Chapter 2
BRRRIIINNNNGGG!
That was it. The first bell was hard enough. Now it was 8th period. Band period.
Chris, as slowly as possible, gathered all of his things at his locker and proceeded to put them in his backpack to take to class. He then shut his locker, and jumped, at the sight of Trish standing right behind it.
"Haha- geesh, I didn't mean to scare ya!" she said to him, giggling.
"Aw man" Chris said rolling his eyes, slightly annoyed by Trish's sudden appearances all day long.
"Haha- I won't do it again- only if you deserve it, though!" Trish said, "now come on before we're late for your first day of band!"
"Oh yeah I wouldn't want to be late for that..." Chris mumbled sarcastically.
"Hmm?"
"Nothing," said Chris.
They finally made it to the very end of the hall, the band room wasn't hard to find seeing as even though the bell had already rung and classes were now in session, that it was loud enough to hear at the other side of the school buildings. Chris could already here someone bashing on the drums and the occasional clash of the cymbals, along with an unarranged tooting of horns.
When he made it to the doorway, saying the room looked and sounded like a jungle was an understatement. Half people standing up, half sitting down. Some playing loudly and others in small groups talking. A man with a balding head and beard was standing at the podium yelling, although it just looked like he was moving his mouth because he couldn't be heard over the drums and all of the other noises in the room.
But as soon as the door shut behind Chris, the room became silent. There was not a single noise. Everyone turned around to look at him. Chris was beginning to wonder how long it'd been since they'd had a newcomer. After feeling awkward, or at least thinking these people were, the man came down off the podium with a smile.
"Well, um, hi Chris. I'm Mr. Ross, the band director here at Arlington High. Welcome to band!"
It was obvious there was something wrong with this man. Seriously wrong. He was way too happy just for a band, but Chris pasted on a smile anyway to at least look halfway enthusiastic.
"So what do you play?" asked Mr. Ross.
Chris hesitated, "He doesn't play anything yet, Mr. Ross, he's never been in band before." Trish explained.
"Oh..." said Mr. Ross, "well that's quite all right! We enjoy a challenge, don't we class?"
The classmates had an uneasy look on their faces.
"Well, do you have an interest in any specific instrument?" Asked Mr. Ross, with still that cheesy smile on his face.
"Um, no, not exactly..." Chris said- whatever he had to play it wasn't going to be his decision, so at least if it didn't work out he wouldn't have to blame it on himself.
"Well how about the drums? We could use a little more in our percussion section." Suggested Mr. Ross.
"Um, sure, but I don't know how." Chris said, wondering why if they were so loud that of all instruments they would need any more drums.
"Well that's okay. Maybe I can call your parents and arrange for some afterschool practices- maybe starting today!" said Mr. Ross.
"Okay..." Chris said with a fake smile, what was he supposed to say?
BRRRIIINNNNGGG!
That was it. The first bell was hard enough. Now it was 8th period. Band period.
Chris, as slowly as possible, gathered all of his things at his locker and proceeded to put them in his backpack to take to class. He then shut his locker, and jumped, at the sight of Trish standing right behind it.
"Haha- geesh, I didn't mean to scare ya!" she said to him, giggling.
"Aw man" Chris said rolling his eyes, slightly annoyed by Trish's sudden appearances all day long.
"Haha- I won't do it again- only if you deserve it, though!" Trish said, "now come on before we're late for your first day of band!"
"Oh yeah I wouldn't want to be late for that..." Chris mumbled sarcastically.
"Hmm?"
"Nothing," said Chris.
They finally made it to the very end of the hall, the band room wasn't hard to find seeing as even though the bell had already rung and classes were now in session, that it was loud enough to hear at the other side of the school buildings. Chris could already here someone bashing on the drums and the occasional clash of the cymbals, along with an unarranged tooting of horns.
When he made it to the doorway, saying the room looked and sounded like a jungle was an understatement. Half people standing up, half sitting down. Some playing loudly and others in small groups talking. A man with a balding head and beard was standing at the podium yelling, although it just looked like he was moving his mouth because he couldn't be heard over the drums and all of the other noises in the room.
But as soon as the door shut behind Chris, the room became silent. There was not a single noise. Everyone turned around to look at him. Chris was beginning to wonder how long it'd been since they'd had a newcomer. After feeling awkward, or at least thinking these people were, the man came down off the podium with a smile.
"Well, um, hi Chris. I'm Mr. Ross, the band director here at Arlington High. Welcome to band!"
It was obvious there was something wrong with this man. Seriously wrong. He was way too happy just for a band, but Chris pasted on a smile anyway to at least look halfway enthusiastic.
"So what do you play?" asked Mr. Ross.
Chris hesitated, "He doesn't play anything yet, Mr. Ross, he's never been in band before." Trish explained.
"Oh..." said Mr. Ross, "well that's quite all right! We enjoy a challenge, don't we class?"
The classmates had an uneasy look on their faces.
"Well, do you have an interest in any specific instrument?" Asked Mr. Ross, with still that cheesy smile on his face.
"Um, no, not exactly..." Chris said- whatever he had to play it wasn't going to be his decision, so at least if it didn't work out he wouldn't have to blame it on himself.
"Well how about the drums? We could use a little more in our percussion section." Suggested Mr. Ross.
"Um, sure, but I don't know how." Chris said, wondering why if they were so loud that of all instruments they would need any more drums.
"Well that's okay. Maybe I can call your parents and arrange for some afterschool practices- maybe starting today!" said Mr. Ross.
"Okay..." Chris said with a fake smile, what was he supposed to say?