Drumline Battle of the Field

16- Pete Barry loses his mind

Ally Barry thought she'd never hear the end of it. Her fathers sanity was closely drawn in with the source and the sudden disappearance of it had her father in a rage.

The band got it too, Rich Grenber had them reset for sour milk. Matt Gulag couldn't stop slipping the language of drum core into his everyday life. He was calling his pregnant wife and mentioned "dgdgdgdgrrrrrrk."

Yam Yam and Oliver were setting up for practice as usual. The Monday after everyone looked like shit. Their cords had little pretzels inside of them and Amhersts sound cord had loopy-loops all around.

Pete Barry approached. "What are thooose!" His voice caught Amherst of guard.

"Yeah I rushed clean up last night."

"I don't want you guys to do that. A happy cord is an untangled cord." He said, and then grabbed up Oliver's cords and started to fix them. Yam Yam started to help Amherst with hers.
"Don't even touch it! You're just going to make it worse. See, if you guys did it properly last night we would've been able to start practice already."

The marimbas had already started working on the swing section of the piece. (Swing: when the eighth note is delayed to make a happier beat. It is often used in Jazz music.) Pete Barry noticed they were just a tad off from the full childish and playful feel. He scolded them for this.

"Nope." He shook his head. "Boo-da boo-da not da-da da-da." He scolded. Everyone had scratches and bruises and hell, Yam-Yams face looked like it met a meat slicer.

It didn't seem like the band had it going very well either. Mr. Grenber through his hat on the ground and his beet red face screamed at them.

After that practice, Mr. Barry has decided that they were going to double their practices. Every night from after school to 11 o clock. He excused the students from their homework in school and even had the parents move their kids to a boarding house for the drumline students. No longer would they live at home. The parents were already suspicious of their injuries.

After a week of hardcore practicing, Pete Barry decided the frontline was too weak and put in place an hour work out everyday. This consisted of running and lifting weights. He also shifted all of their diets to meat and vegetables only. It was the only way.

Emily had smuggled in some candies one night. She was about to keep it all for herself, until Anshuman met up with her.

"I think you want to give me some of that."

"No. Why would I?" She asked, hiding it behind her back.

"Because of THIS" he pulled out a bag of the greenery.

Emily's eyes widened. There was no way he actually had that. He knew about the drugs. "What do you want?" She asked, expecting him to want something like money, sex, or a kidney.

"I just want some candy, that's all." He said.

Emily furrowed her eyebrows. She looked pissed. "All you had to do was ask." She grabbed a kit Kat. Then she panicked. What was even happening? She threw the piece at him and then ran.

Anshuman felt like a jerk. But he also felt powerful. It was amazing.

Meanwhile, seeing Ally and Jon together was starting to make Jenna feel insane. The jealousy was strong. She wanted to scream or cry or anything. She hated being a side girl, a secret, all because of Ally. She wanted to be open about things so she could hold her hand in public and take her places. Jenna wanted to show off Ally, and currently that's exactly what Jimmy was doing.

Jenna watched as Ally held Jimmy's hand and they split 16th notes. It was horrible, like he was taking her away and it didn't help that they were all now living in the same house.

"Ally we need to talk."

"Okay just a sec." She said, smiling.

Jenna looked at Jimmy with loathing while he continued playing sixteenth noted with the sticks and paying attention. "We have to talk now."

This caught Ally's attention right away. "Alright what's up?"

"I can't do this anymore."

Jimmy was confused. Ally wasn't sure what she was talking about.

"I want to be your girlfriend." She said very nervously.

Ally took a moment to think about what she was going to say next. The upsetting part was that she asked her this in front of Jimmy. "What? I'm not even gay, I'm a little preoccupied right now."

Jimmy placed an arm around Ally and she responded with a smile. "I'm sorry. I thought you knew I was straight."

Jenna looked at the both of them. She felt a wave of needles pass over. She felt her eyes burn and she felt her hands get moist. The brunette thought that Ally would love her enough to do that. She thought Ally would choose her over Jimmy, because that's who she really loved.

Seeing this look on Jenna Ally felt horrible but hid it for Jimmy.

Jenna left, walking down the whole hallway and to a bathroom far from the band room so she could cry her heart out.