A/N: Most of the characters in this story are not mine. They were created
by Jonathan Larson. I use them only for my own amusement. Another note is
that I began writing this story two years ago. That was back when I thought
that Rent was "okay" and only wrote this to get rid of writer's block. So
some parts are choppy or otherwise imperfect. I'd appreciate comments on
how to make it flow a little better. Because right now I don't really know
what to do with it. Some people who read it before seemed to like it,
though I don't know if they were just being nice, but it should be
readable. Oh yeah.this takes place Pre-Rent.
Part 1-Collins
"Class is dismissed. Have a wonderful graduation." The teacher smiled as students passed through the door. Several cheers were heard from the members of the class.
Thomas B. Collins laughed. It was finally over. Now he would be able to relax in virtual reality heaven.
"Hey," Billy greeted him at the door.
"Hey," Collins said right back to him.
They linked hands and strode down the hall together.
"So, Tom." Billy stopped him in the middle of the hall and took his other hand. "What are you going to do now?"
"Well, I guess I'll have to find a job, right?" he replied.
"Right." Billy smiled at him. "But I sort of meant right this minute, now."
"Oh." Collins gave a short laugh before asking, "What do you want to do now?"
"Oh, I was thinking."
"Really?"
Billy broadened his smile. "C'mon."
Billy took Collins to a room. A room that was completely done up in candles.
"So, what do you think?" Billy asked.
"I think." Collins took a breath, then exhaled. "I think that it's wonderful."
"Good. Very good."
They locked in a kiss.
------------
The next day, Collins woke up in the bed, and Billy was gone.
"Billy?" he ventured out loud. No answer.
He found a note on the bedside table. It simply said "Sorry." That was it.
What did this mean? Collins went out to look for Billy, but to no avail. He couldn't find him anywhere. After several hours of looking everywhere, anywhere, for him, Collins went to his dorm to put on his cap and gown. After all, he was graduating. But somehow it didn't seem such a cheery thought anymore.
When he finally got to the graduation, everything ran smoothly. His name was called, he received his diploma, all the caps where thrown up in the air, as well as two beach balls and lots of silly-string.
He finally spotted Billy after the ceremony.
Collins grabbed him by the shoulder, and turned him around so they were face to face.
"What." Collins got a grip on himself before continuing. "What happened? What's wrong?"
"Tom, I don't know a good way to say this to you-I don't know if there is a good way to say this to you." Billy looked distressed. He sighed deeply.
"Just say it," Collins urged.
Billy looked down at his feet before turning his face back up to Collins and with a deep breath, he answered, "I have AIDS."
"What?" Collins was stunned. "When did you find that out? Just now?"
"Umm.. No, Tom." Billy took a deep breath. "I've known for a year now."
"But you.you.." Collins collected himself enough to complete the sentence. "You didn't tell me?" He squeaked on the end of it.
Billy looked away. "I'm-I'm sorry."
"Sorry? You're sorry?" Collins still hadn't figured out the full force of this revelation, and he just turned and started to walk away.
"Tom, wait!" Billy called.
"Don't-" Collins shook his head. "Don't talk to me."
He ran. He didn't exactly know where he was going or why. He finally had to stop to catch his breath. Just a little while ago his head was in a virtual land. That was so much easier than real life. So much better. But now.
Finally, he realized what all that had happened really meant. It just hit him.
"ACTUAL REALITY!!" he screamed into the air.
Part 1-Collins
"Class is dismissed. Have a wonderful graduation." The teacher smiled as students passed through the door. Several cheers were heard from the members of the class.
Thomas B. Collins laughed. It was finally over. Now he would be able to relax in virtual reality heaven.
"Hey," Billy greeted him at the door.
"Hey," Collins said right back to him.
They linked hands and strode down the hall together.
"So, Tom." Billy stopped him in the middle of the hall and took his other hand. "What are you going to do now?"
"Well, I guess I'll have to find a job, right?" he replied.
"Right." Billy smiled at him. "But I sort of meant right this minute, now."
"Oh." Collins gave a short laugh before asking, "What do you want to do now?"
"Oh, I was thinking."
"Really?"
Billy broadened his smile. "C'mon."
Billy took Collins to a room. A room that was completely done up in candles.
"So, what do you think?" Billy asked.
"I think." Collins took a breath, then exhaled. "I think that it's wonderful."
"Good. Very good."
They locked in a kiss.
------------
The next day, Collins woke up in the bed, and Billy was gone.
"Billy?" he ventured out loud. No answer.
He found a note on the bedside table. It simply said "Sorry." That was it.
What did this mean? Collins went out to look for Billy, but to no avail. He couldn't find him anywhere. After several hours of looking everywhere, anywhere, for him, Collins went to his dorm to put on his cap and gown. After all, he was graduating. But somehow it didn't seem such a cheery thought anymore.
When he finally got to the graduation, everything ran smoothly. His name was called, he received his diploma, all the caps where thrown up in the air, as well as two beach balls and lots of silly-string.
He finally spotted Billy after the ceremony.
Collins grabbed him by the shoulder, and turned him around so they were face to face.
"What." Collins got a grip on himself before continuing. "What happened? What's wrong?"
"Tom, I don't know a good way to say this to you-I don't know if there is a good way to say this to you." Billy looked distressed. He sighed deeply.
"Just say it," Collins urged.
Billy looked down at his feet before turning his face back up to Collins and with a deep breath, he answered, "I have AIDS."
"What?" Collins was stunned. "When did you find that out? Just now?"
"Umm.. No, Tom." Billy took a deep breath. "I've known for a year now."
"But you.you.." Collins collected himself enough to complete the sentence. "You didn't tell me?" He squeaked on the end of it.
Billy looked away. "I'm-I'm sorry."
"Sorry? You're sorry?" Collins still hadn't figured out the full force of this revelation, and he just turned and started to walk away.
"Tom, wait!" Billy called.
"Don't-" Collins shook his head. "Don't talk to me."
He ran. He didn't exactly know where he was going or why. He finally had to stop to catch his breath. Just a little while ago his head was in a virtual land. That was so much easier than real life. So much better. But now.
Finally, he realized what all that had happened really meant. It just hit him.
"ACTUAL REALITY!!" he screamed into the air.