Let it Ring

Memories

"No John why?"

"Remi! Stop doing that."

"Blyke! I thought you were my friend."

"I want a hotdog."

John leaned back as the group finished their fourth round of four player air hocked. Blyke had been declared the winner this time with John having two, Remi one, and Isen none. "Man screw this game." Isen pouted as he stepped away from the table. Blyke laughed before slinging an arm around the orange hair boy. "It's alright buddy, you can't be good at everything." John and Remi laughed as Isen clawed at Blyke like a cat before shoving him away. The redhead sighed, "man I'm beat, how long have we been at this?" John looked down at his phone, "damn, two hours."

"Two hours of Isen losing."

"Remi!"

The pinkette giggles, "we should go get some food. I'm starving, and I'm sure Isen is as well." Said boy turned beet red before turning away from the group. "Oo! I know this really good barbecue place nearby, it's right on the edge of campus so we're lucky." Blyke announced but received a groan from Isen, "but that's so far away from the dorms though." 

"Isen how lazy are you?" John asked, smiling when Isen glared at him. "You know what, I'm not going to dinner with you guys. You can go get barbecue, but I'm gonna eat McDonald's.

Needless to say they ended up eating McDonald's together. "As much as I love barbecue, you can never go well with McDonald's." Remi sighed happily as he stole one of Blyke nuggets. "I wish all campuses had a McDonald's nearby, this would've been amazing to have in middle school," John commented. Blyke hummed, "what do you mean?" The raven haired boy sighed as he leaned on his right arm. "I would've killed for some McDonald's after a rough day of school. My dad would make steak or something for me, but there's just something about McDonald's ya know?" The trio nodded before returning to their meals.

"So," John began, "when does competition season start?" Blyke and Remi looked up from their meals while Isen joined John's stare and looked at the two of them. Blyke set his burger down before clearing his throat, "well since it's marching season, Vaughn will focus on that, and allow us to sharpen our skills before he begins our concert music. Then we usually play for the school and families, then we compete. So, it won't be for a while." Remi nodded before adding, "but time flies so it'll be here before you know it." John nodded while Isen shuddered, "and then the stress will begin."

Blyke rolled his eyes before flicking the other in the head, "if you actually practice instead of lazing around all day then you'll be fine." Isen huffed, smacking the others hand away. "Of course I'll practice, I made the Wellston Orchestra, if I slack off, I'll get kicked out!" John shuddered, he really didn't want to be kicked out. He was still on edge from Vaughn judging him from a practice session, where he had made plenty of mistakes, but he was still here. "Oh my gosh Blyke! Do you remember last year when Thomas got kicked out." Blyke seemed to pause before he broke out into laughter, "that was probably the best thing to ever happen for us."

John arched an eyebrow, "what happened?" Remi giggled before speaking, "we used to have two harpist but Thomas got kicked out last year after breaking one of the harps." The ravenettes eyes widened getting laughs out Blyke and Remi, "how?" Blyke covered his mouth to hold in a snort, Remi having a harder time keeping her giggles tame, "he tried using the harp as a pole. Like a stripper pole." At that, Isen choked on his soda, coughing as he tried to regain his breath. "What the hell?" John was speechless. He remembered a similar situation where Zirian, someone from New Bostin, laid across the piano saying "draw me like one of your French girls" to one of the senior piano players. 

John really wished he could get that image out of his head, but his old directors face had just been priceless. A small smile formed on his face, that was a good memory. 

"Ha! I remember the time Isen launched his slide across the field in middle school."

"Blyke shut up! It was one time."

"Oh do you remember when Arlo attempted to play Remi's flute and almost passed out."

"His face was purple!"

"Or the time Kuyo tried playing Rei's piccolo."

"I'm pretty sure we all temporarily lost our hearing that day."

John watched the trio around him as they simultaneously recalled the memories they had made in the orchestra. Even Isen, who was new to the orchestra had a few memories with them. John hoped, he really hoped, that he could make similar memories. He loved New Bostin, and he missed it greatly. He already found himself wondering what Claire and Adrion were doing, or if Zirian and that guy ever got together. 

Then John thought back to the photo they had taken, how they were sitting eating together, and he realized that they were already making memories. He took a deep breath and sighed, and allowed himself to finally relax and enjoy himself.