Just What I Needed

Just What I Needed (25)

 “If you make me sing that chorus one more time I'm going to kick you in the balls,” Keely proclaimed simply, glaring at Seth through the clear glass.

“Not the chorus,” he said distractedly, fiddling with something on the panel again, “Second verse.”

Groaning verbosely, Keely slipped the headphones back over her ears.

She doubted she'd sang so much in her life, and was very much certain they'd broken a record of how many takes a singer had ever done on one song before. In fact, her voice was beginning to feel more than the usual pleasantly used, it was getting just slightly raspy when she spoke. Thankfully she was still managing to get her usual tone while singing.

Another many takes later, and much swearing on her point, Keely found herself finally out of the vocal booth.

With the exception of her song pulsating through the room, it had gotten silent. There was a definite lack of speaking, and therefore the bickering between them had taken a break as well. Keely was leaning back in her chair, a careful space away from Seth, her feet propped on the desk as her head dropped against the back of the chair, her eyes closed as she simply listened.

It was strange, hearing her voice all about herself. But it wasn't bad. Almost an out of body experience.

The song playing was one she'd recorded with Marco, but Seth had decided it wasn't good enough, and after working on the vocals, they'd settled into starting from scratch as they mixed the track. And although she'd never admit it,the song was almost breathtakingly better than it had been before. When they'd recorded it, she'd known there was something missing, but she couldn't put her finger on it and Marco and Colton hadn't heard it. But Seth had. And they'd fixed it, she didn't know how he'd done it, but he had.

So despite all the arguments and annoyance the boy created when he was around, Keely wouldn't take the day back for anything. Plus if she took back every time the jerk had made her scowl that day, she wouldn't have the song they'd written at the abandoned club.

Her inward musings were interrupted by a cold touch on her cheek, causing her to start until she saw what had caused it.

Glaring pointedly at him, she slapped the mug away, continuing to lean back. But he just nudged her in the shoulder with it, not even looking in her direction anymore.

For a moment she pondered the possibilities open to her. She could shove the mug back at him, making Seth get his own coffee. That would work, except for the fact that she'd be left alone in the studio and would probably end up snapping the master in half.

Anyways she figured the truce flag he'd waved that morning was still in effect, even if it had been raised so long before. Rolling her eyes, Keely snatched the cup from his hands and flung herself from her seat. She still had to deal with the boy for however much time they had in the studio, so she might as well make it bearable. She glanced back to him as she picked up her own empty mug, only to find him with the same intent look she'd seen as he played the piano, but now he was sliding a switch upwards testingly.

Deciding to keep any comments about her being some kind of slave to herself, Keely pushed open the studio door only to freeze in her spot.

That seemed to be happening a lot lately.

Since there were no windows or clocks in the studio, and neither of them had taken out their cell phones, Keely had no idea what time it was. But she hadn't expected the door she swung to open to pitch blackness, nothing moving in the depths. How had they not noticed the whole studio emptying? People surely would have told them, right? They hadn't been that focused, had they?