Life Of A Sin

Chapter 1

~Anastasia's POV~

It's Friday morning, and I'm waiting at my bus stop to go to school. I am currently a freshman at Grapevine High School along with my two best friends Jamie and Hideki. I watch as my bus turns the corner, and stops in front of me. I climb onto the bus, along with the other students, and sit in my everyday spot. I stare out the window, until the bus stops at the next scheduled stop. I pull my backpack onto my lap and watch as a tall boy with tan skin, blue eyes, and half shaved light brown hair, sits next to me. This boy is my best friend, Jamie. Jamie is a varsity basketball player at the high school, and he's a big supporter of the GVHS marching band. He comes to all of our competitions and all our football games, and even though he isn't in the marching band, everyone likes him. He usually helps out the percussion whenever we need an extra musician in the stands. He's great, and we've been best friends for as long as I can remember, really, I'm not kidding. My mom said we met at GVHS preschool when we were three, and we've been inseparable ever since.

The bus turns into the parking lot of our school and continues to drive until it turns the corner around the baseball fields and drops us off behind the football field. Jamie and I climb off the bus and start walking down the side of the football field. Along the track next to the football field, are the hurdles which are set up for track and field. While Jamie and I are walking down the side of the track, he starts to run and he jumps over the five hurdles that are set up in a line. He runs back over to me and smiles. "Heh, show off," I smile as I watch a few boys behind us attempt, and fail, to jump the hurdles.

At the end of the football field, the first building we see is the performing arts building. We walk through the double doors and walk into the band/orchestra room. Mr. R, our band and orchestra teacher, is standing in the front of the room and talking to someone unfamiliar. Jamie and I walk towards the back of the room and sit next to our friend Hideki. Hideki is a freshman member of the marching band, who just moved to California in eighth grade. Hideki is taller than me(but shorter than Jamie), has pale skin, grey eyes, and has long, slicked back blonde hair. Hideki is a front ensemblist, meaning he plays the marimbas and sometimes the chimes.

"Hey Hideki," I say while sliding my chair next to his.

"Good morning, Stacia," Hideki responds. "You too, Jamie," Hideki says while smiling over at Jamie.

"Did you guys hear that Mr. R is retiring this year?" Jamie asks.

"Yeah, but there's no way he'd retire halfway through marching season," I respond.

"That's true, Mr. R wouldn't do that to us," Hideki agrees.

"Well, of course he wouldn't just quit halfway through the season. He's planning on retiring over winter break," Jamie says.

"What?! Are you sure?" I ask.

"Why would he do that? We had a band trip planned, and he seemed really excited for it," Hideki comments.

"He's planning on coming back for the trip as a chaperone. The upperclassmen say Mr. R isn't officially retiring, but he's still going to be assisting our new band director even after this year," Jamie explains.

"Really, who's the new band director?" I ask before the school bell rings and Jamie stands up from his seat.

"Well, that's my cue to leave, see you guys at lunch!" Jamie says while walking out of the band room.

About five minutes later, everyone is sitting with their section and already has their instruments unpacked. I am sitting in the first row with my flute on my lap, as Mr. R stands on his podium. "As you all know, I will be retiring this year. I have planned to retire over winter break, but I will continue to assist with the concerts as well as future marching seasons. You are all probably curious as to who will be taking my place as the new band and orchestra director. Well," Mr. R holds his hand out to the unfamiliar girl we saw Mr. R talking to when I walked in with Jamie. The girl looks like a Junior and is short enough to be a freshman, but has a mature vibe coming from her. She has a quiet composure and her eyes look soft. She has pale skin, green eyes, shoulder length black hair, and her bangs completely block out her left eye. The girl walks up next to the podium and smiles to the band. "This is Ms. Louella. Why don't you go ahead and tell everyone a bit about yourself," Mr. R steps off the podium and gestures for Ms. Louella to stand on it.