Two: The Show Must Go On
1183 Words
[Philippines]
Two months ago.
"Have you talked to James earlier?" asked Sophia, Anika's manager, to her.
"Nope. Why?" Anika asked back while looking at her own reflection in the mirror. Her makeup artist was doing final touches on her face.
They were in the dressing room of the hotel where the press con for her upcoming movie was about to happen.
"The press con's about to start and James is still not here! The staff couldn't get hold of him or his managers!" Her forty-five-year-old manager was already freaking out.
Sophia has been Anika's manager since she started show business almost ten years ago. She was only thirteen years old then. She was malling with her friends when a talent scout approached her and invited her to attend a go-see for a shampoo commercial. And the rest, so they say, is history.
"Relax! They might be on their way now. Must be stuck in traffic somewhere," Anika said as she checked her own reflection in the mirror once again. Her makeup was now all done.
"My guts are telling me that something's not right. I couldn't even get hold of Peter," Sophia muttered. She was talking about James' manager.
James is Anika's leading man for her next movie. And it wasn't just any movie. It was one huge project.
In celebration of Anika's tenth year in show business, she was set to do a movie with one of the hottest leading men in the Philippines. And yes, that's James. This was going to be their first major project together.
The movie was set to be shot in three European countries --- Italy, France, and Spain. It was written and will be directed by two of the most prominent names in the industry. Plus the whole production boasted a power cast. This will be, without a doubt, the biggest project yet in her entire career. And they're about to do their first press con now.
But the leading man was missing.
One of the staff went inside the dressing room to inform Sophia that James still hasn't arrived yet. The manager left the room with the staff member, leaving Anika alone with the makeup artist.
Anika was sipping on her iced caramel macchiato when she heard her makeup artist, who was now on her phone, gasp.
"Why? What happened?" Anika turned to her.
"It's J-James." The makeup artist's face had turned pale.
"What about James?" Anika put her drinks on top of the vanity table, stood up from her seat, and approached her makeup artist whose eyes were still fixed on her phone.
Without any warning, Anika took the phone from the makeup artist's hand to see why she looked so shocked.
Actor James Guevarra Found Dead in His Condo Unit in a Suspected Suicide Death
The headline alone was enough to make Anika collapse on the nearest couch. She felt like her legs had suddenly lost the capacity to support her.
James isn't just someone she was about to work on a huge project with. He was also a friend. She had known him forever!
"Anika! Anika, are you okay? You need water?" Her makeup artist fumbled to open a bottle of water and give it to her.
She took it with her shaking hands but it only spilled on her dress when she tried to take a few sips from it. Her whole body, not just her hands, was shaking. She also felt like her guts had been twisting from the insides. She even felt like throwing up so she pulled herself up from the couch and ran to the bathroom with her hand on her mouth.
There she began throwing up the salad she had for lunch mixed with the iced caramel macchiato she had earlier.
The makeup artist was right behind her tapping her back and asking if she's okay.
Of course, she's not okay! She felt like fainting.
Anika heard the door to the dressing room open and then she heard Eunice's voice calling out her name.
"She's here in the bathroom!" said her makeup artist who was still tapping her back as she threw up nonstop.
Eunice is Anika's road manager. Like a personal assistant of some sort. If Sophia, her business manager, handles everything businesswise, Eunice takes care of her schedule and all. She makes sure that all the small but relevant details were taken care of. She's basically with her 24/7 since it's part of her job to ensure that she's okay.
"Anika!" she heard Eunice called out her name again.
She turned around to see Eunice standing in the bathroom doorway. Fear was written all over her face.
One look at Eunice's eyes and she already knew what her road manager was thinking. She was resonating with the fear Anika was feeling at the moment.
Anika wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before she went to approach Eunice.
"James is dead!" Anika said as she grabbed both her shoulders.
"I know, I know, relax," Eunice answered. But it's hard to do so when she could see the same intense fear in her eyes.
"He committed suicide," Anika continued.
"I know, I know. Relax, you're shaking."
"Eunice, I'm scared!" Anika said. She didn't realize until then that she was already crying. Everything was just too much to handle.
"Relax. You're gonna be okay. Let's go to the couch first." Eunice led her out of the bathroom before she turned to the makeup artist and said, "Can you please get her some water?"
Anika made it back to the couch with Eunice's help. She wouldn't make it alone considering how wobbly her legs have become.
That's when Sophia came back to the dressing room. She looked agitated, too. She rushed to check on Anika.
"Are you okay?" Sophia asked her.
"I dunno, I really don't know…" Anika said, gasping for air. She felt like the room had suddenly become too small and too crowded that they're now fighting for oxygen. "Are the press still here?"
"Yup, they're still here. But don't worry about them, you don't have to face them. Someone else will handle them," Sophia said.
"N-no, I think I'm already good," she lied.
"What do you mean?"
"I wanna face them. I just wanna, at least, thank them for taking some time for us and for coming over here for the press con."
"Are you sure you can do it?"
"Y-yeah, yeah. I.. I can do this. Don't worry, I won't comment on James' death."
"But you don't actually have to face the press. Are you sure you can do it?"
"Yes, I can. I think I'm good now." Well, not really but she still wants to do it. "Please tell them to give me a few minutes, I just need to fix myself," Anika said before she stood up and, with her still wobbly legs, dragged herself to the makeup chair.
If there's one thing she learned being in the business for almost ten years now is that the show must always go on.
- Writer
