Here is the next chapter. The end part is true, and "Ari" did cry, but that was before she had Marah to take all that softness away from her. Elissa and Arianna were different people before Marah came into the picture, so if the characters seem a little different now compared to the Sophomore year, you have to remember that they were older then (though not by much!) and there were different circumstances and events that changed them, so these are the same people, just at a different time of their lives!

Please read and review! Thanks, and I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

Chapter Eight: One Last Practice

Elissa rolled her eyes, glancing over at Arianna. Field show practice had just started and already there were problems. The band was not cooperating and precious class time was being wasted. They had once hour until school let out for the weekend and Mr. Berringer wanted the routine worked on before then. People were complaining, making jokes at Mr. Berringer's expense, and giving rude names to the different set graphs. The majorette had gum in her mouth, snapping the gum and looking bored; Elissa saw that the majorette didn't have her whistle, which was made obvious to the rest of the band when she just shrugged when Mr. Berringer asked her to call the band to attention. Arianna snarled softly to herself and Elissa, although she knew it wasn't funny, smiled.

She and Arianna and Allie had all met up the day after the bad evening practice and Elissa had half-heartedly apologized, as had Arianna. Allie had laughed at this sight, the two hard-headed girls glancing nervously back and forth, in case anyone but Allie were to hear them.

Allie wasn't with the band today, unable to get out of her last class to join the band on the practice field. Elissa was one of the three color guard members who were a part of band and were on the field at that moment. They needed new flags. They really needed new flags. Elissa saw the grass stains and dirt stains and all the patches...

She was brought back to attention by Mr. Berringer trying to call the band to attention, Elissa heard Arianna yell for the woodwinds to listen and they did, surprisingly, snapping their instruments up. Elissa told the girls on either side of her to pay attention and, after a quick roll of the eyes, they listened as the majorette lazily raised her arms, snapped her gum, and started the song.

Practice ended for the sole reason of failure. It ended because people started to walk away in disgust. One by one, students started to leave, faking excuses that Mr. Berringer couldn't really say no to. Then, as practice went on and on with nothing being accomplished, other students left. In groups, they walked off the field, ignoring the yells of Mr. Berringer and the threat of detention.

Eventually, he told the majorette to stop waving her arms (what she was doing really couldn't be called conducting), and he dismissed the rest of the students from the field. Elissa and Arianna walked in the back of the group in silence, anger and sadness mingling. The feild show was next week and already there was no way there would be anymore practices. There was no way everything would come together in time.

Arianna was never more relieved to hear the bell, signaling the end of the day. She stepped out of the band room and into the music annex, letting the rest of the band pass her by. She looked around for Elissa, her friend leaving the band after the failed practice to go to choir. However, instead of Elissa, Arianna saw a figure, slumped against the wall, hidden in the corner by a trophy case. Walking closer, she realized it was Mr. Berringer.

His face was bone white and his hair was ruffled. His arms were crossed and his chin rested on his chest, his face hidden. Arianna didn't know what to do. Should she ask him if he was okay? No, because it was apparent he wasn't. All Arianna could think of was one thing to say.

"Goodnight, Mr. Berringer."

He looked up at her and smiled a sad smile and Arianna felt something like a knife stab into her soul. The look in his eyes was one of the saddest things she had ever seen. He had given up. It was apparent in his crystal blue eyes. He didn't want to continue working with the band.

"Goodnight, Arianna," he said softly, the sad smile fading as he stood from his corner and walked to his office, carefully shutting the door behind him.

Arianna walked up the steps from the band annex, unable to find Elissa, tears in her own eyes.

There we go! I'll write some more soon! Thanks for reading and please, please review!