Backstage: Third Time's the Charm

Scarlett Dunn

Scarlett Dunn
Grade 12
Music Program

Aidan smiled at me as I sat next to him on one of the benches in the courtyard. "Hey, Scar." His fingers entwined with mine.

"What are you doing for the showcase?" I asked. A cool fall breeze nipped at my face.

"You want to talk about that?" He wrinkled his nose. "It's October."

"Mr. Parks asked if Bianca and I can sing a duet during the dance routine."

"Scarlett, that's amazing!"

"I know, but we start rehearsing next week and they want one of my songs. I mean I don't even know what the routine looks like yet."

"Slow down." Aidan leaned forward. "You have plenty of time. And you'll have Bianca's help."

I took a deep breath. "You're right."

"So, are we going out tonight?"

"I have plans with Curtis."

"Oh." His hand quickly slipped out of my grasp.

It had been difficult balancing my adopted family, my boyfriend, and my biological brother. I was super glad that Curtis and I were seeing each other, but juggling all these different relationships was exhausting.

Aidan leaned closer, until our noses were nearly touching. "How about we plan on tomorrow?" His smile made my heart beat faster.

Our lips collided. He tasted like the ocean, salt and fury.

"Scarlett!" Bianca called.

Inwardly, I groaned and pulled away from Aidan.

"We need to talk about the showcase," she said. "Hi, Aidan." She stood in the shadow of a nearby tree.

Aidan frowned. "Hi, Bianca."

I stood. "What about the showcase?"

"Well, obviously you can't perform. It's against your contract." Bianca brushed a strand of her straight hair out of her face.

"What do you mean, 'against her contract'?" Aidan stood and moved to my side.

"What about Mr. Parks?" I asked. "He asked both of us."

Bianca put one hand on her hip. "He'll understand that contractually you can't participate. The showcase sells tickets. You're not allowed to perform at any events making money unless they're sponsored by the record label."

I shook my head in disbelief. "This is so like you, Bianca."

Confusion masked with irritation crossed her face. "What are you talking about?"

"You're still mad that Clive Ritchie didn't want both of us. This is because you want to sing solo."

Bianca took a step back, now almost completely hidden in the tree's shadow. "Scarlett, I'm your agent. Everything I do is to protect you. Performing in the showcase could cause so much legal trouble."

"Fine," I snapped. "I have to go meet Curtis." I turned to Aidan and kissed him on the cheek. "Bye."

********

Curtis stared across the booth at me. He'd picked a retro diner for our meeting place tonight. Usually, we alternated and did something the other one enjoyed.

I slouched onto the table and took another sip of my chocolate milkshake.

"Scarlett, are you okay?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Fine," I said.

"So, I've been thinking." Curtis rested his forearms on the table. "I got in touch with our biological parents."

I perked up. "How?"

"They left contact information for my adoptive parents."

I wondered why they hadn't done the same for me.

"Anyway, they invited us to spend Christmas with them."

The waitress arrived with our food, interrupting the conversation. As soon as she'd set down my burger and fries, I began eating. Curtis too, paused his thoughts and inhaled his chicken fried steak. We ate in happy silence for a few minutes.

"So, what do you think?"

"About spending Christmas with our biological parents?" I couldn't imagine spending Christmas with anyone besides my parents and Kit. "I don't know."

He looked up from his plate. "You don't know? We finally have a chance to see our real family and you don't know?"

I bristled. "Kit and my parents are my real family."

"Maybe they've been good to you, but they're not blood."

I pushed my plate away. It clinked against Curtis's and I waved for the waitress to bring the bill.

"They are my family," I said.

He huffed and rolled his eyes. "Unbelievable."

The waitress appeared with our check and then scurried away after I'd given her my debit card.

"They'll never be your real parents," he called after me as I left the restaurant.

I crossed my arms as I walked home. The Dunns were my family. They'd raised me and I wasn't going to throw away everything for biological parents that I'd never met.

My phone started buzzing.

"Hello?"

"Scarlett, I came up with a way for you to perform at the showcase!"

"Slow down, Aidan. How?"

"Meet me before class tomorrow."

********

Aidan and I waited for Bianca by my locker. A throng of music students walked past us, but Bianca was nowhere in sight.

"She's going to be mad."

"Let her." I rolled my eyes.

Bianca appeared at my side, a pair of sunglasses pinched between her thumb and pointer finger. "What did you need me so urgently for? Classes don't start for another half hour."

"My contract states that the record label cannot interfere with school activities."

"So?"

"The winter showcase is a school event."

"It's also for charity," Aidan pointed out.

"I don't think the media would be pleased if my record label kept me from participating in a charity event at school," I said.

"That's a thin argument." She crossed her arms.

I held her stare evenly. "Let Mr. Ritchie know we'll be performing together."

"Scarlett! You understand it's my reputation on the line too. We could both get into so much trouble."

"That's your job." I pointed to her. "You're my agent."

Bianca growled. "Why does everything have to be about you? You can't always have your way, Scarlett."

"No, but I got what I wanted today."

Bianca turned red and quickly walked away.

"Scarlett, are you okay? That was rude."

I turned back to Aidan. "No." I shook my head. "I'm not okay." Then I burst into tears.