3. Candle (Warning – Director/Student flirting. If you don't like it, don't read.)

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Nobody could have guessed what a huge difference a little candle could make.

It was nearing the end of practice on a Friday night before a game, and it was raining cats and dogs. It'd been that way all afternoon. Practice had to be moved inside because of the dark and the bitter wind. Not to mention the rain would have drowned the woodwinds and destroyed their pads. Oh the joys of having pads on your instrument…

x THUNDER x LIGHTENING x

"Okay guys, that's all for today. I'm letting you all out a little early due to the weather. Be safe guys. Drive carefully." Mr. Brant, the Marching director, notified his students at 5:45. The students quickly rushed to their cases and threw their instruments in before Mr. Brant could change his mind.

Delilah was different though. She felt no need to go out in what was probably the worst of the storm thus far. So, instead, she slowly placed her shiny flute inside of her case while everyone else bolted out of the room.

With another crack of thunder Mr. Bowing, the music director, announced that he too was leaving before things could get darker and wetter out. Delilah nodded to him and continued to busy herself with organizing chairs and stands.

"What're you doing hanging around here Delilah?" Mr. Brant asked as he helped move some of the stands into their place.

"Waiting out the storm..."

"Yeah, it's getting pretty crazy out there." Brant said pulling his fingers through his dark-chocolate brown hair. "That's why I let you guys out early."

"Yeah, well I'm just gonna wait here a little while if you don't mind. My rain-driving isn't so hot." She admitted, half in jest.

"That's fine. I'd have been here anyway. I want to re-write one of our sets."

"Ah, I see." Delilah smiled as she placed a last chair.

"Nice work." He admired the tidy room, that wouldn't stay that way for long. "I'm going to go in the office and write the drill if you don't mind."

"Of course. Don't let me keep you." Delilah said picking up her music folder with a slight grin. The lightening struck again and she cringed before placing her folder in her backpack. Looking outside, she decided she had some time to kill and continued to organize her belongings further. A few minutes later, with Mr. Brant in front of the computer, Delilah picked up her flute and headed to the storage room. A few steps outside the storage room doors the lights flickered. Delilah looked up at the lights and cringed before hearing Mr. Brand curse the computer for shorting out with a power glitch. Delilah continued into the band locker room. Delilah was placing her flute in the cubby when..

X THUNDER x LIGHTENING x

.. the lights flickered and went out. Delilah let out a short yelp before hearing Mr. Brant crash to the floor out of his rolling chair and shouting "Delilah?" She froze a moment before responding "yes?"

"You alright in there? Where are you?"

"In the band locker room."

"Can you find your way back into the room?" He asked, his voice slightly closer. She guessed he was in the middle of the band room now.

"I think so." She mumbled as she felt her way to the door.

"There you are." He smiled. Or at least that's what she thought he was doing, his features slightly hazy in the dark.

"Uhhu…" She stuttered, wrapping her arms around herself.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I just hate storms."

"Aw. It'll be okay." Mr. Brant assured her by putting his hands on her shoulders and running them up and down her arms. "But for now, we need light…" He muttered. After a moment of thought, "There are candles in the storage room. You gonna be okay while I go find them?" Delilah nodded.

Mr. Brant made his way to find the candles and moments later returned out of the storage room with a white candle with a little flame.

"Here we go." He handed her a similar candle. Delilah took it and lit it with the flame from his candle. She looked up from the little flame and thanked god the dark hid her blush as she noticed how his deep brown eyes sparkled in spite of the dark.

"Now, let's just, wait this out." He noted. Delilah agreed and the pair sat themselves down in the middle of the band room.

"So, what are you changing in the drill?" She asked, trying to distract herself.

"I'm changing the follow the leader, it isn't clean enough. I think I'm going to change it to a rotating box instead."

Delilah groaned and giggled, "Another one? You must really like your boxes." She smiled.

"That I do." He chuckled himself. Delilah noted, silently, how the flame's light danced across his face. It amazed her how such a single little flame could illuminate his features.

"Delilah?"

"Huh?" She snapped out of it, blowing a stray red-brown hair out of her face.

"You seemed distracted."

"Oh." She blushed. "Sorry."

"It's fine." He accepted as he allowed his eyes to run over her features, as they glowed by the flame.

A second later lightening lit up the entire room, causing Delilah to jump and end up in the middle of Mr. Brant's lap. The 27 year old Marching director laughed as he wrapped his arms around the 1st chair flute player. "It's only a storm dear."

"Huh?" She second-guessed her hearing.

"It's only a storm … Delilah" he switched.

"Right." She dismounted herself and setting a good 2 feet between herself and Mr. Brant. "So .. when do you think the lights will come back on?" She questioned.

"Not a clue." Mr. Brant admitted. Thunder rumbled through the empty school. "But, until they do. Come back here." He patted a place next to him. She scooted closer and he put and arm around her. "Now, you say this to anyone else and I'll deny it, but … the candle light really does make you look fabulous." He admitted.

Delilah blushed for the millionth time. "Well, you don't look so bad yourself, mister." She snuggled her nose into his warm muscular shoulder. "I've always wanted this, you know." She whispered.

Mr. Brant sighed. "This isn't happening." He corrected, protecting her. "But, by the candle light, I'll make an exception."