Reconnect: The Story of an old flame

Part 6: In the beginning...

June 2002

I walked into the bandhall early. There wasn't really anyone around yet but Jake did say that camp started at 7:30 and I was NOT going to give them a reason to complain. Besides, I wanted to find Tanya and give her the things I bought- it was suddenly very important to me that we not fall behind. As it was we were an eclectic mix of girls and everyone seemed to be doubting that it would work out-they expected us to fail and this bugged me. I wandered around a bit, heading to my locker and putting a few things away as I heard the first people begin to come in.

In the back of the main practice room there was a large and spacious, closet-like room with a door on either side. One door faced the hall and the other led to the main practice room. One of the walls was lined with large cubicles where the drummers kept their instruments. I could hear them laughing and moving around in there and I grew curious- I had never been in that room. Actually, only percussion was allowed in there. I had heard rumors of unknowing freshman stumbling in and getting knocked around for it. No one except a percussionist was allowed- no one.

"Hey." I heard Amy say from behind me.

"Hey." I said, turning to face her and noticing she was with a girl I had never seen.

"This is Gaby- she's the new freshman. Mr. Pine introduced her to me as I walked in." Amy said.

"Nice to meet you- Sara." I said with a smile.

"Nice to meet you." She said cheerfully. She was a pretty girl, very slim but with an athletic build.

"So- where is Tanya?" I asked, noticing that the drummers were coming out of the drum room and starting to set up their drums. It was already past 7:30.

"I don't know." Amy said, looking around.

"Not going to look good if our section leader is late on the first day." I muttered.

"What do we care what they think?" Amy asked.

"I just don't want them to have a reason to complain. Besides, she's the one that dragged me into this and I have all these things to give her." I said. We looked around, even Gaby who had never met Tanya before.

"Good Morning." Mr. Pine said, making us look towards him. "You girls look lost."

He was smiling, obviously trying to put us at ease.

"We were just waiting for Tanya." I volunteered.

"Oh right. She called me last week and told me that she won't be able to make it until after lunch all this week." He said. There was some silence.

"Oh." I said. She was abandoning us in the wolf's den. Great.

"Come on- let's get you guys fitted." He said, turning and walking towards the other side of the room.

"Fitted?" Amy asked.

"Well sure- you can't be a cymbal line without cymbals." He said as we followed. "Jake."

He stopped in the middle of the room and nearly made is topple over.

"Yes?" Jake asked without glancing over.

"Start warming up the group, will you?" Mr. Pine said.

Jake nodded and we continued walking behind Mr. Pine catching a glimpse of Mimi at a marimba in the front as we did.

We stopped again as Mr. Pine entered the drum room and pointed to some black round bags in the bottom cubicle.

"Go ahead- let's see what we got." He said.