A Time to Shine

Chapter 1: New Year, New Chapter

Abbie, the performer:

After a summer full of practices in the burning sun for color guard, Abbie finally awoke to the blaring alarm, alerting her that the new school year had approached. The first day of sophomore year was to be one full of promise and big opportunities. Abbie turned off the alarm and headed towards her dresser, changing into a simplistic outfit for her first day back. Abbie's mother knocked on her door, making sure she was awake.

"Abbie? Are you up?" her mother quietly asked. Abbie slipped her shirt over her head, then went over to the door and opened it for her mother.

"Whatcha think?" Abbie said as she posed for he mother. Abbie's mother shook her head, trying not to have an opinion on her daughter's selection for back to school day wear.

"Abbs..."

"I know what you're going to say. You don't like it do you?" Abbie's mother shook her head, "No, I do, it's just--."

Abbie turned around; trying to get a view of the outfit she had picked out herself. She went over to the mirror and ran her fingers through her messy but beautiful blond curls.

"I can always pick something else out," Abbie said as she started over towards her dresser. Her mother stopped her, pulling her shoulder back.

"There's nothing wrong with it, it just seems like much," her mother tried to explain.

"I can't help it if I'm trying to make a good first impression to the freshmen, or any new members of color guard, whoever they may be." Abbie's mother chuckled to herself, unsure of what exactly to tell her daughter.

"Well if a color guard shirt and shorts will be fine for your first day back without screaming captain, then you should be fine," her mother responded as she left the room. Abbie packed up the rest of her belongings and headed downstairs for breakfast. As she grabbed a piece of toast, there was a knock at the door.

"Abbie, I think Riley is here." Abbie raced over to the door to greet her. Riley, another color guard member and Abbie's best friend since childhood, looked all fancy standing at the door, while Abbie looked a bit underdressed.

"I thought you said you were going to wear something other than usual," Riley asked, looking unsatisfied with Abbie's choice of clothing.

"Look, I figured. If I'm going to step up my game this year and be color guard captain, I have to show everyone how stoked I am about being in color guard," she explained. Riley rubbed her forehead.

"Abbs, that doesn't mean you have to go all out in color guard spirit wear. We all know you are going to be elected captain. That doesn't mean you have to try and prove yourself worthy for everyone else's cause. You have shown us plenty of time that you are worthy of the position."

Abbie was unsure however. It was either Abbie as color guard captain, or Nichole, and Abbie was not letting some chick take her position from her. Abbie and Riley both grabbed their belongings and headed towards the school bus. Riley began rambling on and on about some guy she met over the summer, but Abbie wasn't paying much attention. Her occasional morning headaches always seemed to distract her from things, but this time her mind was on the matter of captain. She thought of all the ways it could go wrong, how she could be voted out by someone else, or how she wasn't destined to really be captain at all.

"Abbs? Are you listening to me?" Abbie was startled; her eyes wide open like a deer in the headlights.

"Sorry, I was thinking," she responded.

"What were you thinking about?" Riley asked. Abbie tried to focus on what she had been worried about, but her mind suddenly went blank. She tried to remember what Riley was talking about, but her mind was pretty shot. It was like all the sudden she had even forgotten where she was or what she was doing.