Thank you all for reviewing, you have no idea how much it means to know that people put up with my messed up daily schedule to read my story!

To The Pirate Illusionist: It sucks about the crusty baritone, but thank you for all the compliments. I'll try to update faster.

To Amethyst Eyed Bass Clarinet Player: Thank you for the compliments and you gotta tell me how that went!

To Squiddie03: Your welcome, thank you, and yes I am online today: ) Thanks for the review.

To Red Hawk K'sani: Thanks for the compliment and don't worry, there is a whole lot more band drama to come!

Once again, thank you all for the reviewing and commenting.

Oh yeah, squiddie03, Iknow that the little Cat's and A/E's are wishful thinking, but I can't put that in quite yet, but soon I will put something like that soon! And then I can put little A's and D's: )j/k...not really.: )

Disclaimer: I don not own band or any names of people, music, objects, ect., featured in this story. Names have been changed for privacy.

Chapter 4:

The Unexpected

Forms its Words

It was the day of the youth parade and the band room was giddy with excitement. We had been working on our songs and marching for a few weeks and had it down pact. We still had to wait until after school to get ready for the parade, but we found it hard to stay calm. We were running through the songs one last time before the parade, and as usual, the practice before the performance, wasn't as good as our band directors hoped it would be. But that was a sign of a good performance there, so we were set!

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We were in the band hall putting on our marching uniforms and getting our instruments ready to load the buses. When we were ready, we sat down for the pep talk from Mr. Geraldo.

He basically said that we should have fun with it and relax, focus on the music not the crowds, and so on. The stuff that any band director would tell his band before a performance to keep their spirits up. He also talked to us about in case if someone throughs a "cracker" at us to try and scare us into messing up. Rival crowds, bands, and other people were brought into conversation briefly before we were called to the buses by Mrs. Gonzales.

We loaded the bus and were told we would get there in about thirty minutes because of the traffic. We were allowed to sit next to our friends on the condition that we would not get up, speak to loudly, and that our instruments were secured. Ariel and I sat together with Jackie in the seat next to us, and Deven and Danny in front.

"I can't wait! I hope my mom made it there, she didn't know quite where the place was," Jackie said as soon as we sat down.

Danny responded,"Yeah I know, the place is pretty far." He was turned around the edge of the seat, in the aisle. Deven head was poking out from above the seat just enough so that we could see him, but he was still in his seat.

"Anyone know if any other bands in our district are marching, besides Memorial" Ariel asked. Memorial was our rival school. They were always bound to show up wherever we went.

"I think Darwin is going. I'm not sure, but I think that Tyler is going, too." Deven answered her. "In speaking of other schools, I've got something to tell you all, or more of, something Danny has asked me to tell you." His face was a little aprehensive. I'm guessing that he wasn't too pleased with what he had to tell us.

"It's okay Deven you don't have to tell them now, right before we have to perform. I'd like it better if we waited until we got back to the band hall."

"But, Danny, when we get back we will probably forget in all the commotion. Besides, if you chicken out now, you will never get it out before it is too late."

Us three girls were silently watching their conversation, waiting for the opprotune moment.

"But then I don't have to deal with the stress. Don't you care about my well- being?"

Danny was getting to the emotion thing. I guess that opprotune moment is now.

"Danny, just tell us now or you will be messing with OUR well- being because we will mess up, and it will all be because YOU had to taunt us with information that we have to wait to find out!" I really wanted to know what he did not want to tell us. It was driving me insane, and judging by the looks on Ariel's and Jackie's faces, they wanted to know, too.

We stared at him to try and suade him into telling us the information we wanted to know.

"Fine. I'll get it over with," he sighed and turned away for a while. We looked at him expectantly.

"I'm going to be transfering to Skyline at the end of the month."

We stared at him in disbelief. He was joking. He had to be. Only Deven seemed to have already prepared himself for this kind of information. Of course, he had been the first one to know.

Jackie finally exclaimed,"But that is in three days!"

" I know, but that was as long as I was able to get before my transfer went through and my name would start showing up on rosters there."

He looked at Ariel and placed his hand on hers. "I'm sorry."

Okay, what was that? She never mentioned that they were going out! But I didn't seemed to feel any jealousy or anything, so I guess whatever I had felt for him before was just a passing fancy. Oh, no. This was going to break her heart. And his, for that matter.

She placed his hand above his and swallowed slowly"It's okay. I'll be fine. I just want us to have one last night together, if that's okay with you all" she said glancing at us. I leaned over and gave her a hug.

"It will be okay, Ariel," I said in support.

She shook her head.

"Let's just do our best tonight and forget about this until later when we have time to focus on it. Right now it will just get in our way of concentration."

Jackie exhaled."Words of wisdom if I ever heard some. Let's get ready for the parade, because we are already here." The buses had pulled into the parking lot over by our number in the parade.

"Okay everybody, when you get off, don't bump into anybody and make sure to go row by row" Our band directors instructed us.

I was off after Ariel. (She was carrying a clarinet because oboes can't march, so she wasn't going to be playing)

"Let's get this over with, now."

"Just relax, and try to have fun."

The parade went well and we had fun. We got a ribbon for our performance. We had all forgotten about the bad news and had gotten caught up in the exhileration of the crowds. Our mascot had showed up at the last minute, along with the cheerleaders( Who in their right mind would invite our mutant cheerleaders? Naturally they weren't mutant, but our cheerleaders were wierder than most.) They came behind us and did their routine whenever we played the fight song, but just smiled and walked throughout any of the other songs.

We were all a buzz while getting back on the buses for the trip back home. By this time, it was dark outside. We five didn't talk too much to each other, save for Jackie asking Ariel if she was going to be all right. She just nodded and stared out the window. Nothing else was said.

We pulled into the band hall and filed out. There were parents already waiting in the parking lot. I rushed inside and put away my instrument. Afterwards, I changed out of my uniform and hung it up the uniform storage room. I then finally went to Ariel's side, my responsibilties fulfilled, and saw that the others had done the same.

"Hey," was all I had time to say before she burst into tears on Danny's shoulder.

"Did you have to wait until the peak of our relationship to do this?"

"I am sorry Ariel, I didn't want to do this to you. I wanted to tell you some time earlier today, but I couldn't bear the guilt of knowing I made you cry."

"A lot of damn good that did!"

I whispered over at Deven and Jackie,"C'mon. Let's give them some space." We walked away over to another side of the band hall outside. We didn't want to be intruding, but also didn't want anyone else doing so either, so kept an eye on the corner to make sure no one went over there.

Jackie broke the silence. "I think we should make sure that these next few days are the best for those two."

Deven looked around the corner, "Hey, I wonder what they are doing right now. The noise stopped."

I turned him around away from there," Deven! Leave them be, they are working it out their way, whatever it may be."

Jackie looked at me," At least we know that they are making the most of their time."

"Yes, we can be assured of that."

Right then, I heard a car honking and looked to see that my mom was waiting for me. I went home and hit my pillow as soon as I got to my room.

So how did you all like it? I know it's short for the time it took me to write it, but my life just took an interesting, and time- consuming, turn.

Now all you have to do is click on that little button and make my day!