Chapter 2
Amanda didn't like Natasha. That was a fact. And for the simple reason that Natasha had been caught sneaking late into rehearsal only gave ger lee-way to torture her.
Natasha didn't say anything. Just stopped walking. Janie in the background. She stood just as bewildered. "Go... Roll." Amanda motioned her hands toward the parking lot. Janie followed orders and headed on down the sidewalk to the lot. Where the band was doing their chords. She could tell it was definitely the first note in a while for most of them.
"Why are you late Na-tash-ah?" Amanda said her name in broken, annoyingly short syllables. " I- I- I was looking after my little brother. He's sick." Natasha lied. Amanda was irritated. "Oh really? But don't you think you could have shown up a little earlier? We've been here an hour and a half! What? Do you just expect us to do everything for you? Typical Natasha. I know you TOO well." Natasha took a step back. "Im sorry. I'll try harder to be on time... I'll get Janie's mom to bring me. Anything. Ok?" Amanda stood silently for a moment. Arms crossed, staring at the sky, the sun that was just rising. Then Amanda spoke. "You know? Im reallll proud of your little cousin. She's done more in this guard in 2 hours than you have in 3 years!" Amanda was becoming more and more violent with every word she spoke. Then, all of a sudden a voice over the loudspeaker cut her off. "Is there a problem Miss. Jennings?" Amanda stood suddenly at attention. "No sir. Not a problem at all. I was just about to see Miss. Watson, here into the band room for a quick briefing." Mr. Hall shook his head slightly. Sometimes Natasha thought Mr. Hall knew what Amanda was up to. In times like now, when he hesitated to respond. "O-Okay, but Amanda?" "Yes sir?" she called behind her back. "Be back here to conduct page 8, alright?" She nodded her head with satisfaction and opened the door. "Right this way." She did a small joking bow and ushered Natasha in. They walked slowly side by side down the short hallway. Absolutely silent. Thoughts ran through Natasha's Head. "What the hell is she doing?" She thought to herself. The band room door was open. "Get in the guard closet. Pull out 25 practice flags and set them." Amanda commanded as she made her way to the other side of the room and rested her shoulder on the wall. "Amanda, those are from last year!" Natasha argued. Amanda pushed herself violently off of the wall. "And you think I don't know this? Besides, Our girls need to use those instead. We cant have holes in our performance flags now can we?" Natasha took the hat she was wearing and angrily slammed it into the floor. "Give me the key!" Natasha boasted. Amanda tossed the tiny metal key across the room as it hit the floor Natasha watched it bounce. One, Two, on the shiny hardwood floor. She bent down to pick it up. She stayed there for a minute, maybe a little less... when she felt a menacing blow into her stomach. She rolled over onto her side. "YOU KICKED ME!" Natasha let out a shrill cry. "YOU KICKED ME!" Amanda wasn't phased by Natasha's cries. She kicker her hard. She knew that. Amanda bent down and picked the key from Natasha's clenched hand and walked back out. "Hear that? Bands almost to page eight. I gotta run babe. Just... ly there until better mmmkay? Toodles dear." And as if that wasn't the fakest thing Natasha had ever heard... Amanda flipped the light off. Suddenly, Natasha found her mind swimming through the darkness. Natasha lay alone with her face flat on the floor. She spoke to herself in a burst of painful agony. "What the hell just happened!" And then, all of a sudden, everything was black.