Note: Just to warn you, this is the part in the story where there will be long pauses between updates while i try to think up where the plot should be heading. Also, my mom has been taking away my modem, so I haven't been able to get onto my own computer. Please just be patient with me. Thanks.

Chapter Six: The Routine A.K.A. Clang Clatter Ow

Practice makes perfect. Or, at least practice makes for improvement. The saying is true, in a basic sense. But I guess it's more true for some things than others.

For example, it's true in the sense that the more I practice with the Death Stick (a.k.a. The flag), the less times I'm coming close to an early death. Still coming close, but not as often. And, if it could even be possible, I think I may be getting the hang of it.

And then, there are times when practice is like dull summer reading: Useless. Like, trying to practice acting cool and collected when walking into a room full of people who think you're a fag. Really, it doesn't work, and you still freeze up every time you walk into said room full of people. Call me paranoid, but I swear most of them are still probably laughing about me when I'm not looking.

God, I'm like one of those people who think that the government is tracking them.

"And we're back to tin man."

Another thing that practice is not going to perfect: reacting casually to the girl you just realized you have a crush on, who the day before was just a friend. If I have not mentioned this before, I am not in any way a lady's man, or whatever you want to call it. In fact, I have a bit of problem dealing with girls in that way. I had one girlfriend at my old school, and...well, let's just say it didn't end so good. More or less it ended with her freaking out and throwing a base drum out the window. At least one thing I was glad to leave at my old school.

"Oh, ah, Anali...uhm...ah..." As I was reduced to a stuttering idiot, she looked at me curiously, an eyebrow arched, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Syllables are fine, but a few coherent words would be a bit nicer," She said, half smiling a little. She then chuckled, walking past me and throwing her things onto the ground against a wall. "So, did you practice last night?"

"Huh? Oh, uh, yeah..."

"Did it help?"

I shrugged, leaning against the wall. "I guess so..."

"Got a fresh set of bruises, huh?" She said, grinning a little as she looked up.

I chuckled a little, rubbing the back of my head. "Yeah. Still not really used to it."

Anali shrugged, standing up. "It gets better after a while. Practice enough and it should come more easily." She looked over, then smiled, pushing a stray hair away from her eyes. "Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it."

Normally, I would have probably said that that wasn't true and that I should probably just quit while I was ahead; Instead, I nodded, grinning dumbly, and said, "Alright."

This was one of those moments when I reflected back to when I would tease my friend Damien about him and his girlfriend. With us, Damien never backed down to anyone, even yelled at a teacher once. But around his girlfriend, Melissa, he was reduced to a simpering little puppy who agreed to everything she said. Back then, I couldn't see how a girl could change someone like that.

I still don't understand, which sucks because the same thing was happening to me. Girls must be toxic or something; That's the only explaination I can come up with.

--- --- --- --- ---

Before long, I discovered that while I could barely hold a flag without dropping it, I wasn't the only person on the guard who was a complete and total spaz.

"Eep!"

"Ow!"

"Watch out!"

"Almost got it."

Clang.

Clatter.

The resounding sounds of the flag hitting the ground while trying to accomplish a double toss.

"Damn!" I muttered as I jumped out of the way while my flag clattered to the ground, narrowly missing my hand. "Jesus, how do you do this?"

"Don't be afraid of the flag, just catch it!" Frankie called out, watching everyone a good distance back.

"Wait, so how many turns make a double?" Kate asked, awkwardly catching a toss that had made about a half spin.

"Two and a half," Answered Natalie, who seemed to be having a better time with it than the rest of us, actually making it close to completing a whole double.

"Y'see, that makes absolutely no sense; Two and half spins equals a double? What kind of logic is that?" Jessie asked, pulling her hand back as her flag grazed the edge of it.

"Color guard logic," Ally sstated, grinning a little.

"Flags have their own science. They could teach a class on it: Flag Physics 101," Anali joked, grimacing as she prepared to throw her flag in the air, only to keep her grip on it, twisting her wrist a little. "Ow..."

"Anali, just let go," Frankie said, patting Anali on the shoulder as she passed, then looked over at me. "Mark!"

Bad idea. As she said my name, I had thrown my flag up, then turned to look to her. A moment later, the flag came crashing down...straight onto my head.

"OW!" I yelled, grabbing my head as stars burst in front of my eyes and the pain blinded me for a minute.

"You ok!" Frankie called, walking over quickly, as most of the guard also looked over.

"Ow...yeah, just...give me a minute..." I ground out, still holding my head, waiting for the pain to subside.

"Took a pretty hard blow there...just give it a minute, alright, it'll wear off..." Frankie said, patting me on the shoulder as I gave a small nod, then walked over to another girl who was having trouble.

"Ouch, that looked pretty bad...sure you're ok?" I looked up as Anali walked over, concern on her face. I gave a small strained grin, then nodded, pulling my hands away, the pain in my head subsiding to a dull throb.

"Yeah, I'm good," I said, picking up my flag, which was lying on the ground.

Anali gave me a worried looked, then shrugged, smiling a little. "Alright...guess all to do when you fall down is to get back up again."

I nodded, smiling back at her. "Guess so." I paused for a minute, watching as Anali attempted another double, the flag just brushing her fingers before hitting the ground. I took a deep breath, gathering up my courage clenching my hand before finally speaking. "Hey, Anali?"

"Yeah?" She asked, looking over as she picked her flag up. I felt heat rush up my neck, but willed it away, taking a deep breath as I rubbed the back of my neck.

"Uhm...are you doing anything this weekend?"

I know the chapter wasn't very good, the inspiration flow in my brain has slowed to a trickle. On top of that, this weekend is my brother's Bar Mitzvah, and I'm also battling a cold. I promise a better chapter next time, swear it!