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“Hey, you,” Logan smiled as he picked up the phone. James had been pumped all week about his audition, and the rest of the boys had been wondering when he’d call. “How’d the thingy go?”
“If by thingy you mean the life-changing opportunity I had that could’ve ended in me being able to move us from our cramped apartment to a slightly less cramped apartment, I totally ate shit. It was so awful,” James said, sounding defeated.
“Put him on speaker!” Carlos demanded and flopped onto Logan’s lap.
“Is that James?” Kendall asked as he sat next to Logan on the couch, hooking his chin on Logan’s shoulder.
“Shit, that bad?” Logan asked as he put him on speaker. “It didn’t go well,” he explained to Carlos and Kendall.
“I’m so frustrated,” James admitted. “I was so ready, and then I completely forgot the lines. I mean, they let me try again, but I shouldn’t have even been nervous; I did so well when I rehearsed. Camille is going to kill me. She had me go over them so many times. I don’t know how I—”
“Take a breath. It happens,” Kendall said. “It sucks, but it happens. Come home. It’s better to be sad at home than sad in your car. It’s rare that we’re all home in the afternoon on a weekend.”
So, he did. And was welcomed with a tackle hug from Carlos.
“I’m sorry it didn’t go well, James,” Carlos murmured into James's hair.
James sighed and cupped his face. “There will be other auditions. I’m just pretty bummed. I belonged on that stage. I know it. And the pay. Oh my god, I want us out of this apartment. I feel like we’re in RENT.”
“Jesus fucking christ, I hope not,” Kendall said from the kitchen, which was also practically in the living room. “That movie was miserable, babe.”
“Yeah, you cried a lot,” Logan added.
“RENT didn’t even have small apartments. That’s Tick Tick Boom.” Carlos said with an eyeroll.
“Sorry, I can’t keep track of all your damn musicals,” James exclaimed, though fondly. “Just like I can't keep track of my lines, apparently. Logan, what's the doctor smarty-pants' reason for why stress makes me forget my lines?”
“That’s psychology, but I think the fight-or-flight response that comes with stress just disrupts memory because the anxiety overwhelms space in the brain,” Logan explained as he patted the empty spot on the couch next to him.
James crashed next to him and slumped over, resting his head on Logan’s lap. “You’re hot when you talk nerd.”
“Thank you,” Logan responded simply. “When’s your next audition?”
“A few days. I really hope my stress doesn't ‘disrupt my memory’ this time. I need a job.”
“Walgreens is a job.”
“A job that sucks. Do you know how many times a day random people see me stocking shelves and are like, ‘wow, you should model. You should be on screens,’ and I’m like, ‘yeah, I know!’” James huffed as he buried his face against Logan’s stomach.
Kendall walked towards them and sat in front of the couch, reaching back to run his finger through James's hair. “Should we be jealous of these strangers? You gonna run off?”
“Nah, they’re usually like 75-year-old women.”
Carlos made his way next to Kendall on the floor. “Don’t people always say ‘auditioning is the job’ when it comes to acting? You’re doing what you have to be doing.”
“Yeah, well, auditioning doesn't pay,” James huffed. “Someone distract me. Who's having a shittier day than mine? Or better. I’d rather hear about your accomplishments, actually.”
“I’ve done nothing but make a bagel all day,” Carlos confessed. “I thought I had to take over a shift, but at the last minute someone else covered. Is that an accomplishment?”
“I’ve just been doing homework all day,” Logan said with a sigh.
“You're always doing homework. Poor thing.” Kendall said.
“Med school is no joke. I knew that when I started, but holy shit, I have like no free time. And I thought college was rough.”
“Okay, but in some years, you’ll be an official doctor, and then we can call you ‘Doctor Mitchell’ during sex,” James reasoned.
Kendall barked out a laugh. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“Nice,” Logan said.
Kendall laughed harder. “What the fuck is wrong with you, too?”
“We’re just ‘grass is greener on the other side’ kind of guys. You wouldn’t get it.” James defended.
“You’re freaks.”
“That too,” James nodded and turned his head towards Kendall. “You do anything today, Ken?”
“I called my mom. I ended up talking to Katie for, like, 3 hours. That was nice,” Kendall shrugged.
James's face shifted with a realization. “Oh god, I need to call my mom eventually before she just shows up, don't I? She's not going to be happy with what I tell her…”
Carlos hummed, understandingly. “That's annoying. Tell her you're on Broadway, and maybe she'll leave you alone.
Logan snorted and reached down to ruffle Carlos’s hair. “Yeah, J, lie to Brooke. That’ll go well.”
"It's not lying! It's manifestation,” Carlos defended. At that, he noticed how forced James’s laugh sounded. "I'm serious. It'll happen. Don't go getting all insecure. That's not like you.”
“I guess,” James sighed loudly, ever the drama queen. “I’m hungry and depressed. Can we order something?”
“Yeah, let me go grab my phone. I think I left it in the shower,” Kendall said as he stood.
“The shower?” Logan asked.
“I listen to music in the shower. Duh.”
“But you take it in with you?”
Carlos scooted over to where Kendall was sitting as Kendall and Logan continued to bicker. He poked James's cheek. “I hate seeing you upset.”
“I’ll get over it. Don’t worry.”
“I know, but it still hurts to see you like this. You’re so talented, and you know that. You're almost too aware of it most of the time. But the second you screw up, you get like this.” Carlos rested his chin on Logan’s knee and brushed his nose with James’s. “I bet you didn’t even do as badly as you think you did.”
James just smiled. “You’re so cute.”
“My lap has become a hangout spot, it seems. You joining, K?”
“No, he’s getting his phone to order food because I’m pretty and sad, and I deserve it,” James answered for him.
“I don't think I’d fit anyway.”
“Oh, please,” Logan said. “Grab your phone and get your ass over here.”
Kendall saluted. “Yes, Doctor Mitchell.”
“Ugh, not yet, unfortunately.” Logan pouted. “A couple more years.”
“It was fun to say, though, wasn't it?” James asked.
“A little,” he confessed. “What are we ordering, pretty boy?”
“I need pizza like I need air,” James responded as his phone buzzed. “Los, can you check that for me?”
“Yeah,” Carlos said as he skimmed an email. “Hey, what’s a callback?”
“I GOT A CALL BACK?!”
“You're so dense,” Logan said with a smile as he bonked James on the head. “That was quick, too. Congratulations.”
“Good news to tell your mom,” Kendall offered. “I’ll still get the pizza. Celebratory pizza.”