Lives for RENT Chapter 3: Rent, a x-men: evolution fanfic

A/N: I have loyal reviewers! I'm touched. Here's Chapter 3 – "Rent" coming right at you! Set in the apartment of Lance (now a songwriter) and Pietro (as a filmmaker – which was previously mentioned). Enjoy this long chapter, and review.

Disclaimer: "The power blows…"

-- Mark, "Tune Up #2"

Lives for RENT – "Rent"

Pietro arrived home, turned his camera towards himself, and turned it on.

Pietro

We begin on Christmas Eve with me, Pietro, and my roommate, Lance.

We live in an industrial loft on the corner of 11th street and

Avenue B, the top floor of what was once a music publishing factory.

Old rock and roll posters hang on the walls. They have Lance's

picture advertising gigs at CBGB's and the Pyramid Club. We have

an illegal wood burning stove; it's exhaust pipe crawls up to a

skylight. All of our electrical appliances are plugged into one

thick extension cord which snakes its way out a window. Outside

a small tent city has sprung up in the lot next to our building.

Inside we are freezing because we have no heat.

Pietro turned his camera towards Lance.

Pietro

Smile!

December 24th, Nine PM

Eastern Standard Time

From here on in

I shoot without a script

See if anything comes of it

Instead of my old shit

First shot - Lance

Tuning the Fender guitar

He hasn't played in a year

Lance

This won't tune

Pietro

So we hear

He's just coming back

From half a year of withdrawal

Lance

Are you talking to me?

Pietro

Not at all

Are you ready? Hold that focus - steady

Tell the folks at home what you're doing Roger ...

Lance

I'm writing one great song --

Pietro

The phone rings.

Lance

Saved!

Pietro

We screen

Zoom in on the answering machine!

Pietro zoomed in on their answering machine as it picked up their latest call.

Lance & Pietro's Outgoing Message

"Speak" ... ("Beeeep!")

Pietro's Mom

That was a very loud beep

I don't even know if this is working

Pietro - Pietro - are you there

Are you screening your calls -

It's mom

We wanted to call and say we love you

And we'll miss you tomorrow

Wanda and Todd are here - send their love

Oh, I hope you like the hot plate

Just don't leave it on dear

When you leave the house

Oh and Pietro

We're sorry to hear that Jean Grey dumped you

I say c'est la vie

So let her be a lesbian

There are other fishies in the sea

... Love Mom

"That's my mom for you," said Pietro, while Lance was chuckling. "Let's get back to filming!" He turned the camera back towards Lance.

Pietro

Tell the folks at home what you're doing Roger

Lance

I'm writing one great song --

Pietro

The phone rings.

Lance

Yesss!

Pietro

We screen.

Lance & Pietro's Answering Machine

"Speak" ... ("Beeeep!")

Bobby

"Chestnuts roasting ---"

Lance & Pietro

Bobby!

Bobby

I'm downstairs

Pietro

Hey!

Bobby

Lance picked up the phone??

Pietro

No, it's me.

Bobby

Throw down the key.

Pietro

A wild night is now pre-ordained

Bobby

I may be detained.

Sounds of punching and fighting came over the phone, and it went dead.

Pietro

What does he mean...?

The phone rings again.

Pietro

What do you mean - detained?

Evan

Ho ho ho.

Pietro & Lance

Evan! Shit.

Evan

Dudes, I'm on my way

Pietro & Lance

Great! Fuck

Evan

I need the rent

Pietro

What rent?

Evan

This past year's rent which I let slide

Pietro

Let slide? You said we were 'golden'

Lance

When you bought the building

Pietro

When we were roommates

Lance

Remember - you lived here!?

Evan

How could I forget?

You, me, Bobby and Jean

How is the drama queen?

Pietro

She's performing tonight

Evan

I know.

Still her production manager?

Pietro

Two days ago I was bumped

Evan

You still dating her?

Pietro

Last month I was dumped

Lance

She's in love

Evan

She's got a new man?

Pietro

Well - no

Evan

What's his name?

Pietro & Lance

Tabitha

Evan

Rent, my amigos, is due

Or I will have to evict you

Be there in a few

Just as Pietro hung up the phone, the lights flickered off.

Pietro

The power blows ...

It was going to be a long night. Five minutes later, the lights flickered back on.

"Saved!" cried Pietro.

"Yeah, but what about the rent?" asked Lance.

Pietro

How do you document real life

When real life is getting more

Like fiction each day

Headlines - bread-lines

Blow my mind

And now this deadline

"Eviction - or pay"

Rent

Lance

How do you write a song

When the chords sound wrong

Though they once sounded right and rare

When the notes are sour

Where is the power

You once had to ignite the air

Pietro

And we're hungry and frozen

Lance

Some life that we've chosen

Both Together

How we gonna pay

Last year's rent

Pietro

We light candles

Lance

How do you start a fire

When there's nothing to burn

And it feels like something's stuck in your flue

Pietro

How can you generate heat

When you can't feel your feet

Both

And they're turning blue!

Pietro

You light up a mean blaze

Lance

With posters -

Pietro

And screenplays

Lance & Pietro

How we gonna pay

Last year's rent

Over on the other side of town, Tabitha was on the phone with a friend. Make that a really close friend

Tabitha

(On phone)

Don't screen, Jean

It's me - Tabby

Your substitute production manager

Hey hey hey! (Did you eat)

Don't change the subject Jean

But darling - you haven't eaten all day

You won't throw up

The digital delay --

-Didn't blow up (exactly)

There may have been one teeny tiny spark

You're not calling Pietro

Outside the building…

Bobby

How do you stay on your feet

When on every street

It's 'trick or treat'

(And tonight it's 'trick')

'Welcome back to town'

I should lie down

Everything's brown

And uh - oh

I feel sick

Pietro

Where is he?

Bobby

Getting dizzy

Pietro & Lance

How we gonna pay

Last year's rent

Down the street…

Evan

(On cellular phone)

Amanda baby - you sound sad

I don't believe those two after everything I've done

Ever since our wedding I'm dirt - They'll see

I can help them all out in the long run

Forces are gathering

Can't turn away

Forces are gathering

Simultaneously…

Bobby

Ughhhhh-

Ughhhhh- I can't think

Ughhhhh-

Ughhhhh- I need a drink

Pietro

"The music ignites the night with passionate fire"

Tabitha

Jean - I'm not a theatre person

Lance

"The narration crackles and pops with incendiary wit"

Tabitha

Could never be a theatre person

Pietro

Zoom in as they burn the past to the ground

Tabitha

Hello?

Pietro & Lance

And feel the heat of the future's glow

Tabitha

Hello?

Back at the home of Pietro and Lance, the phone rings again.

Pietro

(On phone)

Hello? Jean?

-Your equipment won't work?

Okay, all right, I'll go!

He hangs up.

Pietro

How do you leave the past behind

When it keeps finding ways to get to your heart

It reaches way down deep and tears you inside out

Till you're torn apart

Rent

Lance

How can you connect in an age

Where strangers, landlords, lovers

Your own blood cells betray

Both

What binds the fabric together

When the raging, shifting winds of change

Keep ripping away

Back to Evan…

Evan

Draw a line in the sand

And then make a stand

Back to the loft…

Lance

Use your camera to spar

Pietro

Use your guitar

Both

When they act tough - you call their bluff

We're not gonna pay

All

Last year's rent

This year's rent

Next year's rent

Rent rent rent rent rent

We're not gonna pay rent

Pietro and Lance

'Cause everything is rent

« fin »

Afterword *looks up* That was one long chapter! I hope you could follow it all. The rest of the series will loosely follow the plot of the play RENT. There will be a few twists and surprises in the future. Please review. Au Revoir!