What Are We?

Chapter 4

I swear my jaw hits the floor. "Hold up! are you telling me I have to learn to play a brand new instrument? This one was hard enough." I can feel myself starting to have a panic attack as my breathing rate increases and my chest tightens.

He holds his hands up in a way that tells me slow my roll. "Hang in there. It won't be too bad.  It's all the same fingers and scales and such. You'll pick it up in no time. Like I said it will all make sense once the extra instructor comes and helps you with lessons. Take some deep breaths."

I do as he says. He shows me my locker numbers on his clipboard and I move to put my heavy case into the empty locker. As my back is turned I hear him call for everyone to have a seat on a stair so we can get started. 

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Our first activity involves us going out to the field to learn the basics of marching. We gather around a giant metal podium and wait as Mr. Rodgers climbs the level ladder steps to the top. He has a megaphone with him so we can hear him better. 

"First things first, you will be meeting with your sections and section leaders." Mr Rodgers has his clipboard ready and starts calling out section leader names, instruments,  and locations around the field. 

People begin heading off in those directions. Before long I am the only person left standing by the podium. My neck is beginning to ache from craning to see my director as the sun shines in my face. I wave up at him until he looks at me. "Uh Mr. Rodgers? You didn't call french horns. Or whatever that other thing you told me about. Where should I go?" 

"Oh! About that! Here let me climb down. One moment." I watch awkwardly as mr. Rodgers takes his time climbing down the steps back to the ground.  I look around the field as I wait and see several groups already introducing each other and others laughing while goofing off. 

"Walk with me Jenna," Mr. Rodgers announces as he heads across the field with purpose. "Since you are our first and only french horn player this year, you don't have a section, so to speak.  So I am going to have you practice with the saxophones most of the time. You have similar parts and will be in drills near each other. For the sake of learning how to march this week, you will also practice with them. Right this way!" 

I walk as fast as I can muster through the tall grass to keep up with Mr. Rodgers. His long legs are making it difficult to keep up with.  He's 4 steps ahead of me as he reaches a group of 8 sitting near the back corner of the field. 

"Chris!  This is Jenna!  She will be joining you and the saxes this season, just as I mentioned at our meeting last week." Mr. Rodgers holds his hand out to introduce me as all 8 set of eyes are on me.  I wave awkwardly. 

"Cool cool, have a seat Jenna," Chris says nonchalantly as I look for a gap in their circle. "I'll take it from here Mr. Rodgers. Our french horn is in good hands. We're doing introductions as we speak." 

The last thing I see before sitting in the grass is Mr. Rodgers smiling and turning back the way he came. A few of the sax players snicker as soon as he is out of ear shot. 

"Alright folks, as you just heard this is Jenna!" Chris reminds our group. "Let me catch you up with our circle. We have myself Chris, the section leader, also Pat, Bethany, Stephanie, Bailey, Dave, Matt, and Charlie."

My eyes are following Chris' finger as he points around the circle naming names until he gets to the last one. I can't believe my eyes. It's Charlie! My Charlie! Well, not my Charlie but you know what I mean. I  can't believe he is here. 

Before I know it, Chris has us all stand up and he's placing us on one of the white lines on the ground. He has us stand in a weird pose and comes around to adjust us all. As I wait my turn, I hear a voice beside me. "Welcome to the band, Jenna." 

I turn my head and see I'm next to Charlie! I smile at him. "I didn't know you played the saxophone Charlie. Since when?" 

Chris sneaks up behind us and shouts to keep looking forward. He begins to adjust my arms and neck so I'm looking at an uncomfortable angle.  

"I've been playing for about 6 years now," Charlie responds during all this fixing Chris does. 

I sigh. "Weird. We shared a lane all summer and never once did you bring it up." I got to look at Charlie again, but I feel Chris straighten my neck back out so I'm looking forward again. 

"I guess it just never came up," Charlie responds as Chris moves on to him to fix his posture. "It doesn't have a lot to do with swimming as you can imagine Ms. French Horn Player."

I fire back "Oh, but your strange Halo addiction came up daily? I find that hard to believe."

Charlie chuckles at me. "It's called priorities Jenna. Come over after camp one of these days and I'm sure I can get you hooked on it too." 

I drop my arms and turn to face Charlie. "You're so on." 

Chris is once again looking at me. "Jenna! Stop moving! We've got a lot to do today.Quit yapping and follow directions." 

Properly scolded, I get back in to position. I hear Charlie laughing at me under his breath so I stick my tongue out at him before resuming to my pose. Maybe band camp won't be so bad after all  I think to myself.