Chapter Three

So I started living with Roger and Maureen. And what a pair of characters they were. They were like a little sister and brother...only older, and still arguing like five-year-olds. I loved every minute of living with them.

And it didn't take them long to warm up to my stupid jokes and compulsive filming. As a matter of fact, Maureen couldn't get enough screen time. She adored being in front of the camera, reading my horrible scripts. And I must say, I adored filming her...

So it was no wonder I started getting a little, well, jealous when she started bringing home the suave, handsome, smart Thomas Collins. I mean, the guy was perfect. He was funny, he had great conversational skills, he was friendly...there was nothing to hate about him. Which is why I despised him.

Maureen met him at some protest or something. She was a street performer at the time, just getting into the whole protesting thing herself, and Tom Collins was a young professor with a few strong philosophies of his own, trying to find people to fight with him. So every other night the two were off at some protest, while I sat home with Roger, forcing him to read my scripts while he searched for band mates. Maureen would always bring Tom Collins back to the loft, where he would just sit there being smart and charming and funny. It was sickening.

Roger loved him too, which is what really drove me crazy. Usually Roger and I agreed when it came to judging people. But everybody loved Tom Collins.

So stupid, love-sick, twenty-year-old me decided to take matters into my own hands.

"Hey Maureen!"I greeted as she and Tom Collins came through the door the next night. I immediately draped my arm around her, shooting Tom Collins what I thought was a menacing gaze.

"Hey Mark,"Maureen replied, pulling my arm off of her, and leading Tom Collins over to the couch. I frowned, quickly following.

"How are you, Thomas?"I asked, trying my best to sound threatening.

"I'm fine, thanks. And yourself?"Dammit, why was he so fucking polite?

"I'm good,"I replied stiffly. "You know Thomas-"

"All my friends call me Collins."

"...as I was saying, Thomas, Maureen and I have know each other for a while."

"Yeah, like two months,"Maureen snorted. I frowned.

"She's told me a lot about you,"Tom Collins replied.

"I'm sure she has,"I stated.

"Mark, what is your deal?"Maureen demanded.

"Nothing! I'm just trying to get to know our friend better,"I snapped, eyeing Tom Collins carefully.

"Oh, well in that case...I grew up in Jersey, I'm an intern at MIT, and I am an HIV positive gay rights activist."I froze.

"You...you're gay?"I asked.

"And proud of it,"Tom Collins replied. I gawked at him for a good thirty seconds, feeling the color rising in my cheeks.

"Oh. Well, er...that's great! Um...good for you!"I said stupidly.

"Oh God..."Maureen groaned, placing her head in her hands in mortification.

"I'm just gonna...go away now. And stop talking. Nice to meet you, Collins,"I said, offering an awkward wave as I stood up and headed for my room. Collins grinned widely.

"You too, Mark."And I ran into my room and slammed the door.

From that day on, Collins and I were much better friends.

The next month, Collins was moving in with us. I'm still not one hundred percent sure of how THAT happened. Something about his family not accepting him, and work...anyways, it's not like anything really changed. The guy was at the loft 24/7 anyways. Now he just slept there too, forcing Roger and I to have to share a room.

What really changed things was when valedictorian Benjamin Coffin III returned to the East Village.

Knock Knock Knock

"Someone get the door!"

"Why can't you get the door?"

"Because I'm in the middle of writing lyrics and I can't stop now."

"Excuses..."

"MAUREEN! Answer the fucking door!"

"Hey, did you guys hear a knock at the door?"

"Yes Mark! GET THE DOOR!"

"Maureen is closer."

"Am not!"

"Hey, guys, keep it down, I'm trying to study!"

"Sorry Collins."

"SOMEBODY ANSWER THE GOD DAMNED DOOR!"

"Why can't you?"

"He's writing lyrics."

"Excuses..."

"MARK! MAUREEN!"

"Keep it DOWN!"

"Fine! I'll answer the door!"Maureen stormed over, flinging the door open, a glower plastered on her face...which was immediately erased when she spotted our visitor."...oh! Benny!"

Everyone turned immediately to the door to see none other than Benjamin Coffin III standing there, grin on his face.

"Greetings,"he said very coolly, entering the loft. Maureen immediately wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You're back!"she squealed. Roger too went running over to him.

"Hey man,"he greeted. "Nice to see you again. You finished with school?"Benjamin nodded.

"I finished off as valedictorian,"he explained proudly.

"So we've heard,"Maureen replied.

"You have? From who?"Benjamin wanted to know.

"From part of the newest addition to our humble home,"Maureen turned, presenting me and Collins as if we were prizes on a game show. "Ta-dah!"Benjamin looked surprised.

"I didn't know you two had gotten new roommates,"he commented.

"Just two. Benny, I want you to meet Mark Cohen and Thomas Collins,"Maureen introduced. "Guys, this is Benny Coffin."We all exchanged waves and 'hellos'.

"Nice to meet you gentlemen,"Benny said. Wow. He was polite too.

"We've heard a lot about you, my friend,"Collins replied. Always friendly.

"Yeah,"I added dumbly. Benny grinned. He had a really good smile. He would be fun to film too.

"All good things, I hope,"he teased, grinning at Roger and Maureen.

"Nothing but,"Collins assured him.

"How long have you two been here?"Benny asked, walking in and dropping his bags down next to the couch.

"Actually legitimately living here? About two months,"Collins replied, with a chuckle.

"I've been here for closer to six,"I added.

"Wow. How come you guys never mentioned them?"Benny asked the other two.

"Never came up!"Maureen replied, brushing the topic aside.

"Mark used to go to Brown too, you know,"Roger explained. Benny grinned at me.

"You graduated?"he asked.

"Um, not exactly...I kind of dropped out sophomore year,"I admitted. Benny laughed a little.

"Understandable. It's a tough school. If it weren't for my parents, I would have been gone freshman year,"he assured me.

"My parents are the reason I dropped out,"I admitted. Benny laughed again.

"It's funny that we'd both end up here, huh?"he remarked. He carefully pulled off his nice leather jacket, slinging it over a chair. He jammed his hands into his pockets as he walked around the loft. "Wow...nice place."

"Shut up,"Roger grumbled, sitting back down on the couch, and picking up his guitar. Benny just laughed.

"I'm just joking with you,"he said. "I appreciate you guys letting me move in here."

"Oh Benny, we could never turn you down,"Maureen assured him.

"Plus we figured you'd get along fine with Mark and Collins,"Roger added.

"Oh, I'm sure I will,"Benny agreed, grinning again at Collins and I.

And for a time, he would.

A/N: So, how'd you like the constant repeating of Collins's full name? Hopefully it served its purpose in making people annoyed with Mark. I'm glad people are enjoying this so far. It's something that's different for me, so I'm glad I'm getting a good response! The next chapter will bring us our first view of April, and some official Mark/Maureen, I believe...