Roger ran down the street in a tear-stained haze. He could still hear Mimi's cries, as Benny and Mark tried to comfort her. He wanted to shut that sound out--not just because he hated the thought of Mimi so upset, but because Benny was the one there, with his arms around her, telling her everything would be alright.
Nothing was ever alright, except for when he was with Mimi. Then he had been happy. Then Angel died. And his relationship with Mimi fell apart before his eyes. Now nothing would ever be alright again. He had to leave--had to escape all this. New York City would forever torture him with memories of the two.
In front of the loft was the battered, old, green car he had bought with the money from selling his prized guitar. Mimi's favorite color, he thought, sending a fresh wave of pain over him. Shit, I have to leave.
Fumbling in the pocket for the keys, he jammed them into the door and unlocked it. A firm hand clasped over his before he could open the door.
Roger looked up and saw Collins in front of him, joined by Mark. Wiping tears from his eyes he pushed Collins away. "Go. I'm leaving. I'm done talking," he said, through sobs.
Mark was close to tears, Roger noticed. Mark never cries.
"Roger," he said. "If you're not going to listen to me, please talk to Collins. You can't run away like--"
"How do you know what I can't do??" Roger screamed. "You don't understand. You could never understand! She-She..."
"She loves you" Collins said, placing his hand on Roger's shaking shoulder. "And she knows she was wrong. If you stay...she'll get clean. She'll start taking her meds again. You'll kill her if you leave! She's got nothing left to live for, except you!"
"Look what she did to me!" Roger cried. "The thought of her makes me sick. If I get within ten feet of Benny I'll kill him. I'm so afraid I'll wake up and find out she died. I can't eat. I don't take my medicine anymore because I don't want to live through this shit. And I fucking love her more then anything!"
Mark sighed. "There's no getting to you, is there? You need to face this, not run from it! You need to accept--"
"You don't understand!" Roger said again, interupting. Even if Mark was right, he couldn't hear it now. "I can't deal with this anymore. I'm leaving."
He pulled the car door open and jumped in. Jamming the key into the ignition he turned it on and sped away, barely giving Mark and Collins time to get out of the way. Fighting to keep the tears out of his eyes he drove out of the city in silence.
Nothing was ever alright, except for when he was with Mimi. Then he had been happy. Then Angel died. And his relationship with Mimi fell apart before his eyes. Now nothing would ever be alright again. He had to leave--had to escape all this. New York City would forever torture him with memories of the two.
In front of the loft was the battered, old, green car he had bought with the money from selling his prized guitar. Mimi's favorite color, he thought, sending a fresh wave of pain over him. Shit, I have to leave.
Fumbling in the pocket for the keys, he jammed them into the door and unlocked it. A firm hand clasped over his before he could open the door.
Roger looked up and saw Collins in front of him, joined by Mark. Wiping tears from his eyes he pushed Collins away. "Go. I'm leaving. I'm done talking," he said, through sobs.
Mark was close to tears, Roger noticed. Mark never cries.
"Roger," he said. "If you're not going to listen to me, please talk to Collins. You can't run away like--"
"How do you know what I can't do??" Roger screamed. "You don't understand. You could never understand! She-She..."
"She loves you" Collins said, placing his hand on Roger's shaking shoulder. "And she knows she was wrong. If you stay...she'll get clean. She'll start taking her meds again. You'll kill her if you leave! She's got nothing left to live for, except you!"
"Look what she did to me!" Roger cried. "The thought of her makes me sick. If I get within ten feet of Benny I'll kill him. I'm so afraid I'll wake up and find out she died. I can't eat. I don't take my medicine anymore because I don't want to live through this shit. And I fucking love her more then anything!"
Mark sighed. "There's no getting to you, is there? You need to face this, not run from it! You need to accept--"
"You don't understand!" Roger said again, interupting. Even if Mark was right, he couldn't hear it now. "I can't deal with this anymore. I'm leaving."
He pulled the car door open and jumped in. Jamming the key into the ignition he turned it on and sped away, barely giving Mark and Collins time to get out of the way. Fighting to keep the tears out of his eyes he drove out of the city in silence.