Marcus' Stage fright

Marcus had always wanted more. He was an average man with a mediocre look. His grade was never outstanding. He simply got accepted into a university because he was qualified and that's it.

Marcus was never really one for the stage. He wasn't exactly shy. But more like his anxiety grew over him once he stand in a spotlight. His adrenaline rush whenever he had to speak in front of a large audience.

"But you should try!", said one of his friends. "Come on now, It's not like this role have any speaking part! Just Stand on the stage and bow, then walk away! It's as easy as that!"

He was trying to convince Marcus to join the upcoming play for the university fair. Sort of like an event to show off each of your skills. While the drama club usually handle the plays themselves, sometimes they gathered people from other clubs to be an extra in their play.

"But right in the middle of the stage, I don't know man...", Marcus replied. The last role that they're trying to gather here is the role of a silent intermission. All he had to do is walk up to the middle of the stage, as the curtain open for him to bow for the audience, before the show continues. "Come on~ Please?", His friend begged. Marcus really didn't want to do it. But perhaps it's time he need to face his fear...

Actually, he's been wanting to face his fear for a while. He can't just stay like this forever. Wherever his future is heading, there's bound to be a situation where he had to stay confident. Interview, Presentation, etc. He was barely able to do them in school. A role without any speaking part is at least a perfect start for his journey.

"...Fine."

That whole week, Marcus had been going to practice with the drama club. His role was really minimal compared to everyone else there. After a while, he had got used to it. He learned to hide the anxiety better. He learned to put on a confident face better. Even if his role was an extra, he was still the center of the stage in one small moment. That much was a really great field for him to face his fear.

However...

"Because I want it like this, Is that really much of a problem!?"

"Of course there will be! We've been practicing with this script for a whole week and You want us to scrap this completely!?"

There was a guy in the club. His name is Darryl. Darryl had always been an overconfident man. He was a star in the drama club. He was arrogant. His ego was beyond the star.

He's infamous in the club for always looking down on others. Darryl would always act snobby towards the club staff or even others with supporting role.

"It would be a hundred time better if the main guy—me—was the one opening and closing! These intermission scene doesn't make any sense!", Darryl argued.

"Well. Jokes on you, This whole week that YOU weren't here, we all have already talked and agreed on it! Everything is set in place now, and it's going to be complicated as hell since there's already an actor for the role, so no. You're not getting what you want this time", The director replied.

Darryl eyes paused for a second, before stomping out. There's an actor for the role already? Without even talking to him? He felt he was beyond disrespected. And so, he had to do something about it.

Darryl had done this countless times. He would bully any actors or actresses that were in his way until they resigned. At the last fair, an actress was poured a bucket of dirty water on before practice. The prior, One actor was poisoned and had to take a sick leave for the whole week.

The day before the show, Darryl went over to the dressing room and found the clothes that is meant for Marcus to wear and stayed in the dressing room for a big while.

The day of the fair, Marcus came through the door, wanting to prepare himself. When suddenly, a bucket of water fell on him.

"Ouch! Ugh! What is this!?"

He can't go on stage wet, luckily there are enough time for him to go shower and get ready. He rushed into the shower room and take a rinse.

Darryl was already there waiting. He noticed Marcus' locker doesn't have a lock. Sweet for him. As Marcus finished up and walked out. He realized something is missing.

"Where's my underwear...?"

He was caught slightly off guard by this. He remembered he wore them the way here, but...where did they go?

He didn't really have much time to think since the show is about to start soon. He had to be there for the opening and the intermission scene. So he simply wear his clothes and went to the dressing room as fast as he could.

As he reached there, his heart pounded. He sees so many people. People from all around the university. People he recognised. He had to make sure to not disappoint. His anxiety grew slightly, but he was able to suppress it due to his practice.

His performance would come soon, He walked over to the center of the stage as the curtain was closed. The queue is about to start. In 3...

Right when the count started. Darryl gesture changes. He smirked with a mocking tone on his face. As he pulled a small string from his hand.

2...

Marcus felt something slipping. He noticed something is wrong about his clothes. But...

1...!

"Wait!" He shouted towards the staff, but the curtain had already start to open as the spotlight shone right to the middle of the stage. At the same time as Marcus' clothes ripped in pieces and dragged through the stage floor. The audience's applause turned into gasp and whispers, before turning into laughter and a flicker of flash from phones almost immediately.

Marcus was fully nude.

Marcus could only stand there. His stage fright just shot back up to him. Not only is he in front of an audience, but he's in front of everyone without any clothes. Everyone he had known. Everyone in the whole campus. They all saw his naked body.

"Oh my god, Look at him!"

"Damn, Who knew the quiet kid had a whole forest down there!?"

"He's redder than a tomato! Is he about to cry!?"

"Wait, Wait Guys! He's hard! He's getting a boner!"

He freezed in place. He didn't cover up. He want to, But his body won't listen. His boner was the most humiliating part. He know he's actively showing the audience that he's turned on. Something he didn't even know he could feel while being embarrassed in front of everyone. His body is betraying him in the most public way possible.

Even though it had been for a small while. Marcus felt like it was an eternity. He could never face anyone again. All he wanted was to get over his fear, but it came back with a strong vengeance.

The director immediately tried shut the spotlight off and close the curtain back. This as a whole was a mess. And they need to fix it immediately.

Once Marcus' sanity came back, he was already sobbing, hugging himself tight with a blanket that someone gave him.

And, as planned. Since Marcus can no longer be present for the intermission, that scene as a whole was scrapped, leaving Darryl's part to be the opening of the second act.

That day, Marcus felt like a hollow shell. He walked back to his dorm through giggles and whispers. Keeping his face down. He never should've agreed to this. Never.

His pictures are now all over the internet, Instagram, Twitter, Even Facebook were talking about him. Each and each comments were ruthless.

He wrapped himself with a blanket and cried. The whole university would never let him live this down. And this year will be a long, long year.

His life was inevitably over.