Trent's Crisis
                       By Danielle Beach
This is my second fanfic.  Did you like my first one?  I know they're short
but I'm working on a long one right now.  So enjoy.  I know you probably
think 'this sux!' but I felt I needed to write it to comment on HIV.

Trent got up early that Monday morning, for the first time in his life.  He
walked form his car into the small white clinic.  He was terrified.  The
blinding white, Florissant lights, and the smell that was almost like a
funeral parlor.  He went to the reception desk and checked in.  His number
0912.  That was the time he had gotten up this morning.  He sat waiting
until he heard over the intercom, "Number zero nine one two, please proceed
for testing.  He winced as the nurse pushed the needle into this arm and
took a tube of blood.  She told him to come back in a week.  So then he went
home and sat for an hour with his guitar in his hands, trying to think of a
new song.  At some point Daria came over.  Then Jesse did and the two worked
on their open D tunings.
The next Monday Trent pulled into the Clinic parking lot and walked in.  His
number was called and he went back.  He saw the nurse sitting in the chair
she had been sitting in the week before.  She turned to Trent and said, "Mr.
Lane I have some rather grave news.  You tested positive for the HIV virus."
  Trent felt as though someone had punched him in the head with a brick tied 
to their fist.  He turned pale and had to sit down.
"There has to be a mistake, I mean I only had sex with one person," Trent 
said looking at the nurse with a plea in his eyes.
"I'm sorry Mr. Lane," the nurse said walking out of the office.  Trent sat 
there for a few more minutes and began to cry.  Not a hysterical cry, but a 
small helpless cry.  Tears streamed down Trent's cheeks and he realized for 
the first time that he was going to die.  He had never really thought about 
it before, but now all other thoughts where pushed aside and this was the 
only though in his head.  Then he left.  When he got home, he found out that 
no one was home.  He found a note from Jane saying that she was at Daria's 
and there was some leftover Chinese food in the refrigerator for dinner.  He 
sat for an hour staring out the window of his bedroom.  He thought about his 
life, what was he gonna do?  He knew that he had about ten years before the 
AIDS virus would happen.  He lit a cigarette and tried to relax.  He laid in 
bed, but this time he didn't fall asleep, like he usually did, he laid awake 
thinking, about his past 22 years on earth.  How he'd wasted his life in a 
career that would never go anywhere.  He began to cry again.  By the time he 
was done it was getting dark outside.  He went downstairs and sat on the 
couch.  He turned on the TV and saw an advertisement  for Sick Sad World.  
He sat in the dark for a while.  He cried some more, and then drifted off 
into a dreamless sleep.  Jane came home around ten thirty and went upstairs.
  She looked around for Trent but couldn't find him.  Then she went 
downstairs and saw him on the couch.  She shook him gently.  "Trent, Yo 
Trent," she said softly, "TRENT!" she yelled, and Trent woke up with a 
start.
"What!" Trent yelled in her face.  Jane backed away.  Her eyes widened.  She 
looked as though she would cry, but Trent knew she wouldn't.  He sighed and 
said, "Look Janey we need to talk, I was just at the clinic today, and.." 
Jane cut him off.
"And what, why where you at the clinic?" Jane questioned.
"Um I had a test done, Jane I think you should sit down."  He patted the 
sofa next to him, and she did.  "Look Janey I went back to the clinic today... 
and," he paused and agonizingly looked at her.  "I tested positive for the 
HIV virus Jane..."  He stared at her for a minute and she just stared back.  
Then her eyes began to water as the idea registered in her head.
"Oh Trent," She said beginning to cry.  He put his arm around her shoulders 
and she rested her head on his shoulder.  He rested his head on hers.  Then 
he kissed her forehead lightly.  Jane felt sick to her stomach and sharp 
pain all at the same time.  Her eyes where red and puffy and she had tear 
lines all the way down her cheeks.  Then the door bell rang.  Trent got up 
to answer it and Daria was standing there.
"Hi Trent," Daria said, "Is Jane around?"
"Yeah, come on in Daria," Trent said stepping out of the way.  He smiled at 
Daria.  He didn't want her to know, she probably had her own problems.  She
didn't need to deal with his.  Daria walked into the living room and Jane 
immediately wiped her eyes.
"Hi Daria," Jane said weakly.  She felt so drained.  Daria could tell 
something wasn't right.
"Jane what's wrong?  Are you okay?" Daria asked sitting down.  Jane shook 
her head.
"Janey let me tell her..." Trent said standing in the doorway.  Jane stood up 
and said she had to run upstairs and put the top on a can of paint she'd 
left open.  Trent walked over and sat next to Daria.  "Um Daria, I went to 
the clinic today to get my results, and well there's no point in beating 
around the bush.  Daria I tested positive for HIV."  Daria sat stunned.  She 
knew she couldn't cry, not in front of Trent.  She was going to be sick.  
And then tears began running down her cheeks involuntarily.  She did 
something she'd always wanted to do.  She reached over and hugged Trent.  He 
too began to cry as he returned the hug.  Trent had always felt something 
between them.  He always felt a special relationship with her.  She always 
listened and she never laughed at him, and she made him think.  Jane came in 
and the two let go embarassed.
"Trent no matter what me and Daria will be here for you," Jane said sitting 
on the other side of Trent.
"Thanks guys,  I want to go over and see Jesse," Trent said standing up.
"Trent, I know Jesse will be supportive of you, no matter what," Jane said 
reassuringly.  So Trent did when he told Jesse he just kind of asked Trent
to leave.  The next day Trent went back to Jesse's for rehearsal and Max 
opened the door, "Hi Trent, um listen.  We all took a vote and... well sorry 
man your out of the band."
"What?" Trent said.
"Well sorry but we found a new guitarist," Max replied.
"Janey was wrong I thought you guys would be supportive.  I can't believe 
you guys are kicking me out because I have HIV!" Trent exclaimed.
"Look man if our fans found out they wouldn't come to our gigs.  It's 
nothing personal man, chill out!"  Then Max slammed the door.  Leaving Trent 
on the steps.  He was about to cry and then he turned rigidly and walked 
away.  At home he told Jane what had happened.  She was furious with Jesse 
and called him right then.  When he picked up and said hello.  Jane calmly 
as possible said, "Hello Jesse,"  then she started swearing so awful that I 
won't type it here.......  Then he walked home slowly.  But on the way he took a 
detour through the park.  He sat on a bench and looked around.  'I have 
wasted my life...' he thought to himself.  'All this time I could have been 
going to college and making something of myself.  But no!  I had to go be a 
musician!'  His eyes flooded with tears.  When he opened them again, he 
couldn't see anything.
Then her heard a voice, "Hi Trent."  He knew who it was and wiped his eyes.
"Monique?" He said.
"Yeah hi,  how come you haven't called me in days?!" Monique said.  She 
smiled at Trent.  He didn't return the smile.
"Listen to me Monique... I have HIV." Trent said it fast.
"What?  And you had sex with me?!"  Monique yelled.
"No!  Correction!  You gave me HIV!  Thanks to you and all your sleeping 
around I'm gonna die in ten years..." Trent yelled back.
"You know what!  I do not even wanna hear this!!  Okay!  God you act like 
your gonna die tomorrow!"  Monique stalked off.  Trent cried for a while.  
Then he walked home.  Nobody was there.  Jane had went to the art store to 
get paint.  About an hour later the doorbell rang.
"Oh hey Daria," Trent said.
"Hi," Daria said.
'Oh god! She's so sweet and nice!  I think she's the most beautiful girl
I've every seen,'  Trent smiled.  "Janey went to the art store to get some
paint. You can come in and wait if you want..."  Trent stepped aside and let
Daria in.  The two sat on the couch and talked for over an hour.  Then Trent
took Daria's hand.  "Daria, I know this is just a long shot in the dark... but
every since I've met you I can't get you out of my head... Daria I think I
love you..."  Trent waited for a reaction like her laughing hysterically.
Daria smiled and kissed him gently.  She didn't care he had HIV she loved
him with all her heart and soul.  The two ended up a very happy couple, and
thanks to good old technology Trent is still alive today.  He and Daria are
happily married and have adopted two children because Trent didn't want
Daria to get the disease.

Now on a serious note, HIV is a very common disease and contrary to popular
belief it does not only affect homosexuals and it isn't their fault!  But
remember always use a condom!  And don't do drugs and if you do don't share
needles...  Thanx