Outside
"Tom…"
Why don't you say no?
"I've known Trent as long as I've known Jane."
Her eyes pleaded for understanding. He turned slightly away. He wanted to understand…
"He's- it's like- " she placed a small hand on his arm, "Trent has never made any kind of overtures toward me."
He looked down at her.
That's not what I asked. Should it be this hard?
His hand covered hers and firmly held it.
"What about your feelings for him?"
"Tom…"
"I know there's something there. I just want to know what it is."
"We've been through a lot together."
"Like what?"
She cast her eyes elsewhere.
"Personal stuff…..."
"Too personal to tell me? I'm your boyfriend."
I know, I know…but you can't know everything…
They looked at each other with frustration.
Jane was never this difficult. She always told me what she thought, whether I liked it or not. Damn, where the hell did that come from?
"You're my boyfriend. Why can't that be enough?"
He didn't have an answer for that. All he could think was how she was side stepping his original question… and it hurt.
"I should go home." His voice was somber.
"Okay…" she watched as he went to his car without so much as a hug or pat on the shoulder goodbye.
He'll call later before he goes to bed…
Inside, a bit later…
Do you have feelings for Trent that go beyond friendship? How was I supposed to answer that? Tom, Tom… Tom…
Daria's thoughts plagued her no matter what she did to busy herself. She couldn't concentrate on writing or reading, so currently she was cleaning the kitchen- thoroughly. Her mother took in the scene with more than a little disbelief, even after Jake had gotten her pried away from her work in the bedroom. Now both parents watched from a distance in a slight shock.
"Honey, you okay?" Helen broached cautiously.
Daria looked up and realized that this must look weird, since cleaning any room other than her own was not happening without a bribe of some kind. Daria wanted to forget about things but clearly that wasn't going to work.
"Uhmmm….."
"Is it Tom?" her mother ventured delicately.
Well…..
At the look of angst on her face Jake and Helen exchanged their own look.
"Are things progressing more than you would-" Helen started.
"No mom, please- it has nothing to do with that."
The parents gave a relieved sigh in union.
"Okay, then what is it sweetie?"
Jake motioned for them all to sit in the front room. Daria took the seat in the chair across from her parents and thought again on how she should say whatever it was she wanted to say or even if she should say it. She waited a long moment and her parents looked at her expectantly.
"Tom and I are dating." She stated in stilted tones. "He thinks- well, he asked me-"
She breathed a frustrated sigh.
"I believe that he's resenting the time that I'm putting in other places. I've made some modifications in my life and I enjoy them, but it doesn't leave as much time for a relationship as it used to."
Relationship advice, wow…
That Tom….. I knew he was pressuring her in one way or another! Play it cool Jake. Your baby girl is turning to you for advice.
"I'm sure that if you sit him down and explain the importance of diversifying your portfolio for college to Tom he'll understand." Helen tried to mediate a solution.
Okay, so it's more than my volunteer work.
"Sweetie," Jake looked at his daughter in earnest, "the new things that you're doing do they make you happy?"
She nodded.
"Then maybe you start talking to him about that first. Tell him how it makes you feel. That should be his priority."
Shit, they think it's all him. I'm at fault for some of this too…even though I didn't mean to.
"Um, he also has the impression that I might have feelings that go beyond friendship for someone else too." She mumbled averting her eyes.
Jake and Helen exchanged looks. Each parent knew that she had been spending more time with Trent lately, but each had surmised their own thoughts behind why.
"You know honey when you become friends with someone over a period of time, especially the way you have with the Lanes, they are more like family. So to someone else that kind of closeness to someone that they see as a nonrelative can look like more." Jake spoke gently.
Of course he could see the same thing that I've seen. Your closeness to Trent appears to be more than friendly or family concern and it goes both ways.
"So, what; Am I supposed to just not have friends?"
"Of course that's not what we're saying dear," Helen picked up on Jake's lead. "We're saying," she glanced at Jake, "maybe you should examine your own feelings for Tom- and anyone, then you'll know how to proceed."
Nicely done, oh wife of mine...
Daria thought over what her parents were saying.
"What if he's right?"
"Then it's best to know now, right?"