Mystik Spiral (Daria Fanfic: Trent Lane Love Story)

Ditching

Chapter 5 - Ditching

Skipping breakfast was the least of my concerns that morning. Avoiding any interaction with my parents was my top priority. I trudged towards school, my mind consumed with thoughts of how to handle the Tommy situation. The whole ordeal was absolutely dreadful.

Attempting to add a rebellious touch to my attire, I struggled to find anything remotely edgy in my wardrobe filled with skirts and sweaters.

As I rounded the corner, my attention was drawn to Trent, casually leaning against a pristine white letter box. He appeared to be the type who would never willingly rise early for school, yet there he stood, defying expectations.

He had his school bag slung over one shoulder, a cigarette hanging lazily between his lips. He lifted his head, squinting against the early morning sun as I approached.

"Hey," he greeted, the corners of his mouth curling up in a half-smile. His eyes were a little bloodshot, but it didn't detract from his rugged charm.

"Hey," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant but my voice was shaky and high-pitched.

"Walk you to school?" he offered, flicking his cigarette ash onto the pavement and crushing it under his boot. He had a rough, careless air about him that was oddly attractive.

"Sure," I said, shrugging as casually as I could. It was either walk with Trent or spend the next ten minutes agonizing over what to say to Tommy.

As we walked, Trent seemed relaxed, comfortable in the silence. I, on the other hand, was far from at ease. I kept stealing glances at him, wondering what was running through his mind. He still seemed liked a mystery.

"What are you jamming to this morning?" he asked, his demeanor exuding a sense of nonchalant coolness as his gaze met mine.

"Uh, Bjork," I responded, taken aback by his sudden interest in making conversation.

"Cool," he simply replied, his tone betraying a hint of sleepiness, or perhaps he hadn't slept at all.

As we neared the school, I could see Tommy at the entrance, surrounded by his usual crowd. I felt a knot form in my stomach.

Trent must have noticed my discomfort because he suddenly said, "You know we can just ditch"

"I can't keep avoiding him for the rest of my school life," I sighed, my frustration evident. "Besides, he knows where I live."

"What?" Trent exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Marilyn!" Tommy's voice called out, locking his gaze onto me. My entire body tensed up. It seemed that my attempts to express my feelings to him had been futile; he was determined to have his way.

Trent's gaze shifted from me to Tommy, a dark cloud passing over his eyes. He put out his cigarette, the butt falling to the ground with a soft hiss. "This isn't right," he said, his voice low and tight.

"I know," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

For a moment, Trent looked like he was about to say something, but then he just shook his head. "I can't tell you what to do, Marilyn," he said, running a hand through his messy hair. "But remember, you don't have to put up with this."

His words were like a lifeline, pulling me back from the edge of despair. With one last look at Tommy, I turned away and walked into the school building, Trent by my side. I knew I couldn't ignore Tommy all day but even just for the first half of the day would be nice.

"Hey, Trent?" Monique's voice interrupted as she caught sight of us entering the school building. Her expression was one of pure astonishment at seeing him there so early.