Here is the second to last chapter! Here we go!
Chapter Sixteen: The Hometown Parade
The sirens were set off, starting a whole new parade. The balmy summer evening g was perfect for marching. The light breeze, the fading light, the crowd large and supportive and eager for the parade to come closer. It was the type of thing that made Arianna's skin tingle in near happiness. The beauty of the silence before a parade.
It was Arianna's first time actually watching a parade since she had joined marching band, or, rather, decided to quit marching band. The season was over after this parade, nothing else to do but put uniforms away and return the band trailer to it's rightful spot in the bus shed.
Arianna had planned to go and march. She had run late, though, due to relatives in town. If she had tried, if she had really wanted to, she could have been a part of the group that was now making their way up the street. But she didn't.
As the band moved closer, Arianna moved closer to the street, wanting to get a clear look at the band. She could have laughed or cried when she saw how few people were there. There was hardly a drum line and not even enough performers to make a complete row of one particular instrument. The band was out of step and the majorettes looked how Arianna felt: humiliated. This was not a marching band. This was something pathetic, weak, undisciplined.
This was not the band Ari knew.
Suddenly, her eye was caught by a flash of sunglasses as a figure on the street came into view. Mr. Marah was there, looking straight at her. Arianna felt something clench in her stomach. Was he going to yell at her in front of everyone? Was he going to humiliate her? Was he just going to pass her by?
All he did, as Arianna regained her own emotions and gave him an icy look, was shake his head and continue on, giving her the evil eye behind sunglasses. If looks could kill, Ari would have been dead. She could tell that Marah gave her his worst glare ever, a look of pure fire and anger that made Arianna cringe. Ice and fire had met one last time.
Other people, she found out, had seen that glance he had given her. They had seen, or perhaps even felt the hatred in that exchange. Embarrassed that there were people looking at her, and that her own family was shocked, Arianna was relieved when Elissa came bouncing up the sidewalk toward her.
"Elissa! I thought- Why are you not-"
"I skipped. I didn't want to embarrass myself."
Elissa and Arianna hugged.
"Did you see-"
"Yeah, that's why I came over here, to make sure you were okay!"
"Well, other people saw than just you and I. That look was awful. I won't forget it."
The two stood quietly as a clown came up the street, handing out candy. Elissa smiled at Ari.
"You know what can help us forget about them? The whole band? The whole Marah thing?"
Arianna gave Elissa a questioning look.
"Candy from a clown with blue makeup..."
