Keep On Loving You

The following Saturday found Tina, Trent, Tommy, Tyler, Tandy, Kate, Carlos, Trivette, Walker, and Alex moving Tina’s things from her apartment to Trent’s apartment in the karate studio.

“How can you have this much stuff?” Carlos complained as he carried a box of her stuff out to the cars.

She laughed. “You always complained that I didn’t get out. What do you think I did while I was at home…stare at the wall?”

Trent, who was walking past them with a box of her clothes, laughed. “Stop complaining Carlos.” She walked away and he leaned closer to his friend. “I saved you from having to live with all of it.”

“I heard that!” Tina shouted from the car.

They looked at each other and chuckled, before going back up to the apartment to grab more stuff. Once all of her things were packed, and ready to take to Trent’s place, Tina went to return her keys to her landlord.

“Here.” she gave him the keys.

He scowled at her and it all she had not to laugh. “You sure you don’t want to go on that date and you can stay in your place?”

She was about to respond when she felt two arms wrap around her waist. “Everyone left. You ready to go, Tine?” Then he turned to the man. “Hi I’m Trent Malloy, Tina’s boyfriend. What’s your name?”

Tina was laughing and nodded. “I’m sure.” Then and turned, and she and Trent left the office. They were both laughing as they got in the car. “That was hilarious.”

“I so wanted to kick his butt for even asking you that.” Trent smiled as he drove down the road.

She sighed. “Nice job sliding in the part about you being my boyfriend. You trying to make him even more mad?”

He shrugged. “Does it matter? It isn’t like you ever have to live there again.”

She didn’t respond, but thought about that statement. She had been thinking about them spending a long time together, but did he? Had he thought about their future? Those thoughts hung in her head as they pulled up in front of Thunder Karate.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Later, when the sun had gone down and everyone left, Trent and Tina looked around at all of the boxes they still had to unpack.

Trent laughed. “In all of the times I have been to your place, I never remember you having this much stuff.”

She shrugged. “You obviously didn’t look in the closet or under my bed.”

He hugged her. “I won’t make that mistake again.”

“Good.”

“You tired?” Trent asked her after a few moments of silence.

She shook her head. “No-o.” she said as she yawned.

He kissed her head and laughed. “Oh you’re not?”

She groaned but didn’t speak. When she laid down on the bed she smiled. “This is the best bed I have ever felt.”

His eyebrows shot up as he laid next to her. “Really?”

She nodded. “I think I just died and went to Heaven.”

“Say hi to my dad.”

She fell silent. It had been a while since Thunder’s death, but Tina knew that it still hurt Trent. She turned her head to look at him. “Do you miss him a lot?”

Trent was silent for a moment. “Yes. But it is different now. When I first found out and when I came home, I partially blamed myself. Like…if I had been here or done what my father wanted, maybe he would have stayed alive a little longer.”

She bit her lip. “I’m sorry, Trent.”

He nodded. “But after a little while, and a good talk to my mom and Roscoe, I realized that my dad was proud of me in whatever I did. It still hurts to know that he isn’t here to help me through some things, but at least I know that he is watching over me. And…I am glad I came home. My family needs me.”

Tina nodded. “And now you have me, too.”

He looked down at her. “How about you?”

“What about me?” she asked, confused.

“Do you miss Sandi?” he asked her quietly.

He knew that this was going to be a careful question to ask. Carlos told him that she was still having a hard time after all of these years, and since he started dating her he could see that she still wasn’t her normal self…the happy person she was before Sandi died all those years ago.

She sighed and sat up. “I miss her…every day. She was basically my only friend. There are still times where I want to call her and tell her things, but then I remember that I can’t.” A tear fell. “You are so lucky to have my brother to talk to about things. You have your best friend…I don’t.”

He watched her and nodded. “Tina, Sandi will always be with you. She meant so much to you and that will never be lost. I know she won’t be here in person, but she will always be watching over you. She is up there with my father, always looking down on us and laughing.”

Tina stood up and wrapped her arms around herself. “I just feel like she shouldn’t have died so young. I hate this. This feeling of…never knowing what our friendship would be like if she was still here.”

She let a few tears fall and Trent got up and wrapped his arms around her. “I know, Tine. It is hard, especially when they are so young. But Sandi would not want you to feel like this.”

Tina shook her head. “I know. I just can’t help it.”

Trent nodded and held her. He didn’t speak, but led her back to the bed. They sat and she cried for her best friend. A little while later, when her cries subsided Trent looked down at her, finding her fast asleep in his arms.