Pain of Discovery (BoyxBoy) [The Pain series Book 1]

First Encounter

[A/N - This chapter goes back to the very start of Jason & Zak's relationship, or in other words, the start of the journey of discovery. Things are a bit more positive than the first chapter, and I hope you enjoy the banter between the two guys ;) Please comment and become my fan, and thanks again for all your kind comments and likes so far! :D x]

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My fourth open audition of that month started just like all of the others; the sense of vicious competition as everyone attempts to find any sign of nerves to exploit as a weakness, the giddy and hedonistic chills that race down my spine as I prepare myself for what could be a life-changing performance, and the fixation on that one door that could be the gateway to a whole new world of possibilities for me.

Since I made the decision six months ago to leave university and follow my life-long dream of becoming a performer, I had been trying unsuccessfully to get my first big break. My best mate Kara - or as some people call her, my right arm - had put me in touch with a few acquaintances that had contacts in the industry and they had been able to get me into auditions that I could only dream of finding on my own. But despite trying all of the avenues that had stretched out in front of me, I found that every one led to the same dead-end, the same "thanks, but..." over the telephone or in a cold email.

So my levels of excitement and anticipation were at an all-time low as I took my place at the end of a row of five plastic chairs that had been hastily arranged across from the audition room. A part in the UK cast of "Wicked" was at stake for the successful candidates, so the stakes were pretty high. A "yes" here could mean a springboard into the upper echelons of the West End's elite and maybe even a chance to break into Broadway.

However, as I surveyed the haphazard piles of boxes and musical instruments that adorned the white-walled corridor, these pipe-dream thoughts did little to improve my mood so I closed my eyes and ran through the lyrics to Mandisa's "Born For This" one last time.

Feels like I've been holding my breath

Tryin' to still my restless heart

Everything hangs on my next step

Findin' my nerve, playin' my part...

My eyelids parted slowly to find that my field of vision had been almost completely blocked by a navy hoodie.

"Hey, any chance you could maybe shimmy along a little?" the voice attached to the hoodie asked.

"Sorry, of course", I replied, and shifted along. One seat closer to my date with destiny - or just another failure.

"No problem. Didn't want to interrupt, but I'm running a little late and the sprint from the station was longer than I'd prepared my legs for."

I turned to my right and smiled at my new competitor, a boy around the same height as me but with a slightly more athletic build that he had unveiled as he peeled off his hoodie to cool down a little. His soft and wavy brown hair fell lightly on his brow, and his cheeks were flushed like an Olympic sprinter. When he turned to face me, his swirling hazel eyes glistened like bubbles of my favourite chocolate bar, inviting me to find out more about this new arrival.

"Tough start to the day then, huh?" I tilted my head to the side in an attempt to show some understanding of the common ground we shared.

"The worst. This place is further from Central Station than you think. And of course, my flat mate decided to take my phone charger in the middle of the night, meaning little old Ivor here had no juice left to waken me up on time this morning." He shook his iPhone at me and let out an almost comical sigh of exasperation.