Roger had been spending more and more time with Mimi ever since that day they
left together, on the contrary Mark was spending more time alone. Collins was busy with
Angel, Roger with Mimi and even Maureen had Joanne. Leaving Mark alone, with his
work. He didn't mind usually, but today he just wasn't in the mood and that's how he
found himself lying on the couch, staring at the ceiling alone in the empty loft. Thinking
maybe it was time he get something done, that's when Mark saw sitting on the table,
Roger's cigarettes. Everyone smoked occasionally, accept Mark, actually Mark was quit
vocally against the things especially to Roger always warning him what they could do to
his voice. But for that split second that Mark looked at the package he understood why
everyone lit up once in a while, it all made complete sense. Without thinking Mark
jumped up and grabbed the pack of the table pulled one out and examined it in his hands.
Just one can't do that much harm, no one would have to know, he wasn't after all giving
up all his morals, just his better judgement that's all.
With that Mark grabbed the lighter beside the pack and lit the cigarette. He stared
at it for a second then put it in his mouth and took a drag. He could feel his lungs reject
the fumes but swallowed it any way and blew it out as he had watched his friends to so
many times. After his coughing fit subsided he tried another drag and with each drag it
became easier and easier until he finished the cigarette feeling completely satisfied. As
soon as he finished the first he pulled out another one and lit it but decided to really
savour it so he went to sit down by the fire escape. Half way through Roger walked into
the loft with a smile on his face, that was quickly removed after he saw Mark sitting with
the half smoked cigarette.
"Mark, since when?" Roger asked in a state of shock. Mark smoking, what the fuck, it wasn't so much the smoking part as much as the Mark part. He was so set against
the things, lecturing me every now and then on how it will hurt my voice.
"Uhhh", said Mark looking down at his watch. "For about the last 20 minutes",
Mark replied.
Roger didn't know what to say, Mark didn't show a single grain of shame, giving
up his morals so easily. Roger replied with the first thing that came to his mind "umm just
make sure you save some for me". With that Roger went to his room to try to process
what he just witnessed.
Mark finished his second cigarette after Roger left the room. He had to laugh,
Roger really wasn't used to Mark rebelling and Mark liked having the power. For once it
was Roger worrying and not himself, he liked these reversed roles and wondered how far
he would take it.
Uhh Mark hated when he thought like that, he tried to block stuff like that out
when he could but lately it had started becoming harder and harder. But the more Mark
thought about it Roger did the stuff he did because it made him feel better, maybe it
would do the same for himself. No way, No way Mark thought, never, this was going far
enough already.
Great Mark thought getting up from where he was sitting, now I stink. He dug
around the kitchen hoping to find a mint, and did eventually. Just a he popped it into his
mouth Collins entered the loft.
"Hey, have you seen Roger?" Collins asked
"Ya, he's in his room", Mark replied.
When Collins entered Roger's bedroom, he was surprised with the state he found him in. Laying on his bed staring up at the ceiling.
"Umm Roger?"
"Ya?"
"Well I was just wondering if your going to come to life support, but you don't
look up to it, what happened?" Collins asked.
"Nothing, nothing ya I'm coming" Roger said
"Umm ok, lets go then or we'll be late", Roger got up and followed Collins out of
his room and into the kitchen where Mark was still sitting. Collins was walking to the
door of the loft when Roger stopped in front of Mark.
"Try not to smoke us out ok", with that Roger grabbed his package of smokes of
the table and put them in his pocket. He continued on his way to the door, walking past a
very confused Collins who followed Roger out the door.
When they got down the stairs and out into the cold night, Collins turned to
Roger. "What the hell was that?"
"I caught Mark smoking" Roger said
"Mark, really?" Collins felt the same way Roger did, everyone smoked, but Mark,
Mark had his morals or at least he did.
"Roger, what going on with him?" Collins asked himself more then Roger.
"I have no idea", Roger replied.
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Reviews, suggestions, etc appreciated.
Aranka.