Note: So here it is fellas and ladies chapter three. I still don't own RENT, big surprise I know! All the goodness starts now…Joanne, Mimi, and of course Angel! And do tell me if my writing is difficult to read and I'll try and fix it. Thanks as always.
Collins straightened out the cap on his head and readjusted his blue and yellow stripped tie. From behind him, his father took the cap off his head.
"Can you loose that thing please? Why do you even wear it?" His father grumbled dangling the cap in front of Collins. The teen grabbed it and slipped it into his pocket shrugging.
"I just like it."
"Straighten your tie would you?" Collins sighed and fixed his tie again. When he finished he held his arms out. "Happy?" He asked his father who was brushing down his beard. After Collins didn't get a response for a time he left the bathroom and trudged downstairs. His mother sat on the lazy boy chair chain smoking in silence. In an attempt to get her to talk, Collins went in front of her.
"So how do I look?" Without her eye moving up to meet him she mumbled, "Fine, baby, you look fine." Collins' father came down the stairs humming "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'" to himself. His wife rolled her eyes and moved to the kitchen pushing her son away lightly.
"You're really going to like the Jefferson's girl, Thomas." His father said checking his appearance in the mirror by the door. "She's smart, attractive, active. You'll love her."
"Can't wait." Collins mumbled to himself sitting on the cough armchair. His mind started to wander, remembering what the rest of the day would hold. He was supposed to meet Roger and Mark at a lock café after dinner. In school, Roger said something about Angel meeting them there and bringing on of his friends from the school he attended. Truthfully, he was more nervous about meeting Angel than meeting the Jefferson daughter. Even though Mark and Roger convinced him that he wasn't Angel's replacement, he still worried that he would become the fourth wheel. Be left off as the three reminisced on their times together. Maybe they would even forget Collins was there.
The sound of the doorbell woke Collins from his thoughts. His mother emerged from the kitchen putting on her best well behaved housewife smile. Collins' father was practically bouncing with excitement. This is what he relished, showing off his fake happiness. He opened the door to reveal three people. A husband, a wife, and a daughter. The two men shook hands strongly.
"How are you, Peter? Thank you for having us."
"Oh really Jason, it's our pleasure. This must be Marge. Why you look even more attractive than your picture let's on." Collins blocked out the rest of the phony talk his father was spewing and studied the girl. The first thing that Collins noticed about her was that she seemed just as excited about this gathering as Collins did. Her arms were crossed under her chest and she looked back at the car almost in regret. Collins had to admit that one thing was true about what his father said. She was a pretty girl. Too bad I'm not interested in the female species, Collins thought. Another thing that struck him about this girl was her confidence. Most other high school girls would blush and giggle at the sight of new people. But this girl stuck her hand out firmly to be shaken by his father. Collins' father just laughed, "Now isn't she a darling?" The girl dropped her arm and looked away rolling her eyes. It was official, Collins liked this girl.
"Thomas, these are the Jeffersons. Peter, Marge, and Jessica." He father said pointing to each family member just in case his son couldn't figure it out.
"Joanne." The girl corrected him with an unamused look. "Now Joanne…" Her mother said which just resulted in Joanne holding up her arms, "I know. I know." Collins smiled and held out his hand to her, "Nice to meet you."
Joanne raised her eyebrow, he actually sounded sincere. She took his hand and shook it firmly. Out of the corner of his eye Collins caught his father beaming. Even his mother looked slightly pleased.
"Well," Collins' father said taking on his role of host, "Why don't us grown ups break into the wine? You two can stay here and get better aquatinted." He moved towards the kitchen. Collins' mother excused herself and ran upstairs. Her first reapplication of make-up for the night. Joanne's parents followed Collins' father into the kitchen, her mother waving to her as she went.
Silence fell between the two teens. They were finally alone. Something told Collins that their parents would be all too thrilled if they happened to later walk in on their children having a hot make out session. Even though Collins could have used a great make out session…she wasn't his type. Joanne cleared her throat finally breaking the silence, holding her hands behind her back. She met Collins' eyes with her own.
"I hope you aren't expecting anything to come out of this. Or I'm afraid you will be quite disappointed." She said firmly just like her handshake. Collins grinned, "Not a thing. Except maybe an ally against the older generation." He explained motioning towards the kitchen.
Joanne's cold exterior cracked slightly as she let herself smirk, "Pretty ridiculous aren't they?"
"Beyond girl, there should be a limit on bull shit spewed for an evening." Collins took a seat on the couch not really expecting Joanne to follow. She seemed a bit uptight, assertive and strong yet still uptight. But to his surprise, Joanne came to sit next to him without an ounce of hesitation.
"If there was a bull shit quota then they'd barely talk." Joanne said dryly which made Collins lean his head back and laugh hard. Joanne soon joined him, being able to appreciate her own wit.
"You know…" Collins started as he caught his breath, "They probably think this is going good with the laugh factor." Joanne scratched her shoulder and nodded, "Little do they know their plan will never work…sorry but you're not my…type." Collins shrugged leaning down into the couch, "No problem. You're not exactly my type either." Collins' mother emerged from the upper level and with a prolonged sigh she entered the kitchen. Her son watched her carefully and then turned back to Joanne, "So you go to Anderson Prep?"
"I do. And I know Scarsdale's rivals. Your rivals. Never been to a football game…although I've heard many accounts of your plays through my father. He practically worships you." Collins smiled but it wasn't a true smile. Football now seemed to represent a lie to him. Sure, he liked the game and was just naturally good at it, but it wasn't what he loved. Despite this he joined the team brought on mostly by his father's constant and not so covert hints. It was a past time really. Something to do in between reading Kant, Sartre, and Socrates. That's what he really wanted to do with his time. There was also the fact that he was forced to hide his sexuality even more. A gay kid in the locker room? Collins was just happy that he came out after football season was over.
"Yeah…I had a good run." He managed to mumble, "Did you play any sports?" Collins just wanted the conversation to move away from his football career. Joanne nodded, "I did tennis when I was little. My parents thought it was a dignified…" She stopped for a moment and looked at Collins carefully. With a deep breath she said, "And then they found me making out with Ashley Kingston. We were partners in more ways than one." Collins let a laugh so loud he started to cough. Joanne frowned and pat his back. He shook his head, "No no girl I'm ok..it's just…I'm gay." Joanne's jaw dropped and she giggled her hand covering her mouth.
"Our parents are definitely going to be disappointed." Collins mumbled nudging her. Joanne nodded trying to hold back more giggles, "That's for sure. Oh wow. They have horrible matchmaking skills. Do your parents know?" She asked gathering her breath and pulling a peppermint from her pocket.
Collins shook his head, "Not yet. Yours? Well I guess not if they tried to set you and me up right?" Joanne frowned popping the peppermint in her mouth, "You would think wouldn't you? They're holding onto some hope that I'm bi." Collins grinned and patted her shoulder, "It's ok girl…I'll marry you one day if you like. I think that would be a great relationship."
Joanne's once cold exterior was now completely gone as she smiled warmly, "Gives new meaning to marriage of convenience. I'll keep you in mind." She said patting his leg. The two giggled with each other until Collins' father burst into the room, "Dinner is now served." He smiled deeply to see Joanne's hand on his son's leg. Joanne and Collins gave each other a knowing smile.
"Collins, man, you're late!" Roger called to him as the teen ran across the street to the café where his friends were waiting. Mark was literally twiddling his thumbs, "I must say I'm hurt." Collins grinned reaching them, "Sorry guys I was too busy working out marriage plans with my lesbian bride." Both Mark and Roger cocked their eyebrows. "Yeah one day you'll have to explain that to us." Roger said with a nod. Mark smiled deeply, "Oh good I'm not the only one confused." Collins snorted hugging Mark around the neck, "For once."
"Take a seat Thomas." Roger said hitting the chair next to him. Collins did as his was told making sure to muss the rocker's hair as he went. With a sigh Roger tried to fix it. Mark looked over to Roger and shook his head, "Why do you care? It's just Angel."
"And a friend." Roger said correcting him, "Who knows who this friend could be." Mark rolled his eyes, "And what about April?" Roger wasn't phased, "What about April?" Mark looked to Collins who just shrugged and said, "I don't know Mark…he's just not gonna get the boyfriend of the year award." Roger scowled and threw a sugar packet at Collins. "We aren't boyfriend and girlfriend."
Mark shook his head and crossed his arms, "You just have sex with her." Roger nodded finally finishing his hair, "Exactly." Mark sighed and threw his hands up, "I give up."
Two young women walked over to the table big smiled on their faces, "Hey there boys." The one said in an odd voice. Collins couldn't exactly put his finger on why it was odd but it was. The girl, however, her looks at least, were anything but odd. Collins gulped, she was gorgeous. Nails painted blue to perfection. A flowered skirt that was short enough but not too short. A bright pink fuzzy sweater and heels that added an extra five inches to her height. And that smile on her face… 'Ok, I was just joking with Joanne…what is going on?' He thought to himself.
Roger seemed to be transfixed with the other young girl. She was a latina in a mini shirt with a flirty smile. Mark looked back and forth between his friends and then sighed, "Hi. Can we help you?" Roger opened his mouth to say something but closed his mouth.
"Mark Cohen!" The one girl in pink put her hands on her hips, "I'm surprised at you! Shame you don't recognize one of your closest friends!" Mark went pale and then laughed, "Oh my God! Angel?" He got up and hugged her.
Angel giggled hugging him back, "So you like? Mimi helped me." She said motioning towards her friend. "Hi there." Mimi said waving to Mark and smiling lightly at Roger who still seemed to be in lala land.
"I love it." Mark nodded and gave her another hug. "I know you always want to…that's great Angel." He looked over to Roger, "Rog…Roger!" The rocker jumped slightly, "Huh?" Angel giggled and queen waved at him.
"Holy…Angel?" Roger got up and hugged her as well. "Wow you look good." Angel slapped his face lightly, "You got a girlfriend." Mark rolled his eyes, "Yeah you missed that part of the conversation. Apparently she's just a how can I say it? Love her and leave her? Yeah that's more classy than what I was thinking." Mark replied with a grin. Mimi bit her lip and looked down at her hands for a moment.
"Oh Mimi-chica I'm sorry." Angel said taking her hand, "This is Mimi everyone. Mimi these are my boys. Roger is the hot one. Mark is the cute one…and…" Angel stopped on Collins and actually blushed. Collins was too busy gathering his thoughts to say anything. So this was Angel? The one who was close friends with Roger and Mark. All of his fears about her and her relationship with Roger and Mark completely faded. Collins squirmed slightly in his seat getting up to shake Angel's hand.
"I'm Collins." Angel grinned deeply and shook his hand when he offered it. Unlike Joanne's it was welcoming and gentle. Her small hand seemed to fit perfectly in Collins' larger one, "Ah it's nice to finally meet you." She said, "The boys have told me a lot about you." Reluctantly he released his hand from hers. "I've heard a lot about you too." Angel nodded and pushed Mimi more towards the group as she had started to step back.
"Focus babe." Angel said, "This is Collins…the yet to be labeled boy." Mimi and Collins shook hands connecting to each other immediately considering they weren't one of the original three friends.
"Ok then now that we're all aquatinted," Angel said clapping her hands together, "Let's get some ice cream!" Mimi grinned taking a seat at the table, "So much for my diet." Roger walked over to her his hands in his pockets, "You don't need to diet." He sat next to her pulling his chair closer to her's.
Mark whispered to Angel as they too sat down, "That's the pick up line of the century." Angel giggled slapping his chest lightly. She leaned over to Mark and whispered into his ear, "You didn't tell me that you're friend was so…" Angel looked over at Collins who was struggling to get the wallet out of his deep pocket, "me-ow."
"Sorry Angel I didn't really notice." Mark said back to her with a shrug. Collins finally got the money out of his wallet, missing the conversation between Angel and Mark.
"So you still crushing on Maureen my dear?" Angel asked Mark her hand on his shoulder as her other hand waved to a waiter.
"I guess…" Mark said with another shrug trying to hide a blush. Angel shook her head and sighed, "Why don't you ask her out, baby? Don't you think that would make a teeny weeny more sense than pining away for her?" Collins grinned and shook his head, "Mark liked to pine. Makes a better film." Angel nodded to him with a grin, "You're right. See Markie, you gotta pounce on her. No more of this waiting in the wings thing. Live your life. Don't wait til tomorrow cause you don't know what tomorrow could bring." Mark sighed to himself apparently unwilling to give that an answer. Roger was just staring at Mimi while she kept quiet watching Angel.
"So what would you like?" The waiter asked taking everyone's orders. Mark ordered strawberry, Roger mint chocolate chip, Mimi vanilla with gummi bears, Angel chocolate with marshmallows, and Collins ordered cookies and cream.
"Gummi bears?" Collins asked Mimi, "Don't they freeze?" Mimi nodded, "Yeah but I like them anyway. I prefer gummi worms though." Roger looked like an excited two year old who had found a penny under the rug, "I love gummi worms too!"
Collins and Angel held back laughs at Roger's enthusiasm. Their eyes met and Angel nodded to him. Collins' felt his face flush as he looked down at his hands and then back up at Angel. He was blindsided. He was too busy worrying about not fitting in with Angel, he never considered…falling for her.
"Oh honey you have some…some…" Angel said to Collins brushing her cheek. It took Collins a few seconds to realize she meant he had something on his face. He brushed the other side of his face missing the small particle of lettuce that was left over from dinner.
"Oh no…over there." She said pointing to his opposite side. Collins attempted to brush it off but missed it completely. Angel let out a small giggle and leaned over to brush it off for him. A shiver ran through his whole body as she touched him.
"There you go. Well, I know what you had for dinner." Angel replied holding up the piece of lettuce. Collins looked away slightly and bit his lip trying not to smile so deeply as he wanted to. From the corner of his eye he saw Mark looking quite satisfied.
Post: So you like the sweetness? Oddly enough that was my first bit of Angel/Collins cuteness…considering I ship them like mad it's kinda odd. I really need to write some fluff for them instead of angst. Next chapter: Back to school and dealing a bit with Robbie and April as well as some more Angel and Collins action. I know you love it!