Yeah guys I'm on a roll. Here's another chapter for you all! Oh and don't be afraid to review and suggest. Oh and I don't mind if you give me ideas for what to include in the story. I haven't run out yet, but if any of you guys think of a neat twist of some sort, don't be afraid to speak up!


Chapter 8 – Double Dating

Laughs erupted in the car of Mr. Brown as he drove his daughter and her friend to his house after band camp. Valerie was excited to spend the night at her friend's house that night. And it didn't help that after rehearsal was over, the band parents brought buckets full of sodas for the thirsty band kids. Both girls had grabbed a couple cans of Mountain Dew, and it was starting to get a bit scary.

As Valerie turned her phone on, she realized that she had a text message from an unknown number.

Hey this is aaron. This valerie?

Valerie turned to look at Cici, who was currently being distracted by the sheet music for Marcello's Oboe Concerto. Valerie texted a reply before saving the number to her contacts.

Ya.

You doing anything this friday night?

Cici thought for a moment. Friday was the last day that rehearsals lasted only until 4:30. After this week, band camp was until nine every day. If it was Friday night, then it should be okay to go with Aaron… if she really wanted to, that was.

Not that I know of.

Cici looked up from her music. "Oooh, is that Aaron? Did he finally reach you?"

Valerie sighed. "Yes, Cici, it is. Go back to your music."

Cici suppressed a grin and pretended to be engrossed in the second movement of the Marcello.

Would you like to go to a DCI competition with me? The Cavies will be there. I can pay for your ticket.

Hmm…that did sound fun. Valerie had never actually been to a DCI competition before. She had watched many drum corps groups on YouTube, but never had seen them in real life.

"Cici, he's asking me if I want to go to a DCI completion with him Friday night. He says that the Cavies will be there."

"Oh, that sounds so fun! I wish I could go! But it's not like there will be any woodwind instruments…but still…"

Okay

Okay what?

I can go

Alright pick you up at 5

That wouldn't give Valerie much time to take a shower after band camp. But then again, she would be sitting on a hot bleacher for several hours, probably with a bunch of other band kids who just got out of camp and didn't have time to shower either. Oh well.


It was an obnoxious day in the band room Friday morning. After learning all the sets to the short second movement, the band would be putting music to it today. No one wanted to be scolded for not memorizing it, so everyone was cram practicing. All Valerie heard was chaos.

Dylan approached her. "Hey…" his words were lost in the tumult of noise.

"WHAT?" yelled Valerie, struggling to hear even herself.

Dylan repeated himself. Again Valerie could not hear.

"WHAT?"

Again the same situation occurred. It was hopeless.

"SURE!" exclaimed Valerie. It was what she always did when she became tired of making people repeat themselves. Ninety-percent of the time the person walked away pleased.

Seemingly luckily, this was the ninety percent.


It was lunch break. Cici had stuffed herself in a practice room so she could play oboe. Valerie was sitting with Liana, Amy, and Amy's boyfriend—a trombone player named Patrick. They were chatting in the band room, eating Cheetos, when a rail-thin black girl strode over to them. Valerie recognized her as a junior bari sax player named Emma. Valerie remember laughing when she saw the tiny girl hauling around the instrument that was bigger than she was.

"You're going out with Dylan to the movies?" she inquired.

"What?"

"Dylan says he's taking you to a movie tonight," Emma repeated. "He's a senior and you're only a freshman! I hate it when he does that! He always comes on to a freshman, every year. He's a man whore, and I wouldn't like him if I were you."

"I never said that I would go to a movie with him. I don't even remember him asking me!"

"Well, girl, he said he did. And he said you said yes."

Suddenly Valerie remembered what had occurred earlier in the day, when she could not hear what Dylan was asking. He must have asked her out to the movies.

"Hold on," she told Emma. "Let me clear this up." She left her circle of friends and walked over to Dylan, who was sitting with all his fellow sax buddies.

"Dylan, I—"

"Hey, what movie do you want to see?"

"Actually, Dylan, I wanted to tell you…"

Dylan's smile faded. He looked pitiful. Even though he was annoying, and Valerie was not attracted to him, seeing him let down made her feel guilty. Suddenly she had an evil plan.

She continued. "I wanted to tell you that I forgot that there was a DCI competition tonight. And I was supposed to go see it with Cici and her boyfriend. If you want though, you could come to this instead of a movie."

Dylan's face lit up again. "Okay, sounds like fun!"

Valerie gave a weak smile. Cici might be a little ticked… but, hey, she did say she wished she could go to the DCI competition…

Valerie pulled out her phone and texted Aaron.

Hey is it alright if Cici and her boyfriend come double dating with us tonight?

Fine with me.

What had Valerie gotten herself into? She was supposed to go on a date with two guys at the same time! Worse than that, she thought it would work. Stupid freshmen.

Not really though, freshmen, so don't take offense. I really do love you all. 3