The first week in Lawndale had passed uneventfully, and the Morgendorffer's had settled into the mundane routine that was to become their everyday lives.

Helen had become an integral part of her new firm and an inexorable attitude to her work had seen her earmarked for a candidate for making partner. News that had made her determined to show her commitment to her career to her new bosses. Helen's absence had gone unnoticed by the remainder of the somewhat dysfunctional family, Jake's reputation had suffered as news of his 'episodes' spread, making it hard for him to succeed in a line of work that entailed him to be in the public eye as a representative for his company. He has resorted to accepting a desk job that required long hours of overtime, more often than not, also missing out on allotted 'family time'.

Daria poked the reheated lasagna that sat in a sloppy wet mess on her plate. She glanced up and watched the mirrored movements of her sister.

"Ugh this is disgusting, Mom promised she'd be home tonight for dinner, she made me cancel my date for this." She whined as she pushed her plate across the table.

Daria raised her eyebrow "I'm sure Sandi is doing a great job by keeping the seat warm." She deadpanned as she dropped the fork on her plate.

"Meh, you won't get me wound up. Sandi can have Joey... or Jeffey... hang on maybe it was Jamie...Whatever. Anyway why aren't you out? I thought I heard Stacy telling Sandi that she was talking to Brooke, who was talking to Michelle, that over heard Brittney talking to Jodie in the ladies saying something about the grunge club on Dega?"

"Yeah, that's tomorrow night, some band's playing. I don't think I'm going though."

"Dar-ria, for once you've moved to a school and actually managed to make and maintain a friendship- with the popular crowd I may add." Quinn paused and smiled leaning forward placing her elbows on the table and pointing at Daria "You know Daria, I think I can honestly start telling people that you're my sister." She finished and rose from the table taking her plate with her and dumped the contents in the garbage disposal. Then stopped and looked at Daria and shook her head in disbelief as she exited the room.

Friday marked the first complete school week for Daria, she was shocked to find that she had been able to slip into the school with little notice. So it came as a surprise to her during homeroom period that she had been called to the Principal's office.

She sat on the fluorescent yellow plastic chair that was positioned outside Ms Li's office and eyed the door with unease. She could see a figure approach through the mottled pane of glass that was fitted in the middle of the hard wood door. The handle turned and she heard the soft click of the latch that preceded the exhaustive moan of the hinges as it opened.

"Ah Ms. Morgendorffer, Daria." The short stocky Asian woman stood to the side of the open door and held out her hand motioning for Daria to enter.

"Please take a seat." Ms Li said stiffly as Daria walked into the room.

"Is there a problem Ms Li?" Daria asked her voice monotone and expression impassive.

Ms Li took a seat behind her large desk, her attention focused on an open file in front of her. She crossed her arms and moved her gaze to Daria, studying her with a contemptuous look.

"I've just received the transfer file from your old school, it seems you were a student that managed to isolate herself from everyone, including your own sister, and it-"

"She actually..." Daria interjected, her was voice bitter.

"A problem with authority, unmotivated... The list is very long Miss Morgendorffer; we don't accept antisocial behavior here. Lawndale High prides itself on shaping and molding its students through schoolwork and participation in extracurricular activities. I see you have so far resisted joining any of the activities we offer," Li paused and looked up at Daria, her right eyebrow raised questioningly. "I understand that moving to a new school can be quite daunting, so I am advising you to join a group."

"I appreciate the advice Ms Li but-"

"This isn't a topic for discussion this is mandatory. I'll put it simply, you join the pep squad, the year book committee with your new friends Miss Taylor or Miss Landon, or you attend our self esteem class,"

Li eyed Daria daring her to speak, Daria sat a sullen mood had befallen her and knew witty retorts wouldn't get her anywhere. Ms Li smiled triumphantly and closed the file in front of her and looked up at Daria.

"You start the self esteem lessons this morning first period with Mr O'Neil English block room 215, it goes for six weeks,"
Daria sat her face expressionless, eyeing the principal with disdain.

"That is all."

***
Daria opened the door slowly edging her way quietly into the classroom.

"Oh, well look class another participant for our merry group of Esteemers." Mr. O'Neill beamed as her turned to Daria "Please Miss..." Mr. O'Neill turned to his desk and studied a note "Morgendorffer, have a seat, we're just getting started."

Daria muttered an incoherent response as she sat in the closest available seat; she avoided looking around the room. Instead she focused her attention on the hapless teacher who was trying, quite unsuccessfully, to connect the DVD player to the ancient old box of a TV.

Mr. O'Neill stood resigning to the fact that he would have no luck in getting the A/V equipment to work and began his speech. Daria looked around the room and saw that none of the other students were paying attention and raised her hand.
The teacher looked up and saw Daria's questioning stance and began to speak faster, his words dripped of unease and Daria could see the nervous sweat starting to bead across the top of his hairline.

"He doesn't actually know what he's saying, he has it memorized. The same speech every year." an unfamiliar female voice whispered from behind.

Daria slowly lowered her hand as she turned to face the speaker; a quizzical look crept across her face.

Jane noted Daria's expression and smiled slightly. "Look just use these next few weeks as a bludge, I got the answers you can have them make sure you're back to your little group in no time,"

"Excuse me?" Daria's face had returned to its normal unemotional state but her voice was laden with contempt

"This Esteemer's class isn't the most prestigious detail to put on your resume while you're scaling Lawndale's social hierarchy, this little stint may have a lasting effect on your popularity."

"I don't give a damn about my social standing in this God forsaken hell-hole. This shitty little class is the easiest and quickest option I was given to get Li off my back." Daria spat back in a ferocious whisper.

Jane studied Daria for a minute and arched her eyebrow. A smile spread itself across her blood red lips and she chuckled softly. "Chill Amiga, you want the answers I got 'em I've done this class six times now,"

"If you have the answers why are you still taking the class?"

"It makes me feel special, what are you here for, you seem pretty self assured."

"My esteem isn't a problem, it's my disregard and lack of faith for others esteem that is the problem."

The class was pointless; Mr. O'Neill had serious issues and was clearly in need of listening to his own teachings. As the bell rang the class was dismissed and Daria found herself being the last to leave. As she bent down to retrieve her bag from the floor she saw a small A4 leather bound art book on the floor behind her. She picked it up and studied it, without needing to search for a name she knew this belonged to Jane Lane.

"I really wish they would change the decor of that club so I wouldn't have to buy those dark sad clothes to match," Brittney sat across from Daria in the cafeteria twirling the end of her blonde ponytail absent mindedly as she gazed up at the ceiling.

"Brittney, you don't have to co-ordinate you wardrobe to fit into a club. Oh, Daria that reminds me, you're coming tonight right?" Jodie glanced up from the paperwork in front of her, one week into the school year and already she was swamped in work for the year book.

"Ah I don't..." Daria began.

"Daria even if you're completely against the music or scene, there's nothing else to do for kids our age in this town; we make the best of what we got. It's not like we're going let you stay at home with the parents. Meet you there at eight?" Jodie interrupted; Daria looked at Jodie then at Brittney for a moment and sighed in resignation.

"Whatever."

Daria sat under her usual tree on the edge of the football field while waiting for her father to pick her up. Although working long hours Jake had therapy sessions with Dr Wilkinson every afternoon at one thirty, he should have been out at two-thirty thirty to pick up the girls by three. So far the earliest he had arrived was four and Daria had made it her habit to get her homework done while she waited.

She had also made it a habit to observe the young man in the old blue car that picked up Jane every day. She had caught him openly watching her on more than one occasion, an act that caused her to blush profusely.
She glanced up and surveyed the area around her. The football team was huddled in the corner of the field, practice had been cancelled again due to the conditions of the ground but the diehard players were completing running drills, the cheerleaders were stretching on the bleachers preparing for a run through of their latest routine.

The blue car wasn't there.

Daria began to write in her journal quickly becoming engrossed in her work, she didn't hear the crunch of gravel against the sole of a heavy boot.

"Hey I got the answers of the class for you," Daria raised her head to the intruder startled "You know if you change your mind about the social impact." Jane smirked and handed the sheet of paper to her.

"Mmm thanks."

"You feel like keeping me company walking home? My rides not here." Jane looked earnestly at Daria the smirk widened to a smile.

"What if you ride shows up?"

"Meh, he'll find me no problems."

"I suppose, sure."

Daria collected her stuff and rose to her feet swinging her pack over her shoulder as they began to walk across the field.