SLEEPING WITH TRENT: A SLIGHTLY MISLEADING TITLE
by Mitch
wells17@gte.net

Trent couldn't believe it! They must have planned this one
out -way- in advance! He tried to contain himself while
unlocking the motel door.

"Something bothering you, Trent?" He turned and saw Daria, looking at him
questionably.

"Huh? Uh, nothing Daria. I was just, well, thinking about what Jane and
Jesse did..."

"I know. I bothers me too. Don't worry about it."

"Yeah. I guess your right..."

It started out so routinely. Trent, Jane, and Jesse were
going to take a little vacation somewhere, as usual. They
invited Daria to come, as usual. Everything had changed ten
minutes ago. It turned out that Jane had reserved a room for
herself and Jesse and one for Trent and Daria. Trent's first
reaction was that they would be -alone- and they might...No. He
knew them both too well. The most they would do is make out and
cuddle. He was just being overprotective of his little sister
and he trusted his best friend well enough.

Well, now he had to spend a night alone with Daria.
Strange, he had been associated with her for a while now, but he
still didn't -really- know her. For quite some time, Trent had
-wanted- to know Daria better. She -had- to be cool if Jane had
picked her as a friend, but why was she always so -quiet- around
him? Daria had been a little more talkative around him lately,
but still...

"So," said Trent, breaking his own train of thought, "do you
want the shower first?"

"Uh, how about you, Trent?"

"Okay, but why?"
"Because, frankly, don't take this the wrong way but, you smell."

"Oh. Hmmm. That's understandable."

-----
As Trent head toward the bathroom, Daria lay on one of the
beds. She thought about Jane's apparent motive for this setup.
Then she thought about how it wouldn't work. Trent never really
noticed her before and Daria was always too shy to say, well,
almost -anything- to him. She was always so...-paralyzed- in his
presence. It was probably her hormones, except that they were
quiet before she met Trent. Right now, Daria was thinking about
her luck of even -knowing- Trent. Some girls could only dream
about meeting guys like that...Then she realized Trent didn't
bring any pajamas with him. When he got out of the shower, would
she see him -naked-?! As usual, she contained her excitement,
but she was having a -little- trouble this time...

"All yours." Trent came out in gray boxer shorts. Daria
was wide-eyed for a belief moment, but then caught herself.

"Um, thanks Trent." She took her bag and went to the bathroom. God,
he looks so cute, she thought to herself as she closed the door.

-----

Trent lay on the bed, waiting for Daria. The whole time, he
wanted the two of them to have a talk, but Daria was keeping to
herself as usual. Trent then realized that this was the most
personal moment he had ever shared with Daria. Sharing a hotel room was
almost as personal as two people could get. Of course,
he was afraid that people would get the wrong idea about them and
that Daria would somehow get the wrong idea about -him-. He was
a guy and she was a girl after all. All he wanted was to get to
know her better. He respected her privacy as much as he
respected his own, but there had to be -something- about herself
that she could tell him.

Trent wondered if Daria would be wearing pajamas, underwear,
or just a shirt. Trent shook his head and cursed himself for
thinking like that. Anyway, he hoped that Daria wouldn't wear
something too revealing, not that he thought she wouldn't look
good, but that he didn't want this trip to be too personal. Daria
was a friend and that was it, at least he -wanted- her to be his
friend...

Daria came out of the shower wearing a long, modest pajama
shirt. Even though nothing was exposed, it was reveling in
another sense as Trent saw her figure. He wondered why she was
always wearing that jacket until he realized that Daria wasn't
one to "show off". That was one of the reasons he respected her
so much.

"I'm not quite that tired yet, Trent. Is anything on TV?"

"Huh? Uh, I don't know, Daria. Let me check."

Of course, nothing was on. All there was were action
movies with too many explosions and female actors with revealing
outfits and news reports about the scandal President Clinton was in.

"Well," said Trent, "it looks like, like it or not, -this-
is what history's gonna remember him for. Now, what -I'm- gonna
remember him for is when, a year ago, I think, Clinton went to a
small town and answered the questions of a bunch of honor
students on live TV. There was this girl who asked if he meant
it when he said that all kids could afford college or some such.
It was great. She had him by the... "

Trent looked at Daria and slowly started to realize something.

"Daria, do you have an orange jacket and a brown skirt?"

"I used to."

Trent couldn't believe it. There was a celebrity in his
life for the longest time and he didn't notice until now!

"Oh, God..." Daria was smirking. "You know Trent, I didn't know
anyone remembered or even -saw- that broadcast until now.
Thanks."

"Um, you're welcome."

Sometime later, Trent turned around and saw that Daria had
fallen asleep. They were on the same bed so they could both see
the TV. Trent thought of carrying her to the other bed but he
was too tired and there was something...wrong about that. So, he
just put the light out and put the covers on both of them. It
would be okay as long as he didn't touch her.

-----

"No, no. QUINN!"

Daria woke up and saw that she was IN BED WITH TRENT!

"Trent, you awake?"

"Huh? Uh, yeah, Daria."

"Trent, why are we...?"

"Oh. Well, you were asleep and I was tired, so I thought it would
be no big deal if we shared. Uh, I could move to the other bed if..."

"No, that's...okay, Trent."

It was more than okay. Daria just had a dream where Quinn
ran off with Trent. Even if he didn't share her feelings of him,
this would take her mind off of her dream.

-----

Trent felt Daria snuggle up to him some. A part of him
enjoyed it for some reason. She must be dreaming, he thought.
Trent wondered about Daria's private life. What was her life back
in Highland? Did she ever have a boyfriend. Did she
have children? Did Trent even have the nerve to ask her these
things? Maybe when we get closer and when I get the chance, he
thought before falling asleep.

Trent awoke the next morning to find Daria's shirt on the
bed. He could barely remember the night before. All he could
think of was Daria sleeping next to him, snuggling to him
and...nothing. Trent was scared. Did he...would he...? He
remembered that she looked good last night and he was at least a
-little- tempted, but he wouldn't have done anything like that to
her, would he?

Daria came out of the shower in her usual attire.

"Morning, Trent."

"Uh, morning Daria."

Trent tried to hide his concern. Daria sat on her bed and
tossed Trent's clothes at him.

"Here. You left these in the bathroom."

"Oh. Uh, thanks."

"You know, Trent, I should thank you." Trent secretly gulped.
"Thanks for not taking advantage of me."

"What?"

"Some people in your position wouldn't be so respectful of me.
You're quite a gentleman, you know that?"

Trent felt both relief and flattery.

"Thanks, Daria. That means more than you think. Thanks."

After Trent dressed, they found Jane and Jesse making out at
check out.

END