Grian and Mumbo are theatre kids in a play and they are low key in a theatre kid rivalry. Mumbo wants to star as Romeo because Tango is usually the star in plays and he wants to beat him.

Grian wants a casual role but is worried that Mumbo won't get the role of Romeo. If Tango ends up being Romeo, Mumbo will end up being cast as Romeo's best friend Mercutio and Grian will have an even lesser role.

When the casting list is posted outside the auditorium students lineup to see what fate has written. On the very top of the list is Grian as Romeo and Mumbo as Mercutio. Mumbo and Tango are both angry at Grian for getting the lead role.

"I don't know, maybe it's because I'm a material blond?" Tango and Mumbo March him to the Performance Arts teacher's office and demand he tells her to reconsider.

...

Knock knock

"Come in and this better not be about th- oh Charlie. What brings you here."

Tango and Mumbo had pushed Grian in once the door opened and they waited outside for the boy to explain.

"I-it's about the casting..."

"Oh yes, congratulations on getting the lead Romeo."

"Well about that, I was actually wondering if you'd cast someone else?"

The teacher looked at the boy with a dumbfounded expression. It was seen as disrespectful to tell a performance art directer to recast, especially if its the lead.

"May I ask why that is?" The teacher managed to chock out still too stunned to speak.

"Well I think either of my friend's Tango or Oliver would be perfect for the role and I was really devoted to playing Romeo's best friend Mercutio."

"Oh, I see. Let see what I can do." She then pulls up a long piece of paper from under a stack of books and scans over the list.

"It says here two other kids auditioned for the role of Romeo. The first one I have written down is Oliver Brotherhood. I'll update the list shortly, will that be all?"

Grian nodded in defeat. He didn't have to be the lead Romeo anymore but Tango was not gonna be happy about what was about to happen next.

"Did you talk to her." Asked Tango when Grian exited the arts office. "Yeah, what'd she say." Adds Mumbo.

"She uh, she said she would update the casting list shortly." Grian thought it would be best not to go into specifics, all he had to do was ride out the day until it was time to go home.

Mumbo and Tango nodded at each other, the nod signaling fair game saying may the best man be Romeo. At lunch Tango and Mumbo dragged Grian to the new list, no other students were around so Grian knew which three roles were really affected.

Approaching the list Grian's eyes were shut tight, the two younger boys dragging him to a stop at the door. The reality was barely starting to set in when he opened his eyes to see Mumbo was now cast as Romeo, Tango is cast as his BFF Mercutio and Grian is cast as... Juliet?

Maybe it was a bad idea to tell the director to change the casting. He should have just left it at what it was, but no. Grian was getting more and more frustrated and Mumbo and Tango congratulating each other made him want to crawl into a hole and d-.

"So, Julien is an interesting spin on Juliet in the original play." Tango was grinning evilly at Mumbo who simply shrugged.

"Yeah, I'm gonna leave now." Grian left to wait outside his next class. Sure he was 30 minutes early but anything was better then being near his friends at the moment.

...

"This is ridiculous!" Grian shouts, he throws his backpack across the room and sits on his bed. In the mists of his commotion, Grian didn't notice the sleepy cat and narrowly avoided being clawed to death as he laid down.

His demon cat tried to run but that didn't stop him from rolling over and wrapping his arms around the kitty, the cat stopped flailing when it realized it was no longer in danger. School was a long and boring day and they didn't even serve grilled cheese in the canteen today.

Nothing made the situation with Mumbo and Tango worth enduring. Replaying the events of the day Grian's stomach began to grumble.

Grian thought about getting something to eat and made his way downstairs with the cat in his arms.

"What should we eat Buddy? Grian knew he wasn't supposed to feed his cat human food but ever since he watched Garfield as a kid, he thought it was crueler that cats weren't allowed to eat lasagne in real life.

Buddy the cat wasn't technically his cat either, his parents got the cat when he was pretty young. He was now in the sixth form and the cat took a liking to Grian even though he might not have liked him when he was little.

Buddy didn't seem to mind that Grian spent a lot of those years complaining to his parents that he would rather have a dog. Grian was proud of how far he's come with accepting Buddy as part of the family.

He might have gone a bit too far, considering that he was now a hardcore cat person. Dogs and other pets were cool too but Buddy the lasagne eating cat was his main pal.

He had been looking through the pantry of food trying to spark an idea of what to make for himself. He soon realized that he was wasting his time as he couldn't cook for sh*t.

There was a ring at the doorbell and his whole body went rigid and completely froze, Buddy hopped out of his arms and scurried under the couch (as fast as an old grumpy cat could).

"You traitor," Grian whisper yelled after the cat's retreating figure. He racked his brain for what he should do.

Of course his parents have told him a million times what to do in a situation like this one but he was inconveniently drawing a blank. His parents would be home from work at separate times in the evening.

His dad had more leniency and could show up if he called but his mom was to be home exactly around 5:30. Grian quickly glanced at the clock for a lifeline. The clock read 5:10 and Grian curses under his breath.
...

My options are to wait it out and hope the person goes away, call my dad and beg him to stake out his own house from the outside, or except my fate.

It may not have been the best decision, if he was honest, it was the worst one he could have possibly picked but he held his breath before turning the door handle and opening the door.

It was funny how on a rural street on a school day in the broad daylight that Grian was expecting anything else. He might have just rathered it be that fate he was preparing himself for, but it turned out to be much worse.

On the porch stood Mumbo, tall and lanky with his hands stuffed deep into the pockets of his corduroy jeans.

"Hey Grian," Grian slammed the door shut before thinking. He let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in and opened the door once again.

"Why's your face so red?" Mumbo asked, his eyes scanning over Grian's exasperated state. Grian shot the boy a nervous smile and waited for an explanation as to why Mumbo was at his house in the first place.

Mumbo had until the ground opened up below and swallowed his friend whole. When Mumbo caught on to Grian's discomfort his hands flew out of his pockets and he waved them in the air as he tried to reassure Grian that he'd hurry along.

"O-okay, I guess I'll just get straight to the point then." Grian was still red from holding his breath as he caught some air back in his lungs.

"May I come in?" Mumbo asked politely, Grian gave him a warry look.

"It's about the play and I don't want anyone to hear me." Mumbo's voice came out hushed and he looked around paranoid. There were kids still walking home from school or traveling to nearby parks, and even playing football in the street.

Grian felt a bit silly thinking back to when he was standing in the kitchen frozen, he really thought it was going to be a burglar. The sunlight and sound of children playing really didn't lend a viable cover-up for a burglar.

In a bashful state, he stepped aside for Mumbo to enter his home.

"Can I get you anything before you start explaining?" Grian's ability to have a non-awkward conversation or to be a good host was a thin line.

He was really upset when Tango and Mumbo harassed him to get the performance art teacher to recast him. He's not sure if it's worse or better that he was no longer cast as Romeo, but instead as Julien.

It had to have been worse for Mumbo as he was the new Romeo, why else would he be at Grian's doorstep demanding to talk about the play in secret.

"Yeah, that'd be great thanks." Mumbo smiles thoughtfully and his eyes flash back at Grian as he nods to confirm that he would indeed like a drink.

"Water is fine," Mumbo adds as he follows Grian to what he assumes is the kitchen. Grian rolls his eyes at the boy and turns back to continue walking through the house.

"Have a seat," Grian nods his head towards the stools around the breakfast nook in the corner of the kitchen and fishes around in the refrigerator for some bottled water.

Mumbo takes a seat and waits for Grian to come over with his drink. When Grian plops onto the stool across the table from him he takes a deep breath and prepares to confess his feelings toward the whole play casting situation.

...

Mumbo's POV

I wanted to say I was sorry for peer pressuring him into that. I wanted to say I was better than that.

Better than to let someone feel like they didn't deserve something only hard work and talent could get. I certainly never wanted Grian to have to experience the kinds of things Tango and I got up to.

Tango wasn't a bad guy, just a bit misguided. When it came to us three being friends Grian often was the victim of our ignorance.

I felt like it was my job to steer Tango and myself on the right path, but today I failed. I thought a lot about what I should have done but in the end, I was just ashamed of myself and my actions.

"I-i'm sorry Grian. I'm just really sorry." My head hung and I got up from my seat. I should just leave and quit making an even bigger fool of myself.

"Don't give me that!" Grian's loud reaction was unexpected and it caused me to jump slightly. Grian grabbed my hand and was pulling me to another room much like I had done to him today at school.

Grian was fuming and he went off ranting about how he now has to play "Julien."

"I have to pretend to be in love with my best friend. Can you imagine how awkward that's gonna be!?"

As Grian shouts the last part he pushes me backward and I hadn't realized what room we were in until I hit the couch behind be.

Grian joined me on the couch sitting legs crossed and facing me. He continued to rant about how messed up this is and I was sat facing the television so I had to turn my head to meets his glare.

"It's your's and Tango's fault." He said when our eyes locked onto each other.

"I'm sorry okay! I don't know what else to say other than how truly sorry I am." I argue back, that being the only thing I felt I should say. I suggested that we could ask to change is back and Grian starred at me with an unimpressed look.

"No we can't do that, She'd kick us out of the play for sure." I brought my hands up to my face out of habit, it was almost like I was hiding from Grian's wrath.

"You couldn't possibly know that," I mumbled afterward hearing shuffling and felt Grian's hands cover the backs of my own. I opened my eyes as he pulled my hands away.

"Kiss me?" Grian leaned forward still starring into my eyes as I tried to gauge if this is what he really wanted.

He nodded slightly ending my questioning gaze. The sound of keys and the lock turning breaks us apart shortly after that, sending Grian standing up this time.

"You should probably go," I nod going back through the house and Grian almost goes along with me until he stops.

I look back at the boy to see the adorable grin on his face and the flush of pink. Having chemistry on stage will not be a problem if that's what he was worried about.

"I think I'll be fine playing Julien." Grian surges forward to grab my hand and leads us to the front door where his mum is now stood with her purse in clutch.

"Hey Mum, Oli was just leaving." Grian's mum gives him a look raising her eyebrow and then to me.

"Good evening Mis," I say smiling at the older woman before making my way to the door as Grian got it open for me.

"Nice to see you again Oliver, come over for dinner sometime." I waved goodbye to Grian's Mum pecked Grian on the forehead and I was off.

I was not entirely sure if it was due to the confession or the rosiness of Grian's cheeks but I felt much better about the play. With Tango by my side as Mercutio and Grian as Julien, what could possibly go wrong?

Thank you for reading this chapter! Comment any errors I may have made (please) and don't forget to vote, comment, and follow me if you haven't already. XD

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