No Day But Today
DISCLAIMER: I do not own RENT or anything affiliated with it.
A/n: I was just watching some parts of the movie over again, and I found a blooper! In "La Vie Boheme," the cigarette (or is it a joint?) that Collins keeps behind his ear keeps disappearing, especially when he's talking about Maureen performing the "Native American tribal chants." And OMG, you should try watching it on fast forward… it's so funny! They sound like they're really hyped up on caffeine!
As the days went on, Roger and Mimi noticed several changes around the loft. Mark was walking around in a happy daze. Collins wasn't around much, but Liz seemed to be there every day. And of course, there were the answering machine messages from Cindy that Roger kept deleting before Mark could hear them. "You might as well ask her to move in," Roger said, one day when he and Mark were alone in the apartment. Mimi had gone to work, Collins had disappeared to wherever the hell he'd been going lately, and Liz was staying at her place because her parents were in town.
"Who?" Mark asked. Roger rolled his eyes.
"Liz, of course. She's already spending more time here than at her place," Roger told him.
"She doesn't really have any other friends in the city," Mark said. "She just doesn't like being alone. We don't have enough room for her to move in permanently."
"You still haven't asked her out?" Roger asked.
"She's not interested." Roger laughed at the idea.
"God, Mark, do I need to clean your glasses! The girl is all over you!"
"Why would someone like her want someone like me?" Mark asked.
"I don't know how love works. Or lust, or whatever the hell you want to call it. But I know that she feels it for you… and I think you feel the same way about her," Roger replied. Mark just shook his head.
"I'm not going to let myself get burned again."
"Then I guess you'll just spend the rest of your life miserable." And Roger hated himself for saying it, but at the same time hated Mark for making him say what everyone could see.
"Back to you, Robin," Liz said, plastering on a smile as she waited for the camera to be off of her.
"And we're clear!" Liz sighed and lowered the microphone, rolling her eyes.
"Thank God," she muttered, rolling up the mic cord and putting it back into the box. She picked the box up and then began walking back toward the van. "I would help, but yeah, heights," she said, not turning around. Mark smiled as he put the camera away. They were standing on a bridge, and her unprecedented fear of heights had taken over her ability to think. She'd actually had to write everything she was supposed to say on a cue card and read it to get through the report.
By the time Mark got everything back in the van, the rest of the crew was ready to go. He got in and smiled at Liz. "You okay?"
"Next time they tell me I'm doing a story on a bridge, I'm going to kick someone in the balls," she said, hiding her face in her hands. Mark laughed. "It isn't funny. My parents are still in town, and they're going to see that."
"You did fine. I couldn't even tell you were scared," Mark assured her. She looked at him and smiled. "Or that you were reading."
"Thanks." She reached into her bag and pulled out a cigarette. "Anyone mind if I smoke?" When no one replied, she lit it and took a long drag. "I normally don't smoke very often, but sometimes I've just got to have one. Especially after shit like that."
"Yeah," Mark said. He stared out the window, trying to keep gather up the courage to talk to her about something that had been bugging him ever since his conversation with Roger.
"You're still coming tonight, right?" she asked, watching him.
"What?" he asked, somewhat confused.
"Dinner. Didn't I ask you?"
"No," he replied. "I don't think so."
"Shit. I told my parents you were coming," she said. "You don't have any plans tonight, do you?" she asked.
"I guess I do now," he said. She reached over and hugged him.
"Oh thank God, you are such a life saver. If I have to spend one more night with 'Reginald' I'm going to puke."
"Reginald?"
"Our parents have been friends forever. And they've been trying to get the two of us together ever since we were born. They've invited him everywhere with us this week, since he lives here in the city. I finally had to tell them I was seeing someone, so I could have a night without him… I hope you don't mind," she said.
"Why would I mind? It's getting me away from Mimi and Roger's constant PDA," Mark joked. Liz just smiled. "Besides, I was planning on asking you out."
"Really?" she asked, cocking her head to one side.
"Yeah… I was sort of waiting for the right moment," Mark said, blushing. She smiled at him and took his hand.
"Well, would it help if I told you I was planning on saying yes?"
A/n: Alright, I'm just repeating my warning from a previous chapter… after Tuesday there won't be any more updates for a while. I'm going to try to put up another chapter tomorrow, but this may very well be your last chapter for a few weeks.