Chapter Five

"Come on Mark! Just throw the sock once!"Mimi was trying to get Mark to join her and Roger as they played catch with Jesse. Collins had gone out to get some fresh air, leaving the three alone with the dog. Mark sat in the chair, arms crossed, shaking his head.

"No way,"Mark replied. "I will never forgive that little twerp!"

"Hey, he didn't tell you to kiss Benny..."Roger pointed out, and Mimi started to giggle again. Mark scowled.

"I panicked, okay!"he snapped. Suddenly Jesse grabbed the sock out of Roger's hand, running over to Mark with it. He also seemed determined to get Mark to play with him. Mark frowned.

"No! I don't like you! Go give your stupid sock to Roger!"he commanded the dog. Jesse jumped up into Mark's lap.

"Hey! No! Down!"Mark yelled.

"He likes you Mark!"Mimi insisted. Mark sighed, looking down at Jesse, who stared back up at him with his big brown eyes.

"...oh, fine!"Mark took the sock and threw it across the room. Jesse went flying after it, as Mimi clapped.

"See, Mark? It's not that bad,"Roger said. Jesse jumped back up onto Mark's lap.

"Yeah. But I still don't like him!"he insisted. Jesse leapt up, licking Mark's face. "EW! Oh, gross!"Mark shoved Jesse down, as Mimi and Roger laughed. Mark stood up, throwing the sock all the way across the loft out of frustration. And Jesse went running...

Suddenly the door flew open.

"Oh-my-God!"Maureen Johnson came running in. She grabbed Mark's arms, sitting him down on the couch forcefully.

"Ow! Maureen, what was that-"

"Look, Mark, I understand what you're going through right now. I went through the same thing, and I know its weird at first, but you'll get used to it after time, I promise,"Maureen babbled, as Mark stared at her, confused.

"Maureen, what are you-"

"I just can't understand why you didn't tell me before! I mean, me, of all people!" Maureen continued. "Oh, you must be terrified, poor baby!"Mark looked terrified at the moment.

"Maureen, if you mean the dog, I've had one before, so its really not that scary..."

"Oh, don't play dumb with me. You're gay!"Maureen cried...which sent Mimi and Roger into more hysterical laughter. Mark groaned, slapping his hand to his head. Maureen frowned. "How can you guys laugh at him! Just imagine what poor Marky is going through right now!"

"Maureen! I'm not gay!"Mark yelled. Maureen sighed.

"Mark, it's okay, really. I want you to know that you can feel completely comfortable-"

"Maureen...did you hear this from Benny?"Mark asked.

"Yeah...why?"Maureen asked. "Is he spreading rumors now!"

"No! No, he...well, he thinks I'm gay,"Mark replied.

"Why would he think that?"Maureen asked.

"Because Mark kissed him!"Mimi howled.

"You WHAT!"Maureen shrieked.

"I was trying to distract him so he wouldn't realize we had a DOG here!"Mark yelled quickly.

"You...wait, when did you get a dog?"Maureen asked.

"Yesterday. It followed me home, and then Collins brought it in, and we're keeping it for now,"Mark said.

"Oh! How sweet!"Maureen said, grinning. "...but I still don't understand why Benny thinks you're gay."

"It's...a long story,"Mark said definitively. Maureen shrugged.

"Okay. So where is the little puppy?"she asked, getting down on all fours and crawling around the loft.

"Here he is!"Roger called, as Jesse came running over. He dropped the sock out of his mouth and ran over to Maureen, jumping on her. Maureen laughed, lifting Jesse into her arms.

"And what's your name?"she asked, holding Jesse so she was staring her right in the face.

"Jesse,"Mimi answered.

"Awww, Jesse!"Maureen said, wiggling the dog around.

"Maureen, don't wiggle the dog like that!"Mark said.

"Why? He likes it!"Maureen insisted.

"Would you like it if someone picked you up and wiggled you around like that?"Mark asked. Maureen frowned as she stopped wiggling Jesse.

"Since when do you sympathize with dogs?"she asked.

"Aw, Mark yo DO like Jesse!"Mimi cried.

"I do not!"Mark insisted. Then Maureen's girlfriend Joanne Jefferson came storming into the loft.

"Maureen!"she yelled. "I was waiting for you at the studio for an hour! Where the hell were you!"she demanded. Maureen looked up at Joanne.

"Well, I was on my way over when I saw Benny and he told me that Mark was gay, so I had to come over here!"Maureen insisted.

"You–Mark, you're gay?"Joanne asked suddenly.

"NO!"Mark yelled. Joanne frowned, about to ask, when Maureen interrupted.

"I'm sorry pookie! I really was on my way over! But look...they have a puppy!"She held Jesse up, grinning. Joanne stared at the dog.

"Where did you get a dog? And since when is Mark gay!"she asked, confused to no end. Then Collins came in.

"Hey bitches! How's Jesse?"he greeted.

"Who's Jesse?"Joanne asked.

"By the way Maureen, we got you a leash,"Roger said suddenly.

"Hey!"Maureen cried.

"A leash?"Joanne repeated.

"Oh yeah, good thing you haven't run into Benny yet!"Collins laughed.

"I have!"Maureen said.

"You have?"Joanne asked.

"And he told me Mark was gay,"Maureen added.

"So Mark IS gay?"Joanne said.

"I AM NOT!"Mark whined.

"HA! Oh man! That's priceless!"Collins snorted.

"It is not! I got really worked up, I thought poor Marky was having a hard time admitting his true feelings,"Maureen said.

"Mark's not gay then?"Joanne asked.

"Hey Collins, Mark likes Jesse now!"Mimi cried.

"No way!"Collins said excitedly. "I knew you'd fall for him."

"We got Mark to throw the sock,"Roger said happily.

"The what?"Joanne asked.

"Aw, I knew it! I knew it!"Collins cried.

"Yeah, okay! I like him!"Mark admitted.

"Ooooh, is Jesse Mark's boyfriend?"Joanne guessed.

"NO! I AM NOT GAY!"Mark hollered.

"...you guys..."

"Yeah?"

"I think Jesse peed on the rug!"Everyone except Joanne groaned, staring at the little puddle and the guilty-looking dog.

"Oh! Jesse is the dog!"Joanne said, finally comprehending.

"And you can consider yourselves evicted,"came a voice from the door.

I think I'm going to wrap this story up pretty soon, so the next chapter MAY be the last. Thanks for all your feedback! I'm glad people liked the last chapter, even though it got a little...weird...haha. Thanks again!