Finding Heaven

Part 3: A Barlow-shaped Problem

Robbie had a problem and it came in the shape of Gary friggin' Barlow. For some reason, Robbie just couldn't stop thinking about something from the night before. He knew he was overthinking, but he didn't even really know what he was thinking about, just that something was unsettling him and it had to do with Gary.

'Just stop thinking too deep!'  he'd inwardly scold himself every time he caught his mind wandering, such as when he was staring in to the bathroom mirror while washing his teeth. In fact this time, he actually had to physically slap his cheek as well, albeit lightly for he did indeed find himself aimlessly thinking on it again...and again....and again. He still wasn't even sure what it exactly was that was playing on his mind, but somehow it just always came back to Gary Barlow's face. And it was annoying as hell.

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It was a cold start at the TV studio, with no heating, the bleary-eyed boys all shivered into their clothes, as they obediently got ready for the TV performance of their next single. Unfortunately, there was only time for one last rehearsal before they were due on air, and so a strained nervous air hung low in the room, entangling them, entrenching enough to tighten the lads' vocal chords as they tried to warm up their vocal chords as well as their body muscles. It didn't make for a relaxing atmosphere.

Robbie, for one was so far from relaxed, it was unreal. He felt sick to the stomach and on top of all that he was still just incredibly agitated, and he still couldn't figure exactly why. Then during rehearsal he quickly realised he would soon be feeling a lot more than just agitated even still. Since, he'd forgotten the sequence meant that if he wasn't largely based beside Gary (which he was) then he was directly behind him instead; and staring at the back of Gary's head was doubly more irritating. Robbie thought it such an annoying head. He didn't know why, but more so, because he (very annoyingly) just couldn't stop staring at it. It was irritating, in fact everything about Gary Barlow was irritating to Robbie. He just found him entirely and completely irritating – which certainly explained the weird annoying knot he had strongly began to feel in his stomach whenever he saw Gary, heard his voice, or even heard the mere mention of his name. It was odd really, it was like Robbie's ears were extra sensitive to it. And as far as Robbie was concerned, that only confirmed matters. Robbie reasoned with himself, that it must be a knot of deep aggravation that he felt within him, and Gary was the sole cause - he was sure of it!

At least he was right about one thing, but why – he didn't know.

"There's no break after this lads", bellowed Nigel's sudden voice, out of nowhere as he had barged in and disrupted the rehearsal, "We've gotta hop to the warehouse I've secured to shoot the video – we only have it for two hours!"

Nigel waited for all the lads to nod their understanding, and thus ensuring they had heeded his words. He then turned to Gary and continued, "Just heard back from Duncan", he pointedly remarked to Gary, no longer paying attention to anyone else, "they've added that rap part to the end, I'm not sure it'll make the radio edit or even the track but we'll put it in the video". Gary nodded; whilst struggling to keep his face straight and not crumped up with mild annoyance – but then he was sure Duncan, the producer knew what he was doing. Seemingly satisfied, Nigel then turned his attention to Robbie, "You'll mime that part in the video", he told Robbie flatly, "But don't you dare make any faces at the camera – there or here Robbie, you hear me?"

"Yes, I hear you", Robbie said with a roll of his eyes, his voice tired and bored.

Nigel fixed him a steely stern look through the narrowed eyes of his own, "You better! I want the routine, no showboating!" He continued, "If the network people think my lads can't be trusted on Live TV, we've had it! Got it?!"