AN: I see a few of you are reading…let me know what you think! And also, if you like this story or The Line, flip over to The Other Line by Graceful Dream. It's definitely worth a read!

Author's note: 12/5/05…realizing that I left out some characters that were in The Line, I had to go back and make them part of the story. It shouldn't impact the storyline too much. But hey, it's not like they all transferred or something. They are all members of the Brookwood Drum Line and deserve a place in this story.

Chapter 1: Summertime and the Livin's…

Bronwyn lifted her blue Bono wraparounds and wiped the sweat from her eyes. It was nearing the end of July and she was outside drumming. Her Captain, J.D., was too macho to go inside, or, for the love of God, even go in the shade, so the entire snare line was sweating through their last sectional of the summer. Were any other sections practicing this early in the season? Bronwyn doubted it. At least the guys were lucky…they could take off their shirts, but Bronwyn…while a confident chica to be sure, was not at the point she was going to take off her shirt in front of a bunch of upperclassmen.

At least this is coming to an end… Pre-band camp was next week and Bronwyn couldn't wait. As much as she loved drumming, she would be glad to see anyone besides her fellow snares. It had taken most of the summer, but she was able to convince them that she could actually keep up with the section and that Henry had put her there for a reason. She knew the resentment wouldn't come from the guys in her section, but instead from the guys her own age. It was fine to be a girl…as long as you didn't take someone else's slot on the Line. There was one guy in particular who Bronwyn wasn't looking forward to seeing again. Tony Clarke. Tony was a sophomore and completely bitter that Bronwyn had made the snare line. She was, after all, the only underclassmen in the snare line. Bronwyn could easily follow his train of thought…the earlier you were on the snare line, the better shot you had of being Captain your senior year.

But dammit, I earned this spot. I am not going to apologize because I'm good at what I do.

She looked at the rest of the snares during the exercise. There was Tall Paul, a senior who had marched snare last year. Since Bronwyn had her own politics to worry about, she hadn't gotten caught up in the politics of the battle for Drum Line Captain. Paul, a veteran with 3 years on the Line was mad, well, livid would actually be a better word, that J.D. who had transferred to Brookwood last year, was named Captain instead of him.

The seniors had worked out some of their differences over the summer, but Bronwyn knew that there was still some tension between them. Paul was always the first to comment if J.D. did something wrong, the first to come up with another way to do something, and the first to point out if any of the other snares weren't doing their best. Most everyone on the Line thought J.D. would do a good job, but Paul's loyal friends, Mike (quints), and Dave (the bass lieutenant) were also unhappy with the selection of J.D. as Captain. Bronwyn had tried to stay under the radar, which was easy since she didn't have to march next to either Paul or J.D.

With six snares, tall Paul and J.D. were in the middle with Thomas and Bronwyn on one end and Kevin and Scott on the other end. For once, Bronwyn was happy with her height.

J.D. signaled for the end of the exercise. The snares smartly tucked their sticks away. J.D. was in a bad mood today, which meant they had to be at attention and on top of their game or risk doing countless push-ups. They couldn't break attention until J.D. released them.

At least that's one thing Paul and J.D. agree on…

Both seniors took the discipline of the snare line very seriously.

J.D. said, "Ok, we're done for today. I'm going on vacation tomorrow, so the next time I see all of you will be at band camp."

Thomas made a motion to leave.

"Did I tell you to break attention?"

Thomas frowned, "No."

"Twenty ought to do it."

Thomas took off his snare and began doing push-ups. Bronwyn had to do everything not to stare at his rippling back muscles. She struggled to keep a straight face and not drool everywhere.

J.D. continued talking, "When we get back I expect the concentration we had at these practices will remain. We are the most talented section in the drum line and have to set an example for the rest of the Battery. You're free to go."

Sadist… Bronwyn suspected a lot of J.D.'s insane militaristic tendencies were due to his background. Before joining the Brookwood Drum Line (and the High School that went with it), he had attended a military school and marched a summer with DCI. He had taken off from the Corps this summer to concentrate on being Captain and applying for college. Still, it was J.D's way or the highway and Bronwyn was too young and inexperienced on the Battery to make any demands. She was worried about her marching technique. Almost everyone else on the Battery had marched a season on the field. Bronwyn was mostly worried, because, awesome snare drummer that she may be, it was something totally different when you had to march and play at the same time. However, she vowed to practice as much as needed in order to do it right.

Pre-Band Camp

Bronwyn said goodbye to her Dad as he pulled away. She couldn't wait for the day she could start driving. She knew that Ben, one of the quints and Thomas, her fellow snare, lived close to where she did, but she hadn't built up the confidence to ask them for a ride just yet.

"Have a good practice honey!"

"I'll call you when I need to be picked up!"

Bronwyn slung her snare over one shoulder and walked towards the school. She had put a lot of consideration into what she was wearing today…searching the thrift stores until she found the perfect T-shirt and cord shorts to wear. She had observed how the other snares dressed and wanted to fit in…everyone except J.D. that is. He was preppy with a capital P and Bronwyn wasn't about to be caught dead in Dockers and a polo shirt. She knew everyone were Oakley eyejackets, but decided to put her own spin on her eye-wear and stuck with her Bono shades. She had also been working on her walk. If she was going to wear this drum all season, she was going to have to have the walk to back it up.

There were whispers as she as walking in the school. How quickly everyone forgets…

Bronwyn turned a corner and there was Tony and the rest of the sophomore drummers. She had almost made it passed him when he called out, "I still think they mixed up the results of our auditions Flueger."

Bronwyn looked straight ahead. She and Stewie (one late night this summer she had decided that her drum had a name, and that name was Stewie…) kept walking.

Tony called after her, "You might as well just put down the drum now before Henry or J.D. has to publicly embarrass you by removing you from the Line."

Bronwyn was about to say something when Drew, the incredibly hot senior Drum Major, came to her rescue. As a member of the Pit, Bronwyn had made friends with the hunky junior last season. She was surprised he remembered their conversations.

Drew said, "From what I hear, Bronwyn is kicking ass and taking names."

Bronwyn stuck out her tongue from behind Drew and followed him into the band room. She said hi to her band friends, Meredith on flute and Megan on sax. She high-fived Tyler the sousa and Joshy on trumpet.

Meredith wanted to know, "What bus are you signing up for?"

Bronwyn sighed, "I think I have to sign up for the drum line bus this season."

She didn't want to admit how nervous she was being on this bus. She was already trying to figure out who would be her seat buddy. She remembered last season when the Line was headed to one of their competitions. Lucy was sitting with Mark, Lisa was sitting with Paul and Bronwyn was sitting by herself. She longed to have the relationship the girls did. In addition to being pals with everyone on the Line, they each had a "special" guy friend. Both girls were dating other guys, but on top of having boyfriends, they also had awesome seat buddies! Bronwyn would have to consider her options later.

Megan said, "Bummer."

Bronwyn agreed, "I know. J.D. is running a really tight ship this year and I don't want to risk anything, you know?"

At the name J.D., both Meredith and Maggie's eyes glazed over. Bronwyn rolled her eyes, "You guys, he's not that cool."

Meredith said smiling, "Tell me the part again how you practiced with the guys and they took their shirts off…"

Megan agreed, nodding.

Bronwyn said getting up, "Six packs galore. I'm sure you'll all get a glimpse at band camp. I swear…any excuse they have. They're all going to end up with some wicked carrier tans though…see you girls later!"

Bronwyn walked over to the percussion room where she saw Maggie and Victoria standing awkwardly. Here goes nothing… Bronwyn had vowed to be a cool Drum Line chick and do what Lisa and Lucy did for her.

"Hey gals – how was you summer?"

They both mumbled. This is worse than I remember…

Flashback

A year ago almost exactly to the day, freshman Bronwyn showed up to her first band practice. She hardly knew anyone. She saw two girls hanging out in the percussion room. She recognized Lisa, who would be her section leader for the season. They both walked up to her…

"I don't think we've met. I'm Lucy."

Lucy reached her hand out to shake Bronwyn's hand. Bronwyn, intimidated, limply responded.

Lucy scoffed, "That's not how Drum Line girls shake hands. Now, give me a real shake!"

Bronwyn shook again and gave the same squeeze Lucy did.

"Atta girl."

At that moment Lucy was bodily picked up and slung over some guy's broad shoulder and carried into the band room. Lucy yelled smiling, "Mark!"

Lisa grinned as she watched the two of them go. She responded to Bronwyn's bewildered look, "That was Mark, the quint lieutenant. You'll learn. Now, let's see if we can find the mallet box and gather the rest of the Pitlings (AN: did anyone else call younger Pit members this? Or maybe Pitlets?) and get outside."

End flashback

Bronwyn smiled and asked the girls, "Do you gals have any questions? Us Drum Line girls have to stick together."

At that moment Tony came into the percussion room, "Don't listen to her, girls. She doesn't know the first thing about Drum Line."

Valerie and Maggie were caught in the middle, unsure of what to do, when J.D. joined everyone in the Percussion Room, "Right…enough bullsh'ting. Everyone get their drums and get outside."

Bronwyn, who hadn't even had time to put down her drum, grabbed a stand for her music and walked outside, being sure to stick close to the rest of the snares.

She thought about her fellow sophomores and how impressionable they were. For whatever reason, her class had had a bumper crop of drummers that had decided to keep playing after middle school. Tony was their ringleader and they had been exchanging words ever since their earliest days of drumming. Bronwyn had taken to drums like a duck to water and Tony had never gotten over the fact that a girl was better than he was. He wasn't happy marching on the bass line this year. Then there was Steve, Tony's best friend and lackey. Steve was a more talented drummer than Tony and was the only sophomore on the quint line. Tony seemed to not recognize that Steve had "taken anyone's spot."

Bronwyn sighed as she lined up. As luck would have it, with her height she was on one end of the snares and that end was where the basses lined up. Why couldn't he have marched 2nd bass? Why couldn't I have lined up next to the quints? Bronwyn looked across the Line and wished she could march next to Billy, the super cute quint lieutenant. She really wasn't looking forward to an entire season of Tony getting in her face all the time. She couldn't tell J.D. about it because that would mean she would get a rep as a tattle. She could only hope that Thomas would somehow notice and maybe mention it. Tony was in the middle of giving her a mean look when…

BWAP! J.D. snapped one of his sticks down and got everyone's attention.

Henry, still instructing the Brookwood Line, looked at J.D. strangely, but addressed the collected Line, "Well everyone, I hope you had a great summer and I'm really looking forward to the coming season. I know the class of 2007 left some big holes not only did we graduate a lot of players, but a lot of leadership on the Line are now freshman in college. So, I wouldn't say we're rebuilding this year, but I offer it as a challenge to you. You all know how well the 2006-2007 Line did and I urge to rise above. As you know this year's half-time show is Chicago and I think we can really kick some ass."

They finished the warm up and practice and Bronwyn was so intent on looking and acting the part, she wasn't distracted by Tony's antics. As the Battery walked into the school, she heard the murmurings…

Not too bad… Looks like she's doing ok…

J.D. came up next to her, "You looked OK out there today B."

"Th-thanks." Bronwyn knew J.D. rarely gave out anything that sounded remotely like a compliment.

Bronwyn put her drum away. She was on her way to call her Dad from the pay phone when Ben caught up with her, "Hey Flueger, need a ride home?"

Bronwyn smiled appreciatively. When you were an underclassmen, there was nothing more embarrassing than having to wait around for your parents. She answered, "That would be great. Mind if I just call them to let them know?"

Ben rolled his eyes, but smiled, "I remember what it was like."

Bronwyn hurried to make a quick call. When she returned, she walked out with Ben to his silver Jetta and got in….then froze. She had never been in a car alone with a guy her age. Her tongue suddenly felt huge in her mouth and she wondered how she was ever going to put together a normal sentence.

AN: Enough for now, my fingers are tired from typing so much! Please, please, please let me know what you think about Bronwyn. I'm off to work on another project – I'm adapting The Line into a screenplay.