I know I was slow getting this thing up, but between writing papers and fangirling the Rent movie, I've been busy. Also, it might take me a few days to get the next chapter up. I know what I want to happen, I just have to figure it all out, you know?

Sorry if this is dribble. I mean, I've been assured that it isn't dribble, but I'm still not overly pleased with it, but I needed something so here it is. Lots of talking, but hey, that's what I'm good at writing.

And now, onto chapter 7.

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You've reached Mark, Roger, April, Collins and Brian. We're not here, leave your number and we'll get back to you. :beep:

Whoever was calling hung up. Roger sighed. "Mark, this answering machine message sucks."

"You didn't have any complaints when I first recorded it."

"Well, it sucks."

"Then change it."

"Maybe later." He said turning and looking at Mark. "Where the hell is Collins anyway? I haven't seen him in like 3 days."

"No idea. He disappears a lot."

"Yeah." Roger said picking at his fingernails.

"Do you wanna walk over to the store with me? I need some film."

"I have to go to Scotty's, I left my guitar there last night."

"It's on the way, come on."

Roger shrugged. "Sure."

They headed outside and started walking down the sidewalk. They didn't talk for a while. They never talked anymore. Not like they used to, during that few months when they'd been really close.

"So uh, what are you gonna take pictures of?" Roger asked, breaking the silence.

"I'm not sure yet. You just have to walk around with you camera until inspiration hits you. The other day I got some really good pictures from the park. I've only developed a few of them, but those ones turned out great. They're just of people. People just living their lives, but I think they're really good."

Roger smiled as he listened to Mark ramble about how perfect the light had been, and about the color of this guy's coat. He loved Mark's voice. He would bring up things that he knew Mark could ramble about, just to listen to him talk. Suddenly Mark's voice stopped. It was interrupted. Interrupted by someone who was now standing in front of Roger shoving a small bag of white powder in his face. It was his dealer.

"I'm tellin' ya, this is good shit, and I can give it to you for cheap."

"Uh, not right now." Roger said glancing at Mark

"Come on, I'm not gonna have this in a few hours."

"I don't have any money alright?"

"You told me you were gonna have money today man."

"I know, but I don't, I'll uh…I'll find you later, ok?"

"Your loss." He said pushing past Roger and continuing down the street. Roger looked up at Mark who was just staring at him. "What?"

"What?"

"Yeah, what?"

"Nothing. I've gotta turn here anyway." He said turning away from Roger.

Roger grabbed his should and turned him around so he was facing him. "It makes me forget about stuff Mark, it makes me feel good. Can't you just let me have that?"

"Let go of me." Mark said breaking away from Roger and continuing down the street toward the store.

Roger watched him walk away. It was times like these when he just felt like kicking Mark's scrawny ass. He took and deep breath and turned around to see if his dealer was still around. Now was one of those times when he really needed to forget.

----

A little while later Mark returned to the loft where he found April sitting on the couch flipping through one of his photo albums.

"So you think you can just waltz into my room and take whatever you want?"

"I've never looked through this one, I was curious."

"Why were you in there in the first place?"

"Looking for Roger."

"In my room?"

"Yes."

"Well I can assure you that he never goes in there." He said plopping down next to her. "Anything interesting?"

"Pictures of you and Roger at some party. You're dancing on a table in a few of them."

Mark laughed slightly embarrassed. "It was a graduation party. Roger got me really drunk and them documented it."

"I'm glad he did."

"Yeah well, right after that he passed out on the lawn and I had to drag him home."

"Sounds like my Roger." She said flipping through some more pages.

"When first met him he wasn't like that. He was very…quiet, and brooding."

"He's still like that."

"I know, but I he was worse then. I think by the time we met again at school they'd started pumping him full of drugs."

"Yeah…wait, again? I thought you met for the first time your senior year."

"No, we met when we were 14. Granted, I was only there for 3 days and I thought I'd never see him again, but…he never told you did he?"

"Tell me what?"

Mark sighed. He didn't know if it was his place to tell her. He didn't think it was that big of a deal, but Roger always freaked out whenever it was brought it up. "See, when I was younger my dad used to well…hit me and my sister. And, once when I was 14, my sister didn't live home anymore, she moved out as soon as she could, but when I was 14...I don't even remember what I did, but he just freaked out and beat the shit out of me. My mom took me to the hospital, and the people there found out what happened, and they put me in emergency foster care for 3 days, and Roger was at the place they sent me…so that's when we met."

"Wow, Mark I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it's not that big of a deal, really."

"Why was Roger there?"

"I don't…well, I think I know, but he's never really come out and told me."

"What?"

"I think his father used to like, do stuff to him…I dunno. I've just always gotten that vibe from him, but whenever I've tried to bring it up he just completely shuts down."

"I suppose that would explain why he's so damn moody all the time. Maybe I'll try to talk to him about it."
"You can't, he'll kill me. Seriously, he hates talking about it, and I don't even really know what happened, I'm probably wrong."

April was silent for a second and then she stood up. "Where is he anyway?"

"At Scotty's."

April groaned.

"What?"

"I really hate him. Him and Maureen. Uhg, I swear my fists clench up whenever I see her."

"What'd she ever do to you?"

"She just, god, I just hate her. So much." She said walking into the kitchen. "Do you know what she said to me last week?"

"No." Mark said standing up and following her.

"Well, it was after CBGB's on Friday and we were all at some bar, and she comes up to me and says 'You know, Scotty thinks your super hot, you should join us sometime'. Uh, sorry hun, I don't swing that way. You find that funny?" April asked, noticing the smirk on Mark's face.

"Yes actually, it's quite amusing."

"You're probably just enjoying the image of Maureen and I going at it."

"No." He really wasn't.

"Sure. Do you have any money?"

"No, why?"

"I want some fries from Life."

"I gave Roger money yesterday to get some guitar strings."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Well I think I'm gonna go over to the park and try to get some more pictures."

"Have fun."

Mark nodded grabbing his camera from the table. As he was leaving Roger came in carrying his guitar. Mark mumbled a greeting to him that April couldn't quite make out. Roger didn't say anything and went and set his guitar on the couch.

"How are those guitar strings?" April asked after the door slammed shut.

"Huh?"

"You said you needed new guitar strings this morning, and I gave you money, how are they?"

"Fine."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Did your other ones wear out that quickly?"

"What?"

"Mark just told me he gave you money for guitar strings yesterday, did those ones wear out overnight?"

"I uh, needed to buy really good ones, so I need money from both of you."

"Right."

"What is you problem?"

"I don't appreciate you using my money to feed your fucking drug habit!"

Roger rolled his eyes and sat down. "You know nothing about it."

"That's exactly what I say to people whenever they got on me about why I'm still going out with you, I'm sick of this!"

"Yeah well, nothing's keeping you here."

"I love you Roger, I don't want to see you get hurt."

Roger was taken aback. She loved him? He didn't really love her, she was just there. Just there. "Come here." He said pulling the small bag of white powder out of his pocket and dumping the contents out onto the table in front of him.

"What?"

"I want you to try it."

"No."

"Come on, you don't know what you're missing. Maybe it'll help you calm the hell down."

"I don't want to."

"You said you loved me. If you loved me you'd do it."

"I don't want to."

"Then leave, I don't need your bitching anymore."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, leave."

April just glared at him for a minute. "Fuck it." She said in a low voice walking toward Roger. "Move."

Roger stood up and April kneeled down in front of the coffee table.

"How do you do it?"

"Just do it, you've seen me do it." Roger stood there and looked down as April snorted the drugs up her nose. Why was he making her do this? He didn't know.

April leaned back holding her nose. She slowly lowered her hand as a smile crept upon her face.

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Hey people, if you've got Rent fiction, try to start moving it over to the Rent Movie section. It'll be nice to have it all in one place. :) I'll probably move my stuff over there in a few days.