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fardell24Brittany – Esteem of the Transfer Student – Part 4
Daria sighed as she followed Brittany, Kevin and Donna into the Pizza place. She took Brittany aside after they ordered the pizzas. “Do you think you can tell Ms. Li that I’m fitting in?”
“Sure.”
“Cool.”
“So, Daria. You just arrived in Lawndale?” Kevin asked.
“Just last week,” Daria answered.
‘Where’s he going with this?’ Brittany wondered. But then, Kevin usually just spoke whatever came onto his mind.
“What do you think of the school so far?”
“It’s… better than my last school. That is all I’ll say for now. Even so, it seems a bit too sports oriented.”
“What do you mean?” Kevin asked.
Donna gave a look of concern.
‘I don’t want Kevvy and Daria to argue! Not yet! I don’t know what Daria would think if Kevvy and I have one of our breakups. Would she think I’m shallow?’ She waited to hear what Daria would say in response to Kevin’s question.
“I mean, my impression is that the school pushes sports more than the academic side.”
“Of course, Daria,” Kevin said. “Lawndale’s a football town!”
Daria sighed.
Brittany was still unsure of what to say, but it seemed Donna wasn’t.
“It’s not that sports are all Ms. Li focuses on,” she began.
However, Daria interrupted. “She also focuses on security. I have noticed the cameras.”
“That’s true,” Donna allowed. “However, some academics are emphasized. There are academics focused clubs.”
“Boring!” Kevin declared.
“Maybe to you, Kevvy, but others don’t find it so,” Brittany said.
“I’m not interested in extracurricular activities,” Daria stated. She thought for a moment. “At least, not until college.”
“Wouldn’t hurt to look?” Brittany asked.
“I will have a look, but I’m sure there won’t be anything I’d be interested in. Is that something else Ms. Li pushes?”
‘You’d think she wouldn’t?’ Brittany thought. It seemed that Daria’s cynicism was preventing her from interacting with others. Another reason Ms. Li had done what she did, although Mrs. Manson may not have picked up on it. ‘Or maybe she did?’
“I’d say so,” Donna said, answering Daria’s question. “So, you didn’t get involved in extracurricular activities at your old school?”
“If I was forced to,” Daria answered with an edge to her voice.
“Eap!” Brittany said with an apologetic tone as Donna frowned. ‘Oops!’
“As you can guess, I’m not that enthusiastic about school other than the academic aspect.”
“Maybe if you had friends join you in the activities?” Donna asked.
“Maybe,” Daria admitted. “But there is a principle involved.” She sighed. “But let’s talk about something else.”
“Sure,” Brittany said.
“So, Donna, you know Brittany and I spent yesterday afternoon getting to know each other?”
“Yes. So, you want us to do the same?”
Daria nodded.
Donna listened as Daria told her of the town in Texas she had grown up in. (It seemed that she and Quinn weren’t born there.) It seemed that the town had seen better days. ‘It definitely has seen better days.’ She was thankful that she grew up in a town like Lawndale. There were many things Daria was hiding, but she didn’t want to pry.
“So, that is it,” Daria concluded.
“Thanks,” Donna said. “As Brittany may have said…”
Daria interrupted. “It’s obvious you would be interested in sports. But also, different sports than Brittany?”
“Yes. Not only am I on the cheerleading squad, but also on the track team…”
Donna finished telling Daria what she wanted to say. Not least because Kevin looked rather bored, and she knew how Kevin acted when he was bored. She didn’t want him to cause a scene.
“Again, first impressions aren’t indicative,” Daria said.
“Obviously,” Donna said with a slight laugh.
“So, you think that I should open up more, is that it?”
“It’s your choice,” Donna said.
“Of course. But I don’t find it easy to open up to others.”
“That’s obvious,” Brittany added.
“In any case, it’s time to go home,” Daria decided.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Daria said as she got out of the car.
“See ya, Daria.”
“Have a good time at that Birthday Dinner.”
“I will, thanks.”
As Brittany drove away, Daria pondered the information Brittany had given her about her family. ‘She doesn’t get along with her brother, yet likes her stepmother.” She shook her head and turned to go into the house.
It was still early in the evening when the Taylors arrived at Governor’s Park for Ashley-Amber’s birthday dinner. Sure, 26 wasn’t a real milestone age, but Steve thought that a family outing would be a good idea. It had been a while since such had happened. As they walked into the restaurant, he looked at his family. Both Ashley-Amber and Brittany were dressed up elegantly in simple blue dresses. Both had also done up their hair differently to usual, with Ashley Amber wearing hers in a French plait and Brittany wearing two buns in lieu of her usual pigtails.
Brian, however, was looking uncomfortable in his suit. Ashley-Amber had told him that it took ages to put his tie on. He hoped he wasn’t going to play up too much. He came up to the reception desk. “Four for Taylor.”
“Right this way.”
“…Then her sister said that she was an only child!” Brittany said. She was still annoyed at her.
“I’m not sure what you could do about that, honey,” Ashley-Amber said.
“I know,” Brittany responded.
“So, it’s going well then?” her father asked.
“Yes. I’m going to tell Ms. Li that she is starting to fit in.”
“That’s good then.” He was about to say more, but Brian chose that moment to play up by throwing his remaining food.
“Hey!”
Brittany sighed.
Daria sighed as she followed Brittany, Kevin and Donna into the Pizza place. She took Brittany aside after they ordered the pizzas. “Do you think you can tell Ms. Li that I’m fitting in?”
“Sure.”
“Cool.”
“So, Daria. You just arrived in Lawndale?” Kevin asked.
“Just last week,” Daria answered.
‘Where’s he going with this?’ Brittany wondered. But then, Kevin usually just spoke whatever came onto his mind.
“What do you think of the school so far?”
“It’s… better than my last school. That is all I’ll say for now. Even so, it seems a bit too sports oriented.”
“What do you mean?” Kevin asked.
Donna gave a look of concern.
‘I don’t want Kevvy and Daria to argue! Not yet! I don’t know what Daria would think if Kevvy and I have one of our breakups. Would she think I’m shallow?’ She waited to hear what Daria would say in response to Kevin’s question.
“I mean, my impression is that the school pushes sports more than the academic side.”
“Of course, Daria,” Kevin said. “Lawndale’s a football town!”
Daria sighed.
Brittany was still unsure of what to say, but it seemed Donna wasn’t.
“It’s not that sports are all Ms. Li focuses on,” she began.
However, Daria interrupted. “She also focuses on security. I have noticed the cameras.”
“That’s true,” Donna allowed. “However, some academics are emphasized. There are academics focused clubs.”
“Boring!” Kevin declared.
“Maybe to you, Kevvy, but others don’t find it so,” Brittany said.
“I’m not interested in extracurricular activities,” Daria stated. She thought for a moment. “At least, not until college.”
“Wouldn’t hurt to look?” Brittany asked.
“I will have a look, but I’m sure there won’t be anything I’d be interested in. Is that something else Ms. Li pushes?”
‘You’d think she wouldn’t?’ Brittany thought. It seemed that Daria’s cynicism was preventing her from interacting with others. Another reason Ms. Li had done what she did, although Mrs. Manson may not have picked up on it. ‘Or maybe she did?’
“I’d say so,” Donna said, answering Daria’s question. “So, you didn’t get involved in extracurricular activities at your old school?”
“If I was forced to,” Daria answered with an edge to her voice.
“Eap!” Brittany said with an apologetic tone as Donna frowned. ‘Oops!’
“As you can guess, I’m not that enthusiastic about school other than the academic aspect.”
“Maybe if you had friends join you in the activities?” Donna asked.
“Maybe,” Daria admitted. “But there is a principle involved.” She sighed. “But let’s talk about something else.”
“Sure,” Brittany said.
“So, Donna, you know Brittany and I spent yesterday afternoon getting to know each other?”
“Yes. So, you want us to do the same?”
Daria nodded.
Donna listened as Daria told her of the town in Texas she had grown up in. (It seemed that she and Quinn weren’t born there.) It seemed that the town had seen better days. ‘It definitely has seen better days.’ She was thankful that she grew up in a town like Lawndale. There were many things Daria was hiding, but she didn’t want to pry.
“So, that is it,” Daria concluded.
“Thanks,” Donna said. “As Brittany may have said…”
Daria interrupted. “It’s obvious you would be interested in sports. But also, different sports than Brittany?”
“Yes. Not only am I on the cheerleading squad, but also on the track team…”
Donna finished telling Daria what she wanted to say. Not least because Kevin looked rather bored, and she knew how Kevin acted when he was bored. She didn’t want him to cause a scene.
“Again, first impressions aren’t indicative,” Daria said.
“Obviously,” Donna said with a slight laugh.
“So, you think that I should open up more, is that it?”
“It’s your choice,” Donna said.
“Of course. But I don’t find it easy to open up to others.”
“That’s obvious,” Brittany added.
“In any case, it’s time to go home,” Daria decided.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Daria said as she got out of the car.
“See ya, Daria.”
“Have a good time at that Birthday Dinner.”
“I will, thanks.”
As Brittany drove away, Daria pondered the information Brittany had given her about her family. ‘She doesn’t get along with her brother, yet likes her stepmother.” She shook her head and turned to go into the house.
It was still early in the evening when the Taylors arrived at Governor’s Park for Ashley-Amber’s birthday dinner. Sure, 26 wasn’t a real milestone age, but Steve thought that a family outing would be a good idea. It had been a while since such had happened. As they walked into the restaurant, he looked at his family. Both Ashley-Amber and Brittany were dressed up elegantly in simple blue dresses. Both had also done up their hair differently to usual, with Ashley Amber wearing hers in a French plait and Brittany wearing two buns in lieu of her usual pigtails.
Brian, however, was looking uncomfortable in his suit. Ashley-Amber had told him that it took ages to put his tie on. He hoped he wasn’t going to play up too much. He came up to the reception desk. “Four for Taylor.”
“Right this way.”
“…Then her sister said that she was an only child!” Brittany said. She was still annoyed at her.
“I’m not sure what you could do about that, honey,” Ashley-Amber said.
“I know,” Brittany responded.
“So, it’s going well then?” her father asked.
“Yes. I’m going to tell Ms. Li that she is starting to fit in.”
“That’s good then.” He was about to say more, but Brian chose that moment to play up by throwing his remaining food.
“Hey!”
Brittany sighed.
