Chapter 3

Okay, first off, I want to say THANK YOU! To L. M. Ward, and PaLM Tree 101 for reviewing. I love you guys! Yay!

Maureen watched Joanne walk out the door. She collapsed to the ground and cried. Her shoulders shook with the sobs. After a few minutes, the sadness was immediately replaced by a fury that came as suddenly as the sorrow. One that was so white-hot, she couldn't contain it. She got to her feet and tore the bedding from her mattress and flung it across the room. It hit a framed picture which shattered on the floor. She started throwing whatever she could get her hands on. It seemed nothing could quench the flaming rage rising in her.

How could she? I'm Maureen Johnson! I don't get dumped, I dump! People would kill to be her! Where does she get the guts to suddenly go straight? She threw on her jacket and walked to Mark's. She didn't bother knocking, but busted in, interrupting Mimi and Roger making out.

"Hey!" they both shouted.

"Where's Mark?" she demanded without apology.

"Maureen, take a Midol or something."

"Shut up, Roger. Where is he?"

I think he's in the darkroom," Mimi replied. Without thanking her, Maureen stalked to the closet Mark converted to his darkroom when he decided to play photographer. She threw open the door.

"I'M WORKING!" Mark slammed the door in her face, then swore loudly. "Maureen! You ruined some of my best work!"

"Get over yourself, Marky. I need to talk to you."

"Get over myself? I could have got paid for some of that!" Maureen rolled her eyes and crashed on their excuse for a couch.

"Seriously, Mark, I think this might be the one for me and Joanne."

"I thought you guys had sex over a year ago," interjected Roger, who was fooling around on his guitar since Maureen had sufficiently ruined his and Mimi's moment.

"And I thought I told you to shut up, you Hendrix-wannabe!" Roger scowled and muttered something about Hendrix not being that great.

"I mean, I think this might be THE FIGHT. The one that breaks us up."

"Oh, please. THE FIGHT has happened once a week for months!" Mimi snorted. Maureen shot a poisonous look at her. Mimi stared at the floor.

"You don't understand, Joanne said she thinks she might be straight!" All three of the spectators' eyes widened.

"But she's full-on lezzie! She's not bi, like you," Mark said.

"I know!" she said as she threw her hands up and started pacing the floor. "So, I start telling her about all the changes I made for her, and she goes off on some crap about couples being faithful, or something like that."

"Well, they usually are, Sherlock," Roger said, still bitter about the Jimi Hendrix comment. Maureen looked at him confused.

"Roger's right. I mean, you don't see him running off with some chick for a couple of days because he's bored with me, do you?" Mimi said.

"She said that too!"

"You're pretty clueless, Mo," Mark said. Maureen rolled her eyes and started off toward the door.

"I come for sympathy, and this is what I get? Fine. I won't trespass on your 'hospitality' anymore."

"What a drama queen," she heard before she slammed the door and stomped down the stairs.