring your clubs?”
Jake grumbled.
“Dad, what was that you said about knowing how to pick 'em?” Daria asked. 'I guess, he's willing to see the best in Paul.'
“Oh, Daria...”
A sports car then arrived.
“Who's that?” Daria wondered.
“Aunt Amy?” Quinn asked.
Amy Barksdale got out of the car. “I don't mind a few dents, but change the radio station and a your're a dead man,” she said with heavy sarcasm.
“Amy, how delightful. I thought you weren't coming,” Rita said.
“I wasn't, but I thought if you two could put aside years of bitterness and resentment, then so can I... for a day,” Amy answered.
“Oh, Amy, why do you say such ridiculous things?” Helen asked.
“Out loud?” Amy asked rhetorically as she passed between her sisters. “So, Jake. You're still with Helen, huh? Shows remarkable fortitude.” She turned to Paul. “And Roger. How's the skydiving going?”
“Amy, Roger passed away. This is Paul,” Helen pointed out.
Amy quickly recovered from her faux pas. “Oh, sorry. Paul, how do you do?”
“Who's Roger?” Paul asked.
“A female bovine failed to sufficiently break his fall,” Daria answered. She wondered how Paul would react to that.
“Ick!” Paul responded.
“He was one of the lucky ones,” Quinn said meaningfully.
“Girls!” Helen admonished.
“Hey, what's the point of a senseless tragedy if you can't find a little humour in it? I like the way both of you think, particularly you, Quinn.”
Daria grumbled.
“Now, Amy. I don't know where we're going to seat you...” Rita began as she lead her younger sister into the building.
“I need a drink,” Helen said.
Jake laughed.
“Why are you laughing?” Helen asked.
Jake stopped laughing as he followed his wife inside.
“You know, Quinn, Aunt Amy's really weird,” Daria said, trying to stirr Quinn up.
Quinn didn't take the bait. “Yes, she is,” she said. 'My kind of weird,' she added to herself. It was going to be great, catching up with her aunt.
As the wedding party prepared for the actual ceremony, it was threatening rain. “Oh, it can't rain on Brain and Erin's wedding. It just can't,” one of the bridesmaids said.
“That would be so awful. I couldn't stand it,” another said.
“On the contrary. Rain is an ancient symbol of fertility. Every couple should be so lucky,” a teenage groomsman said in a monotone.
“Oh, don't you see? A little rain won't spoil the happiest day of Brian and Erin's life,” a third bridesmaid said.
Daria and Quinn approached them. “A little heavenly, isn't it Daria?” Quinn asked. 'I know she'd think the opposite...'
“You must be Erin's cousin,” the third bridesmaid said.
“We both are,” Daria said.
“I shall introduce you to your escorts,” the bridesmaid said. She lead them to a handsome young man. “Daria, Quinn, this is Garrett. Garrett will be with Quinn.
“Of course,” Daria said. She walked off with the bridesmaid.
“Quinn, you're just about the loveliest thing I ever saw,” Garrett said. “I kinda imagined the hair would be longer though,” he added.
“You like it?” Quinn asked as she did a pirouette. “It's been like this for a year or so,” she added.
“Yes,” Garrett answered.
“That's cool. Say, you like games?”
“Daria, this is your escort,, Lurhman,” the bridesmaid said, indicating the monotone teen from earlier. She then left.
“Of course,” Daria said.
“How do you do, Da-rye-a?”
“It's Daria, actually.”
“Sorry.”
“So, Luhrman. Is that your first name or your last name?”
“Does it matter?”
“Not really,” Daria said.
Lawndale
The Bridal Expo at Lawndale High was in full swing. Charles Ruttheimer III was announcing. “Here's lovely Brittany in a sleeky and latiny number from Lanurb that says that this may be my wedding day, but dammit, I want to dance!”
Her boyfriend, Kevin Thompson, was in the stands. But he was sleeping. His friend Michael 'Mack' Mckenzie shook him to wake him up. “Wake up! It's Brittany!”
“What? Huh?” Kevin said. He accidently spilled soda on his pants. He stood up. “Oh man!”
“I think you're blowing our cover,” Mack said.
“I don't think so!” Kevin objected.
Brittany saw Kevin in the stands. “Kevin, what are you doing here?”
“Surprise, babe!”
“Ooooh!” Brittany projected as she walked off the stage.
“Now you have,” Mack said.
On the other side of the hall, Jennifer and three of her other friends, Cindy Brolsma, Kristen Leung-Bell and Stacy Rowe, laughed.
Leeville
The reception had started. Lurhman mumbled something. Daria couldn't make it out. “What did you say?”
“Just a little pointless chit chat. Forget it. Would you like another soda?”
“No thanks,” Daria said.
“Or shall we just split a bottle of drain cleaner?” Daria glared at him. “Please be assurred my remark was intended in jest, and not as an incitement to any type of self-destructive behaviour.”
Daria was impressed. She thought that they could get along. “You're not from around here, are you?”
“Not very far,” Lurhman answered, his voice unchanged.
Quinn was in over her head. She had gained the minister's attention. She was sure that it wasn't the right kind of attention. “A wild, rolling, surging ocean of love, on which we, as mere individuals, have no control. Do you understand what I'm saying?”
“A little,” Quinn said as she tried to put to words her objections. Daria came by.
Hi, Quinn. Hi Father,” she said.
“Actually, I'm a minister, not a priest,” the minister clarified.
“The important thing is, you're the voice of morality in the community,” Daria said as she passed by to the bathrooms.
“You know, my sister has a point!” Quinn said, backing off.
“I don't get your meaning,” the minister said.
“I think you do!” Quinn said, backing off again.
“Wait!”
“Gotta go!”
“Wait!” he said, a little louder.
Meanwhile, when she had done her business, Daria found Amy at the sinks. “I hate myself in a formal dress, and everyone else, too. You don't look too thrilled at things, either.”
“Oh, no. I'm overjoyed to be at this big family event. Day to day life isn't humiliating enough,” Daria responded.
“Let's see, you're in college now, or something,” Amy guessed.
“Still high school, unfortunately,” Daria responded. 'She has been out of contact with Mom long enough to have lost contact,' she thought.
“I have some vague memories of high school, but these days, you all carry weapons, right?”
“Well, not to formal occasions like this.”
“That's where you kids make your mistake,” Amy thought for a moment. “I thought when turned thirty I would stop feeling out of place at these things.”
“You feel out of place?” Daria asked in surprise.
“You didn't notice that my sisters are busy competing with each other that I don't even register on their radar?”
“Sounds like Quinn and I,” Daria mused. “But I figured that you were above all that.” She paused. “I mean, you're kind of...” She trailed off, not wanting to use the word she was thinking of out loud to an adult.
Amy knew what word she was going to say. “Cool?”
“Um...”
“I know, you can't say that to me. Law of the teenagers.”
“Thank you for respecting it.”
“When I was a kid, with Helen and Rita going at it all the time, all they left to me was to supply the color commentary. Then one day, I found myself all grown up, with my own point of view, and feeling no particular obligation to listen to anyone else's BS ever.
“So it actually turned out really well,” Darai commented.
“Unless I have to see my sisters at a wedding, yeah. Sarcasm. It's a wonderful way to deal.” Amy paused and put on her glasses. “But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?”
Daria smirked.
Lawndale
Mack and his girlfriend Jodie Landon met, Cindy Brolsma, Kristen Leung-Bell and Jennifer Burns. “You're sick of this expo too, huh?” he asked the three friends.
“Yes,” Cindy answered.
“I don't know why Ms. Li organised it,” Kristen said, with annoyance. She shook her head. 'She's out of control.'
“You want to complain to her?” Jodie asked.
“Yes,” Kristen answered.
“I think so too,” Jodie said.
“Let's do it,” Jennifer contributed.
“Sure,” Jodie said. “She should be in her office.”
Soon, they found the Principal in her office.
“Why are you here?” she asked as she looked up from the paperwork on the desk.
“Asking why you organised the bridal expo,” Kristen said.
“That is really none of your business,” the Principal protested.
“You said the same thing about Amazon Models,” Jodie pointed out.
The Principal was flustered. “Yes. And someone cracked my email and Paypal in order to get that Mercenary to visit!”
“It wasn't anyone here,” Jennifer pointed out.
“That is obvious,” the principal said. “I have my suspicions, but there is no proof. As far as the current Bridal expo is concerned. It's none of your business.” She paused for effect. “As far as that cracker is concerned, he or she will not hear about this. And if they do, they won't find out the reason. But I will know that unauthorised activities were carried out.”
“Ms. Li. I have no idea what you're talking about,” Jodie said.
“I know you don't, Ms. Landon,” the Principal said before Jodie could say anything more.
'I do know, but I'm not saying anything,' Cindy thought. Quinn had told her her suspicions.
“But the question is still valid,” Jodie pressed.
“I am not answering. Good day!” the principal said.
The group exited the office.
“That didn't work,” Mack commented.
“Obviously,” Kristen stated.
Jodie turned to Jennifer. “Spill!” She said.
“What do you mean?” Jennifer asked, with surprise.
“You told Ms. Li that it wasn't anyone here. Therefore you do know who it was,” Jodie answered.
“It's best that we talk elsewhere,” Cindy interjected.
“Sure,” Jodie said.
Leeville
“Oh, it was a lovely ceremony, wasn't it?” Rita asked.
“It really was, Rita,” Jake answered.
“I'm just so sorry Mom couldn't be here.”
“Don't worry, she'll get to live it all vicariously when the bills arrive,” Helen commented. “Jake, how about getting me another glass of wine?”
It was obvious she had had a few already. “Gee, honey, maybe you shouldn't...” he admonished.
Helen was having none of that. “Jake, I'd really like a glass of wine, now.”
“Right!” Jake said as he left.
“Helen, you're not bitter about this.”
“Rita, please. Why why I be bitter?” she asked rhetorically. “You and Erin deserve the best. You always have.” She meant the last part to sting.
“Oh, so I should be punished forever because I made a few bad decisions,” Rita retorted.
Amy approached. “Hi. What are you two arguing about now?”
“Arguing? We're not arguing,” Helen retorted.
“Still mad because Dad gave Rita that MG and all you got was a Plymouth Valiant?” Amy asked.
“My goodness, Amy, the things you remember,” Rita commented.
“It was a Dodge Dart,” Helen added.
Lawndale
Jodie, Mack, Kristen, Jennifer, Stacy and Cindy arrived at a pizza place frequented by Lawndale High students.
“So, tell me about the cracking,” Jodie said to Cindy after they had ordered and sat down.
“It's only Quinn's suspicion, it may be baseless,” Cindy said.
“But you agree with her,” Jodie added.
“I do,” Cindy said.
“So, spill!” Jodie encouraged.
“Quinn thinks that it's Andrea Hecuba,” Jennifer said.
Jodie turned to Kristen. “And you agree?” she asked.
“I agree,” Kristen said simply.
“Why does Quinn think it's her?”
“Strange vibes she has felt since joining the Programming Club and the fact that Daria used to subscribe to Conroy's magazine,” Cindy answered.
“Let me get this straight, Quinn thinks that Daria asked Andrea to ensure that General Conroy would come into the school?” Jodie asked, picking up on the second part of Cindy's statement.
“Yes,” Cindy answered.
“Right,” Jodie said as she thought about it.
“Clearly, cracking was involved. Ms. Li looked quite shocked when the General said that he had the email and Paypal receipt,” Mack pointed out.
“I remember,” Jodie said. “But there's no reason to blame Andrea either. It could be all Daria, or another person entirely.”
Jennifer remained silent. She didn't want to implicate Daria any more than she may have been already.
“So, you want to keep an eye on both of them?” Mack asked.
“Yes,” Jodie said.
They then remained in silence until the pizzas arrived.
