Scene: Film Festival.

Roger looked Fi straight in the eye when she and Mark had finally reached him and said to her only one thing, "Hello Fi."

"Hi Roger."

Mark looked slightly confused, "You two know each other."

"We've met." Roger said. "Excuse us will you Mark." Roger reached over and grabbed Fi's arm dragging her out of hearing range from Mark, "Well?"

"Well what?" Fi said impatiently.

"Care to explain yourself."

"What is there to explain, I told you I was going on a date tonight."

"You didn't tell me it was with my best friend and roommate!"

"How the hell was I supposed to know Mark was your roommate, I don't know the details of your life Roger."

"Bull, you could have asked."

"And what would I have said, 'Hey Roger, I'm going out with a guy tonight, you may know him but I don't know, do you mind?' Come on Roger, we aren't even seriously dating, I can date whom ever I so choose."

"So none of this is your fault is that what your saying?"

"Roger, I don't even know what 'this' is, so it is no one's fault. You're speaking as if I deliberately betrayed you, which I didn't so why not back off." Fi noticed Roger was about to resort to name calling, "And before you call me a bitch, take a look at how you're acting right now so if you'll excuse me, I have a date to attend to. See you later." Fi quickly turned and walked back to Mark.

~*~

"What was that about?" Mark gently asked Fi.

"Nothing, just a minor misunderstanding."

"Why do I get the feeling you're lying?"

"'Cause your feelings are off."

"No, I live with Roger, and I know when something is off."

"Are you this exasperating when speaking to Roger?"

Mark smiled slightly at Fi's comment, "Always."

"No wonder he keeps to himself." She mumbled.

"What was that?" Mark asked pretending he had not heard her earlier comment.

Fi grinned, "I said, 'No wonder he keeps to himself.'" Her voice had grown louder.

"Ouch. Straight to the heart." Mark said while pointing to the right side of his chest.

"Your heart is there." Fi retorted while moving his hand to the other side of his chest.

"Smart ass."

"But a gorgeous one."

"Indeed."

An awkward silence had begun to take root at that point. Fi wanted to turn back to Roger, and yet she knew she did not want to hurt the sweet man who stood in front of her. Fi looked to the ground and immersed herself in her own thoughts, trying hard to block out all that surrounded her. She almost succeeded except that Mark lifted her chin to meet him at eye level.

"Fi, what's going on between you and Roger?"

"As of right now...nothing."

"Do you want that to change?"

"Well...yeah."

'Of course' Mark thought to miserably to himself. Fi noticed his shift in thoughts.

"Mark, it has nothing to do with you, honestly. I don't know why I'm attracted to him, but I am. I wish things weren't damn screwed up."

"I understand, I'm the guy girls crawl to when Roger screws 'em over, and Roger is the guy they go for. It has always been like that, ever since high school, always will."

"Mark I can honestly say that I am an idiot. You seem perfect for me, we share a lot of passions, but maybe that is why I don't see you in that light. In Roger, there is this light, this free spirit; it's something you don't have. Maybe you'll let me find out, after this I doubt you will though, but I'd like to know. Mark, you'd make an amazing friend to me, but I'm afraid that's all I see in you."

Mark just nodded miserably. "Had you planned to do this?"

Fi nodded, "Even before I knew you were Roger's roommate. Please don't hate me."

Mark smiled sadly, "I don't hate anyone, I'm just tired of being looked over."

"Mark, one day you'll find someone who sees you for your entirety, when you do, don't let that girl go." Fi then embraced Mark tightly.

"Thanks Fi."

"No problem Mark. Come one, let's look around." She held out her arm, and Mark took it.

Roger saw only the embrace and only the linked arms, he neither heard the words spoken, nor the meaning they held. Furious at Fi and himself, he left.

~*~

About three hours later, the festival was over for the night. Minus the minor infraction earlier, all agreed it was rather a fun event. Fi had gotten to know Maureen and Joanne, and besides the obvious melodramatic aura about Maureen, Fi found that she liked Maureen's energy. She also liked Joanne's stubbornness, she did not see how the two fit so perfectly, yet they did, and they were with out a doubt a "fun couple." Mark, Maureen, Joanne, Aaron, and Collins had all agreed to head over to the Life Café, but all Fi said was, "I'll pass."

"You sure Fi?" Aaron asked a little concerned about the quiet mask Fi had just put on.

"Yeah, you guys go on ahead, I'm going to turn in, big day tomorrow and all."

"Bye." The group called in unison while waving and heading into a different direction.

"Bye." Fi whispered in an inaudible voice.

When she finally reached her building she opened the door and walked up the first two flights of steps. She did not even notice the dark figure sitting on her doorstep while she rummaged for her keys, "Hi Fi."

Fi jumped back a little with a scream, and then noticed it was Roger. "Shit, you scared a few lives off me."

Roger just looked at her.

Fi shuffled from foot to foot before saying, "Okay before this becomes an all out shouting war, let's at least go into my apartment." She then turned the lock on the door, pushed it open, pulled out her keys, and threw her keys and purse on the table by the door. Roger pushed past her.

"Come in," Fi said sarcastically.

"What was that?"

Fi looked at him for a moment, noticing the deep anger in his voice before saying, "Forget it. Roger what do you want? I'm tired and I really just want to go to bed."

"You think you can get off just like that?"

"Just like what?"

"Walk away from a conversation and think it won't be continued later?"

"Roger, I know you won't let anyone off for anything?"

"What does that mean?"

Fi sighed and tried again, "I knew we'd be having this discussion, I just hoped it would be tomorrow."

"Did you have fun with him?"

"With Mark?"

"Well yeah, I did. He's a good guy."

"He's my best friend."

"I got that from the earlier explosion."

Roger ignored her comment, "So you can see the predicament I'm in."

"Actually, no I can't. You've come to your own conclusions, and as I said earlier, I'm just too damn tired to even care about them at the moment. So if you don't mind..." Fi said while walking over to the door.

"I'm not going anywhere."

Fi sighed dramatically. "Of course not. Okay Plan B, I'm going to make coffee, and we'll discuss this calm and collectively in the living room. Alright? Right." Fi then whisked away into the kitchen and started the coffee pot. About five minutes later, the aroma had filled the apartment, and Fi poured two mugs with the dark brew. "How do you take it?"

"Black."

"Okay, simple enough." Fi said while setting to work on her own coffee mug. She then walked back into the living room, "Here."

"Thanks." Roger grunted.

"How long were you out on my apartment door step?"

"Three hours."

"Why?"

"I wanted to make sure I talked to you, tonight."

"Is it that important?"

"I thought it was."

"I'm flattered."

"You won't be for long."

"And why's that?" Fi asked, confused.

"I don't want your shit Fi, I'm not looking for a relationship, a part of me wanted one after, well before I found out about you and Mark, but now it's over and done with. You have a good life Fi; leave the rest of mine to me in peace."

Fi was too angry that she did not even think about the last sentence. "How dare you. I didn't ask anything of you; in fact you are the one who keeps showing up everywhere. I don't have the patience for this kind of thing, and there is no 'Me and Mark' I had planned on breaking it off tonight after the day I spent with you. But as I said earlier, you came to your own conclusions and that is your fallacy. I'm not the type of girl who lets things go easily nor am I the one who puts herself into a relationship scene, yet when you came along, I figured 'why not' you seemed like a genuine man, and there is something about you that still...intrigues me. But if arguments like these are going to be a common occurrence, I'd rather take my chances on someone else. Good night Roger." With that Fi got up and walked to her bedroom, "Don't let the door hit your ass on your way out." And she slammed her bedroom door.