Roger sat on the couch in his grandparents basement softly picking out a few notes on his guitar. Mark sat across from him in the recliner. He had pulled one of his legs up to his chest and was now resting his head on his knee. Both of them were leaving the next morning. Mark for Rhode Island, and Roger, who decided not to leave until Mark did, was moving to New York. And this how they were spending their night, silently staring at each other.
"Did I tell you my plan yet?" Mark asked tugging at one of his shoelaces.
"Nope." Roger replied, glancing up from his guitar.
"Well, I'm still going in with an undecided major, but as soon as I get there, I'm changing it. I think I'm going to major in art and have a minor in English."
"Good to see that you've finally grown some balls my friend."
"Yeah. I was gonna to tell my dad, but I think he's still mad about my grade on the calculus test."
"I thought you did pretty good on it."
"I got a 3."
"Well the last 2 questions were ridiculous."
"You didn't seem to have any trouble with it."
"That's because I amamazing."
"I still can't believe you got a 5."
"Am I sensing some jealousy Marky? Come on, you were the fucking valedictorian, what does he care what you got on some test?""He likes perfection."
"I've told you a million times to not worry so much about what he thinks. He can't control you anymore."
"I know I know." Mark said as he stared to tie his shoe again after pulling out the knot. He looked back up at Roger who was again focused on his guitar. Mark just watched him play. He wasn't quite sure how the two of them had become such good friends in the past few months. They didn't have much in common. He was quiet and artsy and pathetic. Roger was just, sex, drugs, and rock n' roll. Though, as far as Mark knew he was still a virgin and had only been high a few times, not counting the constant buzz he seemed to be on from those damn pills. He was still rock n' roll though.
As soon as Mark thought that, Roger began to play 'Mary had a Little Lamb'.
"I was talking to Brian this morning," Roger started, still playing 'Mary had a Little Lamb' . "And he said the apartment that him and Scotty got is huge. So you totally have to come down some weekend or something and stay. Come and see us play, once we you know, write some songs."
"That's kinda far."
"I'm not worth a 3 hour drive? Marky I'm hurt."
"I wont have my car."
"Why not?"
Mark sighed. "My dad doesn't want me to bring it. I think he's selling it."
"You're killing me Mark."
"It's not like I paid for it. He has the right to tell me whether or not to take it."
"I guess…you can always take a bus or something. I don't think it costs that much."
"Don't worry, I'll come down."
"I just don't want you abandoning me for all of those intellectual ivy league assholes."
"I'm sure none of them will be as interesting as you."
"Damn straight."
"Will you stop playing that damn song already!"
Roger smiled and set his guitar down. "I'm hungry."
"Me too."
"We have frozen pizza." He said standing up and heading for the stairs.
"Frozen pizza?" Mark asked following him.
"Yeah. My grandpa buys those fuckers in bulk. Are they not good enough for you or something? Sorry if we don't have crab cakes or…whatever the hell else you eat."
"I don't eat crab cakes."
"Really?"
"Never had one."
"Oh, well, I bet they're good."
"Why ?"
"Because people are always eating them on TV." Roger said entering the kitchen and going to open the freezer. "Alright, pepperoni or supreme?"
"You don't have like, plain cheese?"
"Nope."
"Pepperoni I guess."
"How about supreme?" Roger said grabbing the box and shutting the door of the freezer.
"I don't like all of that crud on it."
"Then pick it off. Can you hand me a pan or something from that cabinet behind your head?"
Mark turned around and opened the door to the cabinet and grabbed a slightly blackened cookie sheet. "There's like, burnt french fries stuck to it."
Roger grabbed it from Mark's hands and scratched at the burnt fries until they fell onto the floor. "Not any more." He said setting it down and putting the pizza on it. He threw it in the oven and pushed a few buttons before turning back to Mark who was leaning on the counter.
"Aren't you supposed to pre-heat the oven or something?"
"It'll be fine." Roger said going and standing across from Mark. Mark started talking. While he was talking he took his glasses off, rubbed his eyes, and then put his glasses back on, and Roger found this incredibly hot for some reason.
"Roger?"
"Hm?"
"Have you been listening to me?"
"Yes." No. Mark just smiled and quietly laughed. The next thing Roger knew he had leaned over and was kissing Mark. Once he realized what he was doing he quickly pulled away in complete horror and disgust.
Mark just stared at him with his mouth hanging open trying to process what had just happened. "Uh…"
"Mark go home." Roger said quietly.
"Roger I-"
"Just go home." He said again as his fists began to ball up.
"Ok…I uh, I guess I'll talk…talk to you later. Alright?"
"Just go home Mark." Mark nodded and quickly left the house.
Roger wanted so bad to break something right now. Why the hell did he just do that? What the hell was wrong with him? He was not like his fucking father. No! No god damn way!
He turned the oven off and disappeared into room for the night wanting to sleep and forget what had just happened.
-----
Mark pulled into his driveway and noticed lights on in the house. He hoped it was his mother that was still awake.
He made his way into the house and found his father sitting in the living room reading something. He looked up at Mark over his glasses.
"Where were you?" He asked running his had through his black, graying hair.
I was just kissing a boy you stupid mother fucker. "At Roger's."
"Do you have everything packed?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah?" He said standing up. "You don't say yeah, you say yes, got it?"
"Yes. Yes I'm all packed."
"When do you want to leave in the morning?"
"Whenever."
"7:30?"
"That's fine." Mark said walking by him toward the stairs. "The sooner the better." He said under his breath.
"Did you just say something?"
"No."
"Look at me when I talk to you!"
Mark turned around and looked at him. "I didn't say anything."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Can I just go to sleep now?"
"Go." His father said before turning away from him and going back into the living room.
Mark quickly went up to his room and shut the door. A few minutes later he crawled into bed hoping to fall asleep fast so the morning would come and he could get the hell out of there. He couldn't stop thinking about Roger though. What the fuck? Not that he hadn't enjoyed that few seconds, but what the fuck? Roger? He never thought that Roger was…and then he got all pissed off after, when he was the one that actually did it. Again, what the fuck?
Mark rolled over and closed his eyes. Everything just kept running through his mind, but eventually he did fell asleep.