Saturday October 18th, that night was Cedar Rapids/Jefferson marching invitational, we had to do well in order to win. I'm a sophomore, a trombone player who has on countless times, been told to hold her horn up, but I didn't have to be told that night. As we stood, in silence, in the tunnel, I looked around, "We're ready" I thought as I looked back to my trombone. That's when the cries of our drum majors, filled the air and echoed off the wall, "Band ten hut!" we snapped to attention, my head went up, shoulders were back, and my eyes filled with pride. "It's time" I said to myself. We marched onto the field to the screams and cheers of the crowd, and a swelling filled my heart as I marched to my place on the forty yard line. "Ready Halt!" the drum major's cry filled the air as we stopped marking time and went to parade rest. "Is your band ready to take the field?" the announcer said over the microphone. The drum majors saluted, and we were ready. We marched through our show, and when we ended, I did screw up a bit right at the end, and I felt like crying, but I didn't, I just played it off like it was a part of the show. We went back to our busses to change, feeling exceptionally good, and we parted to our different group of friends. My friends and I talked about the show, and walked back to the stadium to watch a few more bands and the awards. The awards ceremony came and we stood up and cheered as our drum majors entered onto the track. They finally came to class 3A and the winner? "MT. PLEASANT!" imagine the screaming and crying that went on in the stands as we rejoiced. Best drum line? Mt. Pleasant, best winds? Us again! It came to best marching and I heard whispers, its not going to be us, and when the announcer said "Mt. Pleasant" people started to cry and hug each other. We left the stadium yelling, and congratulating the other bands who did well also. When we got to our busses, we got on and sat down, but outside people were yelling at us to get off the busses and come celebrate, we jumped out of the emergency exit in the back of the bus, and ran to the cheering crowd. I remember standing there, screaming and yelling with everyone else, and wondering, "Where the heck is D?" that's when we saw him walking up to us smiling, and we mobbed him because we were so excited, and he was excited as well. We stood out for a little longer yelling, "GO MP!" until we had to get back on the busses. As we pulled out, we yelled to the other bands, and waved goodbye. I settled back into my seat and grinned, this had been it.