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He’s been acting and modeling for as long as he can remember. Commercials, television, movies, theatre, he’s done everything. At first, it wasn’t exactly his choice since his mother got him into that world when he was a kid and that’s how he learned to do what he does—what he’s good at.
There’s no backup plan because he’s never seen himself doing anything else. Many people might think it’s reckless, but then again, they’ve never been in his shoes, and, more importantly, they don’t have his drive and talent. He was born with it and those people just will never get that.
He’s got all the awards—most promising actor, best-supporting teen actor, best breakthrough performer of the year… you name it, he’s lost count by now; they mean a lot to him and they make his mother proud but mostly, they’ve always been a motivation to improve himself—they’ve been one more proof that this is what he was meant to do with his life.
He’s used to people praising his looks. When he was a kid, the word ‘cute’ frequently came attached to his name. Later, as a teenager, suddenly he had fans and he was ‘handsome’ and ‘hot’ more times than cute. He’s been in more cover magazines than he can remember as modeling jobs just keep happening all the time between his different roles but it’s not especially fun and it’s not something he particularly enjoys. What he really enjoys is becoming someone else. Figuring out how that character is inside out to make him real and believable. That is really Levi’s thing.
Most people think popularity brings you happiness but if he didn’t really love acting, he would have left this life years ago. He knows he’s lucky to be in the position he finds himself at the moment—A position that now allows him to choose between projects, and that’s why he’s never complained, but he’s seen the dark side of fame too. There have been things that he would have avoided if he had been given the chance. But it’s been a while since he started to feel differently about it and has no regrets.
To feel better, he used to tell himself that everything happens for a reason but he was never totally sure until the day he met Kyle. That day many of his doubts disappeared.
Barefoot, slender build, fair-skinned, fiery red hair falling over his forehead, black skinny ripped jeans, and an olive tank top that matches his green eyes. Kyle is playing the guitar like the first time Levi saw him, only now, Kyle is sitting in an armchair in the dining room of their apartment in Vancouver.
It’s been two years and four months since the day they asked Levi to read a scene with a few actors doing the casting for his new show. That morning it was raining and he was late after being stuck in a jam for half an hour. When he finally made it to the room where the audition was taking place, he understood what love at first sight feels like. He can’t say how it is for other people and back then, at that moment, he wouldn’t really have used that expression. Now he knows that’s what happened but back then he was just speechless and mesmerized as he entered the room and listened to Kyle’s voice for the first time.
That sound and that sight are stuck in his mind forever. He remembers all the questions in his mind and how he felt after that because he’s never been nervous to read with anybody else before and that day his heart was beating fast and things were weird at first. Nobody noticed because he pulled himself together pretty quickly but the memory will forever make him smile.
Later that day, when the director asked him which actor he preferred for the role, his answer seemed to match everybody else’s, so maybe they wanted his approval but apparently, they didn’t really need it. It didn’t take long for Levi and kyle to know that people loved to see them acting together.
It feels like that audition was ages ago. Today Kyle is playing just for him. There have been many other times before but it wasn’t this song. This is a song written with his first album in mind. A song with lyrics that touch his heart, leaving him speechless.
“Well, do you like it?” Kyle asks from the armchair.
Levi stays silent, staring at his boyfriend as he bites his lip.
“Come on, say something,” Kyle insists.
“I’ll say that… You’re so fucking sexy when you play,” Levi finally blurts out, smiling.
Kyle rolls his eyes, smiling. “What kind of feedback is that exactly?”
Levi snorts, “the kind where I’m speaking the truth?”
Kyle shakes his head, “Yeah, well, thank you very much but that’s not what I was going for...”
“You know how much I love tank tops on you… Next time you should wear something less distracting,” Levi shrugs.
“I’m serious, you’re the first one who listens to this song—So, answer me.”
“Fine," Levi smiles. "Okay, I can answer but there’s no way in hell you could think I wouldn’t love it. I mean, that was… that was amazing—”
“Really?” Kyle raises his eyebrows.
“Yes, really. It can be a hit. I mean, it should be. I totally think so,” Levi nods. Now he understands why Kyle was so nervous and unsure about playing it. “Are you gonna include it in the album?” Because it’s very different from the other songs for the first album he’s listened to.
“I’m not sure…” Kyle shrugs. “You know, I wanted to hear your opinion first?”
“Why?” Levi raises his eyebrows. “Because the song is about me?—I mean, it is about me, right?”
Kyle snorts, “who else could it be about?” Kyle shakes his head. “How can you ask me that?”
“I didn’t want to assume—”
“Well, you can and you must assume… You’re my muse and I’ve never really had a muse before…” Kyle smiles.
Levi has never been anybody’s muse before… at least that he knows… and hearing those words that go straight to his heart makes him feel all warm inside. It’s one thing to know that somebody loves you and it’s another to get a song proving it to you so clearly. Being this lucky still feels unreal.
“But because it’s about you… I wasn’t sure how you'd feel about it being out there. You have your own fans who—”
“Shut up—I feel flattered, okay? I feel… I feel amazed by you and your talent, and the fact that I can inspire… anything just—”
“That’s your problem… a little problem I don’t understand,” Kyle says, getting up and leaving the guitar aside carefully before sitting sideways next to Levi on the sofa.
Kyle could say that he’s gonna help him fix that but being honest, that isn't something he'd like him to change even if he could. He might not understand how that is possible but that is one more of Levi’s qualities that he appreciates.
“So,” Kyle continues, holding Levi’s left hand, “what I meant is that everybody will know that this song is about you—about us… and I’m not sure if I’m crossing the line putting it out there, you know? Are you really comfortable with it?”
“We already crossed that line when we gave that interview, don’t you think?” Levi raises his eyebrows.
Kyle remembers their Attitude’s cover and everything that came after that interview and he knows that Levi is right but still he needed to hear it.
“I know,” Kyle nods.
“It’s your record and you’re the one who is gonna sing it, so you’re the one who must be comfortable, not me,” Levi says matter-of-factly.
“Besides, you want to reach a new audience and I’m sure you’re going to, but you know as well as I do that you’ll be responsible for our fans dying when they listen to this song… so there’s that...” Levi waves his free arm, grinning.
“You love to exaggerate,” Kyle smiles.
Levi snorts. “Sure… you just wait and see…”
The truth is that Levi checks social media much more than Kyle does, not only because he’s curious to read what people say but also because being on a TV show he needs to promote it and talk about it and actually he likes interacting with the fans, and although they are still currently shooting season three of “Finish Line”, he’s also doing interviews and photo shoots that he has to share with the fans.
And if anything is crystal clear about this next season, is that most people are not happy about Kyle leaving the show. Hopefully, when this record comes out, the fans will finally understand why he needed to leave and the way Levi sees it, this song will bring some comfort to part of those people who miss seeing Vernon and Brian together on the screen.
(To be continued)