Love Thy Neighbor ~ Part 4

Remember When M'Dear Stole the Show?

Currently I was at the community theatre with the McKellans as usual, as in I'm usually with the McKellans. Cocoa decided that she wanted to write and produce her own play called The Night I Fell In Love. Although I know I would kill it, I didn't audition and chose to be a part of the crew. We have a dress rehearsal today and I'm just now walking into backstage. The first person I saw was Mazzi. I walked up to him with a smile on my face. If you can't tell, life has been great, and I mean everything, but that makes me feel like something is bound to happen. But until then, I'm living this calm, nice life.
Y/n: "Hey Mazzi"
I said walking up to him. He smiled and gave me a hug.
Mazzi: "Hey Y/n. You ready?"
Y/n: "Every time I know I'm ready, M'Dear changes the script which changes my cues."
I said taking my backpack off and setting it down.
Y/n: "How about you?"
He shrugged and shook his head.
Mazzi: "As I'll ever be."
He said looking at me smiling. I looked away.
Y/n: "What are you doing?"
Mazzi: "Just running through my lines before we start the rehearsal."
I grabbed my little headset and put it on as Jade came walking in on her phone.
Y/n: "Hey Jade"
I said as I was messing with the headset.
Jade: "Hey!"
She said smiling. She tapped something on her phone and then raised it as she walked behind the stage.
Y/n: "She's still telling her followers that she got the part?"
I said laughing a little bit.
Mazzi: "I guess. She needs to stop going live. Remember what happened last time?"

~Six Weeks Prior~

Jade: "Haters say I'll get the part because my mother is the writer and director, but I almost hit a Mariah Carey high note in my audition. Look."
I was talked to some other crew member when I heard Jade try and hit a high note. I turned around in confusion and noticed that Mazzi, who was steaming clothes, also turned around confused. He walked up to her.
Mazzi: "You almost did that."
He said giving her a high five. I shook my head.
Jade: "I did, didn't I? I'm a shoo-in for Mimi. Bye guys!"
She ended her live and I walked over to the two.
Mazzi: "Okay, so why are you announcing that you got the part before you get the part?"
Jade: "Well, one, it's a foregone conclusion. Two, I want the world to think my life is as fabulous as everyone else's on IG."
Mazzi: "It's a lot of work being you, isn't it?"
Jade: "Brother, you have no idea."
She sighed and walked away.
Y/n: "Mazzi, this is why she is the way she is. You hype her up when she doesn't need to be."
I said laughing.
Mazzi: "I don't want to be mean."
Y/n: "I know you're a sweetheart, but you letting her continue is making her worse."
I said which made him laugh.
Mazzi: "Whatever. Being a sweetheart is what makes me attractive."
He said popping his fake collar. I love how random and corny Mazzi is.
Y/n: "Yeah yeah yeah."
I said monotone. Later on, Cocoa called us all on stage to hear who got what part. I wasn't getting a part obviously, but I just wanted to see who got what. Jade was back on live again and Ami was holding the phone. I shook my head smiling a bit. Shaka waved at the live.
Cocoa: "Okay, so this was a tough decision, but the lead role of Mimi goes to, Amelia McKellan!"
M'Dear gasps.
M'Dear: "OH, ME?! OH! This is just so unexpected!"
Jade quickly grabbed the phone and ended the live.
M'Dear: "I didn't even audition."
M'Dera continues laughing as some of us look shocked and others side eyed each other.

~Present Day~

Y/n: "Yeahhhh, I'm surprised she didn't get clipped."
I said going to my spot.
Cocoa: "Um, all right everyone, let's do the big number!"
I nodded as I walked to my podium and flipped to that part of the play. I furrowed my eyebrows.
Y/n: "She changed the script again."
Mazzi rushed over.
Mazzi: "Did any of my lines change in that scene?"
I looked at him.
Y/n: "All of them."
He groans and drags his feet walking back to where he was at.
Y/n: "Uh Mazzi"
Mazzi: "Yeah"
Y/n: "Do you know what's going on with Shaka? He's been distant."
He turned and looked at me with a soft expression.
Mazzi: "No..No I don't."
He said shaking his head. I already know something's up. I tilted my head to the side.
Mazzi: "Wel- well you know, it's Shaka. He always has something going on."
Y/n: "Yeah, you're right."
I didn't want to put Mazzi in a position where he had to choose between telling me about Shaka and breaking Shaka's trust.
Cocoa: "Mazzi! What are you doing? We're doing the big scene!"
He quickly popped up and ran onstage. I laughed a little bit but stopped when Cocoa was looking at me. I quickly turned around and got to work.

~Time Skip~

I was sitting on a bench behind Cocoa and Moz on the McKellans' porch while I looked through my new stage direction cues. I wasn't paying attention to their conversation until I saw Shaka run in front of me. He hasn't really talked to me all day, but I don't want to always be the one who starts a conversation.
Shaka: "Did anybody hear a car?"
Moz: "No"
Shaka: "Man, I hope Cousin Barron is still coming."
He walks in front of me. I just listen to the McKellans go on and on about how special cousin Barron is until I hear him show up and join M'Dear while singing. Everyone gets excited to see him. I just smile at their happiness as Shaka walks up to him.
Shaka: "You're finally here!!"
Barron: "AYEEEE"
They did a handshake in front of me. Then Cousin Barron looked at me.
Shaka: "That's Y/n. She's my...."
He paused for a second. Mazzi noticed that it was awkward.
Mazzi: "She's a friends of the family."
He said as a smile faded onto his face.
Y/n: "Hi"
I said smiling, pushing down the fact that Shaka doesn't call me anything anymore.
Barron: "Nice to meet you!"
He turns to M'Dear. I look at Shaka and look down.
Barron: "Hey M'Dear"
He says giving her a hug.
Barron: "This is Sydney. My co-producer and business partner."
M'Dear: "Hello Sydney! Are you hungry?"
Sydney: "Well I'm told you're a great cook, so yes, I'm hungry."
He said looking at her. I started to kind of daze out. I don't know what I did to make Shaka feel weird about me. He barely talks to me, he's distant, and even Mazzi apparently doesn't know. Mazzi: "Y/n....Y/N?!"
He said shaking me.
Mazzi: "Come on, we're going inside."
Y/n: "Oh..yeah yeah"
I said following everyone inside.