Disclaimer – I own neither RENT nor the song I'm Not That Girl. Both belong to their respected owners. 'Nuff said. I do own my original characters.
Italics are song lyrics
A/N: I was listening to my Wicked playlist and for some reason, I got an idea for a story.
Summary: AU: High school fic. Maureen and Mark are in love, until Mark starts hanging out with the new girl in school. Set to the song I'm Not That Girl from Wicked. ONE-SHOT. Rated T because it's RENT.
Genre: Romance/General
Rating: T
Maureen Johnson and Mark Cohen seemed to be having a good life. Both of them were freshmen in high school and had been dating on and off for the past three years.
"What are your friends names again?" Maureen asked as she and Mark headed to the cafeteria for lunch.
"Roger Davis, April Ericsson, Benjamin "Benny" Coffin the third, Tom Collins, Rudy Rudin and Sandy Duncan." Mark said for the thirty-third time. Maureen smiled and grabbed a lunch tray. She then paid for her food and went to follow Mark to the table where all his friends were waiting.
After lunch, things started to go well until Mark decided he was trying out for the school play, West Side Story. Maureen fought with him tooth and nail about it – she was extremely jealous when it came to other girls in Mark's life.
"Maureen, you know what, we're through!" Mark told her one day before rehearsal. He had gotten the part of Tony, while Roger got the part of Riff. The others, however, didn't get a part.
The first day of rehearsal went well, that is until Mark saw an angel. She had blond curly hair and gray eyes with just a touch of hazel. She wore an old black shirt with the words Rock Around The Clock written on it in white block letters. She also wore jeans and old work boots.
"Hi." Mark greeted her, rushing over to help her with a heavy box.
"Hi." The girl greeted him back. "Thanks."
"You're welcome. Mark my name is."
The girl giggled.
"Sorry – my name is Mark."
"I'm Sarah."
"Nice to meet you."
"You, too. Hey, a bunch of us are going to get something to eat. Wanna come?"
"Sure." Mark told her. Sarah smiled and went to get her things.
Maureen watched from the shadows, tears in her eyes.
Hands touch, eyes meet
Sudden silence, sudden heat
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl
He could be that boy
But I'm not that girl
Maureen followed the big green van to Subby Sam's – the local hang out for the high school kids. She saw Collins, Rudy, Roger and April sitting outside, smoking a joint.
"Hey guys – have you seen Mark?" Maureen asked, ignoring the smoke.
"Yeah, he and some hot blond chick just entered with a bunch of theater geeks." Roger told her, motioning with his head to where Mark was. Maureen saw that he was at one of the large booths, surrounded by a group of friends.
"Oh god – he's moved on!" Maureen wailed. April handed the joint to Roger and went to soothe her friend.
"'Reen, easy. It's okay." April soothed, pulling her best friend into a hug.
"No, April – it's not okay. MARK HAS MOVED ON!" Maureen shrieked between sobs.
Don't dream too far
Don't lose sight of who you are
Don't remember that rush of joy
He could be that boy
I'm not that girl
Ev'ry so often we long to steal
To the land of what-might-have-been
But that doesn't soften the ache we feel
When reality sinks back in
What seemed like forever, it was opening night for West Side Story. Maureen sat in the front row with her family and friends, a bouquet of red roses in her arms to give Mark when he was done.
Maureen found herself laughing and crying throughout the musical. She cried especially hard when Mark "died".
At last, it was final curtain. Maureen rushed backstage to give Mark his flowers when the blond bimbo walked past her.
"Excuse me, are you with Mark Cohen?" Maureen asked.
"I am – we've been going out for a while." The girl responded.
"C-Could you give him these for me?" Maureen inquired, handing the girl the flowers she bought for Mark.
"Uh, sure." The girl answered and walked over to Mark, placing the flowers in his arms, motioning to Maureen. Maureen quickly ran out of the auditorium, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Blithe smile, lithe limb
She who's winsome, she wins him
Gold hair with the gentle curl
That's the girl he chose
And heaven knows
I'm not that girl…
Now that the play was over, Maureen thought that she and Mark could go back to being a couple. She couldn't get the image of him and that blond girl out of her mind.
I wish that girl would go away so that way I could have Mark to myself Maureen thought, looking across the aisle at Mark. He was scribbling down notes while the blond girl turned around to smile at him.
"Sarah Wallace, turn around in your chair, please." The teacher – Mr. Murrain – told her, his tone bored. The blond girl turned back around in her chair and wrote down the complicated equation on her paper.
Don't wish, don't start
Wishing only wounds the heart
I wasn't born for the rose and pearl
There's a girl I know
He loves her so
I'm not that girl…
Maureen Johnson and Mark Cohen are no more. Mark ended up dating Sarah Michelle Wallace for all four years of high school. They stopped dating when Sarah was killed in a car accident her senior year.
At Sarah's funeral, that's when Mark and Maureen got back together and they've been together ever since.
