~Marching Through The Eye Of The Storm~

Chapter 1

January 7, 2017

Harper turned to her friend, Skylar and decided to tell her about what had been on her mind since their rookie year of Marching Band ended two months ago.

"Sky, I want to play mello next year," she said as they entered the band room for Wind Symphony.

Her friend stopped in her tracks, facing Harper now and blocked the door for everyone else that was trying to get in.

Harper twiddled nervously with her necklace that held three steel nuts. The nuts she was given along with a bolt on their way to their last Marching Band competition... a tradition with the band. Her favorite necklace.

"What?!" Skylar demanded, her voice raising a few octaves.

"I want to play the mellophone for marching band next year," Harper repeated in more clarity, "I've been thinking and last night, I talked to my mom and she supports it. I just have to talk to Mr. Lemen and Mr. Brady."

Skylar was quiet as she was pushed away from the door by a Trombone player and the two walked to their respected seats. They each grabbed their instruments-Harper, her oboe and Skylar, her flute-and put them together along with grabbing their sheet music.

Wind Symphony was their last class of the day. Harper was also in the Symphonic Band for the fourth period where she played flute. After the bell rang, they packed up their belongings and as they stood up their friend walked over to them.

"Hey, guys," Hunter greeted.

Hunter was their only other friend, he played Trumpet in both Wind Symphony and Marching Band.

"Hi, Hunter," Harper responded, swinging her backpack over her shoulder and grabbing her Flute case.

"She's abandoning me!" Skylar complained.

Hunter looked to Harper, waiting for an explanation.

"I want to play mello next year for the marching band," Harper explained as they started to make their way to Mr. Lemen-the assistant band director-office.

"That sounds fun," he encouraged her.

Harper smiled at that.

"What sounds fun?" Mr. Lemen asked, overhearing.

"Making Skylar shorter," Harper joked, keeping a straight face and pushing up her glasses.

"Is that even possible?" Lemen replied.

"'Don't know. We were going to find out," Hunter added.

The three looked at each other then to Skylar, trying not to laugh. Then simultaneously, they broke out laughing.

"Ha ha. Hilarious," Sky rolled her eyes.

She was only 4'8" and fourteen years old. They joked about her being 'vertically challenged' and she couldn't deny that she found it enjoyable.

"Can I have some candy?" Harper asked the assistant director.

"Go for it," he replied without thinking first as he turned to face his computer screen.

The three teenagers lunged to the drawer full of stockpiled Halloween candy.

"I'm going to regret that," Mr. Lemen muttered, watching them fight over the last Swedish Fish before finding one more at the bottom and sitting on the couch.

"You sure will," Skylar reassured him with fake enthusiasm.

"So Lemen, what would you think of me playing the mellophone next year in Marching Band?" Harper asked after throwing her candy wrapper in the garbage bin.