The New Manager (Pentatonix)

13.

On the day of the interviews, Avi had gotten sick.

Not the "kinda cold, small appetite" kind of sick, but the "your best friend is the toilet" kind.

"I'm so sorry," he rasped, "I can't do it here. Maybe you guys can do it at Scott's? I know he has the space. And then you can get seperate opinions from anyone else there?" Avi suggested to his sister over the phone.

"I can ask him. Are you going to be okay alone?" She asked, worried.

"Yah, i don't want to get anyone else sick. But thanks for asking. Find out from Scott, and let me know whats happening." Avi asked.

"Will do." Esther said, hanging up to call Scott.

"Hello?" He answered.

"Hey Scott. So we just might have a problem. Avi just might be sick as a dog. And we just might no longer have a place to hold interviews." She said.

"Lemme guess- you want to hold them here."

"Pretty much, yah. Would that be okay?" She asked, hopefully.

"I'm not so sure if that would be a good idea. What if the address gets out?" He asked, worried.

"It won't. And even if it did, it's not like people are going to grab the next flight to LA and stalk you."

Scott laughed. "Yah, I guess so. We can do it here. I'll just let Alex and everyone know, so they can leave if they don't want to be around for it."

"Great! I'll let everyone know. Is an hour good for you?"

"Yep. See you then, Esth." Scott said, hanging up.

Esther forwarded the change of plans to everyone, before starting to get ready.

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"I don't think I can make it." Mitch said blatantly to Esther.

"Why not? Is there a problem?" She asked the terrified tenor.

"Esth... I used to live there. I dont know what would be worse- if my room is exactly like I left it, or if it's completly different. And what about the rest of the house? How do I explain knowing everything about the house?!" Mitch started to freak out.

"Calm down. Everything will be FINE!" Esther yelled into the phone.

"But..." Mitch tried, being cut off by the manager before he could defend himself.

"Mitchell Coby Michael Grassi, you WILL go this meeting. You WILL interact with people if they talk to you. And just get over yourself! You left! Whatever they did, they had the right to do it. So sorry, but suck it up. I'll see you there." Esther said, hanging up.

Mitch let out a stream of four-lettered words at the blank screen, before calling Candice.

"Heya darling. What do you need?" She answered the phone, her drawl cheery.

"Candice... I need you to help me with my makeup. Michelle needs to be extra unrecognizable today." Mitch said.

"I'll be there in fifteen."

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Michelle waited for Kevin, and the two entered the house together.

Alex was waiting for them.

"You guys are kinda early, no one else is here yet." He said, leading the two to the livingroom.

"So sorry about that," Michelle said airily, trying to disguise herself as much as possible. Just in case her thick makeup and special tapered contacts and special wig cap didn't do a good enough job.

"Don't worry. You must be the person Esther brought in. Melinda, was it?"

Michelle gave a tight lipped smile. "Actually, it's Michelle. But yes, Esther asked me to help the group out. I don't know how I'm doing, though."

"Well I know that Scott has been a lot happier. He still dissapears into that room sometimes, though. I've never asked what he does in there... I just give him space." Alex said, gesturing to a room, Mitch's old room.

"Would you mind if I had a peek?" Michelle asked, meekly.

"Go ahead." Alex said.

Michelle and Kevin both went to open the door to the room.

Mitch gave a quiet gasp on seeing the contents of the room.

"Kevvy... everything's the same. He's been in here yah, but its all the way I left it." He squeaked.

Kevins face was filled with worry. "It's because he misses you, Munchie." He said, his voice soothing.

"No! I ruined everything! I ruined the band and I ruined him and-"

Kevin cut the blubbering tenor off, pulling him into a tight squeeze.

"Mitchie... you didn't ruin anything. But he does need you. Just give him a chance." The cello boxer said.

Mitch wiped his eyes, and after seeing the smear that came off onto his hands, gasped.

"Kev... my makeup!" He cried.

"Oh shit! Wheres your makeup bag?!" He asked, frantic.

"In my coat. Hurry!" Mitch urged.

Kevin retrieved the bag, and the two set out to fix his makeup.

As soon as they were done, and had applied a waterproof top coating, they exited the room.

Just in time, as the doorbell rang just then, announcing more arrivals.