Chapter Eight
So that night, after Maureen and Mimi finished their dinner, Maureen went running over to the loft. She made her way up the long staircase(she had never really noticed quite how long it was before...)and finally reached the door. She pounded on it excitedly. She couldn't wait to see Mark, but she wasn't quite sure WHY...
"Hello?"Roger opened the door. Maureen stopped when she saw him.
"Whoa. You died your hair?"she asked in shock. Roger's hair was indeed a neon green color. He nodded.
"You like it?"he asked.
"Yeah, sure, if you're an Oompa-Loompa,"Maureen replied, snorting. Roger sighed.
"You just don't understand..."he said sadly. Maureen decided to shrug it off.
"Is Mark here?"she asked.
"Yeah,"Roger said. There was a pause...
"Can I see him?"Maureen asked.
"I suppose,"Roger said, stepping aside. Maureen walked into the loft. Mark was sitting on the couch, playing Roger's guitar.
"Hey Marky!"Maureen greeted, jumping over to the couch. Mark looked up, smiling.
"Hey Maureen! What's up?"he asked.
"Oh, nothing. I never knew you could play guitar,"Maureen commented.
"Oh yeah, Collins has been teaching me,"Mark replied, putting the guitar down.
"...I didn't know Collins played guitar either..."Maureen muttered.
"So what brings you here so late?"Mark asked.
"Well, I was talking to Mimi earlier, and she...made me realize some things,"Maureen explained.
"Really? What kind of things?"Mark asked.
"That...that I think I still love you!"Maureen blurted out. To her happiness, Mark's face lit up.
"Really? I love you too Maureen! I have since I first met you!"he cried.
"No way!"Maureen screeched, as green-haired Roger started jumping on Mark's bed. Mark suddenly got down on one knee, completely ignoring his roommate.
"Maureen...will you marry me?"he asked, pulling a huge diamond ring out of his pocket. Maureen's jaw dropped.
"Isn't it kind of soon?"she asked.
"It could never be too soon!"Mark exclaimed. Maureen screamed, taking the ring and jumping into Mark's arms.
"Congratulations!"They both turned to see a cow standing at the door."The weather today will sunny but cold, with a good chance of some flurries this evening..."
That's when Maureen woke up.
She sat up quickly, very weirded out by that entire dream. She yawned as she slammed her hand down on the button on her clock to shut the weather man up. 9:15. She had slept later than usual. That protest must have really worn her out...
She got up, got dressed and made breakfast, but the whole time, she could not get that dream out of her head. And it wasn't the green-haired Roger that was bothering her so much...
In that dream she had told Mark she loved him. And even further, he had said he loved her. The engagement was probably just part of the weirdness of the dream, but she had a bad feeling that the confession of her love wasn't.
She didn't love Mark. Not like that. She couldn't. That would be too weird. But then again, how could she have gotten over Joanne so quickly if she wasn't feeling something for someone else?
NO, she kept telling herself. It was impossible. She was a lesbian!...or she HAD been a lesbian...
NO. She was scaring herself with all of these thoughts. It couldn't be true! She absolutely positively was NOT falling in love with Mark Cohen again.
Ring-ring. Ring-ring. Ring-ring.
"Uh, hey Maureen, it's Mark..."
Maureen's heart skipped a beat and the glass of juice she was holding slipped out of her hand and splashed to the ground.
Maybe she wasn't as sure as she thought...
"...okay, talk to you later. Bye."Mark finished his message and hung up the phone.
"And that would be the...what? Sixth time you've called her this morning? Or is it seven now?"Roger asked.
"Fifth!"Mark snapped.
"Oh, excuse me,"Roger snorted. Mark frowned, siting down next to Roger on the couch. There was a pause...
"I'm not in love with her!"Mark suddenly cried.
"I didn't say anything!"Roger said defensively.
"Oh come on! You've been picking on me non-stop this whole time!"Mark whined. Roger laughed.
"Look, I'm sorry, I'll cut it out. I just think it's funny!"he explained.
"What's so funny about two old friends hanging out together?"Mark demanded. Roger looked at Mark.
"You're not just 'two old friends', Mark,"he pointed out. Mark opened and closed his mouth several times, and finally decided just not to try and respond. He sighed.
"Roger...do you really think I'm falling in love with Maureen again?"he asked.
"No. I think you've been in love with Maureen, and you're finally just getting your second chance!"Roger replied. Mark nodded, thinking that over...
"Isn't that...weird though? I mean, she's a lesbian! I know there's no chance that she likes me, but...I can't help it,"he said. Roger shrugged.
"That's love,"he said simply. "Speaking of which, I'm taking Mimi out today to celebrate her first term exams. She passed!"Roger explained as he got up to go get his coat. Mark grinned.
"That's great, send her my congratulations,"he said.
"I will. So what are you gonna do today? You know, besides pine around for Maureen?"Roger asked.
"Good-bye Roger..."Mark grumbled. Roger just laughed.
"See you later!"
Mark sat there, thinking over HIS situation.
He couldn't be in love with Maureen. It wasn't reasonable. It wasn't rational! He was crazy to even dream about anything between them.
And yet...
NO. He wouldn't let himself think of it. It would never happen. He would just have to make himself stop feeling for Maureen. It couldn't be so hard, he could do it. She was pretty annoying anyways, there were lots of flaws that he was sure could easily turn him away from Maureen Johnson...
Ring-ring. Ring-ring. Ring-ring.
"Oh, hey Marky! It's Maureen-"
Mark jumped at the sound of Maureen's voice...slipping on the small rug nearly the couch and falling off, bashing his head into the table.
"...I'll be over to see you in a bit! Love ya, pookie!"
All Mark could hear was Maureen's voice as he slowly faded into darkness...