Help Neons wont work!

I am installing 2 10" green neons in my trunk and Im having trouble, this is what I did.

1.) Connected the + ends and - ends of the neons together so they will turn on and off insync. (the wires are white, and white with a black stripe...the black stripe is the positive wire right?)
2.) Put a 22-18gauge quick disconnect on the end of that (female)
3.) Pulled Postive and negative wire from engine, threw firewall, to trunk.
4.) Since the wire from the engine is a little thicker (14 AWG) I put a 12-14gauge quick disconnect on the end of that. (male)
5.) Connected tthe wires and made sure that everything was secure.
6.) Waited for neons to turn on.
7.) Waited longer
8.) Broke into tears

What am I doing wrong? I have no idea. help me please?

you got a bad connection somewhere. you need a + wire comin from the battery to a switch then from the switch to + wires of neons. then take - wire of neons to a bolt somewhere in your trunk to ground them. dont run a - wire from the battery

ok, this is what you should do.
crimp or use wire nuts to connect the positive leads from the neons to the power from your engine.
then connect the neg. leads from the neons to a ground
and then do u have a switch or no?