Title: Triumph and Tribulations
Author: ThePhantomsRedRose
Disclaimer: Based on true events
Summary: Marching Band from the point of view of a junior just beginning. Can she get together with last year's first trumpet? What will her band think of it? The biggest question on her mind is: Will she survive Drill Camp
Authors Note: I have no Idea where this is going… because I am living it.

"Mom, please, lets go! I want to be there a half an hour early!" Adele Franklin said as she grabbed her purse and headed for the door. Adele was tall of medium build. She was pretty, when she wanted to be. Her hair was long and curly, but the humidity of the rainy beach air had begun to make it frizz out. She wore very light makeup and a pair of hoop earrings. Her glasses were very stylish with Austrian crystal embedded into the sides.

"Why, Adie? You just got back from finals a few hours ago!" Her mother Chris said, while rising from the couch.

"Because mom," Adele said sighing. "There will be people from other schools, and I have to prove that I am second in command. Beverly may be in command, but I have worked to hard this year for all of it to go to waste!" Adele said while walking to the car. She got into the 1985 silver BMW and stuck the key in the ignition.

"Oh shoot! I forgot to call Brian! I was going to invite him!" Adele said as she backed out of the parking lot.

"Oh, that's right! Well if your cell phone was charged we could pick him up now before heading over," Her mother said in a scolding tone.

"I can't believe he graduated Sunday," Adele said while turning out on to the main road. "I still can't believe that he likes me! Aren't we just so cute together," Adele said.

"Careful, you almost just ran into that car Adele!" Her mom scolded.

"Mom, I have had my permit since Saturday, come on, give me a break!" Adele said casting silence upon the car.

A few minutes later she was parking her car into the back of the school. She grabbed her case and folder out of the car as her mom climbed into the driver's seat and waved her off. The blue door was propped open with a block of splintery wood. She strode in with an air of confidence and walked up the levels of the room to the very back. She looked for the chair with her name on it and set her case down.

A voice from the corner office rang through the room, "Hey Adele." She stepped into the office to see her balding teacher, Mr. Manning. "Are you ready?" He asked.

"Yes sir, I've been ready for a year now!" Adele said as she exited the office. The boys in the room looked at her oddly as she left into the main hallway of the school. She went to the old, dysfunctional water fountain and got a drink. When she reentered the room, she saw her best friend, a freshman (soon to be sophomore) Filipino girl named Trisha.

"Trisha!" Adele said while running up to the girl to give her a hug.

"Ready for your first day?" Trisha asked.

"Of course!" Adele responded. "Hey want to go see if the teachers are still here, and if they have our finals corrected?"

"Yeah, lets go!

They walked through the hallways trying to find their teachers. Adele was looking for her sophomore English teacher, while Trisha was looking for her freshman science teacher. Adele's teacher was not in her room so they left for the upper wing for the science department. Trisha found Mr. Mendel and asked about her final.

"Ah yes Trisha, you have received a ninety nine, congratulations you missed three questions, but Jamie only missed one and got the same grade. You are in a close running for the top of your class!" Mr. Mendel said as the girls left the classroom.

"I hate Jamie," Trisha yelled as she ran down the stairs. "He is always one upping me! At awards night I just wanted to smack his sexist father and yell at him. He got angry just because I am second in my class!" Trisha said with her face turning red.

"I can't believe that Trish! Oh shoot look at the time, we should go!" Adele said as they ran down the hallway. When the reentered the room there were lots of people milling about, getting situated. The girls parted heading to opposite levels of the room. Adele began to unclamp the giant silver buckles on the black case sitting on her chair. When she opened the case she withdrew her trombone and then clamped the case back together and threw it in its cubby.

Adele watched as the new members started to file in. She may be the biggest band geek in the room after the drum major, but they were the first trombones. She was playing second trombone because she had only been playing for a year. She had played from 5th to 6th grade and then quit and at the end of Freshman year she had picked it up again for the next school years concert band. Within the concert band year, Adele had advanced in the ranks in the band room. The guy she liked was last years first trumpet player Brian Williams and her best friends were all band kids, as her friends before band had forced her out of their group.

Mr. Manning came out of his office and sat in his chair. He raised his baton and tapped lightly on the painted black music stand. "Okay everybody, time to get started!"

The band finally settled down, excluding the drummers who quieted down after the entire band stared at them. "Welcome to Marching Band. Let me do a few introductions. If you don't know me, I am Mr. Manning and I am the general manager of this program/music director. This person to my right is Beverly, your drum major, who will be your boss on the field. In the back is Randy, who is our drum assistant. In addition, behind me is Marguerite the guard mistress and Chaz the drill instructor. Now the band room will be our home this summer. There is a small, single bathroom and sink in the back, please keep it clean because the maid doesn't like to clean in the summer, that maid is me," Mr. Manning paused.

Or, it's the dedicated band geeks like me, Adele thought to herself.

"The theme is Bond, James Bond, Double OB meets Double 07," Mr. Manning said as the band laughed. The year was 2007 and their town, Old Ocean Beach was abbreviated as OOB. "Ready lets begin!"