The Orchestra {Complete}

4a: I Didn't Sign Up

I began to skip, "I feel pretty, oh so pretty, and witty, and-"

Teddy cut me off, "ugly." I gave him a shove.

"Why do you people keep interrupting my happiness?"

"Because your bat-shit crazy." I heard a gasp and saw Cole with an 'o' shaped mouth.

I turned to face Bryce, "You wanna go?" I turned to walk toward him. He may be taller than me but i'l kick him in the jewels and he'd be down for the count.

"Uh. No." He rubbed his neck.

"Oh shit. Danni." Sam reached for me as I was about to walk toward him.

"Let me at him."

"Danni," Sam said in her motherly tone.

"Fine." She let me go.

"Need to keep you on a leash," Sam mumbled.

"I'm good." I sat in my chair and crossed my legs.

BLT walked into the room, "Today I will teach you the art of conducting." I swear he misses the best parts of orchestra.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his baton. "Everyone grab a pencil." 

"Can I use a pen?" Bryce asked. I rolled my eyes.

"Yes." He cleared his throat. "Watch me, and then we'll see what you have. We will start with 4/4 time and then move on to 3/4, 6/8, and my personal favorite, 1."

Wait. What?

"One two three four." He moved his hands In an awkward upside down 't' figure.

Is this a joke?

Up, down, left, right, down, left, up, right. I think.

"Danielle you're doing it backwards." BLT said walking over to me.

"Go figure," I said.

He took the end of my pencil. "One two three four."

I repeated, "one two three four."

Again, "one two three four."

And again, "uno dos tres cuatro." I started doing it in the right pattern, I think.

"Now that Danielle has decided to join us, come on up and direct the beginning of Highland Suite."

"Wait what?" I froze. Teddy and Calvin broke out into laughter.

"I'll even let you use my baton." He handed it to me.

"Fantastic." I took the step up to his podium and raised my hands. My classmates raised their instruments. This will either go well, or absolutely horrible. I'm going to go with horrible.

"One two three four." I raised my hands. "One two three four." Nobody played.

"Wait!" BLT interjected. He's about two measures too late, obviously. I have the score, so ha!

"What did I do now?" I asked. I felt violated, I had twenty-six eyes on me. I was wearing jean shorts, my favorite purple shirt and a plaid jacket. I still don't like being looked at, especially by Elijah, that creep. I shivered.

"You need to bring in the cellos not the violins, look at the score in front of you."

Don't tell me how to do my job.

Why am I doing this?

I sighed. I did not sign up for this.

"Take number two." I whispered to myself. At least I look like a fool in front of my friends.

I raised my hands. "One two three four." I turned to the cellos. Well just Charlotte. Tamicka hadn't shown up to class.

Okay, she followed my cue and came in and so I looked down at the score.

We come in on the fifth measure, so I turned to the rest of the seconds. "Danielle, you need to keep the beat." BLT said, standing next to me.

The orchestra stopped.

"Huh?" I asked.

"You stopped keeping the beat."

Facepalm please.

Just kill me now.

"Oh. Oops."

"Pick someone else to come on up and conduct." I couldn't read his face.

"Uh. Minnie." I scurried to my seat.

"Not one word Teddy." I held up my index finger. He was trying not to laugh.

"I just hope you're a better violinist than a conductor."