Sorry for not updating! I've been so wrapped up in other things then it got friggen hot and I couldn't muster up the energy to do anything so yeah, here you go. I promise I'll work harder on the next chapter, I'm currently rewriting the ending in my head and it's a bit disconcerting because it changes almost everything I was planning. Anyway, I own nothing so enjoy!
"I got you cookies, sweetie." Maureen tossed the package into Collins' lap.
"Why?" He laughed, ripping open the package, "I thought you were only giving me those anti-oxidant food things."
"Well…I thought you should have something delicious. And those cookies are freaking amazing." She threw her stuff down on the table then pulled out her notebook and curled up on the couch.
After a few minutes of the scratching of her pen, Collins rolled over to her and flopped his head onto her notebook, "Whatcha writing?"
"I'm recording dates for the band." She shoved his head off her notebook.
"You're quite dedicated to this job." Collins observed.
"Well, what did you expect? It's my job, I have to be good at it."
"Nah, at this point the boys have figured it out, you could totally slack off."
"I happen to enjoy the business aspect…kind of. Except for those dumbass sexists who are only interested in your tits and ass."
"I love tits and ass." Roger sighed dreamily, coming into the flat, "Whose tits and ass are we talking about?"
"Maureen's." Collins replied drily.
"Oh. Well in that case, never mind."
"Excuse you!" Maureen glared at him, "I happen to have exceptional anatomy!"
"Sure ya do, Princess." Roger snorted, getting a beer out of the kitchen and sitting down on the table.
Collins cut off Maureen's retort quickly, "Have you ever noticed that we don't have chairs at that table?"
"What?" Maureen and Roger said in unison, both looking around the table.
"Dude…we really don't." Maureen laughed.
"Dude," Roger teased, "You're right."
"Why don't we have chairs?"
"Probably couldn't afford them at the time." Collins shrugged, "Besides, now we all just sit on the table."
"We're seriously lacking in furniture in general." Maureen remarked, finally noticing this.
"Who needs it anyway?" Roger laughed, "We don't need material goods. We have everything we need."
"Yeah, cause it's spring and we don't have to worry about heat."
"Shut up and enjoy the warm weather, Maureen."
"Just wait till July." Collins chuckled, "Then you'll wish it were winter."
"Oh dear Lord, I hadn't thought of that." Maureen looked slightly horrified, "We're buying fans."
"Only if you're willing to pay the electric bill." Roger sipped his beer.
"Fine. We have the money now." Maureen thought to herself about the fact that she'd had the money all along.
"It should be put towards more practical things, though."
"Yeah, like pizza and beer!" Collins grinned at Maureen.
"You are so not eating pizza, mister." Maureen shot a look at him.
"Come on, Maureen, can't you let him enjoy the time he has left in this world?" Roger pouted.
Maureen shook her head, "If we keep his health up long enough, maybe they'll find a cure." She insisted.
"Not damn likely." Collins sighed, stretching out on the couch again. In the month since they'd found out about his condition, Roger and Collins had chosen to joke about it rather than fret; needless to say, Maureen did not approve. Mark was torn between the two, wishing desperately to find it humorous, but wanting to be supportive of Maureen.
"Okay well I must be off." Maureen got off the couch and went into her room to change.
"Where's she going?" Roger mouthed to Collins.
"I dunno." Collins shut his eyes, "What's it to you?"
"Well we had band stuff to do…" Roger lied to cover his ass.
Maureen came back out wearing a low cut navy dress and spike yellow heels.
When Collins heard her clacking across the floor he sat up and opened his eyes, "Damn smoky." He whistled, "You going to a red carpet event or something?"
Maureen twirled and winked at him, "Actually I'm meeting Mark's mother and sister."
"You still haven't met them?" Collins raised his eyebrows.
"It's not like they're chomping at the bit to come to this place." She cast a look around the barren flat, "And we don't have the means to get to them…well I mean we could if we wanted to, but we don't want to so yeah."
"Okay then," Collins laughed, "Have fun then." He smiled at her then lay back down.
Maureen kissed his forehead then turned to find Roger staring at her.
"You, uh, yeah you, um, look…nice." Roger stammered out, staring at her legs.
"Eyes up here, bucko." She pointed to her own eyes.
After a quick staring contest, he batted his eyelashes at her, causing her to throw her head back and laugh, "Don't wait up for me, lover boy."
"You're going to dinner with Mark's obnoxious family, do you really think you'll be out all night?"
"I'm hoping to hit a bar afterwards…cleanse the soul, ya know?" She nudged him lightly with her elbow and made to move past him, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her against him so he could kiss her quickly and silently. She glared at him and jerked her head at Collins then relented and smiled at him, "Bye loser."
"Bye Princess." Roger called back sarcastically then watched her shapely butt twitch under the fabric of her dress as she tottered out the door.
From the pretty boy front man who waste opportunity…
Maureen arched her back beneath Roger's body and sighed. It was almost 6 in the morning. She and Mark had gotten back around 2 then both had collapsed into a wine induced coma. Roger had waited up for them in his room and shortly after 3, he'd crept into Mark's room and coaxed Maureen into his bed.
"Baby," Maureen murmured against Roger's shoulder, tasting salt on her lips.
"What?" He muttered, still moving on top of her, inside of her.
Suddenly Maureen threw her head back and Roger quickly covered her mouth with his to stifle her moan. Several minutes of trembling and clinging to each other later, Roger finally rolled off of her and Maureen pressed herself against his damp chest.
"You were saying?" Roger grinned, slightly out of breath.
"Mark's gonna get up soon," Maureen panted, "I need to get back to him."
"Shit…" Roger glanced at the clock, "You should probably shower first."
"Yeah, I reek of you." She teased, motivating herself to get out of bed and, on wobbling legs, pull a shirt on and padded silently into the bathroom for a quick shower. As always, she pulled her hair back so it would still be dry. Maureen was nothing if not practical.
She had just slid into bed and shut her eyes when Mark's alarm went off and he groped around to shut it off.
"Sorry, didn't want to wake you up." He apologized, his voice husky from sleep.
Maureen pretended to look around groggily, "Mm, s'okay…" She mumbled.
Mark leaned over and kissed her temple then got out of bed to get ready for another long day of filming. Maureen sighed happily and rolled over, finally drifting off after a long night.
Glory, in the eyes of a young girl
That night, Maureen made her way through the club, flashing her "VIP" badge at the beefy ex-football player guarding the backstage door. She walked up to Micah and Sully, who were joking around about the jail bait lurking in the back alley.
"Hey Maureen," Micah laughed, "How young is too young for you?"
"I'm not into the cougar thing." Maureen winked.
"Well if you were a guy, then what?" Sully amended.
"If I were a guy, I'd probably jack off once just to see what it's like then go get a sex change as fast as possible." Maureen smiled to herself as she listened to their laughter following her. She rounded the corner and froze when she saw Roger entwined around a little blonde girl. Maureen cleared her throat loudly and obnoxiously and they jumped apart.
"Oh hey Maureen." Roger rubbed the back of his head awkwardly and glanced at the girl.
"I, um…yeah, I'm gonna leave." The girl mumbled, shooting one last lust-filled look at Roger before fleeing.
"So, that's what they were referring to." Maureen shook her head, trying not to be angry.
"Look, are you mad at me?" Roger asked, crossing over to her, "Cause that'd be a double standard."
Maureen snorted, "Please," she lied, "Like I care who you do on the side."
"I think you do care. And just so you know, I haven't 'done' anyone on the side. I'm a hell of a lot more committed to you than you are to me."
"I have a boyfriend!" Maureen hissed, "You knew that already."
"Yeah, I'm aware, Maureen. I'm aware every minute of everyday." Roger said wearily, running a hand down his face, "So let me get this straight: you can be with Mark and still fuck me, but I can't even look at another girl?"
"Did I say that?" Maureen narrowed her eyes at him, "Do whatever the hell you want, I don't give a shit." She turned on her heel and marched away only to walk into Sully, "Uh hey…" Maureen mumbled nonchalantly.
"Hey," Sully scrutinized her carefully.
"Uh, we're all set for the night. I'm…I don't feel good, I'm gonna leave now. You guys can handle the packing..." She stepped around him.
"I heard, you know." Sully called over his shoulder.
Maureen froze, but didn't turn around.
"It's not cool, what you're doing, Maureen. Just pick one and make our lives easier."
"Your lives?" Maureen snorted, "What does any of this have to do with you."
"If you pick Mark, then Roger gets to write angry 'I hate women songs' that will attract a manlier audience. If you choose him, he'll write love songs and, even better, sex songs that will win over both women and men. So for us, it's a win-win situation, but it'd be nice if you guys could figure out whether you're together or not; this whole 'secret' affair thing is getting old." Then Sully nodded and disappeared out the door.
Maureen shook her head angrily and stormed out of the building. She burst into the apartment and threw herself down on the couch beside Collins who was playing with a rubber band and a bouncy ball.
"Something bothering you, dear?" Collins asked after 5 minutes of her huffing.
"Men. Men are bothering me, Collins. I think I'm going to become a lesbian, because men drive me nuts." She ranted, "How do you stand dating men, I mean really, they are horrible, horrible creatures who cheat on you and act like they love you then break your heart and God it's just fucking ridiculous."
"Mark cheated on you?" Collins accidentally launched the ball across the room with the rubber band only to have it bounce back and smack Maureen in the collarbone, "Oh shit…" Collins mumbled.
Maureen looked down at the red mark rapidly developing on her chest then started laughing.
"Oh shit." Collins repeated.
Maureen was rolling around on the couch, utterly hysterical.
"Maureen, girl, you gotta calm down." Collins grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her, "You hear me?" Collins shook her again, then channeling his inner Cher shouted, "SNAP OUT OF IT!"
Immediately Maureen stopped laughing. She was silent for a minute then began sobbing.
"Oh shit…" Collins sighed, pulling her into his arms and cradling her against his giant chest to wait out her tears.
I love Collins. I want a Collins in my life. Anyway, poor Roger…and Maureen…and Collins. So as I said before, I'm changing the ending a smidge so now I have to recalculate everything. I hope you guys liked this chapter, please review it! Oh and I recommend listening to the song If It Kills Me by Jason Mraz since every time I write a chapter, I get the song stuck in my head and it's an awesome tune. Okay, I'm done now. Bye!