Between Love and Music

2- Chase Jumps on the BAND-Wagon

SPLASH!

 The cold water felt great on my sweaty skin. As I came up for breath, I saw my two friends from Marching Band. Will and Ryan. Ryan was in color guard. She was wearing a purple, shiny two piece. She was propped up on the ladder, texting. I swam out in the middle. Will was sitting on a lounge chair, eating a sandwich. I ducked my head under once more then said to Ryan, "How much time left?" She checked her phone. "Thirty." I smiled and grabbed a float from the side of the pool. We were sitting in my backyard, on my pool deck (or in the pool). Since our band is so big, we're allowed a two hour break to get lunch or whatever. Then, we have to go back to band camp. After about ten minutes, I stepped out of the pool and went to the pool house. I found a new set of white shorts and a purple tank top. I grabbed my purple Nikes and changed. When I got outside, Ryan had already changed and Will, the loser, hadn't even gotten in the pool. We each grabbed a water and ran down to my SUV. We pulled out of my drive way and rode to the school. "Have you talked to Carlie?" I asked Will. We were talking about Nick's girlfriend, who didn't make it to the first half of rehearsal. Nick and Carlie were both trombones, which is how they met. "Carlie is coming for the second half." I nodded and pulled into my normal parking spot with 10 minutes to spare. I slowly walked to the doors of the band room. I tried to pull open the doors but they were locked. I knocked once and saw Kaleb look towards the door. 'KALEB! I KNOW YOU SAW ME. NOW OPEN THE DANG DOOR BEFORE-" I heard a click and the door opened. I stumbled but regained my balance. Everyone was laughing. Not at my fall, but at the expression on my band directors face. "And this Chase, is your other snare." He smirked at me then, gave me the once over. I scoffed and pushed past Carlie, Nick, Veronica, Kaleb, and Will to my locker. I threw my keys and phone inside and reached for my drum sticks. When I didn't feel anything, I got on my knees to look. Nothing. I spun on my heels and marched right to my band director’s office. "Where are my sticks?" The new kid smirked again. "Sorry, I have them. I forgot mine so I asked to borrow yours." My eyes widened but, I ignored the new kid. "What am I supposed to play with, Mr. Kein? My fingers?" He leaned back in his chair. "Who said you were playing?" Unphased, I spoke. "Who else would? Kaleb? Nicolette? Scott?" Mr. Kein laughed. "Maybe you should let another snare have a shot." I scowled and walked out of his office. Digging through my bag, I found a spare set of sticks. By the time this was done, it was time to head out on the field. As I was walking down, I started to hear whispers. Looks like she didn't get what she wanted this time...The new guy is HOT...I heard he's better than Hope...He stole her sticks...

I bit my lip and jogged to the field. My snare was waiting on the side lines. I strapped it on and found the new kid. "Charles-" I was interrupted. "Chase. My names Chase." I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. It seems we'll be spending some time together this season so here are the rules: No flirting. No talking to me if it's not about band. No stealing my music. No stealing my drum sticks. No stalking me. No touching my snare drum. No touching my music. No touching me. I will probably make up more rules as nessacary. Got it? Good. Here are YOUR drum sticks." I shoved the others into his hand and yanked mine from the holder on the side of his drum. He hadn't spoken a word to me so far, which is good. "All right everybody! Get in a block, and we'll finish rehearsal!" The assistant band director yelled.

We marched the field up and down, I kept tempo. Every so often, Chase would look over at me. Finally, I said, "Eyes up front, kid." Now Reader, I realize you probably would like to know what Chase looks like. He had golden brown hair that looked like he had just gotten out of bed. He had piercing green eyes that he liked to roll. He was tan. Probably from going to the pool too much. He was tall. I hated all of this. He was like Kaleb in a way. All the girls thought he was cute. Unlike Kaleb, he was arrogant and quiet. If you roll with me, you have to be loud. This dude...I SWEAR NEEDS TO STOP LOOKING AT ME. This dude, could not play worth two cents. But obviously Mr. Kein thought different. "Hope, let Chase try the tempo." I reluctantly stopped. Chase had tempo for the rest of the day.

 When practice ended, I jogged to the band room. We greeted the pit and went to our lockers. I grabbed my bag and found my keys and my phone. Shoving my sticks, phone, and water bottle in my purse, I headed to Mr. Kein’s office. "You can't be serious. He can't play. He is arrogant. AND he stole my sticks. Where did he even come from?!" Mr. Kein blinked. "Winchester." I gulped. Winchester was the school for the bands. Their marching band was bigger-and better- than ours. All they did was practice. Why would he come here? I asked Mr. Kein. "He came because he got tired of being overlooked. With only three snare drums, that's impossible here. He realizes that the drum line is your territory, so he's keeping quiet. I suggest you be a little but nicer to him, and maybe he'll show you some things." I nodded and told Mr. Kein I had to go to work. This was a lie. He gave a small nod and I left.

Arriving home, I saw my Dad mowing the lawn. My mom was probably inside cooking. Times like these, I missed my brother. he was off in collage, doing his thing. He was the football star of the town. Sometimes I felt like the outsider. The band geek. I almost quit one year because I felt so much like an outcast. School was starting in three days and I had no new clothes. Snobbish, I know but, with my school, "new" is the word. I showered and changed, then left again. I picked up Ryan and we drove to the mall.

The ride was filled with giggles and lots of music. When we got there, I parked next to a red Volkswagen. We skipped like the cool kids we are, to the door. We went to Aeropostale, Hollister, Abercrombie, American Eagle, Body Central, and Rue 21. I used money from work to get my clothes, plus the $250 my mom gave me to buy a school year’s worth of new clothes. "DUDE. WE HAVE TO GO TO DICK'S!" Ryan groaned. She hated Dick's. "Whyyyy?" I laughed. "Marching band rehearsals, competion, band trips, gym class...should I say any more?" She rolled her eyes but started walking in the direction of the sporting goods store. It smelled like air freshener and the lights were really bright. I ran over to the shorts and T-Shirts. "Oooh! I like the purple ones!'' I said by the shorts. A deep, yet strangely annoying voice said beside me, "I can see why. That’s Winchester's colors." I fought the urge to cringe and settled for an eye roll. I looked at Chase.  "What did I tell you about not talking to me?'' He smirked, "You said, and I quote," His voice changed into a higher pitch,” ‘No talking to me unless it's about band.' Which I am talking about band." I scowled. "Well you know what? I also said that I'm making up rules as I go. No talking to me outside of band. Got that?" I scowled again, for emphasis. He smirked again and whispered, "Smile. You look cute when you do." I scowled. “I also said NO FLIRTING”  I spun on my heels and grabbed the RED shorts. He yelled from behind me, "Baby! Red's a color of aggression!"

Scowl.

Scowl.

Scowl.

Hee hee. I have SO much fun writing this. :)