Hey there!
So I haven't written in a REALLY long time. I don't think this is one of my best works, but I worked hard on it. I've never written a one-shot, so we'll see how this goes. :) No I am not dead, I've just had no time to update my other story. I'm probably going to stop it anyways because I've lost all interest in it.
This story is dedicated to my best friend, Mandy. It's almost her 16th birthday, so I thought I'd write a little story for her.
I didn't use any real names so...
Melody is based off Mandy.
Elizabeth is based off me.
Rick is based off someone in the band.
I made up Kevin :)
I hope you enjoy it!
The sun was not shy as it shone its brilliant rays down on the heat absorbing, concrete parking lot. The tall pine trees were as still as statues, showing that not a single gust of wind had blown for quite a while. Birds were singing their happy songs, for they got to hide in the shade of the tress or fly in the sky and have a breeze blowing against them. On the slab of gray concrete, about one hundred and fifty high school kids were running and learning their parts for the most anticipated time of the year. Marching Season.
All the kids gave their band directors numerous glares as the two men sat happily in their tower, under the shade, and with fans blowing on them. It was the first day of band camp for this happy bunch of kids. Nine in the morning to nine in the evening was their schedule for the next five days, and some of those days going until eleven at night. Why go to the beach or eat some ice cream when they could be carrying heavy instruments and running back and forth on the parking lot? That sarcastic thought went through all of the minds of the band members from the new freshman to the most experienced senior.
The band was currently split up in sections while their section leaders went over marching sideways with the veterans and teaching the technique to the rookies. Melody, the trumpet section leader, wiped some sweat off her forehead as she went over the exercise with her section. She took off her twin brother's aviators and cleaned them with her tank top, revealing her light green eyes to the blistering sun. Her section took this as a sign to relax and hung their trumpets in one hand by their hips. Her eyes shot up and gave them a joking glare, and the veterans smiled at her while the rookies were unfamiliar with her personality and pulled it back to attention. The veterans told them to relax, and they glanced nervously at Melody before they rested their arms. She slipped the sunglasses back over her eyes and looked up at the clear sky, hoping to find a dark gray cloud somewhere. Her rosy cheeks blended in with the rest of her face since she forgot to apply sunscreen earlier. She puffed out her cheeks and sighed, then fixed her tank top, and put her hands together in front of her.
"Squad ten hut!" She shouted as she clapped her hands together.
"One!" The trumpet section yelled as they snapped back to attention. Melody nodded happily as all of them stood still with their trumpets to their faces.
"One!" Melody turned to see the trombone section on the other side of the parking lot all with smug looks on their faces as they stood at attention.
Their section leader, Melody's best friend, turned around and fist pumped the air happily. Melody rolled her eyes at Elizabeth and turned back towards her section. That was a tradition between the trombone and trumpet sections. One always tried to be louder than the other, and Elizabeth was big on the tradition and was keen on winning each time. Typical Elizabeth. Her and her men. She thought to herself. Melody laughed and began to clap a steady beat for the exercise she told her section to do.
She noticed one rookie tripping over himself as he tried to twist his body parallel to the front wall, and she took note of it. The section took their last step and snapped their trumpets down together, except for the one freshman who snapped down a little late. Melody sighed to herself and called one of the veterans over, a senior.
"Hey Rick, do you think you could watch the section and go over that exercise a few more times? Kevin is struggling a little bit so I'm going to take him out and work with him one on one," Melody explained to Rick. Rick nodded and ran back over to the section.
Melody called out Kevin's name, and he looked up with slight fear in his blue eyes, thinking he was in trouble. Melody laughed a little to herself and took him to the corner of the parking lot, where some shade was. Kevin took off his baseball cap and ruffled his wavy brown hair a little before putting his hat back on. Melody took the hair band around her wrist and put it in her mouth as she started to put up her short, light brown hair.
"So, Kevin, why do you think I called you over here?" Her question was slightly muffled from the hair band being in her mouth. She wrapped the tie around her ponytail and secured it before crossing her arms over her chest and looking at him.
"It's because I suck and you want to kick me out of band, don't you?" He looked down at his feet and sighed.
"No no no no! Of course not!" Kevin looked up with hope in his eyes.
"Then, no I don't know. Why?" He tilted his head slightly at her, confused.
"Well, I noticed you struggling a little with the technique, and you don't seem as confident in your actions as some of the other rookies," Melody shifted her weight from foot to foot.
"Yeah, it's all just so overwhelming. I don't think I'll ever get the hang of it," He sighed to himself and his shoulders sagged.
"Hey, I was just like you when I was a rookie. I'm still learning now, so you're not going to perfect everything right away. I still haven't quite got jazz running, and I'm still learning how to be a good section leader. You'll get everything eventually. Just work on making everything better, not perfect, but better than the last time you did it," Melody put her hand on Kevin's shoulder encouragingly and smiled.
"Thanks Melody!"
"You think you're ready to go back to the section?"
Kevin nodded his head furiously and hurried back to his spot in the back line of the section. Melody smiled to herself. It was just 2 years ago when that was her. He'll be section leader one day. I know it, she thought. Melody realized she was still learning to lead, and how to be confident in her actions. Her mind started to drift to back in May, when she received her title as trumpet section leader.
Flashback: May 2011. Band Banquet
Melody was wiping the stray tears from her eyes. They had just shown the video recapping the previous season and saying a final goodbye to the seniors. She had so many senior friends she didn't know what she was going to do. Her best friend, thankfully a junior, gave her a quick hug before turning her attention back to the front of the hall.
"Now, we will be announcing the leadership team of the 2011 marching season," The band director said confidently through the microphone.
Melody instantly tensed up, and she started to play with the end of her black dress. Elizabeth, also going for a leadership position, grabbed her hand, and Melody could see the excitement in her eyes. She had already been trombone section leader in the previous season, and she had no real competition for the spot since her only real competition was a sophomore looking at the drum major spot. So her spot was a given. However, Melody's wasn't. She was just a sophomore, and the section leader from the previous season was a junior, so he would probably get it again. Although, she heard a rumor he wanted to be drum major, but he refused it to be true. She wanted the spot so bad, but she had prepared herself the night before that there was a high possibility she was not going to receive the title. Her feet started to tap impatiently, and the director finally began.
"Flute…"
Melody closed her eyes and wiped some sweat from her forehead.
"Clarinet…"
Melody pictured the junior in front of her on the field telling her what to do and being her section leader again.
"Saxophone…"
Melody screamed in joy as she saw her good friend step up on stage with a huge smile on her face, but not before she did a little dance in celebration.
"Mellophone…"
Melody pictured herself clapping and calling the section to attention.
"Trumpet…"
Melody immediately squeezed Elizabeth's hand, and she felt her friend grab her shoulder and rub it comfortingly.
"Melody…"
Melody didn't need to hear the rest. She wrapped Elizabeth in a hug with tears of joy streaming down her face. She jumped up from her seat and took her rightful place on the stage next to the mellophone section leader. She looked out in the seats and saw the junior look at her and give her a thumbs up. Her smile stayed on her face as she waited for the rest of the leadership team.
"Trombone…"
Melody clapped and cheered as her best friend waltzed up on stage and proudly took her spot next to Melody. It turned out that the junior in her section was lying all along about not trying out for drum major. He, a good friend of Melody's in the flute section, and the sophomore in Elizabeth's section received the drum major titles.
Melody clapped for all the well-deserving people standing on stage with her. She felt on top of the world, like she could do anything. She knew one thing for sure. She would never forget this night throughout her entire life.
End Flashback
"Melody! Hey Melody!" Melody's thoughts were snapped back to reality as she saw Elizabeth running towards her. Her dirty blond ponytail flailed on the back of her head and her sage green eyes were hidden behind her sunglasses. Coincidence our eyes are the same color…Melody noted in her head. Elizabeth realized she forgot to set down her trombone and placed it down next to Melody's trumpet, which was only half the size of her trombone.
"Didn't you hear Mr. G say water break?" Melody noticed Elizabeth habitually stick her tongue out a little and bite down on it.
"Oh really? Haha, my bad. My mind was somewhere else," Melody shrugged it off. I need to stop daydreaming and focus on my section, Melody scolded herself. She puffed out her cheeks in frustration at her distant mood.
"Haha! You're so cute. Have you noticed you always puff out your cheeks like that?" Elizabeth poked one of Melody's cheeks jokingly.
"Hey watch it! Sunburn!" Melody jumped away.
"You moron you have naturally red cheeks!" Elizabeth punched her in the arm. "Anyways, how are you handling being section leader for the first time? A lot more work then it seems isn't it?"
"Oh yeah! Why didn't you warn me?" Melody stuck her tongue out at her friend.
"I did! Multiple times! But, like me, you didn't listen," Elizabeth winked at her.
"Haha, oh yeah. Well, thanks for supporting me. Being section leader has some of its perks," She stretched her back and cracked her neck.
"Yeah, like not having to hold it up when we split into sections. I love it! Even though I'm already strong enough," Elizabeth flexed her muscles, like she always did. She loves to show off that she's got a section of mainly guys and she is stronger than me. Melody rolled her eyes.
Before Melody knew it, Elizabeth started to jog towards the curb where a refreshing cup of water awaited for her to drink. She sighed in content and ran to beat Elizabeth to the curb. They got to the curb at the same time, but before she picked up her water, Elizabeth had somehow gotten two ice cubes down her back.
"Hey! Oh my goodness that's cold! Oh wait…oh that feels good," Melody smiled to herself and casually picked up her water. While Elizabeth drank her water, Melody sneakily poured some water on her friend's head and got some looks from the band moms. But it was worth it for the surprised look on Elizabeth's face when she turned towards her.
Before they knew it, the drum majors were calling them back onto the field. Many groans were heard throughout the band as they all sluggishly got onto their feet and got back onto the parking lot. Melody ran ahead of the rest of her section and turned around to encourage them to quicken their pace. She picked up her trumpet and waited by the wall for the rest of the trumpets to file into their lines.
This year is going to be amazing. I'll show everyone that I was the right choice for my section. The trumpets will be the strongest section in the whole band. I'll make them strong and confident. Watch out trombones, the trumpets are going to be louder this year. Bring it on.
Well there it is. I'm not that proud of it, but I hope you guys thought it was good :)
Happy 16th Birthday Mandy! You are the best friend a girl could ask for! Hope you liked this :)
Review if you would like to. I certainly would like it. ;)
xXxRainleafxXx
