Chapter 8

Contrary to what Roger thought, Mark and Maureen did not start dating after their kiss in the hall. In fact, both of them seemed content to pretend it had never happened. This was driving Roger nuts, and he said so one night when he was sleeping over at Mark's house the week after Spring Break.

"Can't you just let it go Rog? Something might happen, and then again nothing might happen." Mark reasoned.

"Yeah but, you know you like her. And since she didn't hit you when you kissed her, she obviously likes you too." Roger replied in exasperation. "You're the one who's always griping about not having a girlfriend. Here's your chance."

Mark chuckled and finished winding the film in his camera. "I do not gripe about not having a girlfriend." her corrected. "I gripe about the fact that you can get one with the greatest of ease. Do you honestly think I like sitting back and being your just okay looking friend, while you flirt with every girl I know, Oh Roger King of Hotness?"

"Now there's a good nickname for him." came Cindy's voice from the doorway. "Because you are pretty hot Roger. For a high school guy that is."

"Don't you have something else to do Cindy?" Mark groaned. "You're always complaining about how boring I am, yet you spend an awful lot of time in my doorway."

"It's not to see you, I can assure you of that." Cindy retorted.

Just as she finished speaking Mrs. Cohen came up the stairs. "Cindy are you staying?" she asked her daughter.

"No, I'm going to stay in my friend's dorm tonight." she responded.

Mrs. Cohen nodded. "Alright then." she said. "Boys it's nearly dinner time. Come on downstairs."

"Okay Mom." Mark replied.

When he and Roger got downstairs they could smell something delicious cooking. "Man your mom is awesome." Roger remarked.

Mark just rolled his eyes and led the way into the kitchen. "Roger dear, could I trouble you to set the table for me?" Mark's mom asked.

"Of course Mrs. Cohen." Roger answered.

"Hey how come you never ask me to set the table like that?" Mark complained. "All I get from you and Dad is 'Mark get the silverware and plates out. You know what you need to do. Don't let me tell you again.'"

Mrs. Cohen waved his comment away. "That's because you're our son Mark." she said impatiently. "You have to do what we say. Now go get your father for dinner."

Mark rolled his eyes and headed back upstairs to get his father from the study. When they came back down, the Cohens and Roger sat down to eat.

It was quiet for a minute as they all tucked into their food then Mark's dad asked Roger, "What are your plans after graduation Roger? I've been trying to ask Marcus, but he develops selective amnesia when it comes to that subject."

Roger cleared his throat. "Well as of right now, the only real plan I have is to move out of my parents house as soon as humanly possible." he responded. "I figure everything will fall into place after that."

Dr. Cohen frowned. "That doesn't seem very prudent." he said. "It's always better to have a well thought out plan. That's why it's straight off to medical school for Marcus." he clapped his son on the back.

"With all due respect sir, is that Mark's plan or yours?" Roger inquired politely. "I always thought he wanted to be a filmmaker or photographer."

"That's just a hobby." Dr. Cohen assured him. "Mark's going into the family business as a doctor. Right son?"

"Whatever you say Dad." was Mark's response.

After dinner, Mark and Roger were heading back to Mark's room when the doorbell rang. "Go get that would you." Mark asked him.

Roger grumbled and went to the door. He opened it to find Maureen standing outside. "Hey Mo." he greeted.

"Hi Rog. Mark around?" Maureen replied as she came in.

"Well seeing as this is his house…" Roger quipped.

Maureen shot him a look. "Roger you would be so much more pleasant if you didn't have a smart comment for every situation." she said and headed up the stairs.

"I learned from the best." Roger said back.

"Yeah yeah." she answered and walked into Mark's room. "What's up Pookie?" she asked the skinny blond.

"Um, not much. Roger's mooching as usual." Mark replied. "So your dad let you out this close to dark?"

"Actually he and Ma are out at the moment and Peyton promised to cover for me. So I thought I would come visit my favorite boys." Roger took a special notice to how her glance lingered on Mark as she said this.

"Good then I have a question." Roger said, taking advantage of the situation.

"I do too." Mark spoke up, blushing furiously. "Maureen would you like to go out with me on Friday?"

It was hard to say who was more surprised by this outburst from the normally shy Mark. Roger spluttered for a minute and Maureen grinned and threw her arms around the bespectacled filmmaker. "Of course I will Marky!" she pulled away. "What took you so long to ask?"

Mark blushed harder, if possible. "I don't know." he muttered. "Waiting for the right time I guess."

"More like too scared to jump on it." Roger corrected with a snort. "This should go over well at school on Monday. Super nerd Mark Cohen is going out with resident drama queen Maureen Johnson. Makes me wish I wrote for the school paper. This is the story of the year."

"You'd have to know how to write." Maureen retorted. "Frankly I'm convinced that isn't one of your skills."

School on Monday was not as interesting as Roger had thought it would be. No one really cared that much about Mark and Maureen going out, mostly because they didn't know. This was because Maureen and Antonia were skipping school at Antonia's house.

"I tell you Mark." Roger began when his best friend joined him in the chorus room. "Girls are freaking lucky. Tomorrow when their teachers ask where they were today, all they have to do is say that they were having female problems or something. It's not fair."

Mark grinned and took out his music. "So what Roger, do you want cramps too?" he ducked as Roger swung at him.