Later Sk8er!
Lucy
P.S. I’m curious, what exactly does this plan of yours involve
P.P.S. I’m sure this season will turn out okay – REMEMBER, YOU’RE A SNARE DRUMMER!
After reading Lucy’s response, Bronwyn climbed into bed. With the question of what exactly she could do weighing on her mind, she tossed and turned, trying to get to sleep. She didn’t want to involve Megan and Meredith because, well, the whole idea was based on the embarrassing fact that she couldn’t admit to them. Both girls were so happy and popular in their sections, they probably didn’t have a concept of what it was like to watch everything from the outside. The only plan Bronwyn could think of to get back on the good side of the Line was the following scenario:
INT. Percussion Room
Enter DREW, an attractive 17-year-old male. Percussionists are busy goofing off before a practice.
DREW
(nervous)
Has anyone seen Bronwyn?
The drummers part as BRONWYN FLUEGER, our beautiful, resplendent, scarlet haired, 15 year old heroine, walks up.
BRONWYN
What do you want?
DREW
(even more anxious)
Umm, I was wondering if you would maybe like to out with me?
BRONWYN
(laughing)
No way.
DREW
Please?
BRONWYN
Sorry, drummers like me don’t date losers like you.
Drew leaves the room with a dejected and pitiful look on his face, while the rest of the drummers crowd around Bronwyn, patting her on the back.
J.D.
I always knew you were one of us.
(calling out after Drew)
Loser!
Bronwyn sighed.
Is that the best I can do?
It’s simple and easy and there is no way the guys will not understand it. You win, he loses.
Yeah…but I don’t know if he’ll go along with damaging his rep just for me. I’m just some sophomore he doesn’t know. What does he get out of this except complete and utter humiliation?
All you can do is ask and find out.
Still trying to get to sleep, Bronwyn wondered why her sophomore year was not going to start exactly like she had planned back in the spring. Her mental checklist had gone very much according to plan. She had earned the coveted spot on the snare line she had wanted so badly. She had classes with most of her friends. What she hadn’t planned on, and couldn’t have predicted, was her need for acceptance from the Line. She wanted to be included, to belong, rather than be an outsider in her own section. Was she being too sensitive? Should she just get over herself and accept the way things were?
It was a long time before she finally drifted off to sleep.
Tuesday afternoon was the first practice after band camp. Bronwyn glumly put on her drum and walked out to the field by herself. She looked at Beth and Valerie jealously. Of course, they were fitting in seamlessly with the other members of the Pit.
Some example you are setting for them, Flueger.
Looking up at the drum major podium was especially difficult. The same little voice inside of her nagged, you think just because he agreed to help you that means anything?
After practice, Bronwyn didn’t even bother to ask Ben for a ride home – who would want someone as lame as her riding shotgun? As she was walking to the phones to call her Dad to pick her up, she heard someone approach her.
“So, you come up with our plan yet?”
Bronwyn’s heart fluttered in recognition of the voice and especially at the use of the word “our.” She managed to respond, “Actually, no, I haven’t.”
“Really?”
“I’m kind of stumped.”
Except that’s a lie, because I know exactly what I need to do, but it’s going to require a lot on your part, and I’m not sure if that’s what you signed up for.
They walked in silence. When Bronwyn reached the phone and dug around in her pockets for enough change to make the call, Drew looked at her strangely and asked, “What are you doing?”
“Calling my parents, because, y’know, I haven’t quite mastered the art of teleporting just yet.”
“Tell you what, how about I drive you home and we’ll discuss the plan on the way?”
Unprepared for Drew’s attention, Bronwyn looked at him skeptically and questioned, “You sure you don’t have other places to go? People to see?”
“I can see them after I drop you off.”
“Oh, okay, just let me call my parents and tell them I have a ride.”
“Flueger, you can use my cell.”
Bronwyn blushed, and replied, “Fine, Mr. Bossy, I didn’t want to go around assuming things. Even if the rest of my section does not, I have manners.”
As they walked to the parking lot, Bronwyn called and told her parents she would be home shortly and filled in the silence by giving Drew directions to her house. Gentleman that he was, Drew opened her side of the car first. Bronwyn got in and scrambled to open his door. The drum major got in the car smiling, and said, “Thanks, you’d be surprised how many girls forget to do that.”
Bronwyn beamed back at him.
…No time like the present, you've got him in an enclosed space…
Ignoring her subconscious, she stalled and reverted to small talk, “So, how are you feeling about the show?”
As soon as she asked the question, she cringed. It was no secret the halftime show was not turning out how anyone expected. By the end of band camp, the Forrest Hills Flyers were severely behind schedule. The arrangement, complicated drill, and addition of a third drum major had slowed down the speed of learning, leaving a frustrated and exhausted band. The continued rivalry between J.D. and Drew was not helping things.
He sighed, and Bronwyn felt her heart go out to the drum major. During practices, he was always the picture of leadership. Here in the car, she realized maybe things were affecting him more than she thought. Maybe she wasn’t the only one having a difficult season.
Rather than wait for his answer, she quickly made excuses, “You know, it’s not your fault.”
“Isn’t it?”
“Of course not! Last time I checked, there were over two hundred people on the field and each of them has a hand in the final results. Plus, it’s seriously early in the season…”
“This time last year—”
“Was a different show.” Bronwyn remember being in the Pit and how easy her life had been. She continued softly, “Was a different everything.”
“You’re right about that.”
“So, give it some time.”
He paused, and then commented, “Sounds like maybe you should do the same.”
“About what? J.D.?”
“Yup.”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
“Trust me, it just is.” Bronwyn, uncomfortable with talking about the deeper issues within her section, wanted to focus on the solution. Although she was enjoying the personal conversation and getting to know Drew better, she said abruptly, “So, um, I think you should ask me out.”
He waited a few moments before he replied, “I’m confused, what does that have to do with waiting things out?”
“It doesn’t.”
“As long as you’re sure this is the best way…”
“I am.” She impatiently tapped the snare solo out on her leg.
He eyed her nervous response, but answered, “Then let’s hear an explanation.”
“Well, I mean, you wouldn’t be asking me out for real. Basically, I had this scenario in my mind, where like, after a practice or something you come in the percussion room and you’re all ‘let’s go out’ and I’m all ‘no’ and then the Line is like ‘she’s our hero.’”
Drew was quiet; obviously, he needed a moment to process the ‘plan.’
Mistaking his silence for disapproval, Bronwyn kept talking, “I know, it’s stupi
d. Forget I asked. I guess you have a reputation to worry about.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I don’t think you’ve ever shown much of an interest in people like me.”
“What are you implying?”
She replied honestly, “Basically, from what I can tell, you have a type and that sort of girl is not me. You know, maybe I overlooked the whole reality of my plan. I mean, no one would believe it if you waltzed into the percussion room and suddenly showed an interest in me. ”
Drew looked in his rear view mirror and then back at the road, before he said, “I guess you’re right. I do have a bit of a trend.”
“So, like I said, I know it’s a lot to ask for and just forget I asked. I’ll come up with a new plan and you can forget I even asked.”
They were quiet the rest of the way to Bronwyn’s house. As Drew pulled up, and the sophomore went to immediately get out of the car, more than ready for the entire painful experience to be over, Drew placed his hand on her smaller one, “Wait.”
Bronwyn looked up at him, “Yes?”
“I think I figured out a way this just might work.”
“And?”
“It’s kind of your idea and kind of like that movie with Freddie Prinze Jr.”
“You mean She’s All That? You’ve seen She’s All That?”
“Hey, do you want to hear the plan or not?”
“I do.”
“The thing is, I don’t think your idea is enough, basically, it needs something more. So, here’s what I’m thinking – I’ll mention, loudly, in front of one of the members of the Line that I’m interested in asking you to, let’s say, Homecoming or something. That information will get back to J.D., who being the guy I think he is, will come up to me and make some sort of wager as to whether or not you will say yes. When you say no, then J.D. feels like a star and you get the support of the Line and I will…well, I guess I'll go back to dating the girls I usually date.”
“Do you think that would actually work?” Even after spending an entire summer with five teenage boys, Bronwyn realized she was really no closer to understanding the male gender than she was a year ago.
“I’m a guy, aren’t I? I think I would know better what works and what doesn't.”
“And you’re sure you want to go through with this?”
Drew shrugged his shoulders and said, “Why not? My senior year was going to be boring otherwise.”
“Well, then, if that’s the case, then I have the perfect person you can ‘comment’ to,” Bronwyn said, a devious grin on her face.
At the same time, at a post-practice gathering at Waffle House, the rest of the snare section were having a conversation of their own. Adam picked at his hash browns, and said, “This doesn’t feel right.”
J.D. looked over at him and asked sarcastically, “What do you mean? Are your hash browns not to cooked to golden perfection?”
Adam rolled his eyes and answered, “I’m not talking about that. Listen, it’s not that I don’t love our section and all, it’s just…”
Kevin asked, “It’s just what?”
Adam sighed, “I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but I think we’re being really shitty to Bronwyn.”
J.D. scoffed, “Who, Flueger? Are you kidding?”
Scott said, “Why do you care, Adam? Something going on of your side of the snare line we should know about?”
Lance interrupted, “Cut him some slack, guys. I’m on the other side of Adam and I think I would know if something was going on.”
J.D. asked, “Does that mean you’re on her side?”
Lance crossed his arms, “There should be no ‘sides’ on the snare line, J.D.”
J.D. glared at Lance, “Are you telling me how to run my Line?”
Adam broke the tension and said, “Seriously J.D., all I’m trying to say is I think Bronwyn is starting to take it personally that we never include her in anything.”
J.D. looked around the table and asked, “Do you remember your first year on the Battery?”
Kevin replied, “Yeah man, I marched with Lucy on the bass line, it was a laugh a minute in our section.”
J.D. gave him a stern look, “You’re not helping.”
Scott said, “Maybe you’re right, I mean we really came together at band camp, but it was as the five of us. Our section has six people in it.”
Lance nodded and added, “Seriously, I mean what we do and how we act sets the precedent for the rest of the Line, and right now, we’re setting a bad example.”
J.D. shrugged, “I guess. Fine, I will try and be nicer to Flueger.”
Happy with their Captain’s attempt at normalcy, Adam smiled and said, “You won’t regret it. Plus, I think once we include her, it’s really going to help us as a section.”
* * *
CHAPTER FIVE: Operation Tattletale
Bronwyn nodded to Drew from across the field. It was two weeks into the school year and today they were going to set ‘The Plan’ in motion. It was weird, because in the past week, Bronwyn had actually noticed a slight difference in how her section was treating her. Sure, she usually spent breaks hanging with her band friends and not the Line, but while she couldn’t put her finger on it, it was as if they were actually being a little nicer to her. Furthermore, Ben decided his earlier comment of “anytime” meant he didn’t mind taking Bronwyn home from practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays and even picking her up for Friday night games.
Now is not the time to hesitate, as much as I’d like to think I’m one of them, the plan will ensure my acceptance!
Bronwyn could only wait and hope J.D. would take the bait and react accordingly. She was also nervous because they had to involve another person. She didn’t want Operation Tattletale somehow getting out to the rest of the band, but she trusted her friend Pete, a trumpet player.
Drew found Pete after practice, “You ready for this?”
Pete smiled and said, “Bronwyn’s a good friend and if you two think this will work…”
“It will.”
“There he is. I’ll see you in a few.”
Pete planted himself directly behind Bronwyn’s favorite person in the section, Tony Clarke, as he walked back from the practice field to the percussion room.
Drew jogged up and joined Pete, then asked, “Hey man, you got a sec?”
“What’s up?”
“So…you’re friends with Bronwyn, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Do you know if she’s dating anyone right now?” Drew asked loudly.
It was all Tony could do not to turn around. He visibly slowed his pace so he was walking closer to the pair behind him.
“Not that I know of. Why are you asking?”
“No reason.”
“Really?”
“Well…you promise to keep this to yourself?”
“Sure.”
“I was thinking about asking her to Homecoming.”
Tony almost tripped over himself. Pete, noticing Tony’s antics, had to hold back a laugh, “Seriously?”
“You think she would say yes?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe you should just ask and find out.”
“Yeah…although, I think I may wait awhile and get to know her a little better.”
“Do you want me to let her know that you’re interested? I can drop some hints for you.”
Drew said quickly, “No! I mean, not for now, let’s just keep it between you and me.”
“No worries.”
At that point Tony peeled off and went zooming in the direction of the band room. Drew clapped Pete on the back and said, “Do you think he bought it?”
“Hook, line, and sinker. I’m sure J.D. will know about your ‘intentions’ in the next ten minutes.”
“Great, thanks for your help.”
Still slightly confused about what was actually going on, Pete commented vaguely, “I hope things work out the way you want it to.”
Tony
skidded into the percussion room, nearly colliding with some of the front line members. He quickly found J.D. and pulled his Captain aside, “Hey dude, I have something to tell you.”
The tone of Tony’s voice made J.D. pay immediate attention. He told the younger drummer, “Alright, put your drum away and let’s talk outside.”
They walked quietly into the hall. J.D. crossed his arms, and asked, “What’s this all about, Tony?”
“You know Drew?”
“Our dumb major?”
“Yeah, him.”
“What about him?”
Tony looked around to see if anyone was listening. Satisfied they weren’t, he commented, “It seems as though he’s taken interest in Bronwyn.”
“As in Flueger?”
The sophomore rolled his eyes, “You know another Bronwyn?”
“Continue.”
“Apparently, he’s thinking of asking her to Homecoming.”
“And how do you know all this?”
“I overheard Drew talking to one of Bronwyn’s friends.”
“Curious.”
Tony questioned him, “Are you going to do anything about it? Do you think she would actually say yes?”
J.D. smirked, “Not sure yet, but it does give me a few ideas to keep things interesting this season. Do me a favor and make sure to keep this to yourself, okay?”
Keeping in Line Page 4
