The New Manager (Pentatonix)

3.

"Everyone, I would like to introduce you to our new potential manager. Ms. Coby, meet Pentatonix!" Esther said, cheerily.

Michelle stepped into the room, nervously glancing around it.

There were five faces staring back at her.

"Hi, I'm Michelle Coby. And can I just say, I am such a fan!" Michelle said, trying to act casual.

Kirstie stood up slowly. She went over to the new manager, shaking her hand.

"Hey, Ms. Coby. Welcome to the team!" She said, with a happy smile.

"Thank you, Kirstin." Michelle said calmly.

"Just Kirstie." She corrected.

"Of course."

"I'm Avi. Nice to meet you, Ms." He shook Michelle's hand, before forcing Kevin up.

He mumbled a greeting, before leaving.

Michelle bit her lip. Kevin had always been the level headed kind one.

"Don't take offense to him, he just doesn't want any more changes. The last one didnt turn out so well." Scott said to Michelle, noticing how she had taken it personally.

"It's fine. It didn't turn out well for anyone involved. I felt it too." Michelle said, not thinking.

Scott noticed the terminology. "How did you?" He asked

Michelle caught the mistake, and almost kicked herself. "I used to be a superfan. Patreon and everything." She said quickly.

Scott smiled. "Really? You seem indifferent though."

Michelle let out a small laugh. "I'm fangirling internally. I'm just trying to be professional!"

Brandon just scoffed at me.

"Great. Now we have a slutty fangirl for a manager. What next? We add a bunch of new members? A hookup between people in the group? Someone dyes their hair purple? Who füçking knows?" He said.

Michelle was ready to scream.

"Esther, did you find the contract?" She asked instead.

Esther produced a sheathe of paper from her purse.

Michelle flashed her a smile, opening the contract.

A manicured finger rotated the paper, pointing out a paragraph to Brandon.

If at any time there is a problem with the singer, their position may be reviewed. A singer may be removed if:
They are abusive (mentally or physically or any other way)
They bring down the group quality
They oppose management
They are engaged in illegal affairs
They are uncommitted
*More reasons may be approved by management or co workers without notice.*

Michelle cleared her throat. "Brandon, for all we know, all of these apply to you. After my analysis, management finds you unfit for your position. We hereby cancel and revoke your contract."

Brandon gasped. "You... you can't do that!"

"Actually... she can. And we all support her decision." Scott said.

Brandon stormed out.

"Thank you." Michelle said to him.

Scott shrugged it off. "No, thank YOU. If you weren't here, that deadbeat would still be part of the band."

Everyone laughed.

"What do we do now?" Kirstie asked, quiet.

"We find another Tenor. And a good one this time." Esther piped up.

Scott scowled.

Michelle cut him off. "I know that you miss him, but there's nothing we can do. I trust that he will come back when he's ready."

Scott bit his lip, and nodded. He wrapped his arms around himself.

Michelle stepped forward, going to wrap him in a hug, but Esther's glare stopped her dead in her tracks.

She looked over to Kirstie, who took the hint and hugged him tight.

"I miss Mitchy..." Scott murmurred as he cried.

Michelle couldn't take it anymore, and politely excused herself before walking out of the studio.

No one noticed, as they were all trying to help Scott. It was rare for the blonde to become the blubbering mess he was at the moment.

When he finally calmed down, he glanced around through tear soaked eyes.

He noticed someone missing...

"Where did Michelle go?" He asked.

Everyone looked around, shrugging.

Esther got terrified. "I'll be right back." She said, before rushing out to find Mitch.

She found him sobbing in the treeline.
"Mitch... are you okay?" Esther asked gently.

"I r-ruin ev-verything and everyone h-hates m-me!" He sniffled.

Esther brought the small boy into a hug.

"No Mitchy, you don't. Everyone loves you. I love you and Scott loves you and Kirstie loves you and Avi loves you and Kevin loves you and everyone else loves you too." She said softly to the boy.

She spent a long time trying to calm the boy down, before giving up and driving home.

Michelle stayed in the woodline, watching everyone leave. She still hadn't fully calmed down.

Scott was the last one. He stepped out of the studio, and was talking on the phone as he walked to his car.

"Nel, you really don't know where he is?" The baritone asked his lost friend's mother.

"Scott, I honestly don't. I haven't heard from him in three years... if I knew anything, I'd tell you. I'm just following my mothers instinct here, but I think he's doing fine. When he's ready, he'll come find us."

Scott bit his lip. "Okay... thanks." He hung up, and got in his car.

His taillights illuminated the parking lot, but he didn't see Michelle step out of the trees and into the stream of light.

He left, and Michelle walked away.