Disclaimer: I don't own Rent

First grade found Mark Cohen and Roger Davis sharing a double desk. Two nametags decorated the top. MARK was written in shiny red letters on piece of paper with baseballs around the edge. ROGER was printed neatly in blue letters, surrounded by fish and octopi.

They were best friends, spending recess, lunch, and playtime together. When they did addition problems with their "neighbor", Mark taught Roger how to count on his fingers for more difficult problems and how to use his "mental math machine" for simple questions like two plus two. Thanks to Mark's idea of playtime, Roger was one of the top readers in their class. Roger also shared his talents with Mark. Although he refused to mimic Roger's ability to disobey teachers without guilt, Mark's drawing skills improved greatly. He had advanced past the stick figure and moved on to markers and two-dimensional pictures. Mark also learned the phrase (much to his father's dismay) "Red Sox good, Yankees bad" from Roger and his love for baseball.

Sharing their talents and their time was something the boys had become accustomed too. They never really had to share material objects: each child was required to have their own supplies and there were enough toys to go around. Sharing was a difficult concept for most children their age, but it's just something any friendship has to deal with.

The children made their way down to the cafeteria, brown bags and lunch boxes in hand. Mark and Roger sat at the same table, across from two girls named Rachel and Maureen. They giggled a lot, which Roger found annoying.

The little boys and girls sat at their tables, placing their food in front of them. Mark placed his Spider-man lunchbox on the clean, white table and opened it up. Roger sat beside him and folded his hands neatly on the table, staring at them intently. He did not have a lunch today.

Mark placed his turkey and cheese sandwich on the towel he used as a placemat and looked over at his friend. "S'matter?"

"Nuthin'," Roger replied, his gaze fixated on his knuckles.

"Where's your lunch?" Mark tried again.

Roger shrugged. "Don't got it."

"How come?"

"Forgot it. I think it's still on my dining room table." He sighed and leaned back in his chair. Roger grimaced as his stomach rumbled loudly. "I'm starving though."

Mark looked from his friend to his own lunch. He pulled the Wonder Bread sandwich out of the baggie and broke it in half. He extended the bigger portion to Roger. "Here."

"Naw, Mark, I can't," he said. "That's your lunch. I'm stupid and forgot mine."

Mark shook his head. "You are not stupid." He placed the half of sandwich on the table in front of Roger. "You can have it, I don't mind."

"You sure?" He picked it up, taking a bite. "Thanks."

Mark nodded happily, his scrawny legs kicking back and forth. "I like sharing with my friends."

The boys ate silently while the two girls across from them giggled insanely. They also shared the homemade chocolate Mrs. Cohen had packed for Mark. Before long, there was only one particularly delicious cookie remaining.

"You can have it." Mark pushed the bag towards Roger.

"You barely got any, Mark," Roger countered, pushing them in the other direction. "And they're your cookies anyhow."

He shrugged. "I have more at home, I can eat one then. My mommy lets me have a snack before homework."

Roger nodded and reached into the bag. He examined the cookie carefully. It was fairly large with many chocolate chips. With two tiny hands, he snapped the cookie in half.

"Whatcha do that for, Wager?" Mark asked.

He extended the half a cookie to the little blond. "So you can have some too."

Mark accepted it in a small, pale hand and took a bite. "Thanks for sharing." He smiled brightly, a little piece of cookie caught in the gap where his tooth used to be.

Roger smiled back, a smile of lessons learned and selflessness. "It feels good."

Mark looked at him dubiously. "Cookies feel good?"

He giggled. "Sharing."

Mark chuckled his little boy laugh. "Yeah. Especially with your best friend."

Roger nodded in agreement. "I think I have the greatest best friend in the world."

"I think I do too."