Meanwhile, at Natsnud Middle School, the last day of school was rapidly approaching and the students couldn't be happier.
The band students were especially happy though, because only three days earlier, they had returned from their concert at the Great Hall of Boettcher with the top scores of any school in the county.
Kiree and Bri were walking through the hallway on the way home on that beautiful day in the last week of May. Two more days until school was out! After a quick stop in the band room, the Saxophone and the Clarinetist were in a rush to catch the bus before it left without them.
Bri was laughing at a good joke told by Kiree, until she saw something that made her gasp.
"Oh NO! Here comes trouble!"
Kith was walking down the hall smugly, shoving everyone out of his way.
Kiree frowned angrily. "I don't get him. He's been acting like such a creep ever since the concert at Boettcher was over!"
Kith went towards the soda machines, and upon seeing Bri and Kiree, he grinned and pushed his messy hair back. "Hello ladies."
"Get lost!" yelled Bri as she and Kiree quickly ducked out of the crowd.
"Ew SICK! He was flirting with us!" Kiree gagged.
"What do you think about him?" Bri asked curiously. They were almost to the door before she responded.
"Well... I think he's a stuck-up, self centered creep who deserves to be slapped!" Kiree said.
Suddenly, their conversation was cut short by a muffled squeal coming from near the soda machines. A throng of kids had jammed up the hallway, and it appeared that there was something going on.
Kiree and Bri raced over just in time to see Robbie, the fourth chair trumpet player, lying face-up on the ground. Kith stood over him, and was digging the heel of his brand new Reebok into his stomach.
"You wanna try butting ahead of me again?" Kith sneered.
"N-n-no sir..." Robbie stuttered.
Kith grinned wickedly and pressed hard on Robbie's stomach. Robbie let out a grunt and Kith laughed.
"You stupid trumpet... Don't you know that messing with an alto sax is the worst thing that you could do?"
"Kith, leave him alone!" Bri cried.
"Stay out of this!" Kith snarled as he turned back to him victim. "Soon, all of you trumpets are going down. Do you hear me?"
Kiree grabbed Kith's shoulder and tried to force him off of Robbie. "Come on Kith, enough's enough!"
Kith shrugged her hand away and stomped hard on Robbie. "Lay off, Kiree!"
"Please stop it!" Robbie murmured.
Suddenly, Kith felt a tap on the back of his shoulder. "Kiree, I told you to lay off!"
Kith turned around, and the next thing he knew, he was on the floor.
Marc stood over him, his fist still clenched in fury.
Kith grabbed his split lip and cried out, "Jeez Marc, what was that for? I'm just playing!"
Marc reached down and helped Robbie to his feet. Robbie then ran away, but changed his mind and came back to see the action.
"You humiliated me months ago, Kith... It's time to pay!" Marc said wickedly. He grabbed Kith's collar and yanked him off the ground. Now upon his feet, Kith was quickly back off of them when Marc slugged him in the gut.
"Oh yeah? Bring it on!" Kith yelled. He leaped up and the fight began.
Kith was fast for a chubby kid, but Marc definitely dominated. Kith was sent down several times, while Marc remained standing.
Kith wiped the blood from his lip onto his sleeve, and groaned at Marc. "I'm just getting started!"
Marc shrugged, and punched Kith in the face. Kith screamed and hit the floor, holding his bleeding nose and doubled over in pain.
The by-standers gasped, and Marc smiled at his opponent. Kith sat up slowly, and the circle of kids widened.
"You'll pay for this, trumpet boy... You'll pay! I know someone who can help me, and soon, we alto saxes will RULE THE BAND!"
"What are you yammering about, Kith?" Marc laughed.
"I'm yammering about the fact that soon, the trumpet section will be no more!"
"Kith, stop it!" said a teacher who just happened to be passing by. "You're being ridiculous! And as for you Marc, you got him down, OK? You can all leave now!"
Marc grinned and Robbie patted him on the back as the two trumpet players disappeared into the crowd. Soon, the group was broken up.
"And as for YOU Mr. Davis," the teacher said, turning to Kith. "I think an office referral is in order! You stay right here while I go get the principal."
Kiree stopped to stare at the kid who only years before had been a sweet kid who was kind to everyone. He and Marc used to hang out together, too.
"Whatt're you lookin at?" Kith sneered at her.
"Why are you acting like this, Kith?"
"That doesn't matter Kiree. What does matter is... There's a war brewing between the trumpets and the saxophones... Which side are you going to be on?"
And with that, Kith turned on his heels and left Kiree to gape at the
meaning of his quote.