The Drum Major and the Clarinet

The First Competition

"Sarah, did you pack your clarinet!?" Alex yelled at me from the other side of the band room.

"I did that 20 minutes ago, get off my back would ya." I said walking up to him.

I walked passed him and he grabbed my hood on my jacket. He pulled me in front of him. He just smiled at me.

"What was that about?" I asked.

"Just wanted to see your eyes." He said.

"That's a lame reason." I retorted. "I thought you were gonna ask me again about my clarinet."

"Well it is a 3 hour drive to the competition; I just wanted to make sure." He let go of my hood.

"Don't you think I'm at least responsible enough to pack my own clarinet?" I crossed my arms.

"Well, I just wanted to double check." He said before I walked away.

I grabbed my bag which had my pillow, phone, blanket, and books in it. I walked out to the bus an put my stuff in it. I placed it in the second to last seat, because no one is allowed in the last seat of the bus. I sat down for a little bit and wiped my hair out of my face.

I sat there for a while before I stood up and walked off the bus. I walked back into the band room and waited for everyone. I sat on the floor waiting patiently, when Lindsey walked up to me.

"Sup freshy?" She asked me, sitting down next to me.

"Just waiting for everyone." I responded.

"Yeah, the waiting is the worse part. Don't worry we have a 3 hour drive ahead of us, plus the drive is the best part." She said to me smiling.

"Do you have any idea of what time we'll be back here?" I asked her.

"Around 1:00 am." She guessed.

"Great." I mumbled to myself sarcastically.

"What was that?" She asked me not hearing what I said.

"Great." I said again only in a happier tone.

"Ok, well I'm going to go check my uniform." She said before standing up and walking over to the uniforms.

An hour passed and we were on our way to the competition. I sat in my own seat reading my book, 'The Longest Ride'. I listened to my music as I read, and occasionally getting lost in the music.

We had hit a bump making everyone on the bus jump, and making my book fly out of my lap. I looked down on the floor at it, and reached for it. I bumped my head with someone trying to pick it up for me.

I clenched my head and looked up at who it was; it was Alex.

"I didn't realize I was sitting next to you." Alex said shyly with his face turning a soft pink.

"Don't blush like that; you'll make me blush that way." I said as my cheeks turned a light pink.

Alex smirked and handed me my book. I lightly take my book from his hands, and bookmarked my place and put it away. I looked back up at Alex whose face returned to normal. He pulled out a notebook and a mechanical pencil. He opened it up to a page and began drawing. I stared down at the paper as he drew an outline of a head. He drew the center lines through the figure and began to draw the hair; long enough to put in a ponytail.

I looked away; out the window.

"Wait, don't move." Alex said erasing a section of the hair.

"Why?" I asked.

"I'm trying to draw you." He smiled softly.

My face burst red. "W-why would you do that?" I stuttered.