You Snared My Heart: A Marching Band Love Story

3•Also the field

The first thing I noticed was the amount of kids already on the field. At least 100 kids had already flocked down to the turf field and were now setting up, talking, and just getting ready. Two metal podiums were set up on the east and west sides of the field. I knew enough from Lori to conclude that those were for the drum majors. A plethora of percussion was being assembled at the front. Again, Lori had told me that was for frontline.

A tall, dark haired boy stood next to a middle-aged man I assumed to be Mr. Gunderson. I headed over to say hello and ask about whatever I was supposed to be doing.

"Mr. Gunderson?" I asked. He smelled like peaches and prunes, an odd combination.

The man turned to me. He was short, with icy eyes.

"Do NOT interrupt me when I am speaking! Dear, can't you see that this is an important conversation! Solve your issues another time!! Your disrespect is hurting the band, starting with the drum major! I just can't believe it this year."

I stared at him, more in anger and shock than embarrassment. The drum major turned his dark eyes to me and frowned, creasing his eyebrows together. Mistakenly, I made eye contact.

His whole disposition screamed proud, headstrong, and arrogant. The way his dark eyes flared into me was like I was about to get flicked off the face of the earth. His hair was dark brown, nearly black and his height stood about 6 feet tall. He wore a pair of grey sweatpants and a black sweatshirt along with a pair of white marching gloves. I was definitely not intimidated. On the contrary, I think I could take him but the way the short stout man and this boy glared at me, I didn't think it was a great idea to stick around and watch my temper get the best of me.

I flipped around and quickly followed the crowd to the field. Neither of them gave me another glance as I stomped to Daniel, the only friendly face I could find. Everyone else was either too embarrassed for me or too oblivious to say hello.

"Sorry about him" Daniel apologized, his long features turning apologetic. I just huffed.

"Mr. Gunderson has no right to treat students like that!" I stopped when I notice him laughing.

"That's not Mr. G, Eleanor..That's Carl! We all-" he caught his breath. "We all think he's terrible and that little scene probably just won you respect. Most would've been in tears right now."

All I could say was "Oh."

I turned my head back once more to the short man, who I now knew was Carl, and the drum major experiencing the man's temper that was about as short has he was. I scoffed and shook my head, turning my attention back to Daniel who was beginning to rant about his dot change in the second movement.

I couldn't help but have my mind preoccupied. Within only my first ten minutes of being here, I had experienced the wrath of a short man who seemed to not have a happy bone in his body, a drum major who seemed to burn his firing eyes into my soul, and one hundred other people who stared me down like I came to school in my pajamas.

Yes this was literally how my life was gonna play out for me.