Waiting

 

Description:  Trent ponders things.

 

Disclaimer: Daria and all related characters belong to MTV.  I am broke and not making any money off of this, so don’t bother suing me.  You’ll pay more in court fees than my entire life savings.

 

By Professor Moriarity

 

 

 

 

            Trent pondered what Jane had just told him.  Daria’s birthday was next week.  Her 18th birthday.  Trent wasn’t sure whether he should jump for joy or panic.  Maybe a bit of both.  Trent had some interesting feelings regarding Daria, ones he hadn’t quite sorted out yet.  Now that she was turning 18, though, he knew he had to figure things out.  He thought back to the first time he’d really noticed Daria….

 

(flashback)

 

Daria, do you ever feel like you are wasting your life?”

 

“ Only when I'm awake.”

 

“Like no money, no job, you live with your parents and you still can't play an open D tuning.”

 

“ Well, I haven't had those exact thoughts...”

 

“Maybe I will end up a townie doing Doors covers. I mean, who's to say, right?”

 

“Umm, you know Trent, it takes a lot of guts to go after a dream, especially when you know failure means spending the rest of your life playing LA Woman. In public. ”

 

“Hmm, I guess.”

 

“And even if it doesn't work out, at least for now you're doing exactly what you want to.

 

“Yeah, that's true.”

 

“A lot of people never even get that far.”

 

            He’d just wanted someone to talk to.  Jesse and the other guys in the band wouldn’t have understood, and Janey would have just made fun of him.  Daria seemed cool; she was Janey’s friend, and since she was so quiet he thought she’d be a good listener.  Instead, she’d blown him away by knowing exactly the right thing to say.  It was like she could see into his soul.  It scared him, and intrigued him.  He kept an eye on her, and liked what he saw.  She was funny….

 

“There's nothing like watching the sun rise. Except watching the sun set in reverse.”

 

And although she tried to hide it, she genuinely cared.  Like that time with Tommy Sherman…

 

Trent rubbed his eyes and went to get the door.  He knew Janey wouldn’t; she didn’t even want anyone to know she was home.  Something was bugging her, but she wouldn’t talk to him about it.  He opened the door to see Daria standing there.

 

“Hey, Daria. Janey went running.”

 

“Oh, well, I'll see her another time.”

 

            Trent almost closed the door, but then he noticed something in her eyes.  Concern.  Daria was worried about Janey, just like he was.  After talking to Daria for a couple more minutes, Trent made a decision.

 

“You know it was a while ago that Janey went running. Maybe she came back and I didn't hear her or something. Anyway, why don't you check her room, she might be there.”

 

“I'll yell up the stairs.”

 

“No, umm, sometimes she's got some music on and she can't hear really well. Why don't you just head on up?”

 

            After Daria and Janey talked, Janey was fine again.  Daria was a good friend to Janey, no doubt about it.  He remembered the day, though, that he’d stopped considering he to be just “Janey’s friend.”  They’d gone shopping for presents for Janey’s birthday, and had ended up at Axl’s piercing parlor.  Trent had suggested that Daria get something pierced…

 

“I am not going to pierce my belly button. It never did anything to me.

 

“Daria, it would look really hot.” 

 

As he’d said it, he realized that he meant it.  Really meant it.  Daria would look hot with a navel ring.  Or without a navel ring.  Or with her head shaved and wearing sackcloth and ashes… But she was still Janey’s friend.  Too young, and probably not interested in a bum like him.  But there was a chance…..

 

Trent was in that fuzzy place between sleep and wakefulness when Janey’s voice brought him into full consciousness.

 

“Why are you staring at my brother?”

 

“Selfless concern? I think he stopped breathing.”

 

“Nah, he's entering a dormant stage. In about ten years he should emerge as a butterfly. I guess you're gonna wait.”

 

            Trent knew he shouldn’t let on that he’d heard them, but he couldn’t resist opening his eyes a crack and smiling a little…

 

            It was possible he’d misinterpreted Daria and Janey’s conversation.  Hell, he probably had.  But if he hadn’t….he hoped he hadn’t… he wanted more than anything for it to be true.

            But who was he kidding?  Even if she did like him, it would never work.  What could he possibly offer her?  Lord knows he’d only let her down in the past…

 

“Trent, it was a school assignment. We had a deadline.”

 

“I don't believe in deadlines, Daria. They stifle creativity.”

 

“Yeah, but agreeing to help us meant you were committing to our deadline.”

 

“Maybe we just have different ideas about what a commitment is.

 

“I suppose we do.”

 

“I guess it wasn't such a great idea for us to get together... on this.”

 

“No, I guess there was no way it could have worked out.”

 

“Hmm. It's too bad, Daria. I always kind of felt you understood the way I think.”

 

“I do, Trent. I do.”    

 

            Trent was still kicking himself over that one.  He’d been an idiot.  Daria was right; he’d said he’d help them, and should have honored their deadline.  He’d disappointed them—disappointed Daria.  And then he’d tried to defend his position!  “I just couldn’t get the music together.”  Stupid, stupid, stupid.   The worst part, however, had been when Daria said she understood how he thought.  The message behind the words being:  “You’re a bum, Trent.  You have no job, no responsibilities, so how could I expect you to act in a responsible manner?”   It was greater than any pain he’d ever felt before, her pity and condescension. 

 

He was lucky, though.  It hadn’t been a total loss…

 

“Sorry again about, you know... everything.”

 

 “That's okay.”

 

       “All right then, Daria. See you around.”  And before he knew what he was doing, Trent leaned over and kissed Daria on the cheek.

 

            Trent smiled at the memory.  But he was still no closer to making a decision.  Now that Daria was turning 18, should he say something to her about the way he felt?  Or should he keep quiet? She could still see him as simply a lazy bum.  How could he convince her otherwise.  What if she didn’t care for him in return?  What if she did? 

 

Trent decided to go get some food.  This would require more thought.

 

~fin~

 

 

Notes and stuff:  First and foremost, to all the people who read this in the hopes of finding something funny like my first ‘fic, HA!!!  Instead I’ve given you an introspective ‘shipper piece!  The Professor refuses to fit the mold!! Let’s see, what else do I need to say?  I didn’t bother footnoting, because it’s pretty obvious where I quoted things from episodes.  I got the idea for this fic when I watched “That Was Then, This Is Dumb” again.  If  you watch closely enough, you can see that Trent does actually open his eyes and smile when Jane makes the butterfly comment.  I took the idea and ran with it.  Questions, comments, or proposals of marriage?  Send them to archmage_rana@hotmail.com.