Stormz on the Horizon

A Long Ride

Diamond

It was the morning of the first game. Us eight sat in the band hall waiting to depart. When I got to the school at 5:00, as directed by Dr. Whitlock, I didn't know this much chaos would ensue.

I'm guessing last minute game day stuff is what has everybody running around like chickens with their heads cut off. It started off mellow and sleepy, but as time got closer to go, Dr. Whitlock was getting quite antsy. Some of the band members were being rowdy and hard headed, so they've been getting enough of his mouth. What did he expect out of ninth graders? I mean really.

Taylor wasn't too far behind him, five of our uniforms popped which was absolutely one hundred percent not according to plan. She had the responsibility of sewing them back together and stoning them before we got to Dowdy. That only left her four hours, which apparently was nowhere near enough time. You're probably wondering, "Why won't she just put y'all in a different uniform?" Well that's the problem...this game was a last minute invite and our vendors delayed our uniform orders until mid season. Taylor was pissed without a doubt. This resulted in everything we're wearing to be made from scratch. In her book, this was a living hell to have to deal with, so we've made it a point to leave her be and let her work.

"Alright y'all checklist time," announced Williams holding a small note pad. "If you do not have everything on this list you will be left in Arabia."

Well damn, that's harsh. I'd hate to have to call my mama and say, "come get me."

"Nancy's? Not two left Nancy's, a right and a left," she enthused. "Cuz a lot of y'all did that last season and was lookin sick."

I won't lie, when I went to grab my boots from our closet, I did grab two lefts. Because I have common sense, I tried them on to make sure. What idiot wouldn't do that? I'm gonna assume they were rushing.

"Check." we spoke in unison.

"Jazz boots?"

"Toast tights?"

"Wrist bands?"

The list went on and surprisingly everyone had everything. Kudos to them. They spend so much time talking they would forget their head at home if they had to carry it around.

Jabari stood aside with all of our capes in hand. He would hand them out when we arrived at the football stadium. Those were last on the list and CANNOT be forgotten. No cape equals CUT. Cuts can happen anytime. You can be cut at practice, the day of a game, before walking out to perform, even in the stands. In the stands sounds plain embarrassing..If that ever happens Taylor said she would single you down saying, "go ahead and come on out for me," and you will sit next her with your cape on.

I might cry if I ever get capped. I will die making sure that doesn't happen.

"What possessed you to make us wear white?" Alorie sighed. "Cuz I think we look good in white, y'all don't think so??" Heiress responded.

"It gets dirty when we on the field," Jordyn admitted.

Everyone but me and CoCo agreed, but we could infer that wearing white on turf was risky. It was a safe color at the same time though, can't go wrong with white. I'm with my captain on this one.

"Well, we can't go back now. It's what we wearing sooo suck it up love," Heiress grinned.

The girls continued to badger on and on about it. Once it was settled we laid around, went over some counts, pretty much lolly gagged until it was time to load the buses.

Ah.

The buses...Taylor's dread all week.

"When I call your name and bus number, go straight to that bus! I need to see everybody in a seat. We running tight on time," Dr. Whitlock requested through his mighty bullhorn to the two hundred something people in the room.