3. Dramatic Endeavours

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Finley pov-

"Hey! Look who finally decided to show up!"

A light-hearted voice flutters from the stage as Kaeden and I enter the theatre. He calls out to them but I wasn't paying attention as I look up in awe at the large theatre in the round. I was never really a theatre person, only stepping foot inside these elegant spaces for mandatory events involving family where I usually got bored out of my mind and fell asleep. But there was something different here, I just couldn't quite put a finger on it.

"Finley!"

I turn around at Kaeden's call to face a strange looking bunch of people sitting on the stage.

"As I was saying, guys this is Finley. He's going to be joining us for the semester." Kaeden introduces me to the small group and I give a brief wave of the hand.

"Cool, so this is the cast of our show. You've already met Cassie and Sonya," He points to the two girls sitting closest to us. He then points to the couch on stage where two people in an intense fist fight.

"The two guys back there fucking with each other are Noell and Vahn," Noell, who I'm assuming was the guy on top, hops off the couch and turns to us.

"Hey! I've seen you around, it's so nice to finally meet you!" He says with such a twinkle of bright enthusiasm with a voice so soft and feminine. He reminds me of my cousin Mari and I instantly decide that I don't like him. Vahn on the other hand, was very tall, like over 6 feet tall, insanely muscular guy with a mop of curly brown hair. I don't like him either. But not because he was annoying, it was because I got this weird vibe coming off him. Like he's something I should stay away from.

I've ignored this feeling before for one other person but I refuse to make that mistake again.

"And this is Maisie," A beautiful young woman, dressed like a goddess in a flowy white dress seems to almost take over the stage with just the grace of her walk alone as her heels click against the hardwood floor. She was the only one who didn't bother with the slightest smile, not even a fake one. She almost looked me over with a twinge of disappointment that made me feel self conscience.

"Hey! Stop checking out my girlfriend!" Noell chirps in the background and I almost burst out laughing at the thought of them dating. My muted laughter accidentally comes out as something between a cough and a snort which Kaeden elbows me for. He looks upstairs as if to tell me he'll explain later.

"Alright you guys get back to practice. I'm just going to show ol' Finney boy the ropes," Kaeden says and grabs hold of my shoulders, turning me around so we could walk up one of the staircases to a small black booth.

"Don't call me that," I warn, feeling triggered by the very nickname.

"Oh, Finney? Alright, Fin it is then," he shrugs, unoffended as he takes a silver key from his pocket and unlocks the door.

"It's just stupid is all, how would you feel if I called you Kaekae or something?" I make up an excuse, covering the fact it triggered dozens of images across my mind that were slowly deteriorating as if they had been dumped with acid. Turning memories and moments of peace filled with love into a sickly shade of a greenish red.

"Kaekae? Sounds awfully redundant don't you think? But I wouldn't mind as long as if it was just coming from you," he says as he turned the key in the lock.

"I'm sure you get the point," I mutter under my breath as We both step foot inside the small control room.

"Alright, welcome to my humble abode for the next few weeks," He says as he sits down at a desk chair surrounded by different new age tech that I had no intent to touch in case I break something that cost more than my net worth.

"Okay, so this is the command central, here grab that chair over there so you can just watch for today," he says as he fixes something with the lights. I grab the chair from the corner and gently place it next to him with a small scraping sound.

"So what play are you guys doing?" I ask. He fiddles with a few buttons before turning to me.

"A show called Kaleb, basically it's about a love triangle between these two gay guys and a girl and a little boy dying from cancer," he explains.

"Sounds familiar. I had an older brother named Kaleb. My eldest brother actually. But he died when he was five years old from brain cancer," I sigh thinking about the little guy I never met.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that," Kaeden adds with a frown.

"It's okay, I never met the little guy. He's just my older brother. Half brother actually. My dad was married to this woman named Linda before getting with my papa a dozen years later," I sigh as I recall my parents past.

"The play is very similar to your parents lives then except your dad is lucky to be with our papa. One of the guys in this play dies," Kaeden adds and I go to the mini fridge settled under the desk, grabbing a small bottle of water.

"So what's going on between this Noell guy and Maisie. Also, why is Maisie so..." I trail off. Although I usually don't care and shit talk whoever I want, I don't want to offend Kaeden.

"She can come off strong sometimes but she's not as mean as she looks. As for Noell, he's just a strange creature in general. We all know he's gay but he refuses to admit it. I honestly think Maisie's just dating him to convince him." He shrugs as he switches the lights again.

"Wow, haven't seen one of those in awhile," I whistle, resting my elbows on the desk, watching him work.

"Well some of us get lost and need a little shove in the right direction." He says with a sad sigh that could only mean one thing.

"Do you like Noell?" I ask and Kaeden looks up at me, his gaze meets mine with an unsure look in his eyes, he turns back to the window and looks out towards the stage before reaching a solid conclusion.

"Na, he's not my type," he says, gently shaking his head. Now I was intrigued.

"What is your type then?" I ask out of my natural curiosity because he's cute and my inner fuckboy is just starting to make his comeback. He takes out a tablet and starts writing strange scribble I could never understand.

"I don't really know," he says and I feel my eyebrows furrow with confusion.

"What do you mean? How could you not know?" I ask and he's quick to shy away from me, clearly embarrassed.

"Well, I haven't had the best luck with men. I was all over the place before but everyone I did like never thought twice about me so I kind of just...gave up on that whole idea. There are other things involved but It's just really complicated, so I'd rather not. I've just learned to become platonic in all of my interactions." he sighs again but now I was even more confused.

"Why would people not like you? It's not like you're the ugliest guy in the world," I grunt but Kaeden remains the same.

"I told you, it's complicated and I'd rather not talk about it."

"Not talk about what?"

Noell suddenly appears out of thin air in the booth giving both Kaeden and I a miniature heart attack.

"Holy shit Noell, can you not give us a heart attack and make a few noises when you come into the room?" Kaeden clutches his chest but Noell rolls his eyes, sliding up under the desk while gently touching my leg on the way down. He grabs a bottle of water from the fridge and turns back to me with a flirtatious grin.

"Why? The look on your faces is priceless. And besides, I was only getting into character. Wooo! Tell me Kae, do I look like the restless ghost of a young gay man? " He giggles as he untwists the cap to the bottle and pushes Kaeden back so he could sit on his lap.

"Are you guys on break?" I ask, wanting the annoying pipsqueak to leave so I can talk to Kaeden alone.

"No, I'm just no in the next few scenes. So I'm taking a vocal rest," He says and Kaeden takes a break from working to look at Noell.

"Doesn't a vocal rest mean you should stop speaking?" Kaeden adds and Noell puts a single finger to his lips.

"Oh, I suppose you're right, but why bring it up? Do you not like the sound of my ethereal voice from the great beyond?" Noell giggles and eyes Kaeden up and down. For some reason, I feel this angry warmth fill my chest, but had no idea where it was coming from.

"Hey, jackass! Let's go! It's your monologue!" Maisie yells at Noell from the stage.

"Alas, my vocal rest has been short-lived. Coming darling!" he calls back before getting off Kaeden's lap and rejoining his fellow actors.

"What the fuck was that?" I ask and Kaeden shrugs.

"Don't pay attention to it. We're just friends I swear, he's cuddly in nature, that's all." He says to quickly discard the fact that this man just came in here and treated him like he was a tasty snack and a chair all at once.

"Okay, If you say so,"