Disclaimer: I don't own Rent.
Maureen sat at the little vanity in the small, backstage dressing room at her high school. Being the lead in the play, her drama director felt she deserved a dressing room to herself. It made sense, having six costume changes. She fiddled with her stage makeup, shaking nervously. She had never had the lead before – it was always a supporting role with about thirty short lines. Now she was Clara McFarland, an overzealous actress who can't sing. But she was a senior now, and after three years of dedication to the drama club, she deserved it. Or at least her drama director seemed to think she deserved the role.
The stress of remembering all one hundred and three lines was going to Maureen's head. She needed a distraction to take away her fear. She'd never admit it, but she was terrified of the stage. Once she was out there pretending to be someone she wasn't, she was fine, but beforehand, she stayed away from everyone so they didn't see that she was a wreck.
She heard a knock on the door. Deciding it would be a suitable distraction, she asked, "Who is it?" Probably her director.
"The sexiest seventeen year old alive," came a voice. "Oh, and this scrawny blonde kid I found on the streets."
"Hey," another voice said in protest.
Maureen giggled. It was her two best friends, Mark and Roger. "Come in."
The boys entered, both holding a bouquet a flowers in their hands.
She immediately brightened as she stood up to greet them. She took the carnations and daisies from Roger, smiling and giving him a hug. Mark timidly offered her a bouquet of red roses and a smile. "Thanks," she hugged him tight. Placing the flowers on the vanity, she leaned on the edge. Looking up at them, she whispered, "Guys I'm scared."
"Why?" Mark asked.
"Mo, you've been doing this since you were seven," Roger said. "Why chicken out now?"
"Clara is a much more difficult role than the Wicked Witch of the West in a second grade production of The Wizard of Oz," Maureen argued. "Besides, I have to sing."
"I think your solo is great," Mark said. "You're right on key and everything."
"Mark, Clara is a horrible singer," Maureen looked at him funny.
"Yeah, she misses every note," Roger added. "Hanging around a future rock star and a diva, one would think you'd know what on pitch means."
"Well, I think it sounds nice," he said in a small voice.
Maureen smiled. "Thanks."
He blushed a little. "Why are you scared?"
"I don't know," she replied. "I'm always terrified before I go on. Once I'm out there I'm okay, but I'm so afraid I'll mess up my lines."
"All week, I've been asking you to buy me lunch and you respond with the same thing," Roger rolled his eyes. He began quoting her in a mock high pitched voice, "'Go on and stuff you're face like a chicken, Daniel, you might choke and we'll throw a party.'"
"You might choke and we'll have a grand celebration at such a wondrous event," she corrected. "And the male lead's name is Michael, not Daniel."
"Whatever," Roger said. "Just don't think about it. When I'm at my gigs…"
Mark cut him off. "Since when do you have gigs?"
Roger shot him a death glare and Maureen giggled. "Just think about something else. Something like…" Roger glanced around the small, focusing back on Maureen with an asinine grin. "Think about Mark in his underwear."
Both Mark and Maureen blushed at that, while Roger grinned like an ass.
"It should be distracting enough, you know, Mark all alone in the audience in his favorite cheetah print thong…"
"I would never buy a cheetah print thong!" Mark yelled.
"Sorry, leopard is it?"
"Enough!" Maureen silenced him. She didn't feel so bad that she was blushing since Mark's face was twice as red.
"Just think about the cheeseburgers from Happy Harry's that Roger's going to treat us to after your performance," Mark said with a smile.
"Yeah, or tha—wait, did you say that I was treating?"
Maureen giggled. "It's almost show time," she said. "Thanks for coming to see me; you really took my mind off of my lines and onto… other things." She winked at Mark, making his cheeks turn pink again.
--
Mark and Roger sat in the center of the front row to see their best friend give what was hopefully the greatest opening night of her high school career.
After an opening scene between two minor characters, Maureen made her appearance. As she began her line, she giggled a little. After a moment, she went off without a hitch. Every line was recited perfectly, every punch line her character cracked got the laughs it deserved, and when it came time for her horrid solo, she missed every note.
The boys met Maureen in the gym after the performance. Out of costume and back in regular clothes, she ran up to her best friends.
"You were amazing!" Roger said, wrapping her in a hug. "I'm proud of you."
She smiled, "Thanks Rog."
She let go of Roger and gave Mark a hug too.
"You were amazing," he said, hugging her close. "You'll be a star someday."
"Thank you, Mark," she pulled out, her arm still around his back. His arm moved down to rest around her waist.
"C'mon you two," Roger said, walking away. "Do you want those cheeseburgers or not?"
Mark and Maureen followed him. "You were awesome," Mark said again.
"I messed up," she said.
"When?"
"When I first came out," she replied. "I laughed."
Mark shrugged. "It's okay. I don't think anyone noticed."
"You noticed," she said, looking him in the eyes.
"Why did you laugh?" he asked.
Maureen smiled, pink returning to her cheeks. "Uh, Roger's suggestion of a distraction didn't leave my mind."
"So you imagined me in my underwear?"
Maureen nodded. "Yeah. It worked." Leaning her head on his shoulder, she said, "I know you said you'd never buy one, but I really think you should consider buying a cheetah print thong."
He glanced over at her, giving her a funny look. "You mean I was wearing…" he trailed off, a deep crimson coming over his cheeks.
She nodded, her cheeks matching his.
Grinning a little, he asked, "How'd I look?"
She laughed. "Really good, actually."
Mark tightened his grip around her waist, a new air of confidence coming over him.
"That's not why I laughed though," she said. Making sure Roger was out of earshot, she said, "I pictured you before I came on stage and I was fine. It really did work. But once I was out there, I saw you guys and I got this really weird mental image of Roger…"
"In a cheetah thong?" Mark guessed.
She shook her head. "No, he was wearing Batman tighty-whities."
Mark stopped short. He knew Maureen and Roger had been friends for a long time, but he didn't think she would have ever seen him in his underwear. "I would have laughed too."
"Could you imagine if he actually owned a pair?" she asked, laughing again.
Mark laughed along with her. He decided he should keep Roger's favorite pair of underwear a secret.
-fin