As she's walking home from school, Daria mutters to herself, "stupid day, school sucks with Jane." She stops looking at her house. Hearing the sound of scoffing coming through the door she asks herself, "do I really want to face the fashion club today? Do I even have to ask myself that?" So she keeps on walking till she hits the lane residence. "Even a sick Jane is better company than any of my family," she thinks to herself, "or my lonely room," 'where did that come from?'
She hits the doorbell, no one answers. "Everyone's probably asleep, I mean it's only three. Haha." She pushes the button again, feeling mildly annoyed by the wind chime, that Mrs. Lane had probably made herself, which was ringing endlessly by her head. "Oh well back to my own hell, also known as home."
"Hey Daria," a gruff voice says "what's that about hell?"
"Nothing" blushing just a bit. "Is Jane feeling any better?"
"Yeah she's up and well enough to be sculpting," he replies suppressing a yawn.
"Did I wake you?" She asks trying to keep any conversation going she can maintain as they walk into the house.
"Nah, I was already up writing some music for our gig tomorrow. Are you going to be there?" Squarely meeting her eyes.
"I might it depends if Jane wants to go or not, speaking of which I better go see her." She says almost desperately 'I have to get away from him; he's practically making me tremble. What's my problem?'
With that, she creeps upstairs and peeks through Jane's door. Jane lays fast asleep with a ball of sculpting clay in her lap.
"Ok then," pushing the door softly shut.
Back in the living room Trent looks up from his notepad.
"Jane's asleep, I guess I'll just go home now, I'll see you later," making her way to the door.
"Hey wait a minute. While you're here, does this song sound any good to you? I've been blocked lately, my songs are coming out muddled."
"Sure!" 'Don't sound so enthusiastic' she thinks to herself. "I mean if you want me to." She takes the notepad and reads. 'These are horrible. How many times does he rhyme something with ache: cake, lake, make, sake.' "Umm they aren't bad" She lies horribly.
"Yes they are," he states grimly.
"Ok, they are, but you admitted it" 'I shouldn't have said that' she panics.
He laughs coughing afterward. "Thanks Daria, hey sit down, I'm sure Janey won't sleep long."
"Ok, beats the fashion nazi's meeting." Looking at his questioning look she says, "my sister and her friends."
Nods, "I remember them."
Awkward silence permeates the room. Her shakiness returns.
"How's Tom?"
She's shocked. "Tom?" She croaks out. 'Well, things hadn't been going too well, as a matter of fact, with him. Act normal' she commands herself. "Everything's fine" she says. ' We just hardly ever speak anymore, and the last time we did I could only think of you.' "You know the usual."
"That's good" he replies
'Is that disappointment in his eyes, or is that me being delusional?' "How's Monique?" Dreading the answer.
"I wouldn't know we broke up a while ago."
"I'm sorry." She mumbles, feeling a flush of pleasure and relief seize her.
"I'm not," he states, looking directly at her again. This time she doesn't break the stare.
The silence is broken with a sharp cough from the stairs.
Trent looks away, "Hey Janey," he calls as if nothing happened.
"Hay is for horses, Trent, what's going on?" Cocking an eyebrow at them.
"Just showing Trent that I can beat him any day at a staring contest, and how are you? I think you're feverish still. Hay is for horses?" Daria laughs thinking 'I hope she can't tell how nervous I am?'
Jane just stares dubiously at the two.
"Well I've got to get to Jesse's for rehearsal. I'll see you Daria, bye Janey." Trent makes a hasty retreat.
Left alone Jane turns to her friend, "what was that all about?"
"Nothing."
"Daria, you're crimson!" Jane cries almost astonished.
Daria just glances uneasily at the floor.
"What about Tom? I thought you gave up on Trent after you stole my boyfriend." Jane teases.
"Oh great, we're back to this!" Daria moans.
"No, I was just kidding. I see you're not in the mood for that though."
"Tom and I haven't spoken for two weeks, and I haven't really cared to for about four." Daria admits.
"Well, what was that with Trent?" Getting straight to the point.
"Hell if I know, I was just waiting for you to wake up, 'cos I didn't want to go home to today's fashion club meeting." Daria says defensively.
"And..."
"And Trent and I got to talking, then all the feelings just came back." The statement rushes out. 'I wish I hadn't said that.'
"Wow, Daria." Jane says with pity.
"Anyway, are you better?" Daria asks trying to change the subject.
"Smooth, but I'll let you get away with it. Yes I'm fine now. I was just taking my usual afternoon snooze. How long are Quinn's troops staying for?"
"The night," she says bitterly. "I get to fall asleep hearing all about how weird her cousin is."
"That really bothers you, doesn't it?" She realizes. "Well hey, why don't you stay here?" Jane gets met with a skeptical look. "I mean, I'm sure Trent will be gone all night."
"Umm, sure."

Later that night Daria wakes and looks around. Figuring out she can't just get back to sleep, she thinks to herself, 'might as well get a drink while I'm up.' She thumps down the stairs to the kitchen getting a glass of water. About to head back up the stairs, Trent stumbles into the house. They look at each other long enough for Trent to close the door and close the gap between their bodies. They kiss and it feels so right to Daria.
"Oh god, I'm sorry Daria, I shouldn't have done that." Trent whispers, backing away quickly.
Daria just stares too dazed to speak or protest.
Trent takes that as a negative sign, and retreats to his room. Soon loud music is blaring through his door.
Daria takes several deep breaths, her mouth has gone dry, and walking back to the kitchen she refills her glass and drinks it down refilling it again. She then finds herself in Jane's room again. She's like a zombie. She lies down in her designated sleeping bag but just sits and stares at the wall all night.

She wakes up groggy to Jane telling her how her mom called a half an hour ago, and wanted Daria home by one, for some stupid reason or another. (Jane's words.) It's 12:56 so Daria better get ready to go. Daria hurriedly changes, and at the door Jane asks her,
"Are you going to see Mystik tonight?"
Last night all comes flooding back, she half hopes it didn't really happen, but she knows it did. She looks wildly at her friend who takes her response to be about the earlier staring. Daria doesn't care to fill her in, 'she can wait till I organize my feelings.' She thinks to herself.
"Oh come on!" her friend insists.
"Ok." Daria consents. 'Besides I have to at least try and talk to him about what happened last night.'


Jane comes to the door that night; Trent waits in the car for the two. "What did your mom want from you?" Jane asks making light conversation.
"Oh nothing, she was just mad that I didn't come home yesterday and it was her way of punishing me without having to actually do anything." Daria mutters the last part, sounding annoyed. She slides into the backseat, noticing how both her and Trent try to avoid eye contact.
Jane seems oblivious to it all and is humming along with the radio.
Trent is nervously averting his eyes in the rearview mirror.
It seems like eternity before they arrive at the club and Trent breaks off from them to go into the backdoor. At that Daria relaxes a little telling herself, 'I'll talk to him later.' It's early so they get right in and whom does Daria encounter but Tom.
Jane looks at her friend and says, "You should tell him now," and gives her a reassuring smile.
Daria doesn't budge; unfortunately Tom comes up to them. All three just stare at each other before Jane excuses herself with some lame reason or another. Daria doesn't really listen. Although all the feelings for Tom are gone she still remembers the good times they had and the fact that he was her first boyfriend. She can't just let those feelings all go. She glances up on the stage where Trent is starting to set up. He's staring at the back of Tom's head. Once again Daria and Trent lock gazes. 'It's time.' She convinces herself. "Tom let's just not kid ourselves anymore."
"It's over." He ends it for her. "I mean I'm sorry, I didn't want to sound so final."
"You should though, we are." Daria reassures him. Then smiles. They hug and Tom pecks her on the cheek.
"I'll miss you Daria." He states before walking away.
Daria watches him walk away before looking back at the stage. Trent is nowhere to be seen. She goes over and asks Jesse where he went.
"I don't know, man. He just said he'd be right back and walked that way." He replied pointing toward the backdoor. "Tell him to hurry that we're on in five."
"Will do." Daria says, eager to find Trent and, well she didn't know that part yet. Breaking into the cool night air she sees Trent pacing around at the curb. "Hi." She sounds shy.
Trent jerks his head towards her looking really confused. "What are you doing out here?" he asks amazed. Then, "where's Tom?" a bit hurt sounding.
"We broke up." She shrugs. Then making up her mind she walks straight up to him and using all her nerve she kisses him. Breaking apart she says, "I've always liked you better than Tom, I always just thought you didn't think about me that way."
"Well now you know better," he jokes. They kiss again.
"Oh yeah," she says through breaths, "Jesse said you needed to be in there well I guess it's five minutes ago now." She laughs.
"Too bad." Trent grins. Then nudging her he whispers, "guess what?" Not waiting for a response he says, "I've always liked you too."