Disclaimer: Do not own Rent but the other characters you don't recognize are mine.
Enter NYC, through the backdoors.
Choose your own life,
Make each day count,
Like it's your last.
When the summer of 1990 passed, the world changed. Angel was getting weaker and Collins was there by his side always. Mimi was felt alone; Roger had broken up with her, so she spent her time with her dying best friend. Roger kept to himself and confined to the apartment once again. Mark had given up trying to get him to go out. Buzz Line took up a fair amount of his time anyways.
Benny was more and more present, which was odd considering he fought so hard to disconnect from his past. Was he back together with Mimi?
Maureen and Joanne had not talked since they called off their engagement. There were also awkward moments when they were hanging out with the rest.
On this particular day, Mark was returning from work, and as he approached the door leading to the staircase, a young woman of early twenties with messy braided brown hair nearly ran into him, had he not put his arm to stop her. "Woah, easy there."
She looked up with her radiant blue eyes and smiled. "Sorry, I'm a little late."
"You new?" He inquired. "I'm Mark, by the way."
"Yeah. I just started renting here last week. Andy," Extending her hand.
"Really? You mean you actually pay?"
"Yeah, but barely."
"Benny can be a prick about it."
"Meaning Benjamin Coffin the 3rd, he's alright. You sound like you know him well."
"I do. He used to be one of my roommates back before he bought the building."
"Hmmm… geez, I got to get to work."
"Where?"
"As a waitress at Denny's"
She rushed off, as Mark went up the stairs. Roger was still strumming chords lightly, just like he did when Mark left that morning.
"Have you gone outside? Fresh air would do you some good."
"What are you so cheerful about?" Mark would not or could not stop grinning.
"Did you know there is a new girl in the building?"
Roger gave him a glance saying, 'Since I don't go out, how would I know?'
"Right wrong person to ask."
"What's her name?"
"Andy, waitress at Denny's."
He mumbled a good, and went back to his music.