Accelerando:

(Italian) accelerating, getting gradually faster, quickening the pace, with increasing speed

Hailey Robins flipped through her magazine impatiently, trying not to look at her watch again. She had already checked the device at 7:16, 7:19, 7:21, and 7:23. The closer the time grew to 7:30, the more agitated she became.

Finally, at 7:32, she heard her mother grab her keys from the counter. "Hailey! Come on, honey!" the woman called from the front hall.

Sighing, Hailey threw the magazine to the side and grabbed her crutches, hoisting herself up off the couch. She hobbled to the front hall and out the door, carefully making her way down the sidewalk. Her mother helped her into the backseat of the car, and she set her crutches across her lap, letting her head fall back and shutting her eyes as the car began to move. "Today is going to suck," she muttered, groaning.

From the front seat, her mother clucked disapprovingly. "Sweetie, everything will be okay," the woman attempted to soothe her daughter's frayed nerves. "You'll be back on your feet in a few weeks-"

"That's just it, Mom! I don't have a few weeks to deal with crutches; I need to be walking today! I'm head Drum Major! How will anybody respect me if I'm conducting in a chair?"

Shaking her head in surrender, her mother fell silent and focused on driving. Hailey bit her lip and stared out the window, watching with envy as other teenagers drove by in their sleek new summer cars without a problem. "Mom, can we go a little faster? I have to be there in four minutes."

Her mother glanced at the clock on the dashboard and let out a gasp. "Oh, I didn't even realize the time," she admitted, and she pressed her foot down on the gas. The car accelerated immediately, reaching the speed limit (or passing it slightly) in a matter of seconds. Hailey settled back in her seat a little more comfortably, resting her head on the cool glass next to her.

Two minutes and thirty-seven seconds later, they reached the high school. Mom opened the car door for Hailey and helped her out, then hugged her lightly. "Have fun. You're officially a senior now; go crazy," she advised, before climbing back in the car and driving away.

Enjoy it? Not probable, but nonetheless, Hailey made her towards the band hall, mounting the five steps that preceded the large brown door with trepidation. The last thing she needed was to fall and break her left ankle as well.

As soon as she entered the band hall, she could feel all eyes on her, and she reddened immediately. Freshmen gasped at her cast-covered foot; sophomores and juniors eyed her sun-tanned body in either excitement or jealousy, depending on the gender of the observer. Most of the seniors simply snickered. "Typical," she heard Jessica drawl to Bianca. "Always with the dramatics, huh, Hailey?"

Clenching her jaw tightly, she continued to hobble to the band director's office, where Layla and Arianna were seated on the carpet, organizing sheet music into folders. They looked up at her and gasped.

"Hailey, what the hell did you do?" Layla asked, jumping to her feet. Arianna followed a bit more slowly, staring at Hailey's plaster-covered foot. The injured girl rolled her eyes and leaned carefully against the wall.

"If I tell you, you have to swear not to tell anybody else," she ordered in a harsh whisper. Layla and Arianna both nodded eagerly, leaning in to hear better.

"Okay…I fell when I ran down the stairs."

Arianna gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Layla, on the other, burst into loud, boisterous laughter, clutching her stomach tightly as she doubled over. "Y-you've got to be kidding me," she gasped, tears of mirth falling from her eyes. "Hard-ass Hailey gets it handed to her by a freaking set of stairs?"

Hailey scowled. "Hey! I know I didn't say 'don't laugh', but that kind of comes with the package, don't you think?"

Her best friend nodded as solemnly as she could, still holding back giggles. "You're right; I'm sorry," she apologized, grabbing her water canteen and slinging the strap attached to it over her shoulder. "Now come on; we'll figure out how to handle that later. It's time to start the day!"

She, Hailey, and Arianna trooped out of the office and back into the band hall, observing the teens milling around before them critically. Hailey saw Jessica snicker at her yet again, and sighed tiredly to herself.

Already, she could tell it was going to be a long day.

Chapter One! If you're reading this and spot a mistake, please let me know; I don't have a beta, and truthfully, I wouldn't keep up with one as faithfully as I would need to for this story.

Chapter Question: If you are/were in band, what instrument do/did you play? Or, if not, what elective are/were you in?

I would really love reviews, if you have the time :)