Disclaimer: No, I don't own anything.
A/N: This is how Maureen and Mark met. More fluff and very short.
Maureen. I can still remember when she purred her name in my ear.
We met at a party, I was there because... to be honest, I had just gotten out of the cab and stepped on the New York sidewalk for the first time and... I had to pee. It was the closest place, and it didn't seem so wild outside. You should have seen the inside.
I waded my way through a crowd of people and made it to the back of the smoke, lights, and whores. There, I saw two people. They seemed like a couple. I knew it was wrong, but I turned my back to them and tried to hear their conversation.
"Shut up, Roger! I look hot tonight."
"So hot you couldn't find a date?"
"SHUT UP! I just... wanted to come alone tonight, okay? Shut up."
"You can still find some poor innocent kid. Corrupt 'em!"
"Oh, ha ha. No. I don't just dance with random people, besides that, they ask ME to dance. I don't do the asking. It makes me seem too forward. Like some lesbian or something."
"Fine, Maureen. Look, I can't stand here and look like your boyfriend tonight. April's in audience with her girlfriends. I gotta perform, baby."
I listened and she gave a groan.
"Fine. Bye, Rog. Catch you after the show?"
"Not if you catch someone else first." The male voice called, going on stage. I heard the female mutter something and then I felt her push around me. That's when we made eye contact. She was... stunning, really. Why hadn't anyone asked to go to this party with her? Back then, I didn't realize she had gone through everyone by then.
I had to speak up. "Um, hi."
She turned and stared. I felt hot, my face felt the worst of it.
"What?" She seemed to growl. And I expected the voice of an angel.
"I'm Mark. Who are you?" I can remember stuttering slightly.
"Maureen." She answered simply. She sounded shocked. Almost like why hadn't I known her name already.
"Hi Maureen. I just got here. I came from Scarsdale. And..." I stopped when she looked like she couldn't care less. "Um... was that your boyfriend?"
"Who?"
"That... boy," I said slowly, pointing to Roger on stage.
"No. Roommate. And he's taken. So, if your thinking about asking him out he'll say-"
"Oh, I'm not homosexual." I said brightly. She grimaced.
"So, you're not a fag? Really? You look like it."
"Um..." I remember humming softly, now feeling embarrassed. Why would anyone just insult someone like that? Little did I know I'd get so use to it.
"I'm making you uncomfortable, aren't I?" She asked, smiling for once. It was beautiful.
"N-no..." I remember saying. Not five minutes into New York and I already was having girl trouble.
"Let me buy you a drink?" She asked, now flirting. That perked me up.
"Really? I don't... drink much. Maybe a dance?" I asked, trying to be suave now. That was what she wanted before, right?
To make it short, she agreed and we went to the dance floor. I still had to pee, but it could wait. That night within itself, I got use to her comments. She kept calling me a "spaz", but... we bonded.
Later through the night, she did buy me a drink and told me how she lived with A guy named Roger, and two other guys named Benny and Collins. They sounded nice. I told her how I needed a place to stay, she offered right away.
How could I refuse? I told her sure.
I met Roger after the show, and just when him and I started to bond, she grabbed me for another dance. "Dancing in the Dark" by Bruce Springsteen came on. The theme song of our relationship.
We danced and I loosened up, trying not to be a "spaz" like she said and I thought we had a great time. In the middle of the song, when she pressed against me, I told her one thing:
"M-Maureen... I really like you. Maybe... maybe we could...?" She knew what I was asking. I wanted her to be my girl.
Grinning, she nodded and continued to dance, like it was no big deal. I wanted to jump for joy. She said yes! Yes! Hugging her from behind, I turned her to give her a kiss; she accepted.
As soon as the song ended, she walked away, waving at some of her friends. I stood there, shocked. My girlfriend just walked away? I mean... I'm not a clingy person, really, but... I wanted to know her better. I was going to live with this... Maureen, and she was going to be mine. Why would she just walk off after our dance?
And then I realized it. I realized and did always remember tis when we were together:
I was just dancing in the dark.
