Don't own RENT. Only Mary Jane is my creation. Enjoy!
"Happy Chanukah, Mark," Mary Jane said, handing her friend a clumsily-wrapped package.
Mark blushed. "You didn't have to buy me anything," he stuttered, "Anyway, I have nothing for you."
"That's okay," Mary Jane said truthfully, "You're always complaining about how tight money is at Brown, so I wasn't expecting anything. Take it, I made it myself."
Mark timidly took the gift from the girl and slowly tore off the paper. "A scarf," he said happily, admiringly running his fingers along the soft blue and white fabric, "It's perfect."
Mary Jane smiled widely. "I knew you'd like it."
"It's just what I needed," Mark said, "It's getting cold."
Mary Jane sighed. "Mark, why do you only visit New York once a month? You're still my only friend, and you're never here for me to talk to."
"I've been getting your notes, though," Mark said, "Benny's been getting them for me, since he comes here every weekend to visit his girlfriend."
"But how come you can't do that?"
"Because it's requires money I don't have." Mark answered.
"Then why don't you sell your camera?"
"Because I couldn't part with my camera, it's a part of me. It lets me express myself. And maybe someday it will help me get money. Speaking of which, I don't have enough money to pay for another semester, so I'm moving back to New York in mid-January."
Mary Jane squealed enthusiastically and threw her arms around Mark's neck. "That's wonderful!" she shouted, "Where is it?"
"Oh, you know, in the city," Mark answered hurriedly, "I'm moving in with this guy named Tom Collins. Benny actually hooked me up with it. He takes a few classes at MIT, which is where Tom works."
"Is it just going to be you and Tom?"
"No, Benny is moving in over the summer, and there's a musician, Roger, and his girlfriend, Maureen. I actually have to go meet them right now, to settle things out. I'll see you later, MJ."
"MJ…?" Mary Jane pondered as Mark vanished into the busy streets, "I like it."
Mary Jane awkwardly sat on the bench next to Mark. She hadn't talked to him face-to-face in almost a year, and her notes had gotten shorter and shorter while his had remained long. She watched the cool fall air blow the leaves around and twiddled her thumbs.
"It's been so long," Mark mumbled, fiddling with his camera.
"I…uh…I made friends,"
"That's good,"
"It's why I haven't been coming,"
"I understand."
"How are your roommates?"
"Benny's living with his yuppie girlfriend, Collins has AIDS, Roger and Maureen broke up and Roger's dating April now, while I'm dating Maureen."
"A lot of things happen in a year."
Mark nodded. "You're right,"
"Listen, Mark, I'm really sorry I haven't been meeting you lately," Mary Jane apologized, "It just…I've wanted friends for so long, and now I have some. You'll always be my best friend, Mark, but I don't want to lose the friends I have now."
"Sometimes you have to give up what you're comfortable with in order to get what you believe in," Mark said, "You'll have to choose, MJ. I'm sorry. I just can't spend my entire day sitting here and I can't afford to spend money on paper and Roger's beginning to suspect I'm stealing some from his notebook."
"Now?"
"Of course not. I'll be here in a week."