I do NOT own Pirates of the Caribbean!

Chapter Two Pre-Band Camp Jitters

"Welcome students! I'm glad to see some new and old faces." Mr. Blackmer said with a smile. "This year should be a promising year. The band is full of great potential and talented players. Now y'all are probable wondering who these three people to my left are." Blank stares from all the freshmen. "These are your drum majors." Still blank stares. "They lead the band." A bunch of "OH!"s were heard. "This is Jasmine and Derek, your senior drum majors. And this is John, you're junior drum major. They will be helping you and guiding you guys throughout the summer." Blackmer looked around and realized he was loosing the majority of the band, me included. "Ok before I put you all to sleep, I might as well mention what the show is this year." This got the attention of the once sleeping students. "Our show will be" he paused "Pirates of the Caribbean!"

"OH MY GOD!" I squealed. "This is going to be amazing!" I said to my other friend Dani.

"Oh I know!" Dani responded.

"Alright, section leaders come up here and grab the music and go to sectionals. But do NOT work on it right away. Work on horn angles, attention position and if you have time, the fight song. GO!" Blackmer yelled.

"MELLOPHONES! Follow me!" I screamed.

For being a small girl, I had an unusually loud voice. I was the loudest person on and off the field.

"Ok guys. First lets introduce ourselves." I said "I'll go first. Hi, I'm Layla your section leader. I've been playing the mello for three years now, and am so excited to be playing pirates! Need more ask."

"Hey I'm Rachel. I SHOULD have been co-section leader, but wasn't" she sent a very nasty look in David's direction. "I also have played the mello for three years, and also play the flute during concert season."

Rachel and I used to be best friends. During freshmen year we both played the flute and had to share the same drill spot because she came late, but half way through junior year she changed. She started to hate me and ignore my very existence.

The rest of the section said who they were; Carrie, the junior. Annie, the sophomore, also one of my best friends, Melissa another sophomore, David, sophomore and co-section leader, and our one and only freshmen, Victoria or Vicky as she wanted to be called. We had the biggest mello section I've ever seen, in years past the biggest we had was four. This was a big deal for me, I was in control of six other people. I loved it! I love being in control and giving orders, people told me to try out for drum major, but I loved the mello too much to give it up.

We worked on horn angles and attention position. It was rough because people forgot over the summer just how snappy they had to be, it only took them a second to get it down though. Vicky on the other hand had a hard time, she couldn't seem to grasp the idea of how snappy everything needed to be. I almost cussed her out on not being snappy, but decide to show my true colors later, and not scare her off.

Before we knew it sectionals were over and it was time for full band rehearsal. It was a hot Michigan summer and Blackmer decided to be kind and let us rehearse in the auditorium for the time being.

"Flutes and clarinets, front row. Skip a line. Mellophones and sax's third row. Skip a line. Trumpets fifth row. Skip a line. And low brass, seventh row." Blackmer ordered.

The colorgurad was in the band room working on the routine and the drumline was outside working on the hard parts of the show and fight song.

As Blackmer played the recording of our song, I realized just how important my part really was. In Part One (Fog Bound, The Medallion Calls and The Black Peal) the mello's and sax's had counter melody. In Part Two (Blood Ritual and To The Pirate's Cave!) we had the melody, it was a fast passed part. Heavy with the brass sound. It sounded like a chase song. And in Part Three (One Last Shot and He's A Pirate) it started off with a trumpet and mellophone solo! Blackmer said that he was probable going to turn it into a sextet, 2 baritones, 2 trombones, a trumpet and me. That would be amazing, having the best brass players in our band stick out and blare this beautiful melody.

"Alright, now you've heard it. Now, shall we attempt to play Part One?" Blackmer asked.

You heard a couple groans and a few yes's.

"That was terrible." I said as Annie and I walked towards my car.

"Layla calm down, its only the first rehearsal." Annie was so smart and understanding for a sophomore.

"Yeah you're right. At least next week we leave for band camp!"

"WOOO BAND CAMP!" we both yelled.