(None of these nerds went to high school together)

Simon's POV

I love the feeling of being on stage, dancing, singing, and being a whole other person. Ever since high school, it's been a dream of mine to stand in the spotlight. So that's what I did. I invested my time in minor play productions.

Today I'm in a large production of a musical, playing the part of an ensemble character in act one, and a different one afterwards in act two.

My friend Abby is one of the leads the play, and the producers brought in middle schoolers to play the younger version of the kids. She says she's pretty good friends with the guy that plays the father, but I don't know him as well.

That doesn't mean I don't WANT to know him. Because honestly he's really freaking cute. Like,  I would marry his ass in a heartbeat. Bram, I think his name is.

"Simon, help me memorize my lines" Abby said, dragging me from the costume room. I followed her outside, and to the Waffle House across the street from the theatre.

We walked inside, and sat down at a booth in the far corner of the room. It was close enough to the bathroom that we could SMELL it.

"Ew..." I mumbled, when Abby sat down, and I sat across from her. She rolled her eyes and opened the script in front of her.

"Ok Simon, what's your first line?" She asked, and I laughed.

"I have no lines, Abby" she rolled her eyes again.

"Simon, I mean the line before mine" she pushed the script to my side of the table, and covered her eyes. I looked down to see half the entire page covered in highlighter.

"Wow ok... ummm..." I said, trying to find the first line that isn't hers.

"Oh are you guys practicing lines? Can I join?" Someone asked. We both looked up to see the theatre's resident asshole, Martin Addison.

He hasn't done anything wrong to me, expect just be obnoxious, and not understand personal space. I heard he blackmailed a kid back in high school, but that's just a rumor.

Before I could decline his request, Abby scooted over in her seat, and patted the bench next to her. He smiled and dropped into the seat.

"So where are we, guys?" He asked, and I just mentally checked out. I decided to think about other things than the annoying man in front of me.

Speaking of him, what is he doing here? He should be in the theatre. How did he know to come here? Did he follow us?

"Earth to Simon" Abby said, for what was probably the third time.

"Hm?" I asked, and Abby laughed.

"Martin was telling me about the girl that plays 'mother', Sabrina, and how she barfed on stage" I hummed in sadness, but it didn't affect ME very much.

"Simon that means she won't be able to preform tonight" Martin spoke up. RIGHT. We were preforming a preview tonight for double the price. I don't know who would be exited for something like that, but we were practically sold out.

"So what are they going to do? She doesn't have an understudy" I asked, suddenly worried for the play. Just because I had a small role doesn't mean I don't care about it.

"They're looking for someone in the ensemble who doesn't have any lines, and will fit into the dress. That means everyone in the ensemble has to go BACK" Martin explained. I sighed, and got up.

"Are you guys staying here?" I asked, as I began to walk away. Martin was in the process of saying yes, when Abby stood up and tried to push him out so she could reach me.

"We're excited to see who the new Stage Mom is" Abby told me, as we all walked toward the entrance of the WaHo.

It was a quick journey across the street, and then we arrived at the stage door.

"Alright. Let's see who is replacing Sabrina" I mumbled, as we walked on stage. The stage manager gasped, and pulled me over to the dressing rooms.

"Simon. You don't have any lines, right?" He asked, and I shook my head. He smiled. "Go try on this dress" he shoved Sabrina's dress into my arms, and pushed me away. I was beyond confused, but tried to put it on anyway.

Let's just say, I have the upmost respect for women, and others. Anyone who wears a dress. That is the most difficult thing I have ever done. The last time I wore a dress, I was like.. seven. And that was just a kids dress from Party City.

This dress had like 18 different layers, all of which got tucked into my pants, I think I heard something rip, one of the bottom few layers wasn't pulled down far enough, and then the chest piece was on crooked.

I'm so glad it didn't have a zipper.

In the end, the dress fit perfectly, and the manager was so excited. He handed me Sabrina's script, and told me to memorize it immediately. Still in the dress, I made my way to where Abby was. The moment she saw me, she slapped a hand over her mouth and turned bright red.

"No way. No WAY!" She shouted, and I looked down at the dress, and held my arms out horizontally.

"I think I look gorgeous" I said in a huff, and sat down next to her. "I also need to memorize all of Sabrina's lines in 7 hours" I told her, and she laughed.

"Why don't you talk to Bram? He's playing 'the father' so he should be able to help you with your lines" she told me, and I got up in search of the aforementioned man.

It took me about 12 minutes to find him, and when I did, he was very politely asking the manager about Sabrina.

"Is she going to be ok? What are we going to do about her part?" He was asking the manager.

"Her replacement is here now! Come on over!" He said, then walked away. I came forward, and went to shake Bram's hand.

"Hi, I'm Simon. The person playing your wife went home sick and I guess I'm playing your wife now. Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked, noticing his uncertain gaze. He shook my hand, and rubbed his face with his other hand.

"Sorry. I'm Bram. I was just surprised they're having a man replace Sabrina" he explained, and I looked at him with false offense.

"What, a man can't pull off a dress?" I asked, and he quickly shook his head no.

"No, it's mainly because of the kissing scene, actually" he explained. I gasped.

"Are you against the gays?" I asked in all seriousness. He laughed.

"Actually quite the opposite. I was worried about OTHERS reacting to two men kissing on stage" he told me, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"I was worried you were a homophobe, and I was like 'this is quite the problem' because I am the gay" I explained, and he laughed.

"Well, let's learn your lines then, my wife" he said, linked his elbow in mine, and walked towards backstage.

*so the time, it like... skipped...*

I memorized my lines, finished blocking, and mastered the art of walking in high heels, and gotten a wig, all in 6 hours. Meaning Bram and I had an hour to spare.

"Well Simon, somehow in the span of less than a day, you've managed to do everything it took Sabrina to do in half a year. I applaud you" he said, as we were just lying on the couch together. I hadn't taken my dress of the entire day, and I knew if I took it off now, I wouldn't have enough time to get it back on again.

"Thank you, thank you all" I said, spreading my arms out like I was going to bow. He laughed, and I moved to get up. He sat up too, and we were staring at each other across the couch.

"You nervous? First performance of the year" he asked, and I nodded.

"More excited than anything. I've been an 'ensemble character' since high school, so it's nice to have lines" I told him, and he nodded.

"Well I'm excited for you, Simon" damnit. Bram is SUPER cute. Like, super duper uper cute.

The gosh darn cutest guy I've ever seen. And I'm breaking my rule of falling in love with straight guys. This is a problem.

"Cast to Center Stage" someone called over the loud speaker, and Bram and I got up and made our way outside.

It was amazing to see this come together. I remember it from the very beginning of the production, and how it made absolutely no sense. But now I was seeing each piece of the puzzle come together, and it made me so happy.

"Let's do this" Bram whispered.

*another time skip*

I looked down at my dress, and up at Bram, who was already on stage. I was about to come on, and say my lines about how amazing it was to have children, then kiss Bram.

I'm REALLY nervous.

What if I miss my cue? What if I forget my lines? What if Bram thinks I'm a terrible kisser? Not that his opinion should matter (sigh. Straight dudes).

"Oh Maribelle?" Bram called, signaling me onstage. I walked on quickly, but not too quickly, and recited what I had just learned perfectly. Each line was on point.

"My lovey Alexander!" I said.

Then I felt it. The reason I decided theatre would be my career. The rush of the spotlight. The audiences presence that watched me and only me. The sound of my voice echoing throughout the room. It was magic.

But it all vanished, the moment Bram uttered his line.

"Oh my lovely Maribelle" and pulled me in for a kiss. I leaned right up against him, and pressed my lips onto his. Let's just say, I felt sparks. I was so glad the audience was farther away, because they would have clearly been able to see my blush had they been closer.

I noticed how soft his lips were, and how well they fit with mine. I noticed how amazing his hands felt in mine, holding on like I was an anchor.

I also noticed how disappointed we both seemed when he pulled away, worried about overdoing the stage kiss. I noticed the complete lack of warmth in me, until I thought about the kiss, sending a blush all over my body.

"Goodbye, my lovely" I called our to him, leaving the stage once again after not even five minutes. The kiss not even two seconds.

I made my way backstage, and started to pull my wig and dress off, because I needed to change into my ensemble costume for act two.

Abby approached me, because she wasn't supposed to come on until later in the show. Right now she was replaced by one of those middle schoolers the company brought in, who was playing a "young Theodosia".

"You did AMAZING, Simon. I'm like super impressed you learned all that so quickly. Also you didn't screw up the kissing scene, so NICE" she said, patting me on the back. I laughed.

"Why would I have screwed it up?" I asked, and she looked confused.

"I dunno man, you were kissing a boy, which might have been weird for you. But I guess that's acting for you" she explained. Wow Abby, way to be heteronormative.

"Wait. Did I ... forget to tell you?" I asked her, and she looked beyond confused.

"Tell me what?"

"I'm really gay"

She was silent for a minute, and I was worried I had just ruined our friendship. Until she burst out laughing.

"I KNEW something was up every time you were staring at the stage during practice, whenever Bram was on! At first I thought it was because you were enamored by Sabrina, but then at WaHo you didn't show any concern for her, so I was like, what's up with that" she explained. I breathed a sigh of relief that she WASN'T going to hate my guts, and continued to try and remove the dress.

"A little help here?" I asked, and she began stripping me of the costume.

"So how amazing was it to have lines? Did you enjoy your scene?" She asked, and I nodded.

"It was a lot of fun preforming with Bram, and then getting to SAY things to him" I explained, and she smiled even bigger.

"How much fun was the kiss?" She asked, and I turned bright red. I glanced around to make sure Bram wasn't anywhere near us.

"It was so amazing, then over in an instant" I told her, and she laughed. "That's what I get for breaking my rule about falling for straight guys" I sighed. She finished pulling me out of the dress, and patted my back.

"There there. It'll be ok" she said, and I scoffed. Just then, I heard Bram say his last line, then walk off stage directly toward us.

"Break a leg Abby" he whispered to her, then came up to me. "You did Amazing, Si" he told me, and I smiled (and blushed, but he couldn't see that because the lighting was too dim backstage).

"Well so did you" I told him, as we were walking towards the dressing room, side by side. "I was completely convinced you were my husband who was going off to war" I told him, when we entered the empty room. He laughed and took off a few of his accessories. Bram's character would come back later in the show, so he wasn't completely taking off his costume.

I turned around to put my wig on the mannequin head, and was adjusting it, when I saw Bram come up next to me. I looked at him, just to see him leaning down to kiss me.

His lips connected with mine, and the sparks came back, in full force. I felt like I was on fire. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and pulled us closer, and he did the same to me. His soft lips fit perfectly into mine, and I knew this was the best thing to have ever happened to me. Kissing Bram.

Wait I was kissing Bram.

I pulled away, and looked up at him, my eyebrows furrowed.

"Wait now I'm confused" I whispered, looking down. He laughed and held my hand.

"Simon I REALLY really like you" he told me, and I knew there was no distinguishing me from a fire engine right now.

"What? Like you... like like me?" I asked, and he nodded. HE'S NOT STRAIGHT?

"Yeah. Ever since the auditions, actually. You were just so cute and confident, and didn't even throw a fit when you got an ensemble part. It was really awesome to see you, and then to WORK with you, and fall deeper, and deeper in love" he explained, and I gasped.

"Holy shit you're not straight. Bram I've been pinning for you for AGES! Abby legitimately thought I had a crush on Sabrina because I couldn't stop staring at you during that scene" I told him, and he laughed.

"Wait really? You... you like me back?" He asked so quietly, and I kissed him again in response.

"Of course, my lovely Alexander" I told him, and he smiled and blushed.

"Why thank you, my lovely Maribelle"