Chapter Two: Bus Ride

"His tone quality just sucks so badly!" Sophia whispered to Angela.

"I know! Its making us sound terrible as a section!" Angela replied quietly.

"This is going to be a long season." Rachel spoke up.

Then he came in and sat in between the friends. He irritated Angela even though she didn't know much about him. He was very talkative and touchy.

"Hi!" he said a little too loudly.

"Hey," Angela spoke softly.

"Ok everyone," the director started to speak, "Happy Friday! Get lots of rest over the weekend because next week is Band Camp."

Whispers of both joy and sorrow filled the air from the upperclassmen. Angela had heard a lot about band camp but wasn't exactly sure what to expect. All she knew was that she would be dead tired after she got back.

"Now freshmen should ask some of the upperclassmen what to expect. Bring plenty of sunscreen and most importantly your instrument and the proper footwear. It's going to be a fun but long week."

Angela was anxious. She really wanted to go and get the experience. Not many schools actually let their band go away to an actual camp like her school.

Angela's alarm sounded at 6:00 am on Monday morning. She woke up with nervous butterflies fluttering about in her small stomach. Luckily she had packed her bags the night before so she could make sure she had everything on the list that every member of the band received. Angela felt like she had over packed but she had everything on the list.

When she arrived at the high school bright and early, the truck was being loaded and upperclassmen were carrying pillows and blankets into the school for the almost 3 hour bus ride. Why didn't I think of that? Angela thought to herself.

"I am so excited for this!" Brooke said as Angela walked up next to her, "I mean I'm kind of nervous but in an exited way. I'm also hyper!" She smiled a big smile.

Angela laughed, "It'll be a fun bus ride then!"

"Guys I feel like I over packed." Rachel said.

"Oh don't worry, I feel the same way." Brooke said comforting Rachel.

"Me too," Angela added.

Once the truck was loaded with all the luggage, instruments, and pit stuff, it was time to load the buses. Angela and her friends went to get on the freshmen/sophomore bus.

"Why do us clarinets have to carry our instruments on the bus?" Angela questioned.

"The flutes do too." Page, a friend of Angela's who played flute, said as she boarded the bus.

"We are probably under appreciated sections of the band." Rachel smiled.

"Well, we are going to prove that wrong during this week, aren't we?" Sophia confidently said.

"The bass drums are definitely under appreciated!" Brooke added.

"Where's Kyra?" Rachel asked.

"She had to quit cause of tennis." Angela informed.

"She quit BAND for TENNIS!" Brooke freaked.

"Her parents are making her do tennis. Tennis practice is at the same exact time as band practice so she couldn't do both."

"She's gonna get hell once the rest of your section finds out."

"Oh she's gonna get hell from me for sure! You can't just quit band!" Brooke smiled

For the majority of the bus ride, Angela and Brooke, who were sitting together, talked about what they've heard about band camp and what they think it's going to be like. After about 2 hours of driving, Brooke started to get tired.

"Hey I think I'm gonna take a nap if that's ok. Wake me up if we get there before I wake up."

"Alright"

"Hey, Angela," Angela heard from behind her.

"Oh, hey! I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!"

It was Molly, who Angela became friends with last year. Molly was a slightly talkative but really fun girl. She resentfully played the alto saxophone. Angela convinced her to do band this one year to see if she would like it.

They talked while Brooke napped and Angela kept trying to tell Molly that she was going to love band and wasn't sure why she thought band was going to be awful.

"The people here are awesome! They are all weird but in a cool way if you know what I mean?"

"The people are pretty awesome! Maybe this won't be so bad."

"Don't listen to what people have told you about band. I know that we aren't going to regret joining this!" Angela said with a huge smile on her face.

Just then, the buses were pulling into the camp ground.

"We are finally here!" said Molly.