Chapter 13

   "Okay, Mel. You can do this... Mrs. Jerik will be recording us and I'll, of course, tell you where you messed up, if you mess up, and let you improve. We're the guest band so we get to go first."

   I nod and walk to my spot in the line. "You're Kailey, right?" I ask the person in front of me.

   "Yeah, I'm Kailey," she says. "I'll tell you when we turn and stuff... Don't mess this up." She jokes.

   I smile and press my clarinet mouthpiece into my upper arm. Holding the horn where it's down to my hip. "Hup, hup, ready go." Chelsea, the drum section leader, says and begins the drum tap. I step with my left foot every time she hits the drum.

   "Okay, turn."

   I turn and snap to attention. I keep marching and then turn when I remember having to turn. "Hup, hup ready go."

   Chelsea changes the drum tap and I know CA has gone. Then Kialey. I wait four counts then I go as well. "You're on the hash, Mel. Turn left." I do and stop at my set.

   "Hup, hup ready go." I turn around and get on my knee. After a few seconds I hear Kaitlin from the front of the field count off. The baritones an trombones blare there part. The clarinets and flutes do there eighth notes and then the trumpets join in.

   By now, we're standing and walking to set two. I got this. I smile and keep marching. The tempo changes meaning I have to move my feet faster, keep in time and get to my sets. I groan. I go to where I know my sets are and soon the first song is over.

   The second song is slow and eerie but is only eight sets. We drift through it and at the end Wesley, one of the three bass drummers, lets me know whether to go forwards or backwards. I move around until he says I'm perfect.

   The third song is so much faster. However, it is the longest song. I love the last song because it fills me with the most adrenaline. The drummers start and the first four counts are G.E.. Then we march forward. Then backward at a slight diagonal. Then more G.E..

   Next I go the slightest bit backwards and to the left. Then forwards and then the quirky G.E. part me and Jacob had practiced. I smile as I realize so far I hadn't messed up. The next few sets I do get into a muddle. I bump into a flute player, but eventually get back into the correct sets.

   The song is almost over and we're in the big crown set. The music is at a rest and then the next set everything goes back to normal. We finish the set and then I snap to attention. As we march off the field Jordan bumps me and tells me that he only saw me mess up once. "I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning," he says. "Be prepared for a three hour trip to Alabama."

   Smiling, I roll step off the field.