Last First Game
Thanks to all the reviewers! It was because of all the support I had on this that I decided to continue it, nearly a year later. Here's a longer chapter :)
The first game of the season neared and we all grew anxious, particularly the freshmen. Rumors created purely for the purpose of intimidating our newest members spread, including the ever-so-popular "what really goes on during third quarter". It has remained a tradition in our band for all second-year and up band members to do this. While it sounds like a low thing, it ensures that all the freshmen, the following year as sophomores, would have something to laugh about.
I was frightened as well, not by the rumors as this was my fourth year going through this, but by the fact that this would be my last first game. Now that summer had closed and school had begun, I had to face the news: all this would soon be over.
Jackie and I met at Hardee's before the game, grabbed some food, and arrived in the band room, grinning as we watched the freshmen mill around, looking very nervous. A petite girl with dirty-blonde hair approached us, clutching a flute and wearing an appearance of utter despair.
"Are the brownies really that bad? Garrett told me that at third quarter, they give you brownies but they're not really brownies, that's code for freshman initiation, and it's really awful, he wouldn't tell me exactly what the brownies are but it has to be something bad, right?" she blabbered at a half-whisper, eyes wide.
Well, she was half there. I, unfortunately, am never good at this – either I get suckered into feeling sorry for the freshmen and telling them the truth too early, or I giggle uncontrollably.
"I'll leave you to this," I told Jackie, and walked off, resisting smiling until I arrived at my locker. The freshmen certainly looked scared (and gullible), but they didn't have much longer to worry; at half time, before we took the field, the seniors would explain everything. A mean prank, yes, but we had all been through it, and next year they would do the same.
As I unlocked my locker and pulled my saxophone case out, I heard the sound of someone else's combination lock turning. Looking to my right I saw Ryan open his locker and stow his car keys and other paraphernalia inside. As if he sensed me watching, he looked up. There was a sad look about him.
"Uh... hey," I said. I could sense myself becoming redder.
"Hey," he replied, "How many freshmen have you spoken with?"
Time seemed to be moving slower than usual. It seemed every word he spoke had taken forever, and I could not take my eyes off his gaze.
"None actually." I sounded breathless. "I just got there – I mean, here." He had extremely gorgeous green eyes.
"A few moments ago I had Craig, that one trumpet player – you know who I'm talking about? He asked me if there was any way he could get ahold of some badger repellant." Ryan laughed. "I have no idea what he was on about."
I found myself laughing loudly, joining in with him. "Yeah – badger repellant. Wow." I still had not dropped his gaze. "What did you say?"
"I told him to find Garrett, he's always good at making these things up."
"I'm no good at them. I'm an awful liar."
Ryan smiled. He was very tall. "Me too."
As we looked at each other a whistle went off from the other side of the room. We both jumped and looked at the source of the noise. Ms. Havens stood outside her office door, clutching the whistle.
"Band! You have fifteen minutes to get into your uniforms, then be back here to warm up! We march out in forty minutes! Twenty push-ups for every minute you're late!"
At that the band members took off, hauling their red and white uniforms out of the uniform room and shouting to one another. It was chaos as usual. I looked back but Ryan was gone, disappeared into the mess.
An hour later we were all sitting in the stands, excited and eager for half-time. The game had just begun. Some members of the drumline were cheering the football team on, but the rest of us were absorbed in our own conversations.
It was a very nice night, slightly cooler than normal but perfect for our heavy wool uniforms. Jackie, however, seemed rather red and was smiling a bit more than was normal.
"I have something to tell you," she whispered, "But you can't tell anybody – yet."
"Hmmm?"
"Right before warm-ups, Bradley asked me to Homecoming!"
Bradley was the trumpet section leader, coveted by many of the female members of the band. He moved here from California freshman year, and still appeared that way: tall, blonde, naturally tan, with the "fresh from the beach" look going for him all year.
I squealed girlishly. "No way! Are you serious?"
"Of course!" So that was why she looked so pleased with herself.
"I'm so happy for you!" I really was, but it made me realize how lonely I was going to feel at Homecoming without a date. Of course, there were still several weeks to go, but I wasn't feeling optimistic. I'd never gone to Homecoming with a guy before, and I was not seeing that change anytime soon. It also made me realize that I had yet to buy a dress.
"We need to go dress shopping," I said, "Tomorrow."
"Definitely, I'm so excited…" Jackie flushed.
"You should get a green dress, you'd look good in green…"
The topic of Homecoming carried us all the way until Ms. Havens signaled us all to our individual sections to begin our final warm-up before halftime. The brass, woodwinds, drumline, pit, and auxiliaries all usually warmed up separately, then met together a few moments before the end of second quarter to play the beginning measures of our opener.
Doing this always gave me such an adrenaline rush. There's something about the crisp night air, and playing as an ensemble, and knowing you're about to go out onto the field that simply does not compare to anything you can do. I found myself grinning in the excitement. This was the first time the public was going to see our show.
Catching Jackie and Bradley looking at each other, I choked back a laugh. They were actually both very similar. Both were section leaders, both were gigantic band geeks…
What if Ryan asked me to Homecoming? What would I say?
You'd say yes, you idiot, I told myself.
I looked in his direction but he was busy talking to Ms. Havens about tempo, his brown hair slightly flattened from his shako he had been wearing earlier.
I grinned in spite of myself, and shortly after, warm-ups began and ended. Solemnly we marched to the field and situated ourselves at the end zone. Ryan called us to parade rest and the visitor band took the field. I caught his eye and looked away quickly.
Whispers were flying; the freshmen were learning the truth. Sighs of relief and a few muffled shouts of anger sounded. Jackie was still blushing, and I was rather red as well… for a similar and yet very different reason.
