The Start of Something New - Part III

The Great Escape

A/N:-  I'm back! Fair to say I missed this place and you guys. Okay, so hop on peeps, this is the last time and I hope it goes out with a bang!!!

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2 Weeks after the interview:

"Manik it's set, you ready to go" Rati asked. He nodded and she left. Rati was a new girl on the block and he had hardly given away anything to the older crew, with the exception of Parvathy, so she absolutely had no idea that he was far from ready now. Or at least what ready for a performer should normally mean.

He hasn't completely escaped scrutiny for he had been a mess for the last two weeks, barely keeping it beneath the surface around those he worked with. He had given a vague answers when asked if he was alright, passed it on as some health issues due to overworking to the ones more interfering, but had strictly stayed away from the truth. He had not taken any calls- business calls primarily- for up to about three days after the incident, till his manager didn't compel him to- but he refused to give any reason for disappearance to either his team or his fans.

However bad whatever happened was, it was personal. And no matter how big a fuck up he was, he had the capability of realising that. His fans, colleagues and associates didn't get to have it, they didnt get to share it. It didn't belong to them. It was his and then theirs who knew him well enough for that.

"Sir" another voice beckoned him from his crew, seeing as Manik still hadn't left for the stage. He didn't ask anything just raised his eyebrows, afraid to disturb the quiet.

"Yeah" he said and with one final look in the mirror he followed the crew guy out. His hands shook, just a bit and his mouth was going dry, but it was okay right? He could handle it couldn't he?

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The white light was forcing into his vision it seemed, almost blinding him completely. He felt like he was in some sort of a trance...the crowd seemed distant, and the noise around them consolidated into a heavy monotonous hum. He stood still for a few seconds, the atmosphere becoming more suffocating by the second, he felt all of that closing in on him... and then suddenly bile rising through his body.

°°°
"Shit" Parvathy said when she heard the sound of wretching. She tentatively entered the bathroom, the door wasn't locked, so she pushed it in open swiftly and saw Manik puking his guts out. She crinkled her nose at the sight, it was gross obviously, but she tried not to focus on that and stroked his back to comfort him. "Hey it's okay" she said and her calm voice seemed to calm him down too. He got up, still a bit off balance, and flushed the shit down before rinsing and wiping his mouth.

He turned round and looked at her and the understanding look her eyes mixed with sympathy, pulled something at his gut, hard and fast, his eyes welled up instantly and he fell to the floor and began crying. His body was wracked with sobs.

"Hey guys, clear out" it was Parvathy's voice, loud and clear, followed by two claps. She stepped out of the bathroom almost simultaneously as he began crying and took matters in her own hands. "All you you, please. Everything will be explained later" she said when there were some murmurs of confusion. Even in this state Manik thought that she must love being stylist, or she could have been on a much more authoritative position of she wanted.

He felt two sturdy arms wrap around him, and help him up on his feet. His sobs had become less frequent by then and we're steadily reducing to sniffles. She sat him down on the couch and crouched down beside him till he was stable again.

"Water?" She asked and he nodded. She fetched a water bottle for him and then took a seat on the couch opposite to him.

"I don't know what happened?" Manik said after a while, "must be the hamburger I ate for lunch" he said trying to bring some humour into the situation. Parvathy smiled, thinking "at least he didn't say something morbid this time."