More Than Just A Tag (Slow Updates)

Chapter 9: Calm Before The Storm

I've lost count now on how many days I've been doing this for now... Uploading everyday. Anyway, I'm just gonna leave ya to read in peace...

Enjoy
~Bhumi Sukha

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"Please have your essays turned in by next week. And you all know that I don't accept late work. So to those who like to procrastinate, get on it!" Announces Mr. St. John in his loud booming voice that no one can fall asleep to.

With that final announcement, the bell rings and with that, everyone jumps up from their seats and rushes out of the door. Me being the one wanting to avoid Riley, I'm one of the first people to leave the classroom and book it to my next class, Band. A class that I don't have with Riley.

I step into the band room and smile my brightest smile at Mrs. P. Her full name is Mrs. Pilgrim, but she insists that we call her either Mrs. P or Mama P. She has the brightest and funniest personality out of all the teachers I have met, making her my favorite. She also has that motherly personality as well, making it feel like I have another mother.

I've had her since 5th  grade and since the first day, she's taught me my love of playing music. She says that I have a musical talent, since I can play almost every instrument she throws at me. Flute? Yep. Clarinet? You got it. Trumpet? French Horn? Trombone? Check, check, and check.

From low brass to woodwinds to percussion, I can play them all and I'm so glad that she supports that. But everything aside, her short figure and bright attitude may look harmless, be warned, she can be a bomb when it comes to something so bad that she just has to explode. She's the type of teacher that is so patient, it makes you wonder if they even feel anger.

Anyway, praising aside, she smiles back her blue eyes shining and her dyed blonde hair growing slightly past her shoulders up in a loose bun. As she smile back she sings a good morning to me and I repeat it back to her as I walk towards the percussion section, my main instrument.

I start warming up on the xylophone by playing state scales and then eventually move onto the snare drum to practice paradiddles and the 5 stroke roll. I eventually pull out my sheet music and get everything set up as the rest of the symphonic band starts filing in and warming up.

As Mrs. P gets up and moves to the little stage in the middle of the room, to conduct us all into our first song, my thoughts subside and all I can hear is the music drifting together from the band. All I can see is the sheet music and Mrs. P steadily giving the tempo.

All I can feel is the wood of the yarn mallets to the xylophone and I gently hit the wood of the xylophone, letting the soft note rise out of the instrument and into the air, joining the rest of the noise. Nothing bothers me when I'm in daze, not even the conversation during lunch can bring my mood down.

I continue to feel like this throughout the block up until the bell rings, signaling the end of the day, and snapping me out of my haze.

I quickly pack my backpack and rush out the door yelling a have a good day to Mrs. P as I leave. Hearing a faint reply back. I rush to my locker, grab a sticky note, write a quick note, and grab the rest of my stuff that I need for today. I slam my locker shut and rush to Riley's locker and shove the note inside, explaining that I had to leave in a rush cause I had something to do after school.

I know that this avoiding thing is childish, but what can I say? They hurt my feelings, knowing that this is important to me. I rush to my car, hop in, and quickly drive off. Ignoring the constant rings, and buzzes of my phone going off.

'I'm sorry Riley. I can't right now. I have a meeting with Dragon and I can't risk your safety.' I think to myself, hoping, praying that Riley realizes what the date is today and leaves me alone.

I speed towards the orphan home, hoping that today's meeting doesn't end up like the last one.

'Let's just make sure that nobody gets shot today.' I think to myself as I desperately drive home in anticipation of what is to come next.

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Ok. So this was an extremely short chapter, I am aware of that. The reason for it is because I just wanted this to be a somewhat filler chapter. That and I got lazy. Anyways, don't forget to please vote and comment. The votes really make my day. And with that, I hope y'all have a good day or night, depending on when you're reading this!
~Bhumi Sukha