A/N: Hey everyone! Just thought I'd update before I leave. If you didn't know already; I am in the pit in my marching band. And, lucky us, the band doesn't help us when we're loading. They do when they are asked by our director, but that's only when she wants us to hurry. So I have to ask you all something; if you don't already, PLEASE help your pit! They will appreciate it so much! I know in our band, the pit would apprectiate it; we had 9 people out of 160, and I think the quickest we ever loaded was 30 minutes. Besides, if you want to get home faster from camp or a contest it'll get you home all that much faster. Just talk to someone in the pit and they'll tell you what to do or who to talk to. Ok, that's all the begging on behalf of the Pit I will do. I promise. Also; hitting your foot with a timpani pedal does hurt really bad. I've done it before and it isn't any fun. One more thing; at one point in this chpater I have Ella say something about the pit having to work hard and something about the band; I'm not saying the band doesn't work hard. I know they work really hard! I've marched with my trumpet a couple of times; but I was saying that the pit has a bunch of loading to do. Anyways, thanks everyone!

"All right, b flat scale!" Kate said.

Ella quietly played the scale obediently. Ever since that encounter with Peter two weeks ago her heart hadn't been in the music. She had found out that he had transferred to their school a few days before from a school in eastern Washington and he had been the junior section leader for the altos.

"Ella! Were you even listening?!"

"What?"She snapped to attention.

"Where is your head?" Kate asked.

"I'm ready! Sorry, I was just lost in thought."

"Obviously!" Kate sighed. "Five minute break everyone,"

Ella nodded, and looked down at the xylophone she was playing on. She began to play a song she had memorized over the summer, until Kate interrupted.

"What's up?"

Ella sighed and looked up from the keys. "Nothing,"

"Ella," Kate said as she took a mallet from her. "You are not paying attention, you haven't for two weeks now! We leave for camp tomorrow! You best be ready to play by then!"

"I will be," Ella said determinedly. "I promise I will be."

"What is going on? Anything I can help with?" She shook her head. "No, really, I'm fine. It's my own fault. I should be focusing on this music. I'll focus and get this music memorized, now can I have that mallet back?"

Kate held it out and Ella snatched it back and began playing again.

"Just don't lose your focus."

"I won't,"

"Okay, today you learn how to properly load the carts, and load the semi."

"Semi?"

"The semi truck Johnny,"

"Oh,"

Ella smiled around at her section. Their instructor hadn't been able to come to any of the rehearsals yet, but she was going to be at camp. She knew that if they loaded the truck correctly then she would be happy, and it would also look good for the rest of the season. "Now, everyone grab an instrument and follow me. I'll show you where to go,"

"And I'll get the golf cart and the carts and meet you behind the building."

Ella nodded as Kate ran off. "I'll take a marimba. They're harder to control and you have to stop and take the keys off in order to get them through the doors. That one you have Alex is the same way. Be very, very careful. Another rule I just though of, don't ride on the instruments. You will lose control and crash into something or someone. Now, follow me," She quickly got it out the door after removing the keys, and then through the second door, only to be stopped. "What do you want Ron?"

"Can we talk?"

"After we're through moving, than maybe. About what?" She looked unhappily at her ex-boyfriend.

"Us,"

"There is no us, remember?"

"I want to change that,"

"Well I don't. Now if you'll excuse me-"

"Mr. Forte sent us to help." He said. "What can we do?"

"You can take the bass drum down to the trcuk, and get the thought out of your head that we're getting back together."

"Why?"

"Because you never treated me right and you made fun of my friends." Ella turned around and marched into the hallway, taking deep breaths and trying to cool off. I can't believe his nerve! Thinking I would collapse right into his arms! He of all people should know I'm no damsel in distress! I'm never gong back to him. He made fun of my friends all the time, and no one likes him anyways. She pulled the bass drum over and handed it to him. "You can take this. Carefully," Ella soon had assigned an instrument to every person, and all that were left were the big timpani and the smallest.

"How can I help?"

Ella's anger melted away. "Peter! Um, can you take the smaller timpani? I can take the other, that's all that's left."

"Sure thing. I always helped the pit back in eastern Washington, so this isn't new to me."

She smiled. "No one ever helps us. Unless they are assigned to help, and even then not many help."

"I'll happily help,"

"Thanks," She grabbed the big timpani and began to push it towards the opposite doors of where everyone else was going. "Then you know not to grab the timpani by the head-"

"Grab it by the legs? Yes, I know that rule quite well." Peter laughed.

"Very good, you can go out that door there if you'd like. This one is just too big to fit through the door no matter what."

"I'll come with you. It's okay,"

She carefully began to walk with the timpani, remembering the pain she had had the previous year from hitting the pedal on the side of her foot.

"Are you all right?"

"Oh yes, fine. I know, I walk really funny while moving timpani's don't I?"

"Kind of..."

Ella laughed. "It's okay to admit I do. I'm afraid these things hate me. I hit the pedal on the side of my foot last year,"

"Ouch!" Peter flinched. "I've done that. That hurts really bad!"

"Yes, and I hit it hard."

"Marching band is quite dangerous, isn't it?"

"Yes," She said as she held the door for him. "It is,"

"Hey! I'm supposed to hold the door for you!"

Ella smiled at him as he walked by. "Fine, then you owe me."

"Fine by me,"

"Peter? Where are you? We're done helping, let's go!"

Peter rolled his eyes. "Just a minute Ron! I'm helping with the timpani's!"

"Hurry up!"

Ella rolled her eyes. "You can leave, it's fine. I can come back and-"

"No, I got it. Ron can wait." Ella smiled. "He's impossible, isn't he?"

"Maybe just a little,"

"I don't know what I ever saw in him." Ella admitted.

"What do you mean? Aren't you two going out?"

She froze and almost began laughing. "No! Not for a year now! He tried to ask me out again, but I replied with a quick no. He never treated me right, and he insulted my friends. What made you think we were going out?"

"I asked him something about you, and he said that you and him were dating."

Ella rolled her eyes and began walking again. "I'll post it on the board that I am not dating him. I never will again,"

Peter smiled. "I don't think you have to do that,"

"Maybe not, but I'd do it in a heartbeat if it'd get him to stop saying that." She stopped at the door. "You can get through, but this timpani needs to be tipped on it's side and passed through the door."

Peter pushed the drum through the door, got it out of the way, and turned around to help Ella. "So did Ron ever help you while you were in pit?"

"Not often, but he'd wait in the band room for me to finish."

"That wasn't very polite,"

"No, but that's Ron."

"Thank goodness he isn't section leader."

Ella laughed. "You are now officially a part of this band. That's what everyone said last year when section leaders were announced."

"I wish I could be a section leader again. It's fun,"

"Well, I'm sure you can talk to Mr. Forte about it. He's cool like that, I'm sure he'd figure something out so you could help out."

Peter nodded. "I'll talk to him. Thanks for the advice,"

"Anytime,"

"Well I should go before I get yelled at again."

Ella sighed and nodded. "All right, if they try to give you any trouble tell them to come and talk to me. They all know me by first name, so once you say 'Ella' they'll know who to come see."

"Thanks,"

"No, thanks for helping us. If you need anything you're more than welcome to come and talk to me. I'm sure I can be of some help, especially when it comes to music."

"Yes," Kate laughed as she stepped out of the golf cart. "She is the music queen."

"I'll remember that," Peter said as he smiled. "I'll see you later?"

"Most definitely,"

"You like him," Kate commented as he walked away.

"I do not," Ella said as she began moving instruments into position to be moved. "We are simply friends."

"Well he's much better than old what's his name."

"Yeah, well old what's his name asked me out again."

"Ew!"

"My thoughts exactly!"

"What are we supposed to do?" Kayla asked.

"Oh! Right... Kayla, you grab the lighter end of the vibraphone and help me lift it up. Make sure to grab the bottom and have a hand a little higher up so you won't drop it."

They quickly got everything loaded on to the carts and bungeed on so they wouldn't move, and they were riding on the carts down to the cement field where they semi stayed.

"Do other bands have semi's?" Alex asked.

Ella nodded. "Sure, but we use most of ours since we almost have two hundred people in this band."

"Really?"

"Yup," Ella said as she hopped off when the cart had stopped. "It's normal for this band," She unhooked the last cart and moved it to the side. "Now, these carts have to go in a certain order so the instruments aren't damaged. Let me get them into order and then the real fun begins."

"What's that?" Johnny asked.

"Pushing the carts onto the semi," Ella sighed. "I have to steer it right at the ramp, angled a little so it'll go in properly, and I have to make sure not to run anyone over."

"Fun,"

"Oh yes, lots of fun." Ella said as she moved the last cart into place. "Now, you lot best memorize which cart goes in where. It's the only way we'll survive marching season. Kate? Would you like to choose a couple of people to go under the semi with you?"

"Under?" Alex asked nervously.

"Not the actual truck!" Ella laughed, as she pointed in the truck. "See how it's divided into two sections? The bottom and the top? The top is called... well we call it the top, and when we say 'go under the truck' we mean on the bottom level. Only our instruments go there."

"Oh,"

"All right, Kayla, hope you're ready to learn,"

"Yup,"

"Just let me know when you have all the cables untangled. I'll explain what everyone else is supposed to do." Kate nodded.

"All right, thanks."

"No problem,"

"We have to work still?"

"Yes!" Ella looked at them. "Guys, marching band isn't easy. It's all hard work, and pit does more work. I'm not saying the band doesn't work as hard as we do, but we have to push instruments, pick them up, and push these carts. Now, I'm going to run this cart at the semi, I need you both on either side of the ramp there, and once you can grab it, do exactly that, but be careful. You can easily break a finger or get your hand ran over by a wheel or the cart itself."

"We're ready when you are Ella!" Kayla called.

The two boys looked at each other, sighed and walked to either side of the ramp.

"Okay," Ella made sure the coast was clear. "One... two... three!" She pushed as hard as she could, and ran the cart up the ramp. Luckily she made it the first try, but it was definitely hard work. She was used to having at least one person help her push the cart forward, and she had slipped and scraped her knee. Of all days I choose to wear shorts! She thought to herself as she brushed it off. "Four more carts to go," She laughed as she walked back to get the next cart. "Let me know when you're ready,"

"Just a minute!" Kate called.

"Pit!" Mr. Forte said. "Give your stuff you are taking on the bus with you to one of your friends to save you a seat. That way we know how many seats are left!"

"Having fun?" Ella jumped and smiled at Peter. "You scared me!" She giggled.

"Sorry,"

"No worries. Yes, I've always enjoyed loading the semi."

"Yes, well I was wondering if you wanted me to take your stuff and save you and Kate a seat?"

"Would you?"

"Sure!"

"Oh, thank you Peter! That's really sweet!" She smiled and handed him her sweatshirt and backpack along with Kate's bag.

"No problem, I'm happy to help." He looked at the carts. "Do you need help here?"

"No, we're fine. Almost done,"

"Okay! We're ready for the next cart!"

"All right," She smiled at Peter one last time. "We'll try and hurry. What bus are you on?"

"Two,"

"Okay, we'll hurry,"

"No rush," Peter smiled and turned back to the buses.

"Ready?"

"Yes! Just hurry up!"

"One...two...three!" Again she rushed forward, aware of the rest of the band watching impatiently. Within twenty minutes they had everything loaded onto the truck and strapped securely. They closed the doors and let out a sigh of relief.

"Where's our stuff?" Kate asked.

"Oh, Peter took it and saved us a couple of seats on bus two."

"That was nice,"

"Yes," Ella smiled. "We better hurry before the band kills us,"

"Oh, yeah, let's get going."