DISCLAIMER: Rent doesn't belong to me, it belongs to Jonathan Larson. "Everything is Alright" doesn't belong to me, either. It belongs to Motion City Soundtrack. This chapter is a bit slow, and definitely not one of my favorites, but it had to be done at some point or another. I know there's a bit of ADD and drabble in it, so I apologize in advance. Next chapter will be better, I promise. You might have to wait a bit for it, though. I start school on Wednesday and it's sure to be hectic for awhile. Dx So, I hope this little bit of Mark/Roger interaction can satisfy you until then. Reviews are incredibly loved. Enjoy.
"Well, what do you think?" My ears perk up. There's a question mark at the end of that statement, isn't there? Dammit. He's been talking for a good ten minutes, but I was only tuned in for the first two or three. "Rogerrrrr? Hellooooo?" He waves his hands in front of my face and I finally snap out of my own thoughts, putting my guitar aside and looking into his eyes. "Do you think she's cheating on me?" Yes. Yes. Yes! I shake my head. "Really?" I nod. Yes. She REALLY is cheating on you, but I don't have the guts to tell you. "I mean, you would know." I glare at him. What the fuck is that supposed to mean? "Oh, no! Not that you... I just mean... It's not like that... Just. You know, you've been with a lot of girls. I figure you'd know better than me." I nod and go back to strumming the Fender. C chord. D chord. E chord. F chord. F chord? No, that's not right. He puts his hand on my shoulder. "Thanks for listening. And for the input." F chord, F chord. I fiddle with the tuners. "You know, Roger, you've gained weight, you've been sleeping through the nights just fine, you're eating, you've even been smoking less. I don't understand why you still insist upon keeping yourself cooped up like this. C'mon, you can come to St. Mark's with me. Maureen's already waiting there." I tell him no, as if he was expecting a different answer. I tell him I'm going to stay home, play my guitar, work on a song, and to that, he gives me a crooked, weak smile. "Well, alright then. I'm glad you're playing again, at least. It's a start, right?" He pats my shoulder before heading towards the door, grabbing his scarf and wrapping it around his neck, camera already in hand. "There's nothing in the fridge if you get hungry." I chuckle softly to myself. "But don't forget to take your AZT. Are you wearing your bee-" Before he can finish, I slightly lift my shirt up to show him the little black beeper clinging to the waistband of my jeans. "That's a good boy. I'll be back later." I hear the familiar scraping noise as the door slides shut. I sigh in relief. Finally, alone. C chord. D chord. E chord. F chord. Fucking F chord! I hear the door slide open. "Oh, and Rog?" I turn to see Mark's head peeking in, a smirk curving his lips. "How about tuning that damned thing?" He closes the door again just in time to miss the pillow I throw at him. Groaning, I fall back against the couch and close my eyes.
Tell me that you're alright,
Yeah everything is alright.
Oh please tell me that you're alright,
Yeah everything is alright.
Give me a reason to end this discussion,
To break with tradition.
To fold and divide.
Cause I hate the ocean, theme parks and airplanes,
Talking with strangers, waiting in line..
I'm through with these pills that make me sit still.
"Are you feeling fine?"
Yes, I feel just fine.
"SPEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAK." The answering machine goes off and wakes me up. A beep, then a voice. It sounds familar. "Mark, Roger, Maureen. It's Benny." Great, fuck. "I shouldn't have to remind you that rent is due. Get back to me. As soon as possible." A click. I rub my eyes as I lift myself off the couch to delete the message. I figure, maybe if I delete it, it'll be like it was never there at all. Click. A long beep. And it's gone, gone for good. If only everything in life were that easy. Click. A long beep. April never died. Click. A long beep. You're cured. Yeah, if only... I drag myself back to the couch, shoving my guitar aside and propping a pillow under my neck. I feel my eyes start to droop again. The AZT makes me so damn sleepy... Fuck! AZT. I turn to the clock. Against the dusty surface, in little green letters it blinks six thirty seven. I should have taken my pill hours ago. I quickly get up and head into the bathroom, almost ripping the door off of the medicine cabinet and dropping the pill into my open palm. I pour myself a glass of tap water and am about to swallow the fucker down when I realize... There's no point in taking it now. My next dosage should be taken in a little less than two hours, but if I don't take it, Mother Cohen will notice the extra pill. I laugh to myself. Well, at least he can't ground me. There's still the question of what to do, though. What do to do...
Tell me that you're alright,
Yeah everything is alright.
Oh please tell me that you're alright,
Yeah everything is alright.
I'm sick of the things I do when I'm nervous
Like cleaning the oven or checking my tires
Or counting the number of tiles in the ceiling..
Head for the hills, the kitchen's on fire!
I used to rely on self-medication,
I guess I still do that from time to time.
But I'm getting better at fighting the future,
"Someday you'll be fine.."
Yes, I'll be just fine.
I press down the handle on the toilet and watch the little white pill swirl and swirl until it's sucked down and lost forever, gone for good. That solves it. Man, I'm getting better at this whole life thing. Satisfied with myself, I leave the bathroom. I'm shocked to see Mark sitting on the couch, slumped over, head in his hands. I didn't hear him come in. Curious, I make my way over to him, taking a seat behind him and cocking my head. "She cheated, Roger... Fucking cheated." Alright. Scratch that. Maybe I'm not so good at this life thing, after all. I don't really know what to say, so I ask if he knows the guy. "Girl." He says dryly. What the hell is he talking about? Maureen's not... "She cheated on me for a woman, Rog. I don't understand." If he didn't look so distraught, I would probably be laughing. Marueen left him for another woman? I knew she was a whore, but a dyke? He throws his hands up in the air. "She can't be! It's just a phase... It's just a phase, like girls and horses. I mean, she doesn't even like K.D. Lang!" At that, I can't help but to laugh under my breath. He shoots me a glare. "Oh, I'm glad one of us finds this funny, Roger. I guess I really am laughable, huh?" He sighs. "Maybe I sucked in bed. Why else would she do it?" I kiss him on the cheek and reassure him that he's probably great in bed. Of course, I offer to judge his performance whenever he's got some free time, but he declines with that same crooked, weak smile and swats me in the stomach. He starts to unwrap the scarf around his neck, but stops midway to ask me, "Hey, you took your AZT, right?" Something like that, I tell him.
Tell me that you're alright,
Yeah everything is alright.
Oh please tell me that you're alright,
Yeah everything is alright.
Give me a reason (I don't believe a word)
To end this discussion (of anything I've heard)
To break with tradition (they tell me that it's not so hard)
To fold and divide (it's not so hard)
So let's not get carried (away with everything)
Away with the process (from here to in-between)
of elimination (the long goodbye)
I don't want to waste your time.
Tell me that you're alright,
Yeah everything is alright.
Oh please tell me that you're alright,
Yeah everything is alright.
(Alright)
Tell me that you're alright, (Hi, everything's great)
Yeah everything is alright. (Everything's fine)
Oh please tell me that you're alright, (Hi, everything's great)
Yeah everything is alright.
(Everything's fine)