Chapter I - Game Time
"Game time, my friends!" the section leader of the woodwinds cried out, raising her hands above her head in ecstasy. The thunder above her crackled, sensing her dark delight in her spoken words. Game time was upon them.
For a full moment, she stood there, her feet planted on the metal stands, her hands high above her. Her head was thrust upward so that she looked up to the heavens. Heat lightning gently glowed the sky far into the distance.
The flute players all sat on the edge of the seat, looking up at her in amazement. What power the section leaders had! Their eyes were wide in wonder as the seconds ticked by.
The section leader didn't even see the tuba player plow into her side, nearly knocking her off her perch on the bench.
"Sorry, Lu," the tuba player said with an innocent shrug, his shoulders bumping into the tuba. He flashed her as grin as Lu's scowl only grew.
"Aw, Lu," one of the flute players caroled. "We all thought you were talking to God or something."
Lu looked at the girl, a freshman she thought. Or maybe a sophomore. Who cares? she thought, grinning evilly in her mind. Only an underclassman.
"I was," Lu told her, brushing back her auburn hair. She gave a shrug as if the act were nothing out of the norm. A boy coming up the stands snorted playfully at comment, and Lu turned.
The snare drum harness was draped comfortably down his front, but the snare drum was under one arm, held in place easily. He winked at her and Lu grinned broadly.
"Hi ho, Mark," she told him as he walked by. A few of the flutes hooted in breathless sighs until Mark turned to them-his blonde hair draping over his brilliant green eyes. They instantly stopped moving, their breath caught in their lungs.
"Yes, my pretties," Lu called to them sweetly, "gawk at the hot drummer." She turned a fake glare on Mark. "If I find out that you are winking at them...."
Mark dipped into an awkward bow, hindered by the drum. "I won't," he promised, heading to his section in the stands.
"Lu, do all of the section leaders get it on together, or is it just you and Mark?" one of the clarinets sniped, annoyed by the spectacle of the two.
Lu shrugged again. "Just me and Mark usually," she replied, keeping her humor within. The thunder crackled again, and Lu grinned. It was almost game time.
*** *** ***
Katie stood on the pavement, tapping her toe heatedly on the ground. She looked up at the open window of the band room. "Paul, it's not like we have time. Mr. Genvei wanted us in the stands five minutes ago. It's my solo tonight for the National Anthem, and if we are late for it...."
Katie didn't finish the sentence. She was section leader of the brass. That alone should put the fear of God into the sophomore trumpet player, Paul. But he had just moved to the school, and only had joined band the week before. What could he know of a trumpet section leader's furious wrath?
This was his first football game, and Katie had been instructed to bring him to the stands as soon as he had gotten his trumpet from the music hall. How was she supposed to know that this was the night that Paul would forget where he last placed his mouthpiece?
Just my luck, she grumbled in her mind. It figures that he would be forgetful on her watch.
Katie tucked a strand of her blond hair behind her ear, feeling the gold hoops that hung from her earlobe. She wanted this game ended quickly; Katie had a date...again.
"Damn!" she heard Paul snort. Katie looked at him as he emerged from the building. Katie looked at him skeptically.
"Stop whining," she ordered him unsympathetically. "We are late." She glared at him pointedly.
Paul didn't argue as Katie led him to the stands in a brisk stride. But his silence with her didn't stop him from turning to a few of his sophomore friends on the way, stopping for a few tidbits of conversation.
When Katie noticed, she turned on her heel, her trumpet loose in her hand. With her other, she grabbed Paul by the collar, yanking him away from the girl he had been talking to. Katie had just grabbed him when the first roll of the National Anthem began, ringing loud and clear across the field.
Katie said nothing, but turned angrily to Paul.
New trumpets, she fumed silently, walking closer to the glorious sound of the Hamil High School marching band, Paul helpless in her tow.
"Game time, my friends!" the section leader of the woodwinds cried out, raising her hands above her head in ecstasy. The thunder above her crackled, sensing her dark delight in her spoken words. Game time was upon them.
For a full moment, she stood there, her feet planted on the metal stands, her hands high above her. Her head was thrust upward so that she looked up to the heavens. Heat lightning gently glowed the sky far into the distance.
The flute players all sat on the edge of the seat, looking up at her in amazement. What power the section leaders had! Their eyes were wide in wonder as the seconds ticked by.
The section leader didn't even see the tuba player plow into her side, nearly knocking her off her perch on the bench.
"Sorry, Lu," the tuba player said with an innocent shrug, his shoulders bumping into the tuba. He flashed her as grin as Lu's scowl only grew.
"Aw, Lu," one of the flute players caroled. "We all thought you were talking to God or something."
Lu looked at the girl, a freshman she thought. Or maybe a sophomore. Who cares? she thought, grinning evilly in her mind. Only an underclassman.
"I was," Lu told her, brushing back her auburn hair. She gave a shrug as if the act were nothing out of the norm. A boy coming up the stands snorted playfully at comment, and Lu turned.
The snare drum harness was draped comfortably down his front, but the snare drum was under one arm, held in place easily. He winked at her and Lu grinned broadly.
"Hi ho, Mark," she told him as he walked by. A few of the flutes hooted in breathless sighs until Mark turned to them-his blonde hair draping over his brilliant green eyes. They instantly stopped moving, their breath caught in their lungs.
"Yes, my pretties," Lu called to them sweetly, "gawk at the hot drummer." She turned a fake glare on Mark. "If I find out that you are winking at them...."
Mark dipped into an awkward bow, hindered by the drum. "I won't," he promised, heading to his section in the stands.
"Lu, do all of the section leaders get it on together, or is it just you and Mark?" one of the clarinets sniped, annoyed by the spectacle of the two.
Lu shrugged again. "Just me and Mark usually," she replied, keeping her humor within. The thunder crackled again, and Lu grinned. It was almost game time.
*** *** ***
Katie stood on the pavement, tapping her toe heatedly on the ground. She looked up at the open window of the band room. "Paul, it's not like we have time. Mr. Genvei wanted us in the stands five minutes ago. It's my solo tonight for the National Anthem, and if we are late for it...."
Katie didn't finish the sentence. She was section leader of the brass. That alone should put the fear of God into the sophomore trumpet player, Paul. But he had just moved to the school, and only had joined band the week before. What could he know of a trumpet section leader's furious wrath?
This was his first football game, and Katie had been instructed to bring him to the stands as soon as he had gotten his trumpet from the music hall. How was she supposed to know that this was the night that Paul would forget where he last placed his mouthpiece?
Just my luck, she grumbled in her mind. It figures that he would be forgetful on her watch.
Katie tucked a strand of her blond hair behind her ear, feeling the gold hoops that hung from her earlobe. She wanted this game ended quickly; Katie had a date...again.
"Damn!" she heard Paul snort. Katie looked at him as he emerged from the building. Katie looked at him skeptically.
"Stop whining," she ordered him unsympathetically. "We are late." She glared at him pointedly.
Paul didn't argue as Katie led him to the stands in a brisk stride. But his silence with her didn't stop him from turning to a few of his sophomore friends on the way, stopping for a few tidbits of conversation.
When Katie noticed, she turned on her heel, her trumpet loose in her hand. With her other, she grabbed Paul by the collar, yanking him away from the girl he had been talking to. Katie had just grabbed him when the first roll of the National Anthem began, ringing loud and clear across the field.
Katie said nothing, but turned angrily to Paul.
New trumpets, she fumed silently, walking closer to the glorious sound of the Hamil High School marching band, Paul helpless in her tow.