Haunted

Your Battlefield

"Okay, so this is the booth," Maddox showed Eli around the recording studio the next morning. They'd come with Justin for a little while so Eli could see what it was like.

"How do you know what all this stuff does?" Eli asked.

"I'm still learning it," Maddox shrugged. "I'm usually in there and just play with this stuff afterwards, like I don't edit most of my own songs yet. Dad could show you better than I can."

"Don't let him say that," Justin laughed as he headed for the recording side of the booth. "Maddox is gonna be better than I am any day now."

"That's not true," Maddox rolled his eyes.

"We have time, run in there Maddox," Justin glanced at his watch. "Show off a bit."

"No, it's," Maddox started to protest but he saw the excited look on Eli's face. "Okay, um, I want to try something but I don't want you to get mad."

"Why would I get mad?" Justin laughed. "Hit us with whatever you got."

"If you say so," Maddox mumbled. "Headphones?" he asked, pulling his phone out.

"In the booth," Justin jerked his chin forward and sat down in one of the chairs. "Okay, so this is the mixing board," he pulled a chair over for Eli as Maddox let himself into the booth.

The truth was Maddox had mixed himself a track he wanted to put on his new album but if he knew his dad as well as he thought it would never fly. Every time he'd tried this before Justin shut him down but maybe since Eli was right there Maddox could get through at least the first chorus before Justin told him to stop.

"Ready when you are, Dax," Justin said through the speaker.

"Right, um, so just let me get through the song maybe?"

"I know what you're doing. I won't stop you this time," Justin grinned at him. "Just this once, okay?"

"Alright," Maddox's heart sank but he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he gave his dad the thumbs up to start recording. He pushed play so he could hear the song through his headphones and started singing.

It wasn't just that it was one of Justin's songs but it was a mashup he'd made of three songs - Somebody to Love, Love Me, and Maddox's favorite part - As Long as You Love Me coming in as the bridge. He had to mess around with the keys and phrasing a little to make it work but he felt like it was so perfect. Of course Justin would never let him release it so Maddox decided he should just have fun while he could.

Though Justin had promised he would let Maddox sing it was still kind of shocking when Maddox finished the first chorus and his dad hadn't interrupted him. He usually didn't look at anyone while he was recording but this time he looked over to see what Justin and Eli were doing. They were both just watching him, a look Maddox couldn't read on Justin's face but Eli looked as stunned as always.

"Smile for me," Maddox sang and lifted his chin at Eli, earning himself a big grin from Eli who also started blushing a little. He went on, more sure of himself than ever but still anxious to figure out what Justin was thinking.

No one said anything when Maddox finished so he took a deep breath and turned slowly to the booth to see what everyone was doing. Justin and Eli weren't alone anymore, Scooter and a few of Justin's friends were standing there too. When Maddox raised his eyebrows they all started clapping. He let himself smile and ran to see what they had to say.

"I think that's your next single," Scooter was smiling when Maddox walked in.

"That last run was sick," one of Justin's friends gave Maddox a fist bump. "I liked how you broke it down there too."