Here we are with Chapter Seven already... Wow. Well, I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far and I hope to get some reviews! Here we go...

Chapter Seven: Second Night Practice

"Hot gloves, Ari!"

"Thanks, Allie. I honestly just found them under my bed the other week."

Arianna petted Allie's hair as Elissa walked up, eyebrows raised.

"Why are you petting Allie's hair?"

"I like it," cooed Allie, smiling at her.

Arianna cringed as all three of the girls heard the whistle. The majorette stood on the field, Mr. Barringer beside her.

"You want to be in her spot, don't you?" asked Elissa, seeing the pained look on her friend's face. "Well, you'll get it someday, okay? And then you'll be there next to Mr. Barringer, his hand is yours..."

Arianna gave Elissa a dirty look as Elissa ran off laughing with Allie, flags rippling behind them. Arianna walked out onto the field and stood in her spot for the first set and waited as Mr. Berringer climbed the metal steps of the bleachers to the top, turning and surveying the band.

"Now then, let's run the show through!"

Arianna's legs were sore from over exertion in the cold and she could hardly feel her fingers, even with the gloves on. Mr. Barringer was yelling at the top of this lungs because he was unable to get into the press box behind the bleachers. The athletic director had conveniently locked it and forgot the keys. Arianna could almost see him shaking; he had such a thin jacket on with no gloves. His face was pale in the white of the stadium lights and he was stamping his feet, hands tucked in his pockets.

"It's freezing out here! Just let us go home!" yelled one person from across the field, probably Wade. Mr. Berringer stomped his feet harder and shook his head.

"No! We have a field show in three days! We are not stopping a whole hour early because you happen to be cold! It's not cold out here! Not at all!"

Arianna felt her heart bleed for him as the director coughed, almost bending in half, covering his face with his hands. The majorette looked at him expectantly, ignoring the fact he was about to fall over in pain, and started to tap her foot, sighing in impatience. Once the director regained control of himself, he raised his shaking hands, yelling as loud as he could.

"Once more from the top!"

"So, that was funny when his voice cracked! Haha, the guy isn't more than one of us... When he was coughing, I though he was going to fall down the steps. That would-"

"Stop it, Elissa!"

"Ari, what's wrong?"

"I don't like it when you make fun of him, okay?"

Elissa, Arianna, and Allie were walking back to the band room, feet crunching on the frosty grass. From the light coming from the football field, Elissa could see Arianna's face, livid in anger.

"Look, Elissa was just joking around. She didn't mean anything by it."

Allie stood next to Elissa and Elissa tilted her chin, nose going into the air. Arianna, not one to back down from a fight, stepped closer.

"That's not funny! The poor guy is just trying to do his job. He's obviously not feeling well and this cold isn't doing anything to help any of us. He is our director and we need to give him some respect!"

"Respect?"

"Yes! Elissa, after Mr. Martin left, you and Allie fawned over him and then decided you didn't like him after all, just like everyone else in this band."

"Arianna realized how loud her voice was as people walking by started to turn and look. She continued in a whisper that was so full of fury that Allie glanced nervously at Elissa for a reaction.

"Every girl in this band, except myself, wanted to go home with him; every guy wanted to know him. And now, he's being teased, ignored, treated like he isn't a teacher, but a student. He isn't one of us!"

"Then why do you get that look on your face every time he looks at you, every time you see him, every time he walked by? You might not realize it, Arianna, but you're falling in love and you're going to do everything to protect him. Just don't let it ruin this year for us. You can't fall in love."

Allie scampered after Elissa as Elissa walked to the band room, satisfied with what she had said. Arianna stood in the middle of the large grassy field between the bleachers and the school, watching her two friends follow the rest of the band to the school. The little amount of light there was came from the field and, within moments, the stadium lights were turned off, leaving Arianna in darkness. She stood there for several minutes and glanced up at the stars. The moon was a bit more than a sliver in the sky and the stars were veiled by wisps of clouds. Angrily, Arianna took out the ribbon holding her hair back and shook her hair out, it's warmth covering her neck. Arianna smiled a little, not knowing why.

"Aren't you coming out of the cold?"

A soft voice behind her startled Arianna. She turned her head, piccolo in her hand, only to see Mr. Berringer. He was smiling, she could see that much. His long black jacket whipped around his ankles and his hands were in his pockets. He gave a slight cough and looked at Arianna expectantly, stopping by her side.

"Yes, I- I suppose," Arianna muttered, feeling her face light up in embarrassment. Luckily it was so dark and she was standing in his shadow. In silence, the two walked to the school across the field, both heads bowed, Arianna's hair sticking to his jacket sleeve.

Hopefully I'll update soon. Writing everything out by hand first takes a little while! I like a pen and paper copy for myself, though, so it's worth it! Please read and review! Thanks!