As they sat in a modest office Alison, Monique and Sandi fielded questions from a smiling O’Neill.  “Well then, umm… let’s finish, shall we?  For my closing questions to you wonderful girls, I want to know from the members of TELL, how do you feel about your debut album?  Are you satisfied with it?”

Alison leaned back with a smirk on her face, “No we are not,” She paused as the cameras flashed taking the band’s pictures, “That was just the beginning.  We are ambitions.  We won’t ever be satisfied.  Being satisfied means it’s the end.”

O’Neill blinked for a second and then smiled nervously, “Y… you’re not satisfied even with Tom Sloane as your producer and after such great sales?  It seems your self-esteem is on the up-tick.  I am proud of that.”  Turning to the back of the room O’Neill smiled and waved for the person to approach, “They’re pretty good, aren’t they?”

Tom stepped forward with a smile as he looked over the band and then turned to O’Neill he then nodded.  “That’s a great thing to hear you say, Mr. O’Neill.”

Mr. O’Neill smiled happily as he clasped his hands in front of him, “Don’t you feel you are being too modest for such an outstanding producer with such wonderful charisma?”  Turning back to the group he gave them two thumbs up, “I am looking forward to your upcoming live concert.  Won’t this be your first big concert?  You must be nervous…”

Alison laughed it off with a wave of her hand, “It will be a huge success!”

Monique leaned in with her middle finger extended at O’Neill, “Peace!”

Finally Sandi leaned in flipping her hair.  “Like yeah, and whatever…”

O’Neill tried to recover from being flipped off flipped through his notebook.  “Umm… the other band, the opener… ummm Bad Girls?  Oh my, I’m afraid I don’t know them…”

Tom chuckled as he folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall.  “They are managed by Stacy from our company.”

We then cut to the park in the middle of the day with Stacy and Jodie obviously waiting for someone.  O’Neill inquired “And how are they?” over the scene.

Tom with an obvious smirk to his voice replied simply, “Well, we will have to wait and see, now won’t we?”

We noticed Stacy turned to see a figure jogging toward her and Jodie.  Jodie sighed and without looking up called out, “JANE, YOU ARE LATE!” Her scream set Stacy into a hyperventilation spell while Jane just sat down with a smirk.

During this we hear O’Neill’s voice faintly, “Oh… well… I see… excuse me…”  After O’Neill breaks down crying we see and hear Stacy’s panicked speech.
“Iwasgoingtomeetwiththecompanypresident.  Iwasgoingtoshowhimoneortwosongsthatyouhadwritten.  Youcouldfinallybeseen!Itmighthavebeenyourbigbreak!  Allinoneshot!  Thiswastheplanthat… that… that Jane ruined… and it’s all my fault…”

Jodie sighed and grabbed Stacy to stop her, “Look Stacy, aren’t you just dreaming a little too high?”

Stacy in a quieted voice responded, “I’m sorry Jodie… but what is wrong with dreaming big?”

Jodie sighed and sat back down, “I don’t know… it just feels like we are selling out, not getting things by ourselves, you know?”

Stacy started pacing nervously.  “I don’t see how we have any choice but to sell out!  As you can see the new song is not going anywhere.”  Turning to face Jane, Stacy noticed that Jane had fallen asleep, “JAAAAAANE!!!!”

Jane and Jodie went to the local fast Pizza King leaving Stacy to go into a panic run to the record studio and got a large pepperoni to split between the two of them.  While they eat Jodie looked over Jane’s latest lyrics with a dismal look on her face.  “As I thought… you’re doing things last minute again…”  Jodie said in as calm a voice as she could manage.

Jane mumbled around a mouthful of pizza, “What?  You don’t like it?”

Jodie sat down the sheet in front of Jane and sighed, “I… I think I’m going to refrain from commenting until I see the rest of it.  Jane… were you late on purpose today?”

Jane looked down at the table going all dramatic and sad.  “The… the truth is… on the way to meet you guys I saw some kids harassing a cheerleader…”

Jodie gave her a withering look.  “And then you had to draw a picture of it, didn’t you?”

Jane smirked widely, “Damn straight!”  Standing up Jane slung the sketch from her bag.  “Take a look!” As she extended the sketch book she accidentally hit a waitress carrying parmesan cheese shakers that dumped out onto Jodie.  Sitting back down under Jodie’s death glares Jane gulped and looked at the table tracing the condensation ring left by her soda glass.  “It’s great that Stacy’s taking such excellent care of us.  And Mr. Sloane is an awesome producer.  He was in Mystic Grasper after all.  Still…”

Jodie sighed and shook her head.  “You should get a date.  And I mean a guy.”

Jane blinked in surprise.  “What the devil are you saying Jodie?”

Jodie leaned in conspiratorially, “You want me to introduce you to some guys I know?”

Jane shook her head, “Not unless they don’t work for the local Mafia or need batteries… but seriously, that’s not the problem.”

Jodie sighed heavily.  “For your own mental stability, please think about it.  I trust you, and I think you’re talented and you do try hard… after I jam a pitchfork up your backside… but I’d bet you feel frustrated sometimes, at least give it some thought.”

Jane rubbed her eyes silently for a minute before resuming the debate.  “Jodie.  Isn’t talent enough?  I mean I have the talent for this, right?”

Jodie sighed and stood up collecting her glass and the pizza pan taking them back to the window so they could be washed, as she passed by again she leaned over and squeezed Jane’s shoulder.  “I will see you tomorrow, don’t be late please.”  With that she turned and left with a sigh.

Later that night Jane walked home with her shoulders slumped over in defeat.  “Talent and reasonable effort should be enough for success right?  Why, should I have to work so much for it?”  As she walked she pulled out the lyrics and looked at them sadly.  “Maybe I should get a boyfriend… at least if he dumps me I could write some good songs from it.”  As she muttered this the wind snatched the paper out of her hands and blew it away from her.  She naturally chased after it softly swearing passionately.  She slid to a stop when she saw Daria standing under a streetlight reading over the lyrics sucking on a candy cigarette.

Daria turned towards Jane with a quirked eyebrow and in a flat monotone questioned Jane, “Is this your writing?”  When Jane gave a nervous nod, Daria crumpled it up and tossed it over her shoulder letting the wind play with it.  “Worse than an elementary school kid, you shouldn’t write love songs with no skills.  You have zero talent, forget about it kid.”

As she walked away Jane stared at Daria blankly for a minute before she shouted after her, “You didn’t have to say that!”  With a sighed Jane turned and resumed her chase of the lyrics grumbling under her breath, “Could have at least given me the damn sheet back.”

The next morning at the recording studio Stacy looked about ready to have a major heart attack while she glanced between Jodie and Jane.  “Not… not... not done yet?”  Jane curled up further in her position on the couch’s corner.  “I… I don’t mean to sound angry, but if you don’t hurry up then I can’t get you promoted.  I DON’T DESERVE TO BE A MANAGER!  There’s only one thing to do, please forgive me for letting you down!”  Stacy started to run towards the open window only to be tackled by Jodie and sat on by Jane.

Jodie in a determined manner, “Now just wait a minute there Stacy…”

Jane with a sigh added, “It’s not that you’re a bad manager Stacy, you’re great, it’s just something happened yesterday after Jodie left me at the Pizza King.”

Stacy fell silent as Jodie and Jane discuss what happened over her head.  Finally Jodie sighed and shook her head.  “You know, she sounds just like Trent Lane.  Talented people aren’t always polite, you know?  They’re special people, touched in ways that make them seem rude, it’s just their way.”

Jane stood and slammed her fist into the wall.  “That’s not it though; it felt like she hated me even though it was our first time ever seeing each other.”

Jodie nodded and rubbed Jane’s shoulder.  “That’s what you should be worrying about, and don’t bother denying it, we both see it.”  Jodie waved a hand at the nodding Stacy before Jane could make a rebuttal.

Walking home that night Jane sighed looking at the rain falling down on her.  “Of all the nights to forget an umbrella...”  As she looked around Jane saw a familiar face in the crowd.  As Jane made her way toward the face she accidentally ran into Daria knocking both of them into puddles of water.

Glaring Daria sighed and shook her head, “Why don’t you watch where you’re going?  I suppose now I have to offer you a towel at my place, because it’s in the script for you to get there…”

Jane and Daria glared off screen as an exasperated sigh is heard before a deep-voiced grumble.  “Next scene then…”

Daria walked out of her bathroom through the main room drying off.  With a grunt she tossed another towel at Jane that smacked her in the face.  “Here’s a towel, use it before you soak my carpeting anymore then you already have…”

Jane started to dry off with a slight glare in her eyes.  “Do you have a problem with me?  Or am I someone you actually like?”

Daria smirked and shook her head.  “I have a problem with most anyone; take it personal if you want.”  Jane’s response was to smirk slightly while her eyes narrowed.  “You were looking for me today?”

“Yes I was, a few days ago we met in the park.”

“A yes, the zero talent song sheet, I remember you know.”  Daria said with a smirk as Jane’s facial color turned red.

“My name is Jane Lane.”  Jane offered trying to keep calm.

Daria narrowed her eyes before turning away.  “It doesn’t make a bit of difference to me.  Well you don’t look like someone desperate enough to stalk me…”

Jane rubbed her arm a minute before she sighed and looked at the floor.  “I… I wanted to see you again… to prove to you I don’t have zero talent.”

Daria pulled out a candy cigarette and started to suck on it.  “Try to understand if you can.  When I say you have zero talent, it means zero, as in null, none, absent.”

Jane grew a determined look in her eyes as she muttered, “I’ll show you…” before she stormed out, throwing her towel in Daria’s face as she passed.

The next morning in Tom’s office Stacy looked around at the awards and pictures of Mystic Grasper while she waited for Tom to finish his call.  “Yes, it’s not a problem.  Not a chance without Trent, besides Graspers in the past without him.  Yes, I’ll have that ready for you.  Have a good day.”  Tom finished up and hung up gently.

Stacy turned and in her most pleading tone, “Mr. Sloane…”

“Nope, I will be signing TELL, they will make me the most money.  I’m sorry but that’s the way…”  Tom cut her off as a loud stampede of footsteps started to draw near until Jane busted through the doors.  With a huge smirk she held up a CD.

“It’s ready, and someone needs to warn people about free donut days around here, I was nearly trampled.”

Stacy groaned loudly as she looked over the mess.  “Jane…”

She is cut off from going further by the sound of Tom clapping behind her as he stood up.  “Very impressive Stacy, you will however pay for that broken door you know.”

As we zoomed into Stacy’s tearful face before we cut to a shot of her putting the CD into a player in another room before she tried to figure out which remote to use.  Jodie and Jane sighed and turned to each other starting to make small talk.

“Nice going on finishing the song,” Jodie started before she noticed Jane’s defeated slump, “What’s wrong?  Don’t you feel proud of your song?”

Jane sighed and rubbed her eyes.  “I do… but… after talking with that mega frost queen I was motivated to complete the song because I was so mad at her… doesn’t that just resound with lameness?”

Jodie shrugged and leaned back.  “But at least now you know who she is… right?”  At Jane’s look of embarrassment she sighed and rubbed her eyes.  “You fool, you didn’t ask… You spent all that time and you didn’t ask?  You have to be attracted to her, all you talk about is her…”

Jane’s look of chagrin quickly turned into a look of shock.  “What are you talking about?  She’s a girl…”

Jodie smiled and pulled out a chocolate-covered strawberry from the bowl of them on the table as nibbled it slowly before she gave a sad little smirk.  “You can’t help who you fall in love with.  I have been the only one that has gotten to play with you so far.  And now you are attracted to another girl.”  Licking the tip of the strawberry she sighed.  “You’re making me lonely…”

Jane blushed and gulped audibly.  “Jodie… you don’t mean… I’m sorry, I didn’t understand till now.”  Jane looked at Jodie with tearful eyes and a heartfelt grin on her face.  “Oh, Jodie…”

Jodie smiled seductively as she whispered huskily into Jane’s ear, “My only wish is for your happiness.”  Going back to a serious manner she smirked and tapped Jane’s nose with the strawberry.  “Now go tell her how you feel.  You know where she lives; you don’t need to worry about her name.”

Meanwhile Stacy hit the wrong button turning on the TV to the local news channel accidentally.  After a minute Jane leaned forward towards the TV and studied the face of one of the guests on the show.  Pointing to the face she turned and asked the group behind her.  “Do you know a Daria Morgendorffer?  That’s what the lines under her name say.”

Jodie smiled and nodded while she grabbed Jane’s shoulder and sliding her down into the seat next to her.  “I know her, she writes spy novels.  She’s very popular, especially with the men.  I have a few of her novels myself… don’t tell me that’s her.”  At Jane’s nod she sighed and leaned back.  “I suppose that’s why she was so critical of your work, she’s an author.”

Jodie looked at the shutting door as she finished speaking just as Stacy gets the music playing.

Something frightening attracts my gaze.  An irritating desire spat out by the wanton wind.

Stacy looked around lost for a minute before she leaned in by Jodie.  “Where did Jane go Jodie?  Did I offend her by taking too long?”

Jodie smiled and shook her head.  “No Stacy, Jane went to confess.”

In a widening crack on the road, the light of signal’s melt, leaving only a scar.

As the music played we see Jane running to Daria’s house, passing the Pizza King, the Eiffel Tower, the Leaning tower of Pisa, under the l'Arc de Triomphe, and a sign that says “Sights of France” finally we see her running along some normal streets.

Before that dozing noise erases tomorrow, my footsteps echo as I pursue my ambition.  I will not stop for anything.  Any unsatisfying emotion, I will decide to ignore, and move beyond.  Shivering, shyly, I aimed for a passage through this world.  Following it, I arrive at my destination.

Finally Jane arrived at Daria’s house and reached out to press the buzzer.  She stopped short and spun around when she heard, “She’s not in right now.” coming from Daria’s lips.  As she turned to look over Daria she couldn’t help but feel her heart pounding faster and harder.  Daria smirked and shook her head as she waved a hand to indicate Jane’s sweat covered clothes.  “Did you really need to see me this much?”

Jane turned red before she shouted, “Maybe I’m no author, but I can damn well write songs!  So just shut up and listen to it!”

Suddenly a female stormed out the front door.  “Ms. Morgendorffer, please wait a second.”  The average height, Asian female stood in a grey power suit and heels as she looked at Jane.  “Who is this, Ms. Morgendorffer?”

Daria smirked and hugged Jane from behind resting her head on Jane’s shoulder.  “Let’s go Jane; it’s time for our date isn’t it?”  Jane’s eyes nearly bugged out of their skull before she blushed deeply.  “She’s such an adorable thing isn’t she?”

“Who are you calling ad… adorab... oh… hell, who are you calling cute?”  Jane started.

Daria cut her off with a smirk, but she gave Jane a small wink.  “I can’t help it, she’s just so stubborn.  But that’s what makes Jane so adorable, is she not?”  Daria had slowly crept close to Jane’s neck looking ready to start nibbling and kissing it, she whispered softly, “Say nothing or I will kill you slowly in a bridesmaid dress from my cousin’s wedding.  You don’t want that,” with a heavy dose of seriousness and meaning behind her words.

After Jane’s “Eep” of a reply the Asian woman looked over the two of them with a frown.  “I see.  She’s more important to you than I am?”

Daria smirked and nodded, “Yes, one-hundred percent.  Angela.”

Angela stared at Daria for a moment before storming away muttering obscenities in melody of foreign languages.  Daria leaned on Jane until Angela had turned the corner of the street before she let her go free.

Jane looking where the fuming woman had stormed away turned and faced Daria. “Are you sure it’s alright to let her go like that?”

Daria still smirked, nodded.  “Yes, she’s angry.  But that’s good for you?  I mean, you are attracted to me, aren’t you?”  When Jane turned, looking away.  Daria smirk widened before she sighed and let Jane off that hook for now.  “So… When is your concert?”

Jane looked at the ground, softly answering, “The seventeenth, at the Zön.”

Daria sighed and leaned against the wall of her apartment building watching Jane through her glasses.  “You’re not going to deny wanting me then?”

Jane glared at Daria.  “You’re wrong about that!  Anyway, who told you to come to my concert?”

Daria sighed and turned to head inside.  “Well I’m sorry, my adorable Jane, but you’ll have to find someone else.  I don’t make a habit of dating other girls.”

Jane stormed after Daria as she headed into the building’s elevator.  Jane managed to catch the doors just before they closed slipping in before letting them finish shutting.  “Now, who the hell told you to come to my concert?  Don’t get any ideas here, and stop talking all that crap about my song.  I bet you don’t even understand it.  If you think its garbage then shut the hell up, nobody needed your two cents!”

Daria snapped her head around and glared at Jane with such ferocity that Jane stopped in mid-rant.  “Shut your mouth.  You’re pissing me off.”  Daria started to stalk closer to Jane forcing her to back up against the wall of the elevator.  “You keep asking me “why, why?”  She was always asking me “why, why?”  Why do you keep coming to see me?  Why are you looking at me like that?  Well, I’m going to do something about that.”  Daria leaned in and kissed the stunned Jane passionately, as the scene fades.