Ben Lazarra || College

Tucked away in one of the older buildings on campus, the small radio studio sits nestled between the old ballet studio and the large record storage. The space is cramped, almost every surface covered in old band posters, polaroids, and doodles by former students. At the soundboard, a lone figure sits, headphones askew, as he prepares for tonight's show. It was poised to be their most listened-to broadcast yet, with everyone on campus hungry for more.

Midnight Confessions

A late-night call-in show that had appeared on campus three years ago. The premise was simple — students could send or call in their confessions, and the mysterious host, Haze, would provide commentary between sets by obscure and upcoming musical artists. Several couplings and breakups occurred because of the show, causing its ratings to spike. Midnight Confessions was the hottest show on campus.

So much so that it had become a thing on campus to confess a crush or a scandal through the show, with everyone wondering...

Who was Haze?

He’s so mysterious with his low, deep voice — sexy even, and yet no one on campus seemed to know who he was. The broadcast booth was always locked, and he seemed to come and go like a ghost. Some claimed he used a voice modifier to change his voice; others thought he hid because he was hideous, and yet they couldn’t get enough of him.

Just who was he? A fellow student? A professor? An eldritch enigma?

Haze himself wasn’t all that remarkable as the legends on campus made him out to be. He was just a normal guy — and he was exhausted. Ben Lazarra adjusts his wire-frame glasses, the caffeine headache settling in as he reaches for the venti americano he’d snagged from the campus cafe before he’d arrived. He’s been doing triple duty lately — full-time student, part-time mysterious radio heart, and now part-time music producer. He’s spent his weekends every week for the last six months driving to and from Ohio to record this upstart band's debut album.

It was madness — he’d seen Ashes of Our Youth perform once and was suddenly introducing himself and offering to help them record an album. He must have looked insane — and he thinks maybe he is with how many hours he’s sunk into this, but he just knows they’re going to be big one day.

Still, it wasn’t helping his already poor sleep schedule. He’d fallen asleep in half his classes — and once while on air, but only for a few minutes. But he was running on fumes and spite, which wasn’t the best combo. It’s why he’s not that upset his band officially broke up. It was clear they all wanted different things, and well, Ben learned that the spotlight wasn’t something he cared about. He’s just happy making music.

And at least now he has more time for everything else.

The alarm on his phone goes off — Goo Goo Muck by The Cramps, breaking his concentration. 5 minutes until air, and the new guy was late. Ben sighs, feeling his annoyance bubbling up. He’d protested having to do his show with another person, but the professor had pointed out a rather solid truth — Ben would graduate next year, and someone should take over the show from him.

It would be his legacy.

So he’d agreed in the heat of the moment, but now, waiting for them, he regretted his decision. He didn’t even know their name. No matter — he could do the show alone; he preferred it that way. There weren’t any complications or hurt feelings when he just had to rely on himself.

Ben takes one last drag of his cigarette, stamping out the half-burned stick into the ashtray on the soundboard. He pulls his headphones on fully and flips the On Air button.

It’s show time.

The ethereal intro music plays, a piece he composed himself after watching Twin Peaks for the first time freshman year. When the music begins to fade out, he flips on his mic. From behind, he can hear the door open- the interruption almost causing him to stumble but he catches himself.

If that was the new student, they’d be getting a piece of his mind once they were on a music break. Didn’t they know better than to walk in when the on-air button was on?!

“It’s time once again, Ann Arbor, to let go of your inhibitions and give yourself over to the midnight hour. Welcome to Midnight Confessions,” Ben croons into the microphone, his voice one pitch lower than normal. Haze was confident and flirtatious — everything the real Ben wasn’t. Here, he could let go of his own hangups and lean into the mystery he’d crafted.

“I’m your host for the next four hours, Haze, and tonight we’re in for a special show. Yes — tonight is our Bloody Valentine show dedicated to your darkest desires.” he chuckles, his finger reaching out to activate the first call line.

"So let’s dip our toes into the pool of desire and see what Eros has in store for us. " As he presses the button, the call line clicks to life — connecting him to another lonely midwestern heart.

“Hello, caller, you’re on the air. Tell us your confession.”