THIS IS FINALLY THE LAST CHAPTER!

Disclaimer: I don't own RENT but this part of the story is COMPLETELY of my invention.

"MARK LEOPOLD COHEN!" Mrs. Cohen stormed into Mark's hospital room. Maureen, who had been sitting (respectively, of corse) with Mark on the hospital bed, jumped up as Mark gasped.

"Mom?" He said. He could tell she wasn't in a very good mood. Her hair was standing on end as if she had just been tugging at it with worry, bags under her eyes, the whole nine yards. Now though, she looked the farthest thing from worried. Roger and Collins, who had been laughing at some dirty joke, stopped and edged themselves away from the woman, fearing for their lives.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?" She yelled, "YOU COULD'VE GOTTEN SERIOUSLY HURT! DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED I WAS?"

"Mom! I'm fine!" Mark said, "I just-"

He broke off suddenly when the doctor entered the room. "Oh," he said, taking in the scene before him. "Well I guess I could just come back-"

"No," Mark interrupted, "just...explain to my mother that it's no big deal," he looked from his mom to the doctor, "please."

"Well," the doctor said, nervously adressing the fuming woman, "it's only a broken ankle...we just have to put it in a cast and he'll be fine." Mrs. Cohen looked like she was about to punch someone. "I'll-I'll just g-go now," he stammered and rushed out of the room.

"Mark," she said, fighting to keep her voice calm, "I don't care if all you did was skin your knee but you are never-never-to do that to me again. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Mark said in a small voice.

"Okay. Now," she said, looking around the room and noticing Maureen, Roger and Collins. "What are you doing here?"

They stood in silence for awhile, not sure how to explain. Finally, Maureen spoke.

"Well, it's kind of a funny story actually..."

.o.o.o.

Gossip is supposed to be wrong. It always hurts someone, and a good rumor never lasts long. Whoever started the rumor is almost always caught, and no one likes that person very much anymore. Gossiping is mostly lying, and lying is one of the seven deadly sins, right? Now, you'd think that people would learn to stop gossiping and twisting stories, but everyone knows that won't happen. It's just too much fun.

Maureen was keeping track in her notebook. There were now nine versions of her and Mark's story floating around the school, not counting the three versions where Maureen didn't take him back (she preferred not to count those in the total, it hurt her to spread them). With all the stories and incorrect facts, it was only a matter of time before-

"Hey! Mo!"

Maureen turned and smiled at the sight of one of her many guy-friends running down the hall to catch her at her locker. "Yes, Benjamin?"

Benny scowled. "Don't call me that. I just wanted to hear your story first-hand, as always. I think this is a record for you, eleven versions out before third period?"

Maureen smiled even wider. "Twelve, actually," she said showing him her notebook. "And why should I tell you which one is true?"

"Because you all were asses and didn't call me last night."

Maureen looked offended. "I tried to! The evil doctor with four arms wouldn't let us make any calls!"

Benny rolled his eyes. "What is that? Version seven?"

"Fine," she said, holding up her arms, "you got me!"

"Well that one wasn't really too hard to figure out."

Suddenly, the bell rang signaling the end of break and the start of third period. "I guess you'll just have to figure the rest out yourself, Benny! I've got a class." she said, walking away.

.o.o.o.

Mark wasn't really sure how he felt about all this attention. Sure, it was kinda cool. I mean, everyone in the school now knew him as "Mark" instead of "Maureen's Boyfriend", but it was also getting a bit annoying. He was constantly being bombarded with rediculous questions about the previous night, and he had no idea where they were coming from. It was also proving very hard to carry all your books (plus a camera) around while also on cruches. He sighed and sat down early in third period. Nothing to do now until-

"Mark-o!" Collins said, taking a seat on Mark's left.

"Polo!" Roger called, sitting on Mark's other side.

"Roger, Remidial English is down the hall," Collins told him, "This class is for people with brains,"

"Maybe I don't want to be in Smart Ass English," Roger replied, "Now Mark, are you gonna let me sign your cast or not? I may not be in Advanced Classes but I can at least spell 'Mark you little shit. Love, Roger.'"

"Thanks," Mark said sarcastically, propping his leg up on the chair in front of him.

"Well Mark, you're pretty well known now, " said Collins, "How does it feel to have the entire school know your name?"

"It's pretty cool, but I'm just glad me and Maureen are back together,"

"Dammit! I ran out of room! Well now it'll just say 'Love, Ro-gee.'"

Collins sighed. "My friends are such bitches,"

THE END

OMIGOD, I ONLY HAVE NINE REVEIWS!