Here we go! Next chappie!
Chapter Fourteen: The Real Announcement.
It had rained every time they had marched in the parade, rain falling in little drops that coated the face with a fine mist and made the instruments slippery. Arianna remembered that, the previous year they marched this parade, the festival had almost been canceled on account of rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning.
Arianna tried to touch the drops of water through the glass windows of the bus ans sighed, leaving a fog mark that covered the raindrops on the window. Elissa sighed, too, rewinding the song she was listening to on her CD player.
Neither of them wanted to be there.
Elissa wouldn't admit that she was depressed, that she didn't want to see Mr. Marah after what had happened at the gas station. She scoffed at Arianna, saying that she would miss color guard when hell froze over after Arianna offered to skip the parade with her. Elissa had bravely gathered her things and stepped onto the bus before the rest of the band had arrived, leaving Arianna with the choice to either get on the bus and face Marah or to leave and betray the band.
Arianna loved this parade, the most prestigious invitational parade for marching bands. She had always wanted to have the whistle to lead the band in this particular parade, making it bitter to be on the bus. She didn't was to admit she thought Elissa was either brave or heartless, showing Arianna that she was being selfish and a brat. Arianna knew, though, that she wasn't being either. She was heartsick.
Ever since the parade where they had won first place for the first time in eleven years, the rumor that Marah was leaving had grown, Even people who had not gone to the parade knew that Marah might be leaving. It had spread around the town, too. It was what the old ladies talked about at the second hand store down the road, what the workers mentioned during break. Even people who didn't like the band knew that there was a chance the band director was leaving.
"Here we go again," muttered Elissa as the band scattered into their spots. As Arianna ran by, she said, "You stole my line!"
As the band warmed up, it began to rain again, the fine drops leaving watermarks on the thick marching uniforms and delicate color guard flags. The majorettes were complaining about the water. Arianna wished they would slip and fall; not enough to do damage, just enough to remind them to start the band instead of whining that they were wet. Mr. Marah seemed to have been thinking the same thing and, after a few coarse words and a hurt look, a majorette blew her whistle and the band moved down the road, a lady announcer welcoming the band to the parade.
The rain fell harder.
"Elissa, I really don't want to go back to the school. I didn't want to go back to the bus. I have a bad feeling."
"Arianna, stop it..."
"I'm serious. I've been avoiding Marah and he knows it, but there is going to be something when we get to the school that we shouldn't be a part of."
Elissa bit her lip. Arianna had a knack for premonitions. Reaching for her cellphone, Elissa agreed to call Allie.
'I heard she's in town. Maybe she can come and get us if she can borrow her grandparent's car."
Arianna nodded and went to tell a band mom that they wouldn't be staying for the awards ceremony. They were getting a ride from a friend.
"Hello?"
Arianna's phone rang just as she was going to disappear into the bathroom for a shower, to wipe away the dirt and sweat from the parade.
"It's me."
"Oh, hi, Elissa... I was just about to-"
"I won't talk very long. I have some news."
Arianna felt shivers run up her spine at the sound of Elissa's voice, soft and depressed.
'We didn't win anything at the parade. When the buses got back, Mr. Marah made an announcement, a real announcement, regarding the rumor..."
"And?" Arianna knew the answer in her heart before Elissa said it.
"He's leaving. After he promised us he wouldn't. People cried. They cried in front of everybody else. Some sat down and sobbed. He-"
Elissa's voice broke and Arianna felt her own throat closing up.
"It's okay, Elissa. You don't need to go on."
"I just wanted to let you know."
"Thanks. Goodnight, 'Lissa"
"You too, Ari."
Arianna hung up the phone and stepped into the shower. As she washed her hair and let the warm water carry all the dirt and grime away, Ari didn't know if she was crying of it it was just water pouring down her face.
This chapter always makes me tear up a little. Please read and review! Thank you!
