Hey, it’s LaurenGirl again. Sorry for the extremely long delay, I was very stuck trying to figure out what the hell to write. I’m home sick with a sore throat, so I thought to myself "what a nice opportunity to finish my fanfic, and satisfy my fans." So here I am. If you don’t remember what happened in Part 1, I suggest re-reading it before starting this one, because this picks up right where 1 left off. I hope you enjoy it, but first, the legal disclaimers:
Hey! Don’t sue me! I’m 14 with no job, I make no money from writing about Daria, so if you sue me, it will be a waste of time and money on your part. HA! Serves you right for suing a 14 year old! Jerks.....

"Kindness Of Strangers?" (2/3)
By LaurenGirl

HOW TO CONTACT ME:
email: firechild19@hotmail.com
ICQ #: 6099961 (SN: LaurenGirl)
AOL instant messenger: Breathe557

Here’s how this is gonna go down:
*Italics are for when people are thinking things ex. Just then Quinn tripped. Oh god I hope no one saw!
*These (-------------) are used to separate scenes
*A person’s name followed by a colon (:) indicates dialogue example Daria: Hi Jane, what’s up?
*(text in here) indicates what a person is doing during dialogue
*And regular text like this is used to describe what’s happening.

I now give you "Kindness of Strangers?" Part II

Jane, Jesse, and Daria were all standing around awkwardly, still trying to figure out exactly where Trent went and why he left.

Jane: soooo.....what do we do now.

Jesse: well....I guess we can go to breakfast, seeing as we have about...(thinking) $600 or so left....and of course Monday being the day we go home...

Daria and Jane sat there, staring, as Jesse went off calculating the expenses for the trip. Daria and Jane turned to look at each other, shook their head, and turned back to Jesse.

Jesse: So, minus the inevitable expenses resulting from Monday, and our unplanned mishap at Pacific Park yesterday, that leaves us with about $272 a day. How’s that sound?

Daria: Like maybe YOU’RE the one who needs a padded walls in their bedroom.

Jesse: Ha ha. So what about breakfast?

Jane: I heard there was a great place for pancakes around here, whaddya say?

Jesse: Sounds fine to me, but they can’t be as good as yours babe. (Goes to Jane and starts tickling her sides)

Daria: ah, guys? I’m not really too hungry right now....Why don’t you two go alone, PLEASE, and I’ll just stay and read a book. OK? If I get my appetite back, seeing as your hanky-panky made it disappear, I’ll order room service.

Jane: Suit yourself.

Jesse: (walking hand-in-hand with Jane towards the door) Yeah. Tell us when we get back if Trent calls or something. We’re worried about him. Bye. (closes door after them)

Daria: (standing by the nightstand) Not as much as me.

Jane and Jesse are in the restaurant Jane talked about, drinking orange juice and waiting for their pancakes.

Jesse: Jane, there’s something I forgot to tell you and Daria about.

Jane: Yes?

Jesse: I’m not saying I have any idea as to what Trent has up his sleeve---

Jane: or his nose...

Jesse: Trent’s not on crack, Jane. But he’s kinda acting like it....anyway, I don’t know where he is or what he’s doing, but I know he told me something yesterday before we went to bed. He said something like "Jesse, I have to take care of some business tomorrow, while I’m gone, would you mind taking the girls out to that dress shop on the Pier? Let them get any dress they want, no matter what the cost, and then go get yourself a tux. Don’t rent it, buy it." I asked him what the heck he was doing and he just said "Trust me Jesse, I need you to do this for me." So there you have it.

Jane: (her mouth hanging open) so......after this we go get Daria and go get dresses and a tux?

Jesse: That’s what he said.

Jane: Should we?

Jesse: I think so. He also left this, (holds up folded dollar bills between his middle finger and thumb in his right hand) $600, cash. I think he’s serious about whatever he’s planning.

Jane: God......

(The waitress comes up with their pancakes. Jesse and Jane eat mostly in silence, trying to figure what Trent is planning, with Jane looking up from her pancakes and occasionally asking "Are you SURE??" and Jesse nodding "yes")

Daria climbed back into the bed, and turned off the light. She just lay there, in the dark, curtains closed, staring at the ceiling.

Daria: Where can he be? Did I upset him last night....what WAS last night?? Did he REALLY try to kiss me? To kiss ME? Daria? That look on his face....that adorable face...it was telling me something. His gaze was so strong...those beautiful blue eyes staring straight into mine....he wanted something. He wanted to kiss me. That’s the only thing it could be....and why the hell aren’t Jane and Jesse more worried about it? He’s GONE! We have NO idea where he is, and they’re having pancakes??? I mean the man I love is out in the middle of.....Oh God. The man I love.....I love him. Oh my God.....

Trent was driving the van down a long stretch of freeway, a determined look etched on his face. It had been an a little over an hour since he left. He only hoped his van could make it there. C’mon....I HAVE to get there in time.......

Jane and Jesse were finished with their pancakes and had just paid the bill. They were picking up their jackets and starting to head out of the door together.

Jane: So, we pick up Daria, head to a nice dress shoppe, get a couple of dresses and then go get a suit for you.....then what?

Jesse: Then I guess we just come back to the hotel and spend the rest of the day doing whatever we want with our extra 272 bucks.

Jane: And you’re positive this is what Trent wants?

Jesse: In a word......yes.

Jane: what a crazy son of a...

Trent was exactly where he wanted to be. At least in the general area. Right now he was walking down a very familiar street, a shopping district in a hip part of town. He walked past a window, stopped, and went back to look inside the window some more.

Trent: Perfect.....

At that Trent turned and went inside the shop.

Daria was in bed thinking, contemplating on where Trent could be. God I just hope he’s all right. I need him to be. I don’t know what I’d do if something hap---

Jesse: WE’RE BACK!

Daria: ah! (sits up with a startled look on her face)

Jane: Daria, it’s just us. We’re not here to make you scream. That’s Trent’s job.

Daria: (flipping blankets off and swinging legs over the side of the bed) Sicko. Anyway, did you guys have fun.

Jesse: I guess. Jane, you fill Daria in on today’s plans, I’m going to go take a shower.

Jane: Ok Jesse. (Jesse exits into his side of the suite) So Daria, basically we have to....

Trent was once again in his van, driving up a familiar highway. He passed a cornfield, and thought back to a couple of months ago when He, Daria, Jane and Jesse were stranded on the side of the road for alternapalooza. He remembered his little chat with Daria, how she reassured him and made him feel better about how his life was going, while Jesse and Jane went to find help. He smiled to himself, and it was then he realized why he left Santa Monica in the first place. At that, he changed gears and pushed the gas pedal down, speeding away towards his destination.

Jesse, Jane, and Daria were stepping inside a dress shoppe, called "Desanera’s Dresses & Tuxedos Boutique" and we’re greeted cheerfully by a woman with fiery red hair and gleaming green eyes.

Woman: Hello! *gasp* YOU! YOU’RE PERFECT!

Jane: Me?

Woman: Yes! I just got in a new dress today and you would be PERFECT.

Jane: I’m assuming you’re Desanera?

Woman (Desanera): Yes.

Jesse: Nice name. Where’s it from.

Desanera: My parents were hippies.

Daria: figures.

Desanera: (grins) I know, really.

With that, Jesse, Jane, and Daria were all led inside, Desanera pulling Jane over to the right.

Desanera: By the way, what exactly are your names?

Jane: Jane.

Jesse: Jesse.

Daria: Pookie.

Desanera: All right then, Jane, Jesse....Pookie. I’m going to take Jane over here and let her try on this dress, and Jesse and....Pookie can look around the shop. If you need any help, my brother, Wolf, is behind the counter.

As Jane was being yanked behind a curtain into another room, Jesse and Daria went to their respective sections of the Boutique. Jesse began sorting through various tuxes, and Daria searched through the dresses with an extremely discriminating eye. While Jesse had about 10 or so tuxes in mind, Daria had none. Women have so much more diversity then men do in formal wear, yet I’m completely stuck while Jesse is accumulating a mountain.

Jane: (Swirling out from behind the curtain) It IS perfect!

Jesse and Daria both turned to the direction where Jane was standing. Jesse’s mouth nearly dropped to the floor while Daria had a semi-look of surprise on her face.

Jane: So....(sensually) what do you think?

Jesse: w---wow. va va voom

Daria: Va va voom. Impressive, if you like looking like Jessica Rabbit.

Which Jane did. There she was, in a bright red satin number that matched her lips perfectly. It had thin little straps and the fabric cascaded from 4 inches below her collar-bone (!!!) down to her ankles with matching satin gloves that went up to her elbows. Although it was ankle length, it had slits on both sides that reached up almost to her hips.

Jane: I’ll take that as a compliment. Should I get it?

Jesse: YES!!!!

Daria: sure.

Jane: Are you sure? It’s $200.....

Jesse: Trent left us $600 for a reason. Get it.

Daria: I agree.

Desanera: Jane, that dress is quite you. I’ll give a $70 discount if you’ll let me take a few pictures of you in that for a poster I plan on using in the front window display. Deal?

Jane: (grinning) Ok!

Desanera: Perfect.

As Desanera was pulling Jane into her photo studio (the store was quite large), Jesse yelled back to Desanera.

Jesse: Can I have the negatives?????

Desanera: (calling to Jesse as she’s walking into the next room) Ok!

Jane: (also calling from the other room) Pervert!

Jesse: (turning to Daria) Daria, have you found anything yet?

Daria: Not really. Half of the dresses have a million sequins and will make me look like Vana White.

Desanera: (from other room) I heard that! (sounds of pictures being taken)

Daria: (to Jesse) whoops....

Jesse: (holding up various tuxes) Do any of these look good?

Daria: Truthfully, they all look the same.

Jesse: I know. I guess I’ll buy the one with the best fit.

Daria: O.K., you do that.

Jesse smiled at her and walked towards the dressing rooms.

Daria: (to herself, looking through the dresses) Now what else have we got......

Trent had arrived at his destination and parked his van outside. He walked up to the door and knocked. A girl with reddish brown hair answered the door.

Trent: Hi, Quinn right? You’re just the person I need to see.....

Jesse was walking around in a tux he had just tried on. He walked over to the mirror to check himself out, and found it most pleasing. He went over to Daria who was holding up something grey that shimmered. Jesse walked up directly behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.

Jesse: (taps her shoulder) Daria!

Daria: (spinning around in shock) AH! Oh....Jesse. Hi. Found a tux?

Jesse: Yeah. You like?

Daria: Sure, not too bad for the way-too-starched look.

Jesse: I’ll take that as a compliment. Found a dress?

Daria: I think so......it’s not bright like Jane’s, but I think it looks nice for me.

Jesse: Do it.

Daria: Ok.......(stares at the dress some more).........

Jesse: Daria.....you were trying on the dress?

Daria: (snapping out of it) Huh? Oh yeah....I REALLY like this dress.

Jesse: I figured as much....now go change!

Daria: O.K. O.K.! (Daria runs behind a curtain)

Jesse: women.....

Quinn: Yeah I’m Quinn...oh my gosh! It’s that super-hot guy Daria knows! The guy in the BAND! Won’t you some inside?

Quinn leads Trent into the living room and onto the couch. Quinn sits VERY close to Trent, and Trent tries to ignore it.

Quinn: you know, we can talk about ANYTHING, my parents aren’t home. In fact, (tracing index finger around Trent’s chest) they won’t be home for HOURS...(takes hand away from Trent’s chest.)

Trent: Um...ok. I need to talk to you about--

Quinn: About what? (said with a fake smile and batting her eyelashes)

Trent: (continuing) about Daria.

Quinn’s smile drops and her eyes widen momentarily. DARIA???? Quinn comes to her senses and quickly regains her composure, pulling herself away from Trent.

Quinn: (voice now flat) oh. what about her.

Trent: this is kinda hard to say, but...

Quinn: (impatient) *sigh* well what???

Trent: I like her.

Quinn: He LIKES her? Why the hell does he LIKE her?? That’s it? who cares? why did you need me?

Trent: It’s not that easy. She likes me too, but something is telling me that there’s something wrong. I’m 21, and she’s 16. Don’t you think I’m too old?

Quinn: not really, I mean I’ve dated guys twice my age....(Quinn trails off as Trent’s eyes widen. Quinn continues.) But of course, Daria has different standards, WAY different. Lame standards, considering she never dates. But.....(voice gets softer) I’ve know Daria my whole life. I mean we don’t like each other much, we rarely talk about meaningful stuff, mostly it’s just Get out of the bathroom or Leave me alone you freak, but when we do I learn a lot about her. And knowing her, she probably wouldn’t give a damn about age differences if she and the guy were in love. So...Is that all??

Trent: no.....in fact I don’t really care about age.....the truth is I’ve never ever met anyone like her. She makes people think, she’s truthful, she has a good heart and deep down is a sweet, kind person. When I see her, I can’t think straight and everything seems to spin. I can only concentrate on her....this sweet, loving girl. I can’t tell her.

Quinn: You have to. Besides Jane, I know her best. If there’s one thing I know it’s that she wants to hear everything you have to say. She likes you too Trent, I can tell. And she wants you to share your world with her, but she’s afraid to say anything. She doesn’t know you like her Trent. You have to tell her. Wait a sec......AREN’T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE IN SANTA MONICA???

Trent: Yes...I left them there. I also left them $600 in cash.

Quinn: what for?

Trent: well...I wanted this trip to be special. I didn’t know it before I went on this trip, but I’m in love with Daria. And I was planning to tell her. See, I told Jesse to take the girls to get formal dresses and for him to get a tux. Then tonight I’m going to return and take them on a yacht where we’ll dine and dance all night, just the four of us. I was going to tell Daria tonight how I felt, but I want it to be just right. But I had to come here first.

Quinn: You’re not still confused, are you?

Trent: Not anymore. Thank you Quinn. I really needed to talk to you.

Quinn: You’re welcome.

Trent: (looks at his watch) well, I have to go now. It’s 1:30, I’ll be back by 3 or so with good traffic. Then I have to meet them and take them to the yacht by 4. I just hope my plan works.

Quinn: I’m sure it will....Um, Trent? Do you mind if I ask how you’re going to pay for all of this? You don’t exactly...have a job.

Trent: Oh. Two summers ago when I was 19 I took this course on stocks and investments. When we started doing gigs and making money, I invested and got lucky. Really lucky. I have about $37,000 saved. And tonight is going to cost roughly, with the dresses and tux, the yacht rental, the catering, about $4000, give or take a couple hundred.

Quinn: So if you have all that cash, why are you still driving that hideous van and still living at home?

Trent: C’mon, haven’t you ever heard of the starving artist? What if I make it big and people found out I had tons of investments? They’ll say I made it ‘cause of the money, that the band and I were rich boys living on easy street. I mean, we’re rockers, we have to start low and end up on top, you know.

Quinn: Oh yeah, that makes sense.

Trent: Of course it does. Now, I’ll be leaving.

Quinn: Ok. (gets up from couch and helps Trent to the door.)

Trent: (walking towards van, calling back) Thanks Quinn! I owe you one!

Quinn: (yelling) You’re welcome! Bye! (To herself) You sure do.

That’s it for now! I’ll be done with part 3 shortly because it won’t take long to wrap up the story. Mua ha ha <----evil laugh. Once again, I feel like shit for not putting part 2 out sooner, but hey, I was stuck not knowing what I should write, and also busy with school. Ever heard of this Physics bullshit? Man.....anyway, next time you hear from me I’ll probably have part 3 ready for you to read.
P.S. feel free to email me and sent me im’s on AOL and ICQ. And sorry for the lack of dry, witty, Daria humor. This one was more serious and had a bit more depth---well as much depth as my fanfics can get. I hope you liked it, and please email me with any comments suggestions, flames (grrr...) and anything else. Bye!
P.P.S. (yes, there’s more; I can’t seem to shut up!) I know I may have told some of you that the next part to my story was going to be the 2nd and final part of K of S. Well it turns out there are going to be three, however I promise you will not have to wait nearly as long for part 3. 1 month maximum. Anyway, much love to all, and happy reading in the future!