A/N: Hey everyone! I've read so many Marching Band romance stories on here, and none of them ever mention the pit, so I thought I'd write one of my own. In a way it's related to my real marching band life; practices three times a week, I'm in the pit since I have breathing problems and can't march my trumpet, I'm friends with most people in band, there are close to two hundred people in my band, and the fact that our drumline hates the pit during marching season, then treat us really nice during concert season. I did not use my name in this, so please don't start calling me Ella; that's not even close to my real name, haha. Anyways I hope you enjoy this fic; it lasts from the start of their marching season (in August) and ends in November at thier final show. A sequel pending on whether people like this fic. Thanks everyone!

She sighed happily as she got out of the car. "I'll see you after practice mom,"

"All right, have fun and good luck!"

"Ok, bye."

"You have your lunch, right Ella?"

"Yes, and my cell phone, medicine, wallet and keys. Don't worry! This is my first day back to band camp, but it is my third year. I know what will happen! Bye!"

"All right, bye." Ella closed the door and walked up to the stairs that lead to the band room. She tucked her brown hair behind her ears and started towards the steps.

"Hey! Ella!" She froze and turned around to see her friend who was the section leader for her marching section.

"Hey Kate!"

"Ready for this marching season?"

"When am I ever not ready for marching season?!" Kate rolled her eyes.

"You're such a band geek."

Ella smiled. "I sure am! And proud of it!"

"Come on, we don't want to be late for the first day."

"Yeah, let"s go," She turned back and ran up the stairs with Kate close behind. Ella had decided not to try out for section leader; she probably would've made co-section leader, but she figure it would be easier this year. She was definitely the most dedicated of the pit, even though she wasn't a percussionist the full band year, she was still really dedicated to the mallet percussion. "Hey! Hanna! How was your summer?" She asked her friend who was the junior Drum Major.

"Good, and yours?"

"Full of music as usual!"

"Why does that not surprise me?"

Ella laughed and moved around the room saying her hellos to her friends. Not all of her friends had continued with band (and she constantly gave them a bad time about that) but she still knew most of the band, and they at least knew her name.

"All right, if everyone's here we'll run through this years announcements!" Mr. Forte called out, causing the students to quite and look at the front of the award covered room.

Ella quickly sat on the floor at the front of the room ready to listen.

"To our incoming freshmen and everyone new, welcome to marching band! To our returning sophomores, juniors, and seniors, welcome back! This will be an excellent marching season, we have a show that I think you will all love and our wonderful instructors are back to help us. The only way to make this year better is your enthusiasm, and dedication. Yes Ella, I can see you're ready for this year, you have been for the last two, I'm sure you're even more ready this year."

Ella smiled up at Mr. Forte as the rest of the band laughed. "You bet!"

"If you all have attitudes like Ella we'll get through this year and have a lot of fun."

"No one can be as enthusiastic as Ella, Mr. Forte," Kate laughed.

"Well, if you all try. Now, we will have rehearsals every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, along with band camp which will be Monday through Sunday in two weeks. Well, I think that is about all the news I have for you all right now. Your section leaders will go over rules and I will get the drill and music out to those who need it. Now, everyone except for Colorguard, Pit, and Drumline stay here. Pit go through these doors behind me to my left, across the hallway and into the choir room. I believe the mallets are already over there. Drumline, go out that door in the back and discuss whatever you need to discuss, and Colorguard go through this door behind me my right, and into the cafeteria. Everyone else I will tell you where to go shortly."

Ella jumped up and lead the way across the hall. It had only been a few months since she had last been in this hallway moving the mallets across into the choir room so they would be safe. "Now where's the good xylophone?"

"Must be in a storage room," Kate commented.

"Well, I'll go get it, if someone will let me back into the building."

"I'll send someone down, but first let's get through introductions."

Ella turned and saw the small group of new members looking around the room.

"Oh, right. Nearly forgot. We're the only seniors for this section, aren't we?"

"You're both seniors?" A boy asked.

Ella chuckled. "No, we're juniors, what I meant was that we've been in this section before. Neither of us are full time percussionists though, so don't ask us to play snare. Though I do want to learn..."

"Back on the subject of introductions," Kate said pushing Ella further into the room. "I am the section leader-"

"What about her?" A girl asked.

"My name is Ella. I'm not a section leader, but you still should listen to me when I ask you to do something." She smiled. "That's a good rule to follow; listen to your elders. In life, and in band. Remember that."

"Thank you for that life lesson Ella. Now, I am Kate, the Pit section leader. Ella and I are going to teach you everything there is to know about being in the pit."

"Why can't we be in drum line?" Another boy whined.

"Because," Ella sighed, "you have to have discipline, and we have to know you can play mallet percussion. Besides, you have to try out."

"Why aren't you two in drumline?" The first boy asked.

"Because I can't march." Ella replied.

"Just because you can't keep time?"

"No! I am one of the best marchers in the pit. No, I can't march in drumline, or my trumpet, because I have breathing problems. I have a good chance of my throat closing up so I can't breath at all." She smiled. "Now, let's hurry up and get through introductions so we can get to music,"

"Excuse me," Hanna walked into the room. "Sorry, just have to hand out temporary name tags."

"No problem," Kate said. "It'll help us remember each other's names."

Ella nodded. "Well, should we go over rules after Hanna hands out nametags?"

"Good idea,"

"Oh, for those of you who don't know," Ella smiled and pointed to Hanna. "This is Hanna, our Junior drum major. Be sure to listen to her too."

"Well I think I will be on back field directing, so you won't see me all that much."

"At competitions we will," Kate said as she handed the girl, Kayla, her nametag. "Now, rules; Mallets never touch the ground."

Ella nodded. "We cannot stress that enough,"

"Yes," Hanna added before she left. "We can't afford to buy anymore new mallets."

"Listen to directions," Ella said. "Pit can be quite dangerous. Believe me, I know," She tentatively rubbed the back of her head.

"Don't beat up the instruments," Kate moved on. "They're beat up enough, we can't afford to damage them anymore."

"Can't we buy new ones?" The second boy, Alex, asked.

"Do you have an extra seven thousand dollars lying around?" Ella asked.

He was silent.

"No PDA while in uniform,"

"What's that?"

Ella chuckled. "Public Display of Affection, though I have heard Public Display of Abuse as well. It's not the second, it's the first one. For me that isn't much of a problem, since I haven't had a guy ask me out in over a year."

Kate rolled her eyes. "You're always such a drama queen when it comes to that Ella,"

She shrugged. "I'm sixteen and have only had one boyfriend. What can I say? How can I not be a drama queen?"

"Moving on, no eating or drinking while in uniform. No running, unless it's an absolute emergency, in uniform. What else?"

Ella thought a moment. "No PDA, no running, no eating, no drinking... make sure anything you wear underneath your uniform that could possible show through you don't wear that. You shouldn't be able to see anything through your uniform, and while in uniform you should not be able to tell whether you are a boy or girl. That is the rule, and it's one we sort of get to break. We aren't required to wear shakos in this band, but if you have long hair, you have to wear it in a ponytail. I think that pretty much covers rules... besides truck, golf cart, and drum trailer rules."

Kate nodded. "We'll get to those later."

"Well, should I get the good xylophone?"

"Yeah, you do that, and... Kayla, will you go out the door there, and to the end of the hallway?"

"Sure, why though?"

"Ella is going to bring a xylophone in here, but she has to push it around the building and the doors are locked."

Ella nodded. "Not much working, but enough for today I suppose. Why don't we show them all the storage room? There isn't much to see, and it smells kind of funny, but we may as well show them."

Kate tentatively agreed. "I suppose that is a good idea."

Ella quickly turned on her heel and walked out the doorway. "Follow me," She turned left and went down the stairs and froze. "Oh no," She muttered.

"Well look here,"

"What's wrong?" Kayla asked.

"Drumline," Ella muttered, she tried to smile at the group in front of her. "We just want the xylophone. Then we'll be out of here," She shoved her way through the group, quickly grabbed the xylophone she was looking for, and pushed it through the door. "Now we're out of your way." She made it out of the storage room, and nodded to Kayla to run to the other end of the hallway while she got the xylophone outside. I'm lucky it wasn't a marimba we needed! Ella thought to herself as the door closed and she began pushing it towards the back of the building. I'd be stuck back there with all the drumline guys smirking. Why do they hate us so during marching season, but concert season they talk to me like nothing ever happened!
Ella was so lost in though, that as she began to turn the xylophone she realize she had hit someone. "OH! I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention to where I was going!"

A boy smiled at her and shook his head. "No, it was my fault. I should walk slower around corners."

Ella froze.

"Are you all right?"

"Me? Oh! Yes, fine, fine! Sorry. I should be more careful while moving instruments."

He chuckled. "No, like I said. It was my fault. I was just showing my section how I march."

She glanced behind him to see the entire alto saxophone section (including her ex-boyfriend) watching the two of them. She blushed, "Oh, well I'll just get out of your way then."

"You name is Ella, right?"

"Yeah,"

"Nice to meet you," He said, his smile never leaving his face. "My name is Peter."

"It's very nice to meet you," Ella said as she smiled. "And I'll try not to run you over again I promise."

Peter laughed. "No, you can run me over any time."

"Ella! Are you coming?!"

She looked over at Kate and rolled her eyes. "I better go before I'm killed by my section leader."

"Yes, me too. Nice to meet you,"

"Yes, you too," She smiled at him one last time and began moving the xylophone one last time. Why is it always alto's? She asked herself.

"What was that about?" Kate asked, as Kayla helped her get the xylophone through the door.

"Nothing," Ella said as she glanced back at the alto's one last time. "I just ran into someone. I was just apologizing,"

"Yeah, and it took you five minutes!"

Ella rolled her eyes as she pushed the instrument up the hallway. "Whatever Kate. Can we just get on to the music? Please?"