Disclaimer: I do not in any way, shape, or form, own Rent and its characters. Jon Larson is my hero.
Warnings: Language.
ANDDDD HERE'S CHAPTER FOUR! Hope you guys like it. I tried to make chapter three and this one pretty long.
SORRY I TOOK SOOOOO LONG. Forgive me?
--
2 hours into the party.
So, maybe I'm wasted. So, maybe I am looking for Mike so that I can make Mark realize what he lost.
Maybe I am swallowing shot after shot of vodka so I don't remember in the morning.
"Ouch, shit." I hit a coffee table. Someone's coffee table. I can't for the life of me remember whose house I'm at.
Everything's so shaky. The floor seems like it's going to fall out from under me. I can barely see the people around me. It's like they're moving at highway speed and I'm at a dead stop. I've consumed so much alcohol that I'm afraid that if I take too much more, I'll probably have to head to the hospital; not that I know enough people here that would take me there.
"Babyyyyy." His words are slurred terribly, but his tone is the same; Mike.
I fall into him and give him the best flirtatious smile I could muster with as much booze as I had consumed. "Heyhoney how'sthelifeofthebestestttt…." A giggle-ish hiccup escapes my lips. "….footballplayerever?" I giggle again.
He attempts to smirk and kiss me, but fails miserably. His large consummation of alcohol over the past few hours has put his mind (and lips) under a huge disadvantage. He kind of slobbers all over my nose.
All I can think to do is laugh at him. "Oh babyyyy, you're so cute!"
His already flushed, red face blossoms into a new shade of red not yet known to man. He's much more bashful when he's drunk. "Yeah well, you know…" He kind of drifts off. His eyes droop a little and I know that if I don't make something happen now, he'll want to leave the party before I can get Mark back.
"Baby!" I snap his attention back to mine to the best of my drunken ability. My hand suddenly feels tired. It falls with a thump! against his chest.
His head swivels to look at me slowly. "Hmm?"
My finger lazily trails up his front, to his cheek. My red fingernails almost match his flushed skin. I smirk. "Mark's not here." My face comes closer to his. "Kiss me." I whisper. His face comes closer to mine, immediately responding to my command.
"Is Maureen here?" A female voice rings out above the music. Mike's lips are inches from mine. I turn my head to try and see who's looking for me.
"Yeah? Over here! Who wants to know?" Mike fails at trying to kiss my cheek. He gets my hair instead.
The girl pushes through the masses of people. Although my alcohol intake is quite high and the room is spinning, I'd recognize that fiery red air anywhere. It's my best girl friend, Jill. "There you are!"
I pull away from Mike. I hear a small whine before he walks away to pursue someone else. "Jill! Hey baby!" I've taken to calling everyone baby now that I'm drunk.
"Maureen, Mark has been asking for you."
My heart stops. I sway drunkenly. "W-what? But, he says he has no idea who I am. He's not mad at me anymore?"
Jill tilts her head, confused. "When was he mad at you?" Her mouth opens slightly in affirmation. She understands now. "Maureen, he really didn't know who you were. You know that, right?"
I chew on my lip. I can still taste a layer of Mike and vodka. I avert my eyes from my friend. "I thought he was mad at me…" A tear escapes my eyes. "I feel so dumb."
I hear Jill sigh. She takes my arm. "Come on Reen, let's get out of here."
A drunken senior runs by, slapping our asses as he gets to us. Then, he turns to look us in the eyes. "Call me, sexy mamas." Then, he's gone.
"Wow. Okay, this party is bangin' but, let's go." Her voice is dripping with sarcasm. She hates stupid jock parties. She says that going to them kills half of your brain cells; just from the alcohol.
"Okay, okay Jill. I'm coming." I turn to the people I never took the time to talk to in between shots. "Bye guys!" Adding an obnoxious wave, I leave with Jill.
Once we're outside, Jill gets both of us into her car. She turns to me. "Maureen, tell me honestly." Pause. "Did anything happen between you and Mike?"
Silence.
"Maureen? Please tell me nothing happened. Don't tell me we're going to have to go see Mark tomorrow and tell him that you cheated."
More silence.
"MAUREEN! TELL. ME. NOTHING—"
"NOTHING HAPPENED JILL! OKAY?!? I COULDN'T DO IT." I pause. "There, you happy?" More tears.
She hands me a tissue from her purse. "I'm sorry Reen. I just don't want my best friend to get in more trouble then she can avoid." A small laugh escapes her lips. I always loved her laugh; always calmed me.
I wipe my eyes. "No worries, babe." The alcohol is wearing off. My head is starting to split in two. I scrunch in my face and put on my sunglasses to block out any light getting to my eyes. Jill takes notice.
"Alright, girl. Let's get you home. You need your rest if you're gonna see Mark tomorrow." Her smile is soft and caring.
I nod my head. "Will you—"
"Yes, I will call Mark and tell him that you can't see him tonight." She pats my knee.
"Thank you." I sink back into her car's seat and groan. "God, my head's cracking in half."
Jill just laughs. "Now you know why I don't party like you do."
--
RINNNNNGGG! RINNNNNGGG!
"AHH! What the fu—oh, my head…" I lift my heavy head from the pillow to stare at the blurry phone.
Elijah Cohen
314-332-7481
RINNNNNGGG!
A shiver goes up and down my spine when the name comes into focus. My hands are shaking. "Hello?"
"Maureen! Oh thank God. You're there. I called like, a hundred times last night. I was so worried—"
I had no idea what to say to him. I almost cheated on him.
"Maureen, are you there?" His voice is etched with worry and concern.
"My head is split in two. Can I call you later…babe?" The 'babe' is strained. I don't even know if we're together anymore.
"Yeah, of course. I'll be home all day, okay?"
"Yeah."
There's a small tension induced pause. "Okay Reen. Call me when you feel better."
"Bye Mark." click. I put my aching head in my hands and sigh.
--
SWITCH TO MARK'S POV.
--
Click.
I put down the phone slowly, the dial tone emitting its low ring. My forehead is scrunched, my brain trying to figure out what just happened. My fingers curl into an angry fist. I slam it down on the kitchen table and the phone shivers with the shockwaves.
"Mark? What's wrong, bubbie?" I feel my mother's warm hand on my shoulder.
I shake my head and rest it on the table. "Nothing Mom." She's silent, knowing I have more to say. "It's just the small fact of Maureen hating me."
The scraping of another kitchen chair signals my mom sitting down near me. She rests her hand in my blonde hair. "It couldn't possibly be that bad."
I sigh into the table. "It is Mom. The way she talked to me just now…" I feel prickling in the back of my eyes. Shit, I can't cry.
Her hand moves in a comforting motion on my head. "She probably was just tired, love. You two will make up in no time."
"How do you know that, Mom?" I lift my head off the table to look at her, my blue eyes filled with sadness and worry.
"Because a mother just knows, bubbie." She smiles that soft smile, making me feel even the slightest bit more relieved.
She had to be right. Maureen still wanted to be with me.
Right?
--
Walking into school the next day, I immediately looked for Maureen. I had to know that everything was okay. I just had to know that she still was my girlfriend. Hopefully, I hadn't said something too terribly bad during my amnesia. Hopefully…
"Ah! Maureen!" I'd spotted her talking to Jill. The girl's fire red hair was hard to miss. Maureen was usually with her, so I knew it had to be a good guess.
I saw Maureen's face change from one of happiness, to one of complete and utter pain. She didn't even turn to look at me when I reached the two of them.
Jill was the first to turn to me with a friendly smile. I'd come to like Maureen's best friend. "Hey Mark. What's up?" She nudged her friend to if not speak, then at least look at me.
I shrugged my shoulders slightly. "Nothing too much. My head still kind of hurts but, it's all good." I pause, taking a longing look at Maureen. "How about you?" I direct it towards her.
Not even a glance up at me.
After some silence from the both of us, Jill speaks again. "Uhm, nothing really. Maureen?" She turns to look at her friend, silent. "I'm gonna go talk to Chris, okay?" She looks to me. "Bye Mark." Another small smile, and she's gone.
Intense silence fills the void between us.
My foot taps. She glances around at the other people in the hallway. I put my hands in my pockets. She tucks a lock behind her ear.
More silence.
I clear my throat. This is so bad. You could cut the tension and pain with a knife.
I open my mouth to speak. To say, "I'm sorr—"
"I can't do this, Mark."
And she walks away, leaving me with my mouth hanging open, heartbroken.
--
Ooh! What will happen? Will Mark and Maureen get back together? Will she ever forgive him? Will she find someone new and leave Mark all alone?
bahahahaha. I'm so mean.
Review and tell me what you'd like to happen. I'll look through them, and choose one. EXCITING! I'm in a writing mood to day so, tell me as soon as you can.
Thank you!
R&R.