Backstage: Third Time's the Charm

Kit Dunn

Kit Dunn
Grade 11
Former Keaton Student

Ayla sat next to me in the music studio, while I edited Miles's recordings. He'd done well considering he didn't know the first thing about digital editing.

"Can you do anything about the pitch in the second verse?" She asked.

"Let me see." I clicked a few buttons and lowered Miles's pitch.

I couldn't believe Alya could listen to these without crying. She cared for Miles more than I knew, to put herself through the agony of listening to her dead boyfriend's music. Only a few days ago we'd edited No Picnic. She'd managed to get through the song without crying, even though he'd written it about their breakup freshman year.

Alya shifted on the barstool. "What's that one?" She pointed to another song on Miles's album.

The Wolf. I clicked on it and Miles's gentle voice filled the studio, reverberating against the soundproof walls. There was no music, only Miles singing a capella. Next to the title in parentheses he'd added (DJ Diamondmind?). This must have been the song Miles wanted to collab with.

"Turn it off." Alya's sharp voice broke through the soft vocals. "Turn it off!"

I paused the track and turned to Alya. "What's wrong?"

She took a deep shuddering breath. "I need a break. Maybe for the rest of the day."

"Go ahead. Bianca's coming in later to do vocals for Night Full of Stars and you don't have to be here for that."

After she left, I pulled on my headphones and listened to the lyrics again.

"Don't cry little wolf, don't cry.

This world was never meant for you and I.

Wolves are sometimes hidden by disguise.

A revolving wardrobe of little white lies.

Thought you were the predator, chasing my fatality,

but then it ended up being cliché.

I became the hunter and you the prey.

Don't cry little wolf, don't cry.

This world was never meant for you and I."

I paused the song again, realizing what had upset Alya. This song was about Julie, Miles's other ex. And it sounded like he still cared for her.

Despite that, the song impressed me. I already had a dozen track ideas for the lyrics before I remembered I was retired. But, I missed making music. Part of me was tempted to resume my career.

"Hey, babe."

Lost in thought, I jumped as Jax pulled my headphones off.

He leaned down to kiss me. "How's it going?" Jax nodded toward my laptop.

"Fine. Miles is a good musician. Was," I corrected myself.

Jax frowned. He sat on the stool next to me. "It's good to see you making music again."

"It's just a favor for Miles," I said. "I'm still retired."

Jax pointed to the Diamondmind track. "That must be the one Miles wanted help with."

"The lyrics are good."

"Good enough to make music?" Jax gave me puppy dog eyes.

"Jax," I sighed. Maybe I could come out of retirement just for this. Miles had been good to Jax and my other friends. I owed it to him. "I mean, I guess."

"Really?" His eyes widened. "Can I help you?"

"No," I said. "I need to do this by myself."

Jax glanced at the computer screen again. "Did you find a song titled 'My One Love'?"

"No?" I scrolled through the list again. "It's not here."

Jax's face fell. "Miles was working on it around Valentine's Day. I think it was about Alya. I guess he never recorded it."

"He'd written the whole thing?"

"There were lyrics in his songbook. He told me he was going to record it a few weeks before he died."

"Could he have recorded it anywhere else?" I stood and looked through his songbook. Sure enough, near the end of the book was a worn page titled 'My One Love'.

Jax squinted. "Why wouldn't he record it here?"

"If he was really sick, maybe he didn't get the chance. Can you ask Mrs. Lennox? Maybe there's something on his phone?"

"I'll call her after school."

"Call who?" Bianca walked into the studio, necklaces swinging round her neck. "Kit. Jackson." She smiled.

"Mrs. Lennox," I said quickly. "About Miles's memorial." Bianca would tell Alya about the song, and I didn't want to get her hopes up if we didn't find it.

Her smile faded. "Should we start recording vocals?"

"Yeah, I gotta bounce," Jax said. He kissed my cheek. "Later, Kit."

"I'm coming out of retirement," I said quietly after he'd left.

Bianca stared in surprise. "Really? Are you going to tell everyone you're DJ Diamondmind?"

"No. I'm going to do the track for one of Miles's songs."

"He'd would have loved that."

"I know." I pulled my headphones back on as Bianca started checking her vocals in the sound booth.