As I stood in block band Friday morning listening to Jordan and Carlee counting how many people in guard were missing.
"Emily sister?" I whispered to Emily.
"Yea Chloe sister?"
"I'm nervous for tonight and tomorrow." I said giving a shudder because it was so cold out this morning.
"Don't be, tonight it's just a football game, and you guys did great last week at the first one, and this one is no different', except for the fact that it's sort of a dress rehearsal for tomorrow, Sarah will be here, and we'll be in full uniform which makes it all more real." Emily said not calming my nerves at all, but making them worse instead.
"Thanks Em, that just made everything so much better."
Emily opened her mouth to respond to my sarcasm, but instead of saying anything back to me, she yelled "GOOD MORNING MR. GREER!" with the rest of the band.
"Tonight is a football game!" silence, "I said, TONIGHT IS A FOOTBAL GAME!" Cheers, and hollows echoed into the pink sky of the rising sun, "Tonight you need to show up in full-uniform, that means hat, jacket, your pants, and your special marching shoes. Then tomorrow is your first competition at ROCKFORD! Then the PICNIC!" Mr. Greer yelled into his microphone. Cheers could be heard in the parking lot once again. The people, well freshman, in the school building probably thought it was a strange class to be hollering about nothing in particular every Friday morning.
LATER THAT DAY
"Emily!" I called holding a black eyeliner pencil in my hand, "will you please help me with my make-up?"
"Of course Chloe sister." Emily took the pencil out of my hand and told me to close my eyes and not to open them until she told me to.
"Thank you very much Em." I said as I put the cap on my pencil and walked out of the guard room to get my hair plastered with hairspray.
Mr. Anderson walked toward Aysha and I, "You guys have a half hour until you need to report in the band room."
I walked back into the guard room with the hairspray can in hand and looked at Jordan, "Mr. Anderson says we have a half hour until we need to be in the band room." I reported as Jordan as there trying not to make putting her hair up any harder for K-t.
"Thanks Chloe."
"Yep." I said absent mindedly as I walked back to my spot to finish putting on my make-up.
"Hey Chloe?" Jordan grabbed my attention while I was digging through piles of junk for my lipstick.
"Yea Jordan?"
"You look like a model with that make-up on. Once you get those braces off, you'll look even better…not that you braces don't look cute on you…just, you know what I mean." I nodded feeling a little flushed from Jordan's extensive flattery.
"Ok, JD, all set." K-t said pushing a final bobby pin into Jordan's bun.
"Anyone want something on the guard cart? It's going to the stadium in like two seconds." Britni said as sweatshirts and purses were thrown into her arms.
"Thanks Brit!" the guard chorused.
ONE HOUR LATER-TROOP ON
Warming up and the pre-game all went smoothly, now was the actual test, our first REAL show, our dress rehearsal. I looked over at Carlee, and saw that she had he eyes shut tight, and she was breathing deeply.
"20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26...27!" I stepped off, two off the hash, and a two step interval between Madi and I, and Kira and myself. Soon the final sounds of taps were hit, and everyone halted. Dan hit the base drum.
'This is it.' I thought to myself as I bowed behind Kira, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, and it felt as though it would pound right out onto the field. The day had been a rough one, and I knew that it would either show in my performance, or I could use it, and perform the hell out of what I knew.
I smiled more then I knew a person could smile, and I held my chin high as I stared up at the people in the stands. The adrenaline rush was incredible, so exhilarating. I couldn't wait for the next day to come.
NEXT DAY, 10:00 AM
"Hey Chloe, Margie, and Katie." Carlee was standing outside on the pavement behind the dumpsters.
"Umm…what's goin' on?" I asked setting my bags down on the ground and shoving my hands into my jacket pockets, soaking up the sun rays that were shining in the sky.
"Oh, we're locked out." K-t Shirey said from where she sat on the ground, in the shade, against the school's cold brick.
"Joy." I whispered to myself. I looked at Emily. "Emily Sister, I have something for you!" I said handing her the guard gift I had for her.
"And I have something for you!" Emily said excitedly holding up the little gift bag for me to open. Inside the bag was a little stuffed flower with a bendable wire in the stem, and with the words: I Love You, sown into one of the hot pink petals, and a Princess halo that had streamers tied to the back of it.
"Em! I love it!" I said hugging her tightly. Emily had already done the same to me for her gift.
"So…how long until Mr. Greer gets here? Because we're locked out until he gets here." K-t said, standing up and dusting the pebbles, from the pavement she'd been laying on, off her legs.
"Umm…Krystal's calling him right now, I think, then she's going to tell us what's going on." Carlee said propping herself on her elbows and tilting her face towards then sky, the sun reflecting of her sunglasses. K-t nodded, then she and Kendra made plans to run to the near-by gas station to get Subway.
20 MINUTES LATER
Mr. Greer had finally arrived, and we were in the guard room trying to make up for the time we'd lost standing around outside. Finally, the band was rallied into the band room for the pre-competition/bus ride pep talk Mr. Greer always gives.
All too soon, the busses pulled into the Rockford High school parking lot, we were unloaded, and trooping on. I gulped.
As the drill and guard routine progressed, I got lost in the movements of my body and flag. We were already half way through The Mattawan Closer, and it seemed like I'd just gotten out there. I could barely breath, and couldn't swallow, all I knew was that I needed water, and fast. It was a hot day, hotter then most of the days at band camp had been, and I was dying out on the field as I picked up flags with Aysha.
JJ was waiting for us when we finally got back to the band trailer, and she was greeted by the guard, all of whom were happy, because her arms were full of water bottles.
The awards were about to be announced for the class A bands, Emily, K-t, Chelsea, Aysha and I all stood, Emily and I returned to hats we had borrowed to their rightful owners, and we waited. Best percussion, best color guard, best marching, best music, none went to Mattawan. Finally the placements. We took second. We jumped and screamed with joy, all the while, everyone knew what was to come on Monday. The next week we would be pushed harder then ever, to do better, but now it was time for a picnic.