[DISCLAIMER: Sorry for the lack of updates, I've just been busy with some
stuff and my computer's been acting weird. Plus I had writer's block.]
It was the first day of freshman camp. I was really, really excited. My eighth grade year was just one of the worst times of my life. The last day of school was even worse, so I was glad I was about to enter a new campus with new people and a new chance to start all over again.
It was early in the morning, around 7:30. Like I said before, I always liked to come to events and stuff early. For the early in June in South Texas, it was relatively cool. No one was there yet, so I just set down next to the glass doors and waited for people to come. Ten minutes later, I started to see some familiar faces from my old middle school. I also saw faces that I never saw in my life, but I could tell they were about to enter high school marching band like I was. I knew that some of those faces would have some influences on me, others not at all.
I saw countless people carrying saxophones, flutes, clarinets, trumpets, and trombones, rushing out to the parking lot to get ready. As I looked at the people run to the PAC, I felt a slight tap on my shoulder. Back then (And to an extent still do today) I got startled by the slightest touch I felt (or didn't) so I jumped a few inches forward and yelped softly. I turned around to see Bethany, smiling yet tired-looking. "Hey. Jumpy are we?" She said slowly. She stretched out her long, thin arms up into the air and yawned.
"Uhm... you're Bethany?" I stuttered. I felt stupid saying that.
"Yeah." She said. "I remember you, uniform room, played like crap?"
I chuckled a little bit. "Yup. Mac." I paused for a second, thinking of something to say. "Sorry for forgetting your name."
"It's okay." She said. "I forgot we were even supposed to come here!"
"Yeah," I started, "It's just that I just had the worst school year ever."
She giggled. "Haven't we all?" She pointed to where everyone else was running off to. "I think we're supposed to be over there."
"I thought the pit didn't march." I said.
"I guess we all have to go through some marching crap." She said. She sprinted off to the rushing crowd. I soon followed.
***
It was noon and I was ready to hit the sheets. I was exhausted physically from everything, but I was really excited about marching band. Mentally I thought I could do more but physically if I did I'd passed out.
I was outside of the Performing Arts Center, waiting for my Mom to pick me up. As always, there were a lot of other people waiting for their parents or other friends waiting for their rides too. I paced around the parking lot to look for my Mom's red Explorer. After a few minutes with no results, I just assumed that she wasn't here yet and hopefully didn't forget about me. I went back near the glass doors where there was shade. I sat down and wiped sweat from my forehead. There were still some people left looking for their rides, but I was too shy to even say a simple hi to any of them. I just sat there and looked at them talking and laughing to each other. I sighed to myself and stood up to continue to search for my Mom.
As I scanned around the parking lot once again to look for my Mom, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. I ended up tripping over something and fell on the sidewalk. I wasn't hurt or anything, but I heard someone scream. I turned on my back and got up. I saw Bethany's back.
"Hey watch it you-" She turned around. "Oh it's you again."
"What happened?" I asked.
"Some idiot just stepped on my leg! Stupid upperclassmen!" She said.
"I just tripped over something." I said.
"It was probably one of the upperclassmen trying to haze us!" She said, "Why do they hate us?"
"Um..." I was trying to think of an answer.
"They're probably jealous of our youth." She said.
"Trying to lure another victim?" A guy poked Bethany with a drumstick.
"Oh it's you." Bethany poked the guy back. "This is Chris-"
"Don't start." Chris said, "I don't want you to corrupt him."
"Oh come on, it's not like most people know what your name really means."
"Oh no, here we go..." Chris rolled his eyes.
"Did you know his name really means Laura?" Bethany said.
"Laura?" I said "That's, new."
Chris sighed. "Well, I guess it was better to just get it over with anyway."
"So," I started, "Waiting for your parents?"
"I'm surprised they haven't already abandoned me!" She said, then giggled. I looked at Chris.
"You'll have to get used to her." Chris said.
"Okay." I said. I heard a car honk, and just in time for my escape out of this awkward moment was my Mom. "Well, I gotta go now. I'll see ya later!" I waved back at the two of them. It was pretty obvious that I thought Bethany was pretty weird at that point, but as I was about to learn, so was everyone else.
It was the first day of freshman camp. I was really, really excited. My eighth grade year was just one of the worst times of my life. The last day of school was even worse, so I was glad I was about to enter a new campus with new people and a new chance to start all over again.
It was early in the morning, around 7:30. Like I said before, I always liked to come to events and stuff early. For the early in June in South Texas, it was relatively cool. No one was there yet, so I just set down next to the glass doors and waited for people to come. Ten minutes later, I started to see some familiar faces from my old middle school. I also saw faces that I never saw in my life, but I could tell they were about to enter high school marching band like I was. I knew that some of those faces would have some influences on me, others not at all.
I saw countless people carrying saxophones, flutes, clarinets, trumpets, and trombones, rushing out to the parking lot to get ready. As I looked at the people run to the PAC, I felt a slight tap on my shoulder. Back then (And to an extent still do today) I got startled by the slightest touch I felt (or didn't) so I jumped a few inches forward and yelped softly. I turned around to see Bethany, smiling yet tired-looking. "Hey. Jumpy are we?" She said slowly. She stretched out her long, thin arms up into the air and yawned.
"Uhm... you're Bethany?" I stuttered. I felt stupid saying that.
"Yeah." She said. "I remember you, uniform room, played like crap?"
I chuckled a little bit. "Yup. Mac." I paused for a second, thinking of something to say. "Sorry for forgetting your name."
"It's okay." She said. "I forgot we were even supposed to come here!"
"Yeah," I started, "It's just that I just had the worst school year ever."
She giggled. "Haven't we all?" She pointed to where everyone else was running off to. "I think we're supposed to be over there."
"I thought the pit didn't march." I said.
"I guess we all have to go through some marching crap." She said. She sprinted off to the rushing crowd. I soon followed.
***
It was noon and I was ready to hit the sheets. I was exhausted physically from everything, but I was really excited about marching band. Mentally I thought I could do more but physically if I did I'd passed out.
I was outside of the Performing Arts Center, waiting for my Mom to pick me up. As always, there were a lot of other people waiting for their parents or other friends waiting for their rides too. I paced around the parking lot to look for my Mom's red Explorer. After a few minutes with no results, I just assumed that she wasn't here yet and hopefully didn't forget about me. I went back near the glass doors where there was shade. I sat down and wiped sweat from my forehead. There were still some people left looking for their rides, but I was too shy to even say a simple hi to any of them. I just sat there and looked at them talking and laughing to each other. I sighed to myself and stood up to continue to search for my Mom.
As I scanned around the parking lot once again to look for my Mom, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. I ended up tripping over something and fell on the sidewalk. I wasn't hurt or anything, but I heard someone scream. I turned on my back and got up. I saw Bethany's back.
"Hey watch it you-" She turned around. "Oh it's you again."
"What happened?" I asked.
"Some idiot just stepped on my leg! Stupid upperclassmen!" She said.
"I just tripped over something." I said.
"It was probably one of the upperclassmen trying to haze us!" She said, "Why do they hate us?"
"Um..." I was trying to think of an answer.
"They're probably jealous of our youth." She said.
"Trying to lure another victim?" A guy poked Bethany with a drumstick.
"Oh it's you." Bethany poked the guy back. "This is Chris-"
"Don't start." Chris said, "I don't want you to corrupt him."
"Oh come on, it's not like most people know what your name really means."
"Oh no, here we go..." Chris rolled his eyes.
"Did you know his name really means Laura?" Bethany said.
"Laura?" I said "That's, new."
Chris sighed. "Well, I guess it was better to just get it over with anyway."
"So," I started, "Waiting for your parents?"
"I'm surprised they haven't already abandoned me!" She said, then giggled. I looked at Chris.
"You'll have to get used to her." Chris said.
"Okay." I said. I heard a car honk, and just in time for my escape out of this awkward moment was my Mom. "Well, I gotta go now. I'll see ya later!" I waved back at the two of them. It was pretty obvious that I thought Bethany was pretty weird at that point, but as I was about to learn, so was everyone else.