Interview Location: Tommy's Bedroom Doorway -- Jason Pritchett
He's leaning in the doorway with the guitar case in his hand.
"Finished it. Like actually finished, not one more thing to fix -- done." He looks at the case. "Now I want people to hear it."
It was Sunday night. They'd been at it since three.
Tommy had the beat locked for two weeks already, that slow heavy thing Jason had heard and known immediately. The closet studio was set up, mic cable through the wall, laptop open, levels good. The song was called Stupid Dog. Jason had written it fast once the feeling came through, the kind of writing where you're not deciding anything, just following it.
It was darker than anything he'd done before. More guitar, almost bare in places, the production staying back and letting the strings carry it.
They did three takes. The third one was the one.
Tommy sat back and listened to the whole playback with his hands behind his head.
"Shit, dude," he said. "That's really good."
"Thanks."
"No like -- that's different from the first song. That's a whole other side."
"I know."
Tommy looked at him for a second like he was going to ask something. Then he didn't.
They went through it a couple more times, tightening transitions, making sure everything could be performed live without too much going on at once. The guitar was doing most of the work anyway. That was the point.
"You signed up for that music club right?" Tommy said.
"First meeting's this week."
"I would've joined but --"
"Sports."
"Sports," Tommy confirmed. "You don't need me for this one anyway. This one's all you."
Interview Location: Jason's Bedroom -- Jason Pritchett
Later that night.
"The music club does a showcase at the end of the year. All the schools in the program, event center, three thousand people, record labels in the audience. That's why I joined." He pauses. "I'm going to be ready."
* * *
He texted Camille when he got home.
Jason: just finished recording something new
Camille: omg wat kind
Jason: rock. heavier than the last one
Camille: can i hear it
Jason: soon. not ready yet
Camille: ok ok. how was ur night tho
That was the thing about her. She always followed up with something that had nothing to do with what they were just talking about, just because she wanted to know. They texted until almost midnight. He told her about the showcase. She said that was kind of a big deal.
Camille: r u nervous
Jason: not yet. ask me closer to june
Camille: ill remind u lol
Jason: great thx
Camille: anytime :)
* * *
At school the next day he had the green guitar case over his shoulder. He carried it to the outside tables and set it against the bench.
Tommy was already there. Camille came with Lila, who Jason had talked to a couple times now and liked. Short, brown hair, she said things that were funny in that way where you weren't sure if she meant them to be.
It wasn't awkward. It was just four people at a table talking, which was either harder or easier than it sounds depending on the people.
Lila looked at the guitar case. "You carry that thing everywhere?"
"When I need it."
"He's had it since he was five," Tommy said.
"Basically," Jason said.
He told them about the music club meeting after school, that there might be performances.
Camille looked up. "Can we come?"
"Yeah, of course."
Lila pointed at Camille. "She's been asking about your new song since last night."
"Lila."
"He should know."
"I'm aware you exist," Camille said to her, very flat.
Tommy looked at Jason. They both stayed out of it.
Interview Location: School Hallway -- Jason Pritchett
After lunch. Guitar back over his shoulder.
"Lila said Camille's been asking about the song since last night." He keeps walking. "I'm not going to make a big thing out of that." He pauses. "But I heard it."
* * *
Miss Yula opened the auditorium door at three-fifteen. Bigger space than Jason expected. Lights up all the way, a keyboard off to one side, a couple of amps, music stands. About twenty-five students already, plus five parent volunteers setting up chairs in the back.
Miss Yula was early thirties, natural hair, reading glasses pushed up on her forehead. She had the kind of energy where you could tell she actually wanted to be there.
She explained what the club was. All types of music -- singing, instruments, songwriting, whatever you did. It wasn't like band class. It was about making things and working with other people and having a place to do it.
"And at the end of the year," she said, "every school in the program sends performers to the showcase at the event center. Real stage, real sound, real audience. Record labels come. Music supervisors come. It's not a recital. It's a show. Everything we do this year is working toward that."
Jason had known about the showcase before he walked in. But hearing her say it like that in a room full of people made it land different.
"Does anyone have something to perform today?" she asked. "Finished or not, this is just for us."
Four hands went up. Jason's was one of them.
He pulled out his phone.
Jason: performances starting now if u wanna come
Three minutes later the side door opened. Camille and Lila found seats in the middle section. Camille had her phone out. She waved once.
The first kid rapped over a beat he made himself. Two verses, tight delivery, good energy. Real applause after.
The second was a girl with an electric guitar, big voice, rock leaning. She knew how to move around the stage. Also good. Jason watched how she used the space.
Third was a quiet guy at the keyboard who played something he'd clearly written himself. No words. The whole auditorium went still while he played.
Then Miss Yula looked at Jason.
Interview Location: Auditorium -- Side of Stage -- Jason Pritchett
Guitar in his hands. Waiting.
"Three good performances before me. The rapper was tight, the guitar girl had real presence, the piano kid made the whole room go quiet." He looks at the stage. "Okay."
He walked out with the green guitar and stepped up to the mic. He spotted Camille in the second section. She already had her phone up.
He nodded at Miss Yula. She hit play on his phone, connected to the house speakers. The beat came in low and slow and Jason let it run a few bars before he touched the strings.
Then he played the opening riff. Single notes, each one landing clean before the next. The room got quiet fast.
He leaned into the mic and started the first lines, voice low and almost flat, the guitar chords underneath open and dark.
You were a man, and I was a dog. He let it sit.
You killed the spider for your own cause.
The guitar got heavier as the verse moved. He pressed into the lower strings and the sound thickened. A few people in the front shifted.
Of revenge, for revenge, you'll make amends to me.
The chorus hit and he opened his voice up. Pick your own poison and I'll make the bed -- the guitar almost grinding now on the lower notes -- pick your own face, which one today.
Lila leaned toward Camille. Camille didn't move. She was watching the stage.
Put me back in that cage.
He said it quieter than the rest and the guitar came up hard underneath it right after.
And you'll drink your whiskey and I'll collect shame from afar.
He hit the solo. He hadn't planned to go as hard as he did but the room was with him and he felt it so he let it go -- fingers fast down the neck, the green guitar feeding back slightly at the top before he pulled it back under control.
A few people made sounds. Not polite sounds. Real ones.
And you'll drive home drunk and you'll hit me with your car.
The room went still on that line.
He brought it back down for the final section, stripped everything back, just chords and his voice.
Stupid dog. He said it like he meant it, not angry, just true. Stupid dog, stupid dog.
The last chorus came through one more time and then he let the final note ring out and killed it.
Silence for a second.
Then the whole room. All at once. Miss Yula started it.
Miss Yula came over when the clapping settled.
"You wrote that?"
"Yeah."
"The guitar solo that's original?"
"yeah."
She nodded. "I want you at the showcase. Two songs by June. Can you do that?"
"Yeah. Definitely."
"Good." She moved on.
He came off stage and Camille was right there. She had her phone down.
"Okay," she said.
"Okay?"
"That was really good." She said it straight, not gushing, just sure. "Is it about something real?"
"Yeah."
She nodded once, like that was enough. She didn't ask what.
Lila appeared behind her. "I genuinely did not know you could play like that."
"Like what?"
She pointed at the stage. "Like that."
Interview Location: Auditorium -- Back Row -- Jason Pritchett
Everyone is leaving around him. Guitar case zipped up.
"Miss Yula wants two songs for the showcase. I've got one." He picks up the case. "Camille asked if it was about something real. I said yeah. She didn't ask what." He looks at the stage. "I liked that she didn't ask."
SONG BABY SPIDER MAGENTA WAVE