The
Secret Life
Text ?003 Roger E. Moore
(roger70129@aol.com)
Daria and associated
characters are ?003 MTV Networks
Feedback (good, bad, indifferent,
just want to bother me, whatever) is appreciated. Please write to:
roger70129@aol.com
Synopsis: Two college students from
Lawndale finally realize they were made for each other梑ut will anyone else
realize this, too?
Author抯
Notes: This
was one of a number of Valentine抯 Day fanfics from PPMB. It is assumed the
reader is familiar with the characters from the 揇aria?show, so no explanation
or introductions are necessary.
Acknowledgements: Thanks to Deref, who got
me to thinking that there had to be something good about Tom Sloane. You have a
point.
牋牋牋牋牋?He had planned his escape for weeks,
and it was time to go. He paid his mercenary roommate to take notes for him in
three classes, and getting out of the fraternity fundraiser scheduled for
Saturday further drained his finances, but he paid up without question. It was
imperative that he leave Bromwell on time if he was to be with her for the
whole weekend. It would have been easier to manage a relationship if they had
gone to the same college, but that was water over the dam. They had connected
at last, and powerfully so, after false starts and a distant, curious
friendship. He was determined that he would not lose the one true love. She was
his secret life, his secret world, and no one on earth knew of what they shared
but they.
牋牋牋牋牋?Traffic in Newtown was bad, but he
got to the airport late on Thursday afternoon with a little time to spare, even
with all the security checks. He had only one suitcase, as there was no need
for more with a weekend visit. The flight was uneventful. He rented a car at
the airport and checked into his hotel room梡aying cash, no credit cards for
nosy parents to trace his visit梐t eight that evening. He threw his suitcase on
the bed, but first he sat down by the nightstand, gathered his wits, and picked
up the phone.
牋牋牋牋牋?She answered on the third ring in a tired voice. 搼Lo.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揌ey. Happy Valentine抯 Day tomorrow.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揌eeey!?she cried, brightening immediately. 揌appy Valentine抯 to you, too!?He could almost see her smile, see her standing before him. 揌ow are you doing, Tom??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揚retty well, given that I抦 about two miles from your dorm at the moment.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?She gasped. 揧ou抮e kidding! Where are you??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揟he Hyatt again. I抦 on the fifteenth floor. My room isn抰 facing in your direction, though. Can抰 quite see you.?/p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揙h, you! I can抰 believe you! Are you really here??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 really am. Rented a suite for the
weekend. You said you were free, so I棓
牋牋牋牋牋?She burst into laughter. 揑 have a
class tomorrow morning at ten,?she said, 揵ut that抯 all until Tuesday.?A
wave of relief rushed through him. He had feared she would not be able to get
away.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 have to leave Monday night at six. I抦 free, completely.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揥hat if your parents call??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揟aken care of. My roomie has a standard series of messages to pass along. Tom抯 out doing this, he抯 out doing that, and so on. I抣l check for messages, but I don抰 expect any. My folks don抰 call much.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揌old on.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?He waited. She sounded like she was
checking papers, maybe a calendar. Her room was probably jammed to the ceiling
with books and papers. College was truly her element.
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou want me to take a cab over??she asked when she came on again.
牋牋牋牋牋?揌ow about I pick you up instead, okay? I rented a Camry for us.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?She laughed again. He had never
heard her so happy. 揥ell, I have to get to that class tomorrow, if that抯
not棓
牋牋牋牋牋?揌ey, no problem. I抣l drive you over and cruise around town, then pick you up for the weekend. What do you say??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揥hat do I say? I say, sure!?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?He laughed with her. 揇on抰 bring any homework,?he warned. 揧ou won抰 have time to do it.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 just bet I won抰. Don抰 worry. Give me a half hour to get ready, okay? I have to grab finish things.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揥ant me to be there about, what, eight thirty? Eight forty-five??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揗mmm, eight forty-five. How about picking me up at, um, that bus stop next to my dorm, on Parkway Circle??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揇one. I抣l be there.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?She was quiet for a moment before she said, 揑 love you, Tom.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揂nd I love you,?he said. They blew
kisses over the phone and hung up.
牋牋牋牋牋?Twenty-five minutes later, he pulled
up near the bus stop on Parkway. She wasn抰 there yet, but he was patient. She
was sometimes late by up to fifteen minutes, but he didn抰 mind. He was the
most patient guy he knew. She liked that about him. He gave her space in a way
no one else ever did. He had learned to do this the hard way, with someone
else, but she wasn抰 worth mentioning now.
牋牋牋牋牋?Ten minutes passed before he saw her
hurrying down a sidewalk with an overstuffed overnight bag in one hand. He knew
her at once by her red jacket, and his heart leaped. He quickly popped open the
trunk, waiting at the wheel. She did not want anyone to see him get out of the
car. He understood. Not everyone would understand.
牋牋牋牋牋?She grinned as she walked up, waving
one hand. He waved back, keeping it subtle. They kept it clean and straight
when in the open. She tossed her bag in the trunk as he leaned over and opened
the passenger door for her. She got in moments later, and they were on their
way.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 have to kiss you,?he said,
holding her hand.
牋牋牋牋牋?揥ell . . .?She sighed, giving in. 揘ot while you抮e driving, at least.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?He pulled over into a dark parking lot
by a bank that had closed hours ago. He put the car into park, put on the
emergency brake, then leaned over to her. She tilted her head and closed her
eyes, as his arms went around her and her arms reached for his face. When they
kissed with lips parted, it seemed that nothing existed in the universe but
themselves and their love. He could not believe he had known her for a year
before realizing she was the only one he really loved, the only person who was
on his level, the only person he could ever be proud of as his partner in life.
牋牋牋牋牋?She whispered in French when the kiss broke: ?i>Je t抋ime.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋??i>Je vous adore, mon bel,?he
whispered back. ?i>Vous 阾es le soleil.?He kissed her face, smelled her
floral perfume, tasted her hair and skin and a salty tear on her cheek梩hen he
reached into the back seat and brought up the dozen red roses he had bought for
her. She cried out when she saw them, and she held them to her face, breathing
them in.
牋牋牋牋牋?He wondered what she would say when
she saw the ring he had bought for her. He was afraid of her answer, but he
would ask, because she was worth it. She was worth everything, worth every
penny and more of the airline ticket to Atlanta and his hotel and the payoffs
at Bromwell and the ring as well. She was worth everything it took to spirit
her away from Turner University to his hotel room for the weekend梐nd soon,
forever.
牋牋牋牋牋?She was worth it all. He hoped their fathers, who were best friends, would see it that way, too梚f not now, then later in the fullness of time.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 love you, Jodie,?he whispered.
揌appy Valentine抯 Day.?She raised her face as he bent his lips to hers, and
they became one.
Original:
2/19/03
Shipper
(Tom Sloane/Jodie Landon)
FINIS