Authors: J-fizz and Ms. Friz

WARNING: Pairing will not be changing any time soon. We understand that the pairings are odd and that not everyone likes them. But umm... too bad. :) It's based on our own rent family and this is how they're staying.

Summary: Monday morning after the gig. Featuring Mark/Collins, Joanne/Roger... Mimi confrontation and some Maureen/Angel.

Word Count: 2141

Special Thanks: To the 2006 RENT tour for being amazing (Jed Resnick in particular) and to our rent family and our readers!

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Mimi raked her fingers through her dark curly hair as she stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom. She pulled the small clip from between her lips and combed it back through her hair, holding her wild mane back. Pulling a tube of lipstick from the pocket of her jeans, she rubbed it against her puckered lips.

"So how'd the gig go on Friday?" she asked the young girl standing beside her.

"Good," Joanne smiled dreamily, thinking about dinner afterwards. "It was good."

"Did he sing anything you knew?"

"Yeah," she replied with a slight giggle, not really listening to the Latina in front of her.

"Like what?"

"I don't know."

Mimi eyed Joanne suspiciously. "You feeling okay?"

"Mhm," Joanne said, pushing off the sink and following Mimi out of the bathroom. "Hey, see you later, okay? I've gotta… get to class."

"Yeah, okay," Mimi nodded as Joanne scurried down the hall, her backpack dangling from one shoulder. Mimi waited a minute before deciding to follow the giggling girl, wondering what she was up to.

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Mark paced nervously back and forth near the computer lab, not wanting to stick his head in and see if Collins was there for fear of seeming stalker-ish or maybe for fear that Friday night hadn't meant to Collins what it had meant to Mark or maybe it was for fear of… well, just fear in general. But he was sure he looked incredibly ridiculous just pacing around outside. Luckily no one had run past yet.

"Hi Mark!"

Scratch that. Mark spun around nervously to catch the caller but smiled, a bit relieved to find it was just Joanne. But she'd said his name a bit loudly. If Collins was in there, he'd probably heard her. "Hi Joanne. Bye Joanne."

The girl kept jogging lightly. She craned her neck to look back at him. "Sorry, gotta run."

"Right. Roger, I know."

Joanne's cheeks flushed slightly but she didn't stop grinning. "You know?"

"Erm… yeah."

"Bye Mark. Oh, Collins is in there," she smiled as she disappeared down the hallway.

Mark froze immediately. Shit! Shit shit shit! People know! And he's in there! Shit! Just then, a pair of arms grabbed onto his shoulders and shook him lightly. "Shit!" He grabbed onto his chest as if to slow his heart down and spun around to see the small Latina behind him, giggling. "You just scared the shit out of me!"

"Sorry, Marky," she apologized. "What's got you all nervous?"

"Nothing," Mark sighed running a hand through his hair. "Nothing."

"Okay, well, I'll see you later," she said before skipping off down the hall.

"Uh huh," Mark replied before returning to his pacing.

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Angel hitched his backpack up higher on his shoulders. Why did he have to walk to school? Oh, that's right, because his neighborhood was too sketchy for the school buses to stop there. Hence the walking. A group of macho guys were sitting on a stoop he was about to pass. Shit. They were eyeing him. Angel looked straight ahead, holding onto his backpack with one hand. He hoped that this morning would be different.

"Ay, Dios Mio!"

"Buenos dias, maricon."

Nope.

"Chico, why don't you let me see that pretty face up close?" Angel turned to the group. Mistake number one.

"You really want some of this, honey?" Mistake number two. The largest (and most annoying) of the group rose and started towards him. Shit.

A car horn beeped. Angel whirled around to see Maureen in the drivers seat.

"Ah, there's my girlfriend. Adios, maricones!" Angel called, running to the car.

He burst into laughter as Maureen sped away. "Hey honey," he greeted.

"Hi, babe," she returned. "Rough morning?" Laughter colored her voice.

Angel picked up her free hand and gently kissed the back of it. "Better now."

The girl blushed and giggled. Angel held lightly onto her hand until she needed it for a turn. Much to his pleasure, it came back to rest in his when she was done, and so it continued until they got to school.

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Collins had gotten to school absurdly early. Even though he was just an aid, the computer teacher made him correct the majority of the assignments handed in and since his apartment was far too overpriced, he didn't have a computer of his own and had to do all of his work at school. The lab was beginning to feel like his home now.

Simple programs flew past his eyes. A, A, B, A, A… The assignment was far too easy, and yet no one seemed to do it outstandingly well. Except… huh. This one was perfect. Comprehension dawned on him when he saw the name. Mark Cohen. Of course Mark would do perfect work.

Collins allowed himself to think back three days to Friday, when he was holding Mark inhis arms and feeling his lips on his own. The anarchist smiled at the remembered sensation.

An opening door drew his attention away from his memories. The object of his thoughts poked his head through the door.

"Hey Collins."

The blush on his pale cheeks was adorable. Collins got up and went over to him.

"Morning, handsome."

He pushed the door closed before drawing Mark into a hug. The boy sighed happily, letting his fingers drum on Collins's shoulders.

"Did you have fun Friday night?" he rumbled into Mark's ear.

Mark's voice sounded a little breathless. "Yeah… especially this." He rose up on his tiptoes to kiss him, but Collins backed away.

"Mark, we can't." The fallen look on the boy's face made the anarchist want to kick himself. "I mean, not at school. I could get fired. Mark still looked like a sad puppy. Collins stepped forward, taking the boy's face in his hands, rubbing his thumbs under Mark's eyes. "I'm sorry, baby, but I can't help it."

Mark smiled up at him hopefully. "It's okay, Collins, really." A pale hand rose up to rest on a dark one. The look on his face was enough to break Collins's control.

"Fuck it."

The larger man seized Mark around the waist, pulling him into a heated kiss. Mark squeaked, then moaned a little as he snaked his arms around Collins's neck. The man smiled into their kiss. A few moments later, he released Mark. His slightly dazed and thoroughly kissed appearance made Collins grin. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all.

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Joanne slowed down as she approached the music room where Musetta's Waltz was gently trickling. She caught her breath, which was hard to do, especially with Roger right around the corner, and stepped towards the door. It was open and she cautiously poked her head around the doorframe. He was sitting back to, guitar in his lap, in the swivel chair in the front of the room. Mr. Murray wasn't in his office, she'd checked, so she cautiously crept towards the rocker.

"I'm writing one great song before I-woah!"

Joanne reached around from behind and slid her hands over his eyes. His calloused fingers covered her smooth ones as he struggled to figure out who was behind him.

"Maureen, if that's you, this is not funny."

"S'not Maureen."

Roger inhaled sharply. "Joanne."

She slowly removed her hands as he turned to face her. A smile flickered across his lip lips as his hands wound around her middle, pulling her close so she was leaning against his knees, in his lap. She let her hands rest on his shoulders as she fumbled for something to say. She hadn't thought this far ahead.

"Morning," Roger smiled.

"Morning," she echoed.

Roger leaned up to her lips, brushing his gently against hers. He was surprised when she kissed him back, a little more fiercely than he'd hoped, but he wasn't complaining.

"Mmm… good morning," Roger chuckled.

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Mimi scuttled down the hallways, staying far enough away from Joanne so she wouldn't suspect anything but close enough to not lose her. A tall muscular football player caught sight of Mimi and delayed her a bit, finally weaseling a phone number out of her. She pushed past him and continued down the hall. Crap. Lost her. The soft melody of guitar caught her ear and she turned towards the music room. Imagining the boy sitting behind the guitar gave Mimi butterflies and made her smile.

And then the music stopped. There was a murmur of voices, one sounding like Roger and the other she didn't quite recognize, but it sounded female. Mimi slunk towards the door, back pressed against the wall as she strained to hear the next part of the conversation.

"So what are you doing after school today?"

Roger.

"Nothing."

Girl.

"Can I take you out? We could grab dinner… and do math homework," he chuckled.

Roger.

"Sure, that'd be great."

Joanne?

Mimi crouched down and crawled on all fours to peek around the door just in time to see Joanne press her lips against Roger. Mimi's jaw dropped and she let out a tiny squeak. Shit. Joanne spun around, her eyes as big as saucers when she noticed Mimi crouching by the doorway.

"Mimi!"

"Joanne!"

"Mimi!" Roger shouted.

"Roger!"

"Roger?" Joanne raised an eyebrow.

"Joanne!" Mimi cried, standing up straight.

"Mimi!"

"What the fuck is going on?" she demanded, marching down the steps and into the room.

"Erm, uh, nothing," Joanne mumbled as she made to step away from Roger. But he grabbed onto her waist and pulled her back.

"Doesn't look like nothing! What do you think you're doing? Did you not hear me on Friday when I told you he was mine?"

Joanne chewed on her bottom lip nervously. "Well, yeah, I heard you," she answered meekly. "But Roger said… I thought…"

"You thought… you thought what?"

"Roger doesn't like you!" she shouted. Joanne immediately wished she could have eaten her words as she slapped both hands over her mouth. "Oh… my… God."

Mimi was fuming. She was so mad she couldn't speak. Her mouth hung open, her eyebrows knit in fury, and she stomped up and down a few times. "What?" she shrieked.

"I didn't mean… I'm… I…" Joanne mumbled from behind her fingers.

Roger stood up from his chair and stepped in front of Joanne. "I don't like you, Mimi," Roger repeated. "You're a nice girl… most of the time, but I'm just not interested in you the way you think I am. Now if you would be so kind as to remove yourself and leave us alone…" he pointed towards the door.

"This is bullshit!" Mimi screeched. "Bullshit! Joanne, you're supposed to be my friend! This is not what friends to do each other! You stole him from me!"

"Hey, little girl, the door is that way!" Roger shouted back, pushing her gently towards the stairs.

Mimi took one last look before growling, crossing her arms over her chest and marching loudly out of the room.

Roger spun back around, resting his arms on Joanne's shoulders and rubbing them gently. "Hey," he said quietly into her ear. "It's okay."

"Do you know how stupid I am?" she asked, leaning her forehead against his shoulder. "So stupid."

"You're not stupid," he told her. "Mimi needed a reality check."

"Yeah, well, I need friends."

"You've got friends. And she'll get over it. And it's the truth. I don't like Mimi. I like you."

Joanne blushed as she raised her head to look up into his green eyes. "Really?"

Roger chuckled. "Yes, really." He leaned in and kissed her gently. "Promise. So dinner and advanced math? Pick you up around six?"

"Yes," she smiled.

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Mimi stormed down the hallway, pushing a pack of freshmen out of her way as she went. She paused in an empty hallway and jumped up and down, screeching as she bounced. Once she caught her breath, she flattened out her skirt and continued walking, her steps still heavy and her mood very pissed off.

"Maureen!"

Mimi raced towards the dark haired diva, glad to find someone else to rant to. But she wasn't alone. Mimi's spirits fell a bit. It was Angel, the new kid Maureen had thought was cute. And they were… holding hands. Paired up just like every one else is this fucking school.

"Hey Meems," Maureen smiled. "You remember Angel?"

"Yes," she replied.

"What's up?" Maureen asked when Mimi didn't say anything else.

"Forget it," Mimi growled before turning on her heel and storming towards the vice principal's office.

"What's up with her?" Angel asked.

"I dunno," Maureen shrugged. "Roger probably pissed her off again."

"Oh," Angel nodded as the bell rang. "Can I walk you to class?"

"Anytime."