Hello everybody once again! So sorry for the wait, this winterguard season is more hectic than I thought. Even during the weekends I had no time to do anything because I had competitions or practice or homework. But now I do have time because of spring break but even then I still have practice. Though whenever I had down time I would always remind myself to update and even my beta would nag me to write as well. However, I am grateful for the support for this fanfic so much! Thank you for those who reviewed and alert this story because I wouldn't have had the motivation to want to update for the past three months!
LowBrassLuv: okay first of all I love the low brass section! I guess I am kinda biased because I play the cello in orchestra but no doubt I love the low brass section. Secondly, some of my closest friends are gay and I love everything about them. My stand partner and concert master in orchestra is gay and so is my best friend in guard. Haha the best part is we always check out guys too so good job!
Smileyface9: Thank you! I try to make the story not boring as best as I can.
ElmoDaHorse: I do sometimes spell check my work but you know after seeing it so many times, it's hard to see the mistakes so I give it to my lovely beta (Dessert Maniac), but for the last chapter I didn't so that was why there were a few mistakes.
Coco: yay it's nice to see another orchestra member! And yes band is really fun too once you get the hang of it and maybe you knows that this story will inspire you to join! And thank you
This is the first half of chapter 18 so the other half will be updated later.
Disclaimer: Do not own PJO
Percy POV
"Again, from the top!"
Any moment, my legs were going to die on me. The whole band groaned as we ran back to the first set of the show. Thalia has been working us out to the core since the Super Saturday for the upcoming football game today. Nobody wanted a repeat of the last time, but it doesn't mean we can't have a break every once in a while. Half of the woodwinds section looked like they were close to passing out from dehydration.
"Two minute break and get some water." The words sounded like heaven in my ears. I unstrapped my snare, relieving myself of the unwanted weight and heaving pressure on my shoulders and chest.
Water had never felt so refreshing. I trusted my cousin and never doubted her when she got the position, but now I know everyone was tempted to lock her up in the uniform room until the game.
"Two minutes are up, get back out." Thalia commanded from her podium.
That was not two minutes.
From fourth period to after school was a blur. Exhaustion took the best of me and I fell asleep through my last classes, but I could care less. The only thing that mattered right now was not getting our asses kicked by Mr. D yet again.
Right now, I was lying in the drum line corner's band room corner, trying to get some rest, but it was pointless.
"Whoo!" a loud shout came from the entrance of the room following by some rustling and piano key smashing. Never try to fall asleep in the band room ever. It never works.
"Hey, Perce!"
I opened my eyes slowly, cautious.
"Were you sleeping?" Connor chuckled. I groaned in response. My eyes closed again and I tried my best to block out any sound. Once again, I failed. I opened my eyes, only to see a speck of blond moving fast and urgently. This looked interesting; if I can't get some rest, might as well get some entertainment.
I stood up and followed the fast moving princess curls to the uniform room. Annabeth was checking on her costume on the rack when I walked in. A new sensation washed through me when I realized that we were alone in the uniform room again.
"Hey, stranger." A teasing, smooth voice interrupted my thought. Annabeth turned around to face me and crossed her arms. What the hell is happening to me? I had to use every part of my will to not go over there and kiss the life out of her. Kiss? Did I just think of that? Ugh, I did.
Her mouth was moving but I heard nothing as she spoke. Damn it, I was staring at her lips.
"Seaweed brain." I refocused to see her confused expression.
My breathing became heavy. "Sorry," I said but it was barely audible.
"Is it my make-up? I told those girls to not make it too heavy." To be honest, I barely noticed the make-up but now that I think about it, she looked way better without it. I realized I was staring again.
"No, it's not your make-up," I cleared my throat. A sudden change of tension began to build in me and the room temperature seemed as if it was rising by the second.
"You okay?" she raised her eyebrow.
"I'm fine," I said rather too quickly.
"Okay, we have two hours until call time." She takes a step closer. "Want to go outside?"
"You're asking me?" I take a step back.
"Yes, I thought we were friends." Friends? Right friends. "Unless the truce thing was full of bullshit." There was a hint of humor in her grey orbs. I smiled, knowing she wasn't serious.
"No, our truce was absolutely real."
"Good, now let's get out of here before Thalia makes us do even more work." With that, Annabeth grabbed my arm and tugged me out of the uniform room. We managed to pass the band room in relative peace, though we were receiving odd stares from the band mates, and then we were outside at the tables and benches.
"Where are we going?" I asked her but she either ignored me or did not hear as she kept on running further away from the band room. Luckily, I managed to stay in pace with her.
Annabeth threw open the gates to the field and we ran to the bleacher. A few seconds later, I found myself standing on top of the bleachers overlooking the field, freshly cut for tonight's game.
Annabeth, at my side, gazed down at the field, "It feels as if there's less pressure being up here than down there."
I smiled, "But we wouldn't have it any other way, huh?"
"Yes," she trailed off, then turned to look at me. "Nervous about tonight?"
"It's just another football game," I shrugged, trying my best to not sound more nervous than I let on.
"If you say so." Right now, I finally felt at peace, more than I have been for what seems like forever. A part of me, a very dangerous part of me, knew that the reason why I felt so peaceful was due to Annabeth, who was standing less than two feet away from me. I sighed. Any stupid moment I can possibly jeopardize the fragile friendship I have with her.
No, the thought of it sounded too horrifying and unbearable for me to even think of! I shook my head, trying to get rid of the thought. "There's the football team, doing their last minute practice, like always," I pointed to the players on the other side of the field. It was pathetic seeing them go over their tactics with no less than two hours till their game.
"Yeah; it's either you have it or you don't."
"We agreed on something again."
"I think we can just agree on our hatred of the football team.""What do you have on the team with just the four weeks you've been here?"
Her face turns dark and full of disgust. Oh no, I said something wrong again. Suddenly images of Luke and her popped up in my head and everything becomes clear; I'm such an idiot.
"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to," I quickly said seconds later. But the nervousness made my mouth dry resulting in me jointing my words all together to a big clutter of gibberish.
She looked as if she was close to a fit, but instead out came a laugh that sounded music to my ears. "It's nothing really, just a misunderstanding and a lot of stupidity." It was nice hearing her laugh after all of the stress.
The sun was close to setting, arraying the sky with streaks of orange and red. The scenery would have been nice for another night.
"I have to go back and change into costume," Annabeth said as she stepped down the steps.
"I'll go with you."
We said nothing during the walk back. Annabeth kept two paces ahead of me.
Not a few yards away from the band room, out comes the guard and drum line rushing toward us.
"Perce, we need to go over the music now!"
"Look at your make up. It's ruined!"
Before I knew it, the drum line pulled me by the arms and dragged me inside the band room. I couldn't even see Annabeth through the crowd of girls surrounding her. They set me down behind stacked drum cases blocking me from view of the room.
"What were you doing with captain princess?" Travis demanded, his arms on his hips.
"Nothing, literally," I replied, standing up. This whole situation was annoying the hell out of me. I can't be alone anywhere without being interrogated.
The line exhaled in relief from my response.
"Alright is that settled? If so, go and get ready." I grumbled. I hate raising my voice and they knew that. Travis and Connor were the last ones to leave. Their eyes showed worry but I knew there was still the mischievous glint that can never die. I ignored it and left them. Then, Nico and Grover entered the room. My heart wrenched as we passed by each other.
The next hour felt like a blur. Everybody was setting up, changing and preparing, but I sat at the corner of the locker room waiting for Aphrodite to show up with my costume, which she had retailored.
My second game of the season and I felt like crap. Still, I know we are going to do well today, or at least I hope.
A faint giggle interrupted my train of thought. The last sound I wanted to hear at the moment kept growing louder and louder to the point that it sounded as if it was right in front of me. I opened my eyes from my rest to see the owner of the giggle, its only owner.
"Percy, dear what are you doing sleeping when you have a performance in an hour?" She pointed her freshly manicured finger at me, but I only stared back trying to look as dumb as possible. "Come on and let's get your girl." This time, I really was clueless.
She reached out and hauled me up by my arms, only to drag me once again to the room. Ugh, this was getting too familiar for me.
Coming inside, the band was changing into their uniforms while the guard was frantically pacing back and forth in the front. Aphrodite lead me straight to them. From the corner, Travis and Connor caught my eye. They looked at me with curious expression, but I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders with absolutely no clue at what was happening at the moment. Aphrodite halted in front of the guard girls. Their eyes widened as they noticed me few feet away from them. It made me uncomfortable, watching them eye me hungrily. A part of me wanted to squeal, "I'm not food!"
"Here is your costume and mask, now go change," said a girl with hazel features. It just came to me that she was the only one who wasn't ogling me. I don't know whether to be disappointed or happy about it.
I was pushed inside an empty uniform room with empty racks and shako boxes. I sighed as I unraveled my costume. Aphrodite made the dress shirt less puffier than the first time, which I am thankful for. Aside for that change the costume stayed the same.
"Percy, are you done dear?" Aphrodite called from outside the door. I groaned and banged my head against the door. "Come on dear, Annabeth is waiting." Hearing that made me jolt my head up. I need to hurry and get out before I get my ass is kicked by Annabeth.
It wasn't the first time I wore this costume, but the last time it felt too weird and foreign. The only thing I wanted to do was change back into my marching uniform, even though it was bulky and full of sweat; my marching uniform is home.
Stepping out the uniform room, the band was in hysterics, just like before. However, Annabeth was nowhere to be found.
In a packed room with 150-plus band geeks, with their uniforms on, it was like looking at a wall of red and gold. But in the midst of it was a golden angel in her white Christine Daaé costume. My heart raced and it shouldn't. How she managed to show up and sweep my breath away was beyond me.
"Not bad," Annabeth smirked.
"You too." I took a step forward towards her but a hand reached out and grabbed my shoulder.
"That's great. Now captain, we need to set up," Travis intercepted and stole me from Annabeth. I turned back to see her getting ready with her section. I sighed.
Travis had a suspicious look on his face. Knowing Travis for so long, I got used to his guilty, suspicious look, but this time was different. It was Travis for god's sake, he has "suspicious" written all over.
However, due to tonight's event I let it slide for now, even though a part of me wanted to punch him for messing with my personal life. We all set up our instruments and went out and lined up. Thalia called us to attention; the echo was heard across the school.
The field was already being mauled over by the football players when we got there. There was only a glimpse of sun left until the stadium lights went on. The crowd was only half filled, though, so we got the bleachers.
For once in four years, the people were ignoring us, never even gave us a glance. We all felt the neglect and it felt like Mr. D was taking it the hardest even though it never techs and alumni at the side were double checking for instruments and equipment. I could tell they were getting nervous as well. Beckendorf gave me a thumbs up when he looked over to my side from the low brass section.
"Okay, tonight is going to be a good one. After this game we are getting ready for competition and we call know what that means," he gave us a hard look. We nodded knowing the consequences.
The sight of a yellow school bus in the parking lot caught everyone's attention. Who else is supposed to be here? We have the football players from each school and, more importantly, the band. What was going on? Everybody's eyes were on the mysterious school bus. We all waited for at somebody to step out but the moment they did, we all regretted it and silently cursed.
Hmm...I wonder what or who is in that school bus that got our award winning band so agitated?
Okay that is the end of chapter 18 but please patiently wait for the second part!
Shako: is an adorned cap that is part of the marching uniform and is usually put into boxes
Thank you for reading! Please review and comment on anything or criticize. I'll try to update as soon as possible!
For those in band is there anything you would like to see happening?