Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Rent, just this story I wrote. And as much as I would like to take credit it belongs to Jonathon Larson. Also, please do not hurt me if this fanfic isn't the best, because it is my first. Reviews make me happy. You want me to be happy, don't you?
Mark sighed and rubbed his eyes, sitting up in his sleeping bag. To the right side of him was Roger, and to the left was Maureen. They were in a large living room with a tall ceiling in Maureen's giant house. Mark yawned and looked at his watch that was lying beside his glasses. It read 10:48AM. "How can they sleep so long?" Mark muttered, looking around at the half-dozen sleeping people around the room. Mark picked up his duffel and stepped into the bathroom to change. In the duffel bag on top of Mark's clothes laid a brightly wrapped parcel that held a card that read "To: Maureen From: "That kid with the glasses" Mark smiled. Hope she likes it. He thought, wrapping his favorite white and blue scarf around his neck. When he stepped out of the bathroom Mrs. Johnson was busy waking up her daughter's guests.
"Oh, hi Marky!" She said, glad the "good kid" was up, at least "Would you mind helping me wake these guys up?" Mark nodded and crouched over Maureen.
"Maure-en." Mark said lightly shaking Maureen's arm. "If you don't wake up I'll make Roger kiss you!" Or I'll kiss you... Mark thought. Mark smirked as Maureen woke and glared at him.
"Mark! THAT IS SOO GROSS!" She screeched. Roger woke, and looked at Maureen sharply.
"Whoa, what's with the screeching?" Roger complained.
"The kid in glasses here decided to wake me up!" Maureen said, pouting. Roger rolled his eyes at Maureen's nickname for Mark.
Once everyone was awake it was time for waffles. The waffles were wolfed down almost immediately, and then it was time for presents. Mark pulled out his father's old camera to film the whole procedure, and laughed each time Maureen squealed at a present. Finally, it was Mark's turn, and he begrudgingly let Roger film.
"Jeez, for a moment there, Marky, I thought you'd forgotten to get me a present!" Maureen teased, displaying her red and black braces with a smile.
"Never," Mark replied, handing Maureen the present. She tore off the wrapping paper Mark had spent so many minutes on in a matter of 3 seconds, and haphazardly threw the card aside. Inside the box lay the most beautiful sparkling, dangly, black earrings Maureen had ever seen. Maureen was speechless. Mark just smiled.
"Don't forgot to read the card," Mark mentioned quietly. Maureen ignored this and wrapped her arms around Mark's neck.
"Thank you, Mark! They're so pretty!!!" she squealed, then kissed Mark on the cheek. Mark's heart sped up to what seemed like a million beats per second, as his face reddened past beet red.
"Y-you're welcome." He was able to splutter out. Please don't forget the card, Mark thought. The card was important, to say the least, and if Maureen didn't read it, Mark probably wouldn't be brave enough to write it again.
Maureen sat on her bed after the party and sighed.
"What a long day," she thought out loud. Maureen began to go to sleep but remembered what Mark had said before she hugged him. "Don't forget to read the card," Maureen grinned and found the only card she'd received out of the pile of her presents and began to read it.
"Maureen," It read. "Happy Birthday. Hope 16 isn't as boring as 15 was. Joking! Please, for all our sakes, stay OFF the roads. Love, Mark.
P.S. I think this is the appropriate time to say this... well, write it, anyways. Here goes: I love you, Maureen. As more than just friends. I have for a while now. Call me?" Maureen almost fell off her bed.
"IS HE SERIOUS???" She shrieked.
"Is who serious, dear?" Mrs. Johnson yelled up the stairs.
"Nobody, mom!" Maureen called downstairs.
"Well, go to sleep honey! Not all of us are as keen on loud noises as sixteen year olds are!" Her mother called back. Maureen rolled her eyes, turned off her lamp and fell asleep.
Mark sat in his room with his projector watching Maureen's party again. Mark suddenly paused it and used the zoom in feature to catch a look in Maureen's eyes as she looked at the camera. Mark grinned. She must've liked being on camera a lot. Or that look was for…me? No. It was the camera. For sure! Mark thought, blushing. He pressed play again almost right at the same time as the phone rang. Mark sighed and turned off the player and picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Mark? It's Maureen. Listen, I read the card…"
"Y-you did?"
"Yes. And... Mark?"
"Yeah?" Mark replied, warily.
"Well…meet me by my locker tomorrow and we'll talk, ok?" Mark said nothing. "Mark?"
"Yes, Maureen, I'll meet you there," Mark replied, fearing the worst
"Ok, thanks. Bye Poo—Mark."
"Bye Maureen." Mark hung up. What the hell? What could "poo" possibly mean? "Poork"? No, she's a vegetarian. And who says "pork" like that? "Poop"? Just no. "Poor soul"? No way. Maureen couldn't be that cruel, could she? "Pookie"? Maybe, but what the hell does "pookie" mean? One of Maureen's new words? Maybe she forgot my name for a minute there... Whatever. I'm going to sleep. Maureen... No. Sleep. Stop. Thinking. About. Maureen. And at that, Mark fell asleep.
"Zoom in on Roger walking to school!" Mark said in a sing-song voice, filming Roger.
"Would you stop that?" Roger said, looking around, most likely for April, his new obsession.
"Looking for April?"
"Yup," Roger replied, still looking.
"Dude, she's right behind you." Mark said, rolling his eyes. April pounced and grabbed Roger's hand.
"Way to ruin a sneak attack, loser," this was directed to Mark. Mark and April weren't exactly BFFs. "Hey babe!" this was to Roger. "Wanna see something neat? C'mon!" April said exuberantly, pulling Roger away from his best friend.
"See ya," Mark sighed, waving half-heartedly. Roger nodded. "After school?" Mark called.
"Maybe." Roger said, following April. "What is it?" he asked April, once they were out of Mark's earshot.
"Well, I've been thinking about it for a while, and I finally decided to do it!" April said pulling out what looked like a bag of sugar. "I bought crack!"
"You... bought crack?" Roger looked skeptical. She's gotta be kidding! He thought.
"Oh, come ON, Roger, don't be such a square! Everyone's doing it! You know you want to..." She wiggled the bag at him.
"Isn't it like... addictive? And bad for you?"
"What are you, my mother?" April cried, exasperated. Roger sighed and crossed his arms.
"April, I've already got one addiction," he said, pulling her into him and nuzzling her neck.
"Roger. Don't be cute." April said, starting to get angry.
"Maybe later. We've got class, first."
"We can skip!"
"Not today, April. One more truancy, and I'm suspended." April pouted, but shoved the baggie into her coat pocket. Roger grabbed her hand and the two began to walk to class.
As Mark walked alone through the hallways to Maureen's locker, he got began to et really nervous. I hope she won't be mean when she turns me down... I never should have given her that note... What if we do date, and she dumps me for a girl?... Maybe I should have asked her in person...
"Hi Mark," Maureen said, interrupting Mark's thoughts.
"M-maureen, hi, w-what's up?" Mark stuttered, flustered. Maureen wrapped her arms around Mark's neck for the second time that week.
"I do too," Maureen whispered into Mark's ear
"You 'do too' what?" Mark asked, pulling away from the hug. Maureen giggled and pulled him back.
"Love you." Maureen whispered. Mark looked flabbergasted.
"Y-you l-love...me?"
"Mm-hmm. I love you, Mark."
"Wait a second." Mark said, pulling out his camera.
"Oh, Mark, no!" Maureen groaned. Mark had his camera aimed and ready
"Ok, say it again, I'm zooming in on you." Maureen rolled her eyes.
"I love you, you big doofus, now put that camera DOWN!!!" she said, pushing Mark's filming hand down. Mark put the camera back in his bag right before he would have dropped it. Maureen kissed him. Aaack, can't function…first kiss…so confused. Oh, well. I guess Maureen knows what to do.