Here is the next chapter! Heheh, I think the honor band part is still going to go on for a bit; there was just so much that happened that it's hard to fit it into just one or two chapters... Enjoy and tell me what you think, please! A review is much appreciated!

Chapter Nine: Honor Band: Meeting Dr. Doss (a.k.a Part Two)

Arianna fidgeted, her flute in her lap. They were sitting in the small concert hall, the entire honor band together for the first time. There was little conversation and Arianna caught a nervous glance from Brittany in the clarinet section, returning it with her own look. Where was the director? They only had a few hours of practice until lunch.

Arianna glanced out in the audience; she couldn't see any sign of Mr. Berringer or Mr. Marah, only the directors of other band's in attendance. She spotted Mr. Vogl walking into the auditorium and he smiled at her. Arianna smiled back. There were two men in the front row of the auditorium and Arianna couldn't place their faces; she knew she had seen them somewhere.

She was sitting third chair, the highest she had ever sat for an honor band, and Arianna smiled wider as she saw other flutists check her over, glancing at her flute in that mixture of emotion only flutists can achieve without getting slapped: awe, curiosity, and contempt. Arianna sat up and smiled back at the other flutists, remember that, behind every smile, are bared teeth.

There was a slam of a door and light footsteps alerted the band of the presence of their conductor. Everyone snapped to attention, silence flooding the concert hall. The hidden panel in the left wing of the stage shut and a man walked through the crow of music stands and students; Arianna moved her stand out of his way just in time, feeling the breeze he left in the wake of his movements ruffle her hair.

"Good morning, musicians. I am Dr. Doss, your conductor."

A few people muttered a good morning, Arianna included. Dr. Doss rolled his eyes and jumped off his podium.

"Lets try that again. Everything we do, we do together. From now on, that's our motto."

Dr. Doss jumped back on the podium, eyes glittering.

"Good morning, musicians."

"Good morning, Dr. Doss."

Arianna was apprehensive and she could feel the energy in the room change. Mr. Vogl was smiling wider, getting settled into his seat to watch rehearsal. Arianna sighed.

This was the start of a very long day.

"So, what do you think of Dr. Doss?" asked Mr. Vogl as the students met him in the annex of the concert hall. It was the end of practice, the morning session over, most students groaning and stretching, complaining about the long practice. Four hours was not bad, not bad at all, to Arianna. It had been almost thirteen hours straight for the last honor band she had been a part of.

"Odd man," commented Kassie.

"Good conductor?" asked Peter, looking for an answer.

"Absolutely amazing!" exclaimed Arianna, beaming.

Dr. Doss had been the most unique conductor Arianna had ever worked with. After telling the band of his expectations, he told everyone to shake hands and meet the people they were sitting next to. Arianna turned to second chair, only to find her in conversation with first chair. She turned to fourth chair, only to see her shaking hands with fifth chair. Arianna, embarrassed, folder her hands in her lap, hoping Dr. Doss hadn't noticed. A hand appeared, palm up, in front of her face and Arianna looked up to see Dr. Doss, a bright smile on his face.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Dr. Roger Doss," he said, Arianna shaking his hand. She tried to pull away after a few moments, but he held onto her hand longer, shaking stopped. "You're Craig's student, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very nice to meet you then!"

Arianna let go of her breath as she placed her hand back in her lap, noticing first chair's glare as she herself noticed he hadn't shaken her hand. Dr. Doss was unique in terms of looks; his hair was a dirty blond, his skin extremely tan, his teeth brilliantly white. He eyes had a piercing quality to them and Arianna felt herself drawn in whenever he even glanced in her direction. Damn. Another conductor she madly admired. They were not more than ten minutes into the practice, either.

"Arianna, snap out of it! We have to get back to the theater for the class in five minutes," said Kassie, waving a hand in front of Arianna's face. "Come get a drink with me!"

The guy was interesting, yes, but Arianna just could not pay attention. All she could think about was her own musicianship and how poor a player she had become.

After the honor band with Mr. Berringer, Arianna had felt burned out, like a bit of wood charred by a flame, but she had kept going until the very end of the school year, until Mr. Berringer had left. All that summer she had felt empty, the only thing keeping her going was the fact she wanted to impress the new director. She had impressed Mr. Marah, indeed, but then the problems had begun; Arianna grimaced at the memory of actually quitting band, no matter what situation she had been in, health wise or other reasons. Then, she had quit marching band with only two parades left in the season.

It didn't matter how well she played, it didn't matter she was sitting third chair at the honor band, it didn't matter who invited her to play what: Arianna felt burned out. The restlessness during band, the lack of interest in the songs; Arianna feared she was starting to dislike the music.

She watched the tuba performer work with a college student, teaching him how to play with perfect tone. Ari was taken aback as she thought that it still sounded like noise to her. Had she really just thought that?

Maybe it was from the hard work she had been doing that day that she felt so exhausted, but Arianna doubted it. She had spent all day under the direction of Dr. Doss.

Arianna smiled. Maybe that was it: she had been under the direction of Dr. Doss.

"Dance with me, clarinets!" Dr. Doss had cried, extending his arms to the woodwind section, raising them hight in the air. "Oops, you tripped! Pick yourself up and try again!" The clarinet player who had cracked the note blushed. "We have to put on our dancing shoes in order to float beautifully, in order to dance together! Everyone put on your shoes and join me!"

Arianna remembered wishing she was a clarinet player at that moment, to receive Dr. Doss's invitation to dance.

"And that concludes the master class," announced the director she had just been thinking about. "Now, please enjoy lunch on campus, where the student staff will be cooking for you."

The students stood and left the theater, Arianna following, disheartened.

That is Arianna's worst trait, I think, second guessing herself. She always does it... that and being melodramatic. Well, I hope the flashbacks don't confuse anyone! Thanks for reading and leave me a review, please! Next chapter up soon!