The band's first parade competition was today. For the weeks leading up to it, they had been worked almost to death.
They had marched.
They had played.
They had busted the hell out of their chops.
And now they were on a temperamental old school bus, graffitied with the haterd of sharpie-equipped rebels, on their way to becoming champions.
"So, who was your first, Andy?
"His name was Antonio. Dark, handsome, and not lacking where it mattered." Andy gave a smart-ass grin, and noticing the incredulous looks on the faces of those around her, she continued. "I suppose that you're going to be needing the where and when, then. Let me set the scene. I was sixteen, I was in a bikini, and I was at one of those indoor water parks in the Dells. Wisconsin Dells. So as I was wandering around the park for about seven hours, I ran into one of the lifeguards about twenty times. Enter Antonio. So after him giving me flirty smiles, and a few hand touches as he helped me out of the water at the end of the slides, I decided to strike up a conversation with him. And I guess he really liked me, because at the end of his shift, there we were in a changing room in the lifeguard locker room, and…well…" She grinned again, and then shot the question right back at Chris.
"Junior prom, my date"
"Oh, come on, we need a name!"
"Ashley Freeland"
"OH…MY…GOD…That sucks!"
"Actually, she didn't"
"Oh-hhhhhhhh!"
"So, speaking of bass drums…"
"Wait, what the hell Becky!"
"Sorry"
"No, just keep going"
"I forgot what I was talking about now."
"What are you ON?"
"Drugs and Vodka" Andy laughed and dug into her bag, flashing them a bottle of amber liquid.
"Speaking of vodka, or tequila more so, this section of the bus had been declared strictly BYOB for the ride home."
"I've got lime"
"Yussssss….!"
"And I have a portable stereo!"
"Double yussssss…!"
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Andy played absentmindedly with her plume as she began to formulate her pre-performance speech, the one that was supposed to pump the drum line up, delaying the nervousness that was bound to build up eventually. But looking around at the stoic faces of her eighteen closest comrades, she knew it wasn't needed. So she wen't slowly down the line, locking eyes and hands with each and every one of them.
"You ALL, every one of you, know why we're here. We're here to do what we do every day. We're here to play, to march, to live. Whether we win or we lose, I believe in every one of you with all my heart. Now go, and remember. What we need isn't talent, it isn't skill, its heart. And that…THAT is the one thing you all have in excess. Believe in that heart and we will win. Because if you didn't believe in it, and if I didn't believe in it, you wouldn't be here."
Then Andy slowly put her hat on and looked straight forward at the drum major from her spot in the middle of the band. It was time.
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"Okay, I'm making one more food run, who wants pizza? One…only one of you? Come on, I'm not almost-missing the awards ceremony for one piece of pizza, Kirst."
"I'm not really hungry anyways" Andy rolled her eyes and sat back down, hugging her new festival t-shirt to her chest. Danni, who was clutching Andy's arm due to an intense fear of heights, whispered in Andy's ear.
"Andy, why isn't adam here again?"
"I don't know, he said something about a wedding or a funeral, or something like that."
"Seems kind of odd since he seems to be going everywhere with us lately. Especially since every second he's with the line is a second with you."
"Danni, you know that it can't get out, about me and him. Right now, we can't be involved as such. After we graduate, well…we'll have to see."
Suddenly a buzzer sounded, and high in the stands of Memorial, the entire band went silent, and then burst back into sound."
"CLASS AAA PARADE MARCHING STANDINGS" Andy opened her arms wide to each side and said,
"Drumline circle of trust! Come on in now, this is us!"
"CLASS AAA, THIRD PLACE- ANTON NORTH HIGH SCHOOL"
"You guys are doing…"
"CLASS AAA, SECOND PLACE- PROVINDICE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL"
"…A GREAT JOB!"
"CLASS AAA, FIRST PLACE…"
Andy hugged the entire drum line close, her eyes squeezed tight. This was the first time they had ever been in the running for a first, and their nemesis had taken second, which could mean…
"SanBURGIDEN HIGH SCHOOL"
The entire 150 piece band jumped up and screamed as one. Their dreams had been realized, in that one statement.
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Andy clambered back into her seat from the front of the bus.
"Okay, an affirmative on the chaperones being zonked. Those sleeping pills work fast!"
"Bring on the booze, el capitan!"
"Shall we Cuervo?"
"We shall"
And that they did. Turing up the stereo to hide the sounds of the partially drunk to the completely wasted from the younger kids at the front of the bus, they basically threw a dance party. Soon, a panting Andy sat down on the edge of her seat and took a breather.
"Heey…Andy!"
"Whaat?"
"Wanna play truth or dare?"
"Hell yeah!" Andy grinned and asked everyone else if they wanted to play too, then the game of drunk truth or dare had begun.
"Danni, truth or dare?"
"Dare!"
"I dare you to make out with Dan, since he's both drunk and asleep" Danni went over and pressed her lips against Dan's. Dan didn't even open his eyes; he just wrapped his arms around Danni and shoved her against the window. Becky wavered a bit and then turned back towards the group.
"I think she's kind of occupied, so I'll take her turn for her. Chris, truth or dare?"
"Truth"
"Okay, why haven't you had a real girlfriend for three years?"
"Because I'm in love with Andy" Andy swayed and grinned at Chris.
"Sure….."
"Fine, Andy, truth or dare?"
"Dare"
"…I can't think of anything, Jordan, you make one up."
"Give Mr. Bass Five a lap dance" Andy stared at Jordan for a second, and then grabbed Chris's hand.
"It is a dare after all. Just give me some tunes, Mr. Bass Four."
Jordan turned the stereo to AC/DC's "Girl's got Rhythm" and Andy pulled Chris towards the back of the bus with an intoxicated gait. She straddled him and started to gyrate to the beat of the music, grinding her hips against his. Soon, the rest of the group lost interest in the lap dance and began another round of truth or dare, completely oblivious to the moans and the sounds of zippers coming undone now coming from the back of the bus. They only paid attention to a flushed and disheveled Chris when he came back to the main part of their bus spot, covered in a fine film of sweat. But there was one person who had noticed that the lap dance had escalated, and that was Danni, who had finished making out with Dan about five minutes into the dare. The intense workout had burned some of the alcohol off of her mind, but not enough for her to realize that one of her best friends was having drunk sex with a guy that she wasn't in love with at all, in the back of a school bus. As soon as she saw Chris leave the back seat, she moved back to the seat her and Andy had shared, waiting forher to meander back to it also, because they were nearly home. Soon, Andy climbed into the seat next to Danni, radiating an unmistakable scent.
"Almost home, aren't we."
"Yeah. Do you need a ride? You seem kind of wasted."
"Oh, and you're safer to drive then I am?"
"I live closer to the school. Plus, your dad isn't going to call you tonight, because he knew you were at a competition. Why don't you just sleep it off at my house?"
"Good idea."