Highschool Stories of Chevy Carr

Mercedes Meets her Match

Mercedes reaches the band hall just as a class is finishing.  Smells like the band hall...she thinks to herself, she sees the quads propped up against the back wall and quickly walks over to them. She looks around the band hall to see if anyone is watching, everyone had already left and she puts the shoulder holders on and attaches the quads to the shoulder holder.

Quads are a set of four drums with a deeper tone than the snare drum. All four drums are attached side by side. She smiles as she remembers the feel of having the quads on her shoulders.

 It had been a year since she'd played the quads, one of the boys at her old school made so much fun of her wanting to play a "boys" instrument that she stopped the quads and tortured herself in the bell pit.

Her sisters said it was because he was jealous of her talent that he had to say awful things to her to make sure she didn't take his spot. Well this was her final year and she was going to make sure the quads were hers!

She began to play a march on the quads and continued to go faster and faster. She closed her eyes as she let her hands lead her in the beat of the drum, she was so engrossed she didn't notice the boy that walked into the band hall and stood in front of her.

 She was startled as she opened her eyes..."Uh....hello? Why are you staring?????" She quickly took the quads off and picked up her back pack. She couldn't help but notice the light brown gentle eyes looking back at her and that big colgate smile.

His brown hair was whisked to one side in a big bang and fell just above his shoulders. He smiled back. Her stomach flipped. "Hi..my name is Ben..I couldn't help but notice the run you were playing..very impressive..."

Mercedes didn't know what to say, she was use to boys being mean to her. She didn't know how to respond. "Uh..." she looked down. Ben smiled again. "Normally people say thank you..." he laughed quietly. Her stomach turned again. What was it about this guy???

 "Oh yeah..um thanks  Ben.. right? You just kinda startled me with your stalkerness..."

Great! she thought, I'm a total dork!  Again Ben smiled... " Don't be too impressed, I'm just being nice..." he turned around and picked up the quads. "These are mine..." Mercedes let the butterflies in her stomach fly away.

She was back on the defense. "But..I'm willing to share..." he teased. Butterflies came right back. (WTF!)she thought.  "Do you have a name? Or do I just say hey?" he asked. 

 Before she could think she blurted it out "Mercedes Carr.." (Darn, I always give a fake name first!)

 "Are you serious?" he laughed.

 Her cheeks turned red. "Yes..what's wrong with my name?" She folded her arms. Ben saw she was serious and stopped laughing.

 "Oh nothing..just different is all. Are you always this nice? I'd hate to see you mad.." he smiled again.

  "Well maybe you won't have to..I was just looking for the Band Director..." She looked around.

 "Oh..you won't find him yet..this is free period. "  he started playing the quads.

"Oh..okay then, well I'll go onto my next class..guess I'll see you around?" she asked as she walked backwards toward the door.

He stopped playing..."Sure...I have a feeling we're gonna see a lot of each other..." then he started playing again. Mercedes hurried out of the hall quickly.