"All the world's a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed." - Seán O'Casey
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After being thrown out of his company's building, Jayden calls a taxi to head home. He knows those stubborn old board members won't go against their word. That means his poor sports car will be stuck in the parking lot for God knows how long.

The yellow taxi pulls up to the curb of a modern building, where his condo is. He wants to make sure they weren't pulling his leg with being kicked out of his own home. The idea is just absurd.

Jayden enters the building with hopes he can grab some cash he stashed for emergencies. He'll get, if he remembers correctly, ten thousand dollars and a suitcase with some clothes in it. He can then stay at a hotel until the situation blows over and later get a hold of his friend, Mr. Barrick.

Jayden hopes the old timer has mercy on him. Barrick couldn't have agreed on this ridiculous decision. Jayden will have to call him later for help.

Right when he enters the building, the security guard sitting at the front desk already has his eyes on Jayden. The former CEO pretends he doesn't notice the intense gaze as he continues to the elevator.

"Hey! You can't go in there!" the guard yells.

Jayden growls, "But I live here!"

"You are on the blacklist, man. Your picture is taped with the other blacklisters on the desk. They're just orders I receive. Now, get out of this building or I will have to use force."

It's understandable why the guard doesn't recognize him. Jayden doesn't return home or leave home during this man's shift. He can tell he won't be able to reason with the guard.

With no fuss, Jayden exits with his hands shoved in his pockets. Inside him feels empty, a sense of lost that he's not used to. What now? He pulls out his phone only to have it read, "no carrier" from dialing a few numbers.

The former CEO lets out a loud curse, kicking the bricked wall. Passerby eye him cautiously, wondering if he snapped. Jayden walks down the sidewalk, trying to remember where the city hasn't removed their payphones. Jayden has a couple of coins on him so it shouldn't be a problem getting a hold of Barrick.

He accidentally bumps into people while he's lost in thought.

Fortunately, the sun is still up and he has time to do something before the more shady-looking people roam the streets.

After minutes of walking in the heat, Jayden takes off the blazer and loosens his tie. Sweat is around his collar and pits, an appearance the business man is uncomfortable in.

Jayden wanders off into a back alley to escape the sun. The thick suit doesn't mix well with the eighty-degree heat. He's usually in air conditioned environments that he doesn't notice the weather.

"Hey you! Nice suit! You a model?" someone yells.

The former CEO turns his attention to a man wearing baggy pants that's sagging and a white tank top that loosely hang of his shoulders. The thug approaches from the open street in an odd strut. This couldn't be good...

Jayden retreats further into the alley. He can't take his chances to fight the man who could possibly be carrying a weapon.

"Hey! Stop, friend! I only want to borrow your stuff!"

The former CEO changes his fast walking pace to a run. He has no idea where he's going. Anywhere away from that thug is fine by him. He sees a way out of the alleyways and hopes someone will stop the thug.

Wham!

Jayden slams into a person who suddenly appears when he steps out into the open. The two of them fall onto the sidewalk. Passerby move away from the scene like a parting of the Red Sea.

"Ughhh..." Jayden blinks his eyes open to discover a man on top of him. The first thing that he sees is a messy mop of dark hair then a whiff of a god-awful smell.

Fletcher groans from the collision, completely forgetting that he has two guys chasing after him. He can't blame whoever he ran into because Fletcher wasn't paying attention for a second.

Two hands shove the musician to the side. The man he ran into yells, "What is wrong with you!? Watch where you are going-"

"Hey!" Jayden is interrupted by the thug with the baggy pants from the alleyway.

Fletcher asks quickly, "You borrowed money from a loan shark too?!" This is insane. Are all the loan shark lackeys going after all their clients today?

Jayden raises an eyebrow at the random question, "Huh?"

"Come on!" Fletcher pulls the man up by the arm and drags him down the direction the musician was just heading. They have to loose these guys quickly if they don't want to end up unable to move the next day.

The former CEO is puzzled enough to be dragged by the smelly poor guy. His legs keep up with the other's and his wrist is being hold by a sweaty grip.

After another few minutes of running and zigzagging through the city, Jayden and Fletcher end up at the city park. They pant heavily, scanning the area of any signs of their pursuers.

Jayden shakes off the hand on his wrist and sniffs the spot he was touched. His face scrunches up, "Christ... do you not shower?"

Fletcher is caught off guard by the question. He tilts his head, "Huh?"

"Shooower. You look like you've never had one for over a week."

"That's because I haven't had one over a week."

"Huh?!" Jayden recoils. He fans his face, blinking a couple of times. Why of all the people he runs into its some guy who's unkept? Couldn't it have been a lovely woman who would immediately recognize the business tycoon?

"What do you own the loan shark?" asks Fletcher.

"What's this again about a loan shark?" Jayden crosses his arms. This stranger has been going on and on about loan shark; were those the men after him?

Fletcher scratches the back of his head, "Oh. Sorry. I just assumed...." Trying to steer away from the topic he brings out a hand. "Name's Fletcher. Yours?"

Jayden narrows his eyes at the hand and doesn't shake it. For all he knows, there's probably five diseases that he received from that wrist grab.

"Do you know where the nearest payphone is?" the former CEO asks. Fletcher bites his lip and brings his hand back to his side. Not really friendly, huh? It's to be suspected when people fully examine the musician.

Fletcher sighs and looks around. He's used payphones before to contact Zizi because there's one next to the camp. Most of the calls were about him coming back late but other than that, he saves the coins for more meaningful usage.

Jayden watches Fletcher look around. He impatiently says, "Of course there's none in the park. If you can't find one then say so. It's almost getting dark."

"Hold on. Hold on," Fletcher says before the former CEO walks off. "I'm just trying to remember...." His eyes widen, "Oh yah! There should be one around the city mall. It isn't far from here."

Jayden eyes him suspiciously; the business man doesn't have much of a choice. It's getting dark and Barrick has the "old man" tendency to sleep early.

"Lead the way." The former CEO can't find the mall without GPS.

Jayden goes to the mall once in a blue moon with the current girlfriend of the month. He lets a chauffeur drive them there because he's usually doing work while his lover goes shopping.

Fletcher escorts the odd businessman to the mall. The guy follows behind, making the musician wonder if he'll run off. After silent minutes of walking down the slowly-turning-dark street, they arrive to a wide five-story building.

Like what Fletcher said, nailed into the wall are payphones, three of them to be exact. Jayden makes haste to the phones. Fletcher watches and listens at the scene.

The former CEO picks up the phone and fishes out two quarters. He slides them in and puts in Barrick's number. Jayden mutters to himself, "Pick up you old geezer. Pick up please."

"Hello-"

"Barrick-"

"You've reached Geoffrey Barrick's voice mail. Sorry I cannot talk to you at the moment. If it is important, I will call back."

beeep

"Barrick, I hope you aren't with the board's horrendous decision. I don't care if you are friends with my father. Help me out! ..." Jayden sighs and mumbles to himself, "This better not last long..."

Jayden hangs up the phone and bumps his forehead against the metal rim. He lets out a deep breath, contemplating any other choices.

Fletcher examines the hopeless man from bottom to top. A messy business suit, dirty blonde hair fixed untidily, and in need of a payphone, the man is either a drunk who lost his wallet or someone who's freshly got ousted from his home.

"I could offer you a place to stay for the night," Fletcher says out loud. Jayden turns around with a confused expression.

Fletcher continues, "You don't have to but it looks like you seem desperate. But on one condition, you have to tell me your story before I let you in."

Jayden huffs, "Stay where your scent is quadrupled the smell? No thanks."

Fletcher sighs; he tried and it's definitely obvious how unwanted he is right now. He faces away from Jayden and begins to head back home.

Jayden glances at the form growing smaller from view. He reaches for his wallet in his back pocket- "Huh?" He pats the empty pocket then pats the other. His hands frantically search for the wallet in the other pockets.

"Him!" Jayden breaks into a run after Fletcher. Not longer than a minute, he reaches the guy and grabs a hold of his shoulder.

Fletcher freaks out by the sudden forceful touch. He jumps away only to be grabbed by the collar again. When he notices it's the business man, he lets out a sigh of relief, "Jesus Christ, I thought you were a mugger."

"Give me back my wallet."

"What?"

"My wallet."

Fletcher frowns, "You think I stole your wallet? Sir, you are naive."

For a full minute, Jayden locks his blue eyes with Fletcher's brown ones. He lets go of the musician's collar and glowers at him. The man's not lying and Jayden's still can't find his wallet; it had all his cash on him!

The former CEO lets out a frustrated sigh and rakes his fingers through his blonde hair. Fletcher stares at the man, unsure if he should leave or not. It's pitiful seeing someone who was probably successful become like this; that expensive-looking watch doesn't seem to be counterfeit.

The business man returns to frowning at Fletcher. He crosses his arms and sighs, "My name is Jayden Maverick. I'm the CEO of West Maverick Enterprise, do you know the company?"

Fletcher shakes his head in response, earning a sigh from Jayden. The man continues, "Long story short, I'm broke and I will take your offer on staying at your place."

Jayden couldn't help but agree that wherever the guy lived is better than getting mugged alone in an alleyway. If he has someone else with him, there are less likely chances he won't end up butt naked; his clothes aren't cheap, that's for sure.

Fletcher smiles at the reluctant man. He's dealt with guy's like these before and they end up living peacefully with the rest of the camp. Maybe Jayden will be able to fit in too?

But this is the first time a former rich guy is living at the camp.

"Cool. I want to warn you first that most of my friends are weary of strangers at first. They'll get used to you over time though."

"Over time? Hell no, I'm not staying wherever you're living. I believe you said, 'one night stay.'"

Fletcher rolls his eyes but the smile still stays in his lips. "You are free to stay as long as you want," he says before gesturing Jayden to follow him.

Jayden needs to lighten up, is Fletcher's first impression about this guy.

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A/N: Vote & Comment plz 😗
Also don't be afraid to give me critique because I definitely need it.