Disclaimer: I don't own rent. Got it? Good.

CHAPTER 2

Mark was fed up. Absolutely positively fed up. His documentaries had done well at tiny local film festivals, but he had yet to gain the recognition he deserved. He needed to do some thing more mainstream, something to get his name out there and to earn him some respect. He wanted Mark Cohen to be a household name.

He was unusually cold and needed something to warm him up. He was happy to see that Roger, his roommate, had left some of the tea their friend, Collin's had gotten them a week before. He put up some water and when it was done started to make his tea. It wouldn't take long seeing as he had nothing to add to it. While he was busying himself pouring the water into a cup and adding the tea he heard someone calling. "I screen," he muttered to himself. The person, whoever it was, was about to leave a message and Mark sat on the couch with his tea to listen. He took a large gulp just as a slightly familiar female voice came through the machine.

"Hello Mark? It's Marli. Ryan. Marli Ryan. From college. Listen, I was wondering if you still make films. I have a script being produced and I would love you to direct it. It could be a great opportunity. So...give me a call at 555-5303 and if you're interested we can meet and I will send you a script. Thanks."

Upon hearing this, Mark spit out a large gulp of his tea. Marli Ryan. Wow, it had been quite some time since he last heard that name. She was his good friend in college. He had always secretly crushed on her, but she was always off-limits. She was a gorgeous girl, what with her flaxen blonde hair and amber eyes. Above that, she was smart and talented. Guys like Mark didn't touch girls like Marli. It just didn't happen.

They had both been film majors back at Brown and had shared many a class together, laughing and chatting and discussing film. They had stayed in touch for a few years after college, when she lived in the East Village, but after her first script got picked up she moved out and into the Upper East Side and they had ceased to talk. He was surprised, come to think of it. That they had never run into each other at one point in the years they hadn't spoken.

Now she was a big shot. She was going somewhere. He was happy for her and the best part was, she wanted to take Mark with her. Question was: did he want to go? In his head, he weighed the options heavily.

He could take it and it could finally give him a break in the industry. He needed that break he really did. After he got it, he could release his documentaries and get offers to direct even bigger films. After all, wasn't he just thinking about how much he wanted something like this to come up? This could give him the respect and attention he craved so badly.

But by taking it, would he be selling out? After the Buzzline fiasco, he couldn't afford to be called a sellout anymore. And after all, didn't it defeat the purpose of being a bohemian filmmaker to go and make a movie that would probably make a killing at the box office?

Why did Marli call Mark anyway? Why was it he that she chose to direct her script? Could it be that she just wanted him? Or couldn't it be for Nostalgia? Or, the most obvious reason being that simply, no one else would do it?

If the latter was correct, there had to be a reason that no one else would do it. It could be a shameful flop. The option Mark preferred was that it was cutting edge and raw. It could be like he was trying to express with his documentaries. It just could be. Like that option, do we?

In his head he weighed the options until finally settling on one. He picked up his phone and dialed Marli's number. He figured that he had to at least let her know what he chose. The dial tone buzzed in his ear loudly and he thought about hanging up. But the thoughts had come too late. A familiar voice answered.

"Hello?" It was Marli.

"Umm... Marli?"

"Yes, who's this?"

"It's Mark, Mark Cohen. Listen I got your call."

"And?" Marli sounded very enthusiastic.

"Well, I've made a decision..."

A/N: Muahahaha cliffhangers anyone? This seemed like an appropriate place to end the chapter. I like this chapter a lot. It's a little longer, too. I want to try and make them longer. I'm working on it. Please review. And thanks to the two who have done so as of yet.