Morgendorffer residence…
"I'll be back for dinner," Daria said on her way out the door.
"Another date?" her mother queried with a look over the paper that she'd been reading while sitting with her husband in the front room.
"Yes." Daria wanted to escape out the door, but her mother would have to have her say anyway…so why not now. Daria turned to face them. Her father gave an encouraging smile.
"And I understand you're dating Trent now?"
Why don't you sound…. upset or something…
Helen put down the paper and looked at her daughter.
"Have a nice time."
"Um, okay." Daria opened the door and looked back at her parents. "Thanks." She left feeling lighter than air.
Lane residence….
"You're going out with him again?" Trent watched as Jane checked her lipstick and retied her boot. He had stopped by her room to see if she wanted to go with him and Daria to The Zon, but she was in the midst of getting ready to go out from what he could see.
"It shouldn't matter who I go out with." Jane looked at him. "We don't judge, remember?"
"I'm not judging. I'm being a brother."
A judgmental brother…
"Not that it matters, but I'm going out with Evan tonight."
Jane turned and looked at Trent.
Why does he look so relieved? He knows I can handle myself with Tom and anyone else. Hell, I should be worried about him and my best friend that had no problem forgetting about her crush and me when Tom came in the picture. She could really hurt you brother dear…. That's not a fair assessment, I guess she never truly forgot about Trent and given how things happened with Tom and yours truly…plus she's not that outgoing…
"You okay?" Trent's voice broke through her thoughts.
"Yeah. Any lectures, dad?" she teased.
I love you sis.
"You're an ass."
"Awwwww, so sweet and brotherly. I gotta jet." She teased and breezed by him giving a playful jab on her way past.
"He's not picking you up?"
"Meeting up, bye."
The door shut behind her. Trent went to the restroom to make sure that he was ready for his own date.
Later at the Lane residence…
"Am I early?" Daria asked seeing Trent looking not quite ready when she opened the door.
He looked down at her. She wore her hair pulled partially back secured by a satin green ribbon, while the length hung down her back in loose waves. The vee tee shirt was a slightly darker green than the ribbon and her high-waisted pleated cream/green plaid skirt fit her nicely giving emphasis to her legs on down to the kitten heel sandals that she wore.
"No, I'm a little behind."
Damn, she looks too good for The Zon…
"Uh, give me a sec." He took a few quick- for Trent quick- strides to his room and looked to his closet for an answer.
I know that I have a decent shirt here…oh I know-
He looked on the top shelf of his closet in a box that he'd tossed up there with the item still in it. He pulled out the button down shirt that Jane had given him as a present for an interview once, but he'd overslept and missed it, so it remained in the closet until now.
I'll leave it on the outside to his a bit of these old jeans. Shit, I hate fashion. Maybe she won't notice- Dude, this is Daria, she's not like that…although she does deserve someone that can dress nice and take her somewhere classy.
He looked at himself. The solid gray button down did look nice with his worn whisker washed dark denim jeans in a cool, just out of college teaching high school kind of way. His eyes fell to the scuffed sneakers and he grabbed a nearby rag and did his best to wipe them down. One last look and he went back to where she was sitting in the front room. She stood as soon as she saw him.
"Everything okay?"
He looks…..nervous…
Why the hell am I so nervous…?
"Yeah," he scratched the back of his head as he quickly added up how much money he had in his wallet and wishing profusely that he'd done so before leaving the privacy of his room. "If you want to go somewhere else, we can. You know- somewhere nice." He gestured to her clothes and overall appearance."
She looked down at herself a bit embarrassed. She'd wanted to look good for their date, not make him think that she wanted to go somewhere like Chez Pier.
"I thought we were going to The Zon."
"You look too good for that."
She blushed.
"I want to go wherever you go." She spoke honestly. "I promise The Zon is fine."
"Okay." He took her hand and led her out the door.