A/N: Glad everyone enjoyed the previous chapter! Here's Chapter 15!
WARNING: EXTREMELY CORNY CHAPTER
DISCLAIMER: I still own NOTHING.
MARK'S POV:
"Markyyyyy, I would NEVER flirt with Evan! His brain is about the size of a pea!" Maureen Johnson screeched into Mark's ear.
He sighed heavily and replied, "You girls judge by looks anyway." He looked down at his hands. Everyone was sitting in the cafeteria at lunch time. Mark had decided to confront Maureen about the issues that had occurred on Valentine's Day two days before.
Maureen crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I did not flirt with him," she persisted.
"Did too," Mark replied.
"Who says!"
Mark glanced over at Angel, who sank lower in his seat. "What're you looking at me for?" he asked innocently.
"ANGEL SCHUNARD!" Maureen cried, "You didn't!"
Angel shrugged. "You were flirting. With Evan. Yesterday. Tom was there..." He nudged Tom with his elbow. "Right?"
Tom sipped his juice box and replied, "Yeah, sure, whatever. All I saw was Evan talkin' to Maureen, and then she started laughin' and stuff. And, y'know, battin' her eyelashes like all you girls do."
Mark glanced over at Angel, who nodded triumphantly.
"Call me stupid, but I'd call that flirting," Roger said, munching on a potato chip.
Joanne rolled her eyes. "Roger, you are stupid. Your statement is irrelevant."
"STOP TALKING LIKE A LAWYER!" Roger cried, "And since when are you stickin' up for Mo anyway?"
"I'm not, I'm just saying—"
"SHUT UUUUP!" Mimi screamed. Everyone at the table quieted down. "Okay, everyone needs to chill out. Maureen, it's obvious you were flirting, 'cause that's just...you. So just say you're sorry and that'll be the end of it."
Maureen stuck up her nose, "I refuse to apologize for something that I didn't do."
That, and the bell announcing the end of lunch, was all Mark needed to hear. He picked up his lunch box and walked out of the cafeteria.
MIMI'S POV:
"Look what you did, Maureen. You got Mark ticked off," Tom muttered, shaking his head.
"I did! Why is it always me?" Maureen cried.
Angel replied, "Mark's sensitive. If I were you I'd patch things up 'cause you guys are meant to be together."
"Oh, shut up, Angel," Maureen spat, getting up and starting to walk away. The entire group followed after her.
"What's wrong with believing in destiny!" Angel asked, sounding genuinely hurt.
Maureen sighed. "Fine. You're right. Where is he?" She began running down the hallways, calling, "MARKY! MARKY, DAHLING! COME BACK!"
Mimi rolled her eyes, trying to hide the smirk twitching behind her features. Maureen was always over-the-top, but after all, she was one of her best friends.
Soon Maureen had caught up with Mark and pulled him into a tight hug.
"Maureen...Maureen...you're...choking...me..." Mark muttered. Maureen quickly pulled away and apologized frantically. Mark just laughed.
And then he made the unexpected move of kissing her on the cheek. Just a quick peck, nothing special.
Mimi let herself smile this time.
"OOOOH MY GOD!" Angel squealed, circling around the both of them and clapping his hands. Roger made kissing noises mockingly to Mark, who blushed violently. Tom had an amused smile on his face. Joanne's eyes were widened in shock.
What the heck would I do without my friends? was Mimi's last thought before she ran over to give Maureen a hug.
ANGEL'S POV:
"...And then Mark went right up and gave Maureen a kiss on the cheek. Can ya believe it?" Angel sat at the kitchen table talking to his mother about his school day.
Mrs. Schunard laughed. "Really?"
"Uh-huh. I thought it was kinda funny, because Mark's really, really, really pale all the time, you know? And he looked like a tomato then."
The front door opened and Mr. Schunard entered, walking briskly into the kitchen.
"Hi, Dad," Angel muttered quietly.
Mr. Schunard nodded towards him and then looked him up and down. "Why do you wear your jeans so friggin' tight?"
Angel blinked. "Dad, my jeans aren't tight. Why would I wear them tight?" he asked.
"Girls wear their jeans tight. Do you know that?" Mr. Schunard barked. Angel silently stood up and wandered out of the kitchen. He could vaguely hear his parents whispering:
...can't you just leave him alone?...just a child...
...He's my son, I can do what I want...
...let him be who he is...
He grabbed the phone and dialed Tom's number. He waited as the phone rang for a few seconds.
"...Hi, Mr. Collins, is Tom there? Yeah, it's Angel. Thanks."
Angel felt like he would vomit if he had to wait any longer. Finally:
"Hey, Angel, what's up?" His voice made Angel breathe a sigh of relief.
"Tom, are my jeans too tight?"
A laugh on the other line. "Angel, why would I be looking?"
"I'm serious, Tom," Angel said quietly.
After a beat of silence, Tom replied with a simple question: "What's wrong, Angel?"
"My dad's being an idiot again, that's all. I was just asking," Angel muttered.
"Angel, do you think people are really looking at your jeans? I dunno why you're dad's worrying about your jeans. I mean, if they're tight, buy a new pair. I don't get it."
Angel chuckled bitterly. "I guess if you wear your jeans tight, it's girly."
"How is that?" Tom was still confused.
"Like...I guess to show off their butts or somethin', I dunno, Tom."
And that was when Tom burst out laughing. "Your...dad...worries...about...that!" he cried between fits of laughter. "Angel...aww, man, I can't breathe!" He just kept on laughing, and all the while, Angel hadn't been catching on."Oh, God, it's killing me! Angel, that is the most hilarious thing I've heard in a long time...Your dad thinks you wanna show off your butt!"
Angel heard a loud thump on the other line, and then shuffling.
"Sorry. I just—hahaha—I just—heh—dropped the phone..."
Then Angel started laughing. Soon the both of them were laughing to the point of tears, any troubling thoughts washed away from the laughter and happiness of the two best friends.