She looked at Trent, really looked at him. He stood with his back to her looking out the window that faced the courtyard below the apartment complex. He had filled out a bit since she had met him all of those years ago, but still maintained his long and somewhat lanky silhouette. He wore a soft green Henley and dark denim jeans with brown Timberline boots. His hair was still curly and uniquely his. His face, his lovely face…the face that had dominated the fantasies of her teenaged self…it still held the same allure that had drawn her to it- minus the last vestiges of his fight with Tom.

"There is no real way to actually let one down gently." His voice almost made her jump as he turned to fully face her. "So if this is you trying to find the words to say that you and Tom are continuing to work things out, but we should remain friends… don't bother."

"You don't think that our friendship could survive?"

"I don't want to hang around and pretend that I am happy about you and Tom."

"So, if Tom and I were to have reconciled, you wouldn't be pleased. Why?" she moved closer as she spoke.

"I believe that I have made myself clear."

"Indulge me then; why would it bother you if Tom and I were to continue a relationship. After all, that night was probably just another romp for you."

His eyes burned into hers then with an intensity that made her immediately regret her words.

"That wasn't fair. I'm sorry."

"Is that what it was for you… after finding out that it was me that you were with?"

"It could never be just sex with you Trent. Tom and I aren't reconciling; what you saw when you guys came in was goodbye."

She waited while he absorbed that information.

"I couldn't continue in a relationship with him when I have feelings for you."

"Maybe it was just good sex."

"It was damn good sex, but more than that…at least for me it was. I felt connected to you on a whole new level. I would like to see if it translates outside of the bedroom… that is if you want to."

"No one wants to be second choice Daria."

"That's not how it is."

"I know… it just…hurt seeing you two like that when I came in. It was like all the breath was knocked out of me or something."

"I'm sorry."

She reached out and took his hand.

"So what do you say? You and me, give it a go?"

"Sounds like a plan." He smiled and pulled her forth into his arms to hold her close. They stayed that way each listening to the others breathing and gaining comfort in the combination of their steady rhythm.

"I was thinking," she said while slightly furrowing her face in the softness of his shirt and enjoying his scent, "that night we were in the wrong rooms-"

"I disagree. I think we were exactly where we were supposed to be."

She smiled in understanding.

"I know what you mean, but technically we were in the wrong rooms. Where did Monique think that you were?"

She felt him tense.

"I'm not trying to stir anything up. I was just curious."

"Where did Tom say that he was?"

Daria thought about it for a moment. She had never really asked him. She had simply assumed that he had gotten sick in the bathroom and slept on the couch, since he had more than usual to drink.

"I never really asked him… I just thought that he had gotten sick from drinking or something…."

She was quiet. He could feel the wheels turning in her mind.

"She thought that I was in the bed with her."

Daria remained quiet and thinking.

"After you and Jane had left I went to the room to grab some clothes for a shower and… they were still there. They didn't even notice when I opened the door, so I left. I went back to our- your room, got dressed and went for a walk. When I got back Tom was gone. I told Monique it was over right then. She said that she didn't know what was going on and wanted to know why. I couldn't tell her- not right then, it was better that she thought that I was an insensitive ass than to know… that."

"She seemed really hurt when Jane and I saw her before she left."

"I know… I still have to talk to her. She has a right to know what happened."

"Wait, if Monique doesn't know then Tom had to have left before she woke; so he knew."

"Yeah…"

"He knew and he just let me go on and on trying to convince him that it was a mistake when practically the same thing happened with them."

"Are you going to confront him?"

Why is he sounding like that?

"But he-"

"What does it matter if you two are over?"

"It doesn't-, not like that, but he thinks that he can make me feel bad for doing the same thing as he did."

Unbelievable!

"I should go." Trent stood causing Daria to straighten and look at him.

"What just happened?" she wondered to herself as she watched Trent moving to the door, then more loudly. "Trent, what just happened?"

He didn't bother turning back to her.

"Nothing, you were just reacting… you were just showing me what you feel."

"That's not fair." He had stopped walking, but still did not face her. "Wouldn't you be upset if you found out that you had been apologizing for something that should have been understood, especially given the circumstances?"

"I won't do the back and forth thing. If you're still not sure about wanting to move forward-"

"I am more than sure. I am also more than a little angry that Tom didn't come clean with me."

Trent looked at her. He supposed that she had every right to be peeved.

"Okay, but from now own we talk about everything no matter how hard it may be."

Firm lines…looks good on you Trent.

"Okay." She nodded and put herself back into his arms.

Trent and Daria enjoyed the comfort each other. They had found their way to each other and though each wanted this relationship badly, they knew that like most things truly desired, it would not always be easy. Knowing this only made them each hold tighter, determined to stay the course.