Categories > Theatre > Rent > Someone to Live For
Someone to Live For
The So-Called Right Track
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In which college /sucks/, for one of our heroes. Near the beginning of the second half of their sophomore year.
DISCLAIMER: Not mine; just borrowing. Will return when finished.
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The phone rings.
Mark weighs his options for a few moments, then answers it. He could use a short break, and if it's someone he'd rather not talk to, he'll just tell them he's got homework. "Hello?"
"Can I come over, Mark?" It's Angel, but something's off. She sounds... almost worried, and that's cause for concern in and of itself.
"Sure. What's wrong?"
"I'll tell you when I get there. Don't want to talk about it while I'm here."
"Okay. I'll wait for you downstairs." He takes his homework down to the common room, trying not to fret too much before he finds out what's going on.
When Angel gets to the dorm, she looks tired, as well as a little panicky, and pulls Mark into a long, clingy hug the first moment she can. Mark takes this as good reason to start worrying in earnest.
"...You picked up my flail, didn't you? I'm sorry. What happened?"
"No, no, it's not your fault, it's just... I have to get out of there before it kills me. They want me to do too /much/, I can't find any time to just do what I want, I'm gonna fucking lose all of my creative drive at this rate, it's not fun anymore..."
"Hey, relax, Angel. If Juilliard's killing you, then drop out. I'm sure you wouldn't be the first or the last to do that, and I won't have you worrying."
"Parents aren't gonna be thrilled. Need a backup plan before I do that, in case they... I dunno, think I wasted their money or something. But they might take it really badly."
"I'm sure they'll understand. I was thinking of looking for an apartment for after this semester anyway. You could live with me."
Angel manages a tiny, weak smile, then leans forward and kisses Mark. "You're a lifesaver."
"You don't think I could just sit back and let you disappear, do you?"
"I could never do that to you, silly."
"You think you can make it through this semester, or should we start looking for something now?"
"I... don't know, really. I think I can make it, especially with the prospect of getting out of there at the end. But we might want to start looking anyway. Things're kinda expensive out here, that'd make it easier to find something we can afford."
"Good point. If there's anything you need, anything at all, let me know. I shouldn't have talked you into taking their offer when you were so uncertain about it--"
"Mark, stop. This isn't your fault. I wanted to go to school near you, and besides, I never really thought it'd get this bad." Angel sighs, and for a moment looks more utterly exhausted than Mark's ever seen her.
"Still. Anything you need, say the word and I'll do what I can."
"Right now I think I need a nap, actually."
"That can be arranged. Come on, let's go upstairs. You can sleep while I finish off my homework, and then... I don't know, we can go get dinner or something. You don't have to go back to your campus any time soon, do you?"
"Not till tomorrow."
"Okay. If you want to stay over tonight, you can - I know it won't fix everything, but still."
Angel smiles again, but it's still far too small for Mark to think everything's all right. "I'll take what I can get, honey."
The So-Called Right Track
------
In which college /sucks/, for one of our heroes. Near the beginning of the second half of their sophomore year.
DISCLAIMER: Not mine; just borrowing. Will return when finished.
------
The phone rings.
Mark weighs his options for a few moments, then answers it. He could use a short break, and if it's someone he'd rather not talk to, he'll just tell them he's got homework. "Hello?"
"Can I come over, Mark?" It's Angel, but something's off. She sounds... almost worried, and that's cause for concern in and of itself.
"Sure. What's wrong?"
"I'll tell you when I get there. Don't want to talk about it while I'm here."
"Okay. I'll wait for you downstairs." He takes his homework down to the common room, trying not to fret too much before he finds out what's going on.
When Angel gets to the dorm, she looks tired, as well as a little panicky, and pulls Mark into a long, clingy hug the first moment she can. Mark takes this as good reason to start worrying in earnest.
"...You picked up my flail, didn't you? I'm sorry. What happened?"
"No, no, it's not your fault, it's just... I have to get out of there before it kills me. They want me to do too /much/, I can't find any time to just do what I want, I'm gonna fucking lose all of my creative drive at this rate, it's not fun anymore..."
"Hey, relax, Angel. If Juilliard's killing you, then drop out. I'm sure you wouldn't be the first or the last to do that, and I won't have you worrying."
"Parents aren't gonna be thrilled. Need a backup plan before I do that, in case they... I dunno, think I wasted their money or something. But they might take it really badly."
"I'm sure they'll understand. I was thinking of looking for an apartment for after this semester anyway. You could live with me."
Angel manages a tiny, weak smile, then leans forward and kisses Mark. "You're a lifesaver."
"You don't think I could just sit back and let you disappear, do you?"
"I could never do that to you, silly."
"You think you can make it through this semester, or should we start looking for something now?"
"I... don't know, really. I think I can make it, especially with the prospect of getting out of there at the end. But we might want to start looking anyway. Things're kinda expensive out here, that'd make it easier to find something we can afford."
"Good point. If there's anything you need, anything at all, let me know. I shouldn't have talked you into taking their offer when you were so uncertain about it--"
"Mark, stop. This isn't your fault. I wanted to go to school near you, and besides, I never really thought it'd get this bad." Angel sighs, and for a moment looks more utterly exhausted than Mark's ever seen her.
"Still. Anything you need, say the word and I'll do what I can."
"Right now I think I need a nap, actually."
"That can be arranged. Come on, let's go upstairs. You can sleep while I finish off my homework, and then... I don't know, we can go get dinner or something. You don't have to go back to your campus any time soon, do you?"
"Not till tomorrow."
"Okay. If you want to stay over tonight, you can - I know it won't fix everything, but still."
Angel smiles again, but it's still far too small for Mark to think everything's all right. "I'll take what I can get, honey."
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