masquerade【janiel】

Hi, My Name Is Daniel Preda

No longer, Joey decided, was he going to live a lie. The prince at the masquerade party made him realise why he had never held a relationship. It was because he was still in the closet. He spent that night lying in bed thinking of elaborate (and not so elaborate) ways to come out to his viewers, but only one really stuck out - in a music video.

Joey really committed to this, he wrote the song to be so meaningful and personal. He meticulously crafted every detail until it was perfect. There was just one more thing left to do: auditions - including, but not limited to, audition for his prince. The one he would kiss at the end. Revealing to over 3 million people that he is gay.

Yikes.

After auditioning about 50 men, Joey turned to David sitting next to him and sighed loudly.

"What's the matter?" David asked, concerned.
"I don't know, I just..." Joey sighed again. "This isn't turning out how I expected it to, I guess. I mean they are all good actors, but I want something more, I don't know, I think we might just have to giv-"
"Hi, my name is Daniel Preda and I'm auditioning for the role of the prince."

Joey's eyes widened, that voice, it gave Joey strange sensation in his stomach. They both slowly rotated in their chairs back to face the man standing in front of them both. He was perfect, Joey thought as they connected eye contact. Daniel smiled at him.

"You're hired." Joey whispered, still in shock.
"Pardon?" Daniel asked.
"Uh-I mean, I-uh think we need to try out-uh some of the scenes."
"'Course you did." David whispered, and Joey hit him on the arm in return.

They went through the scenes - except the last scene, Joey was a bit anxious about doing it all of a sudden - but he already knew that he was going to choose Daniel.

Joey made sure to wait a whole 24 hours before phoning Daniel to tell him that he got the part - y'know, to not sound desperate and all. But Daniel was thrilled when he heard the news. However, Joey said something at the end of the phone call that he didn't even plan on saying.

"So, if you want you can come over to mine and we can rehearse and stuff." What the hell, Joey thought to himself, you don't need to rehearse for a music video. It's not like they were performing a piece of drama. Joey felt really embarrassed, but to say Daniel's response cheered him up is an understatement.
"Sure, I'd love to, tomorrow at 1?"
Joey managed a "see you then" and hung up the phone before he screamed out loud from pure excitement.