Spiral - Chapter One

Title: Spiral
Chapter: Chapter 1 : Walking Through the Doors pt. 1
Rating: PG
Author: Melody Brooke
Warnings: Manga Names used.. some changes.. see chart in the Author's Notes (previous part)

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I can remember how it all began, walking through those double-doors
for what had to be the millionth time since I had hi high school, the smell of
the freshly-shampooed carpet, and then the feeling of mirth when I opened
the extremely polished doors of what was to be my home-away-from-home for the
next few months. That's when I thought that I couldn't do this, and that I
really wasn't cut out to be in the position I was in.

Yes, dear reader. I was the assistant drum major for our high school
marching band.

The try-outs had nearly guaranteed my position, with there only being
three people to try out. One I knew would get it, because the students got to
vote you in, and, well, she was best friends with everyone in the whole
school. Don't let that fool you, she had experience over me, having tried the
previous year, only to loose because someone stole the music she was going to
use.

The other, he was slightly inspired to get the highest position he
could get in the band, but not enough. Granted, he did have a way cool
salute, one better than mine, but he didn't make the cut. Perhaps it is best
to keep your wrists straight while conducting.

As for me, I was a total nervous wreck. I mean, my hands were shaking
during the total of four minutes that I was directing the music from the
tape, and for the three that I directed the band in the playing of the
national anthem, in B flat, which is a really bad score. It still haunts me
in my dreams at night, and I can still play it on my flute to this day. My
salute was weak, and the voice commands even worse, earning my the nickname
of "Rabid-Chihuahua".

But here I was, having beaten the guy that had gone just after I did.
Gulping in some air, I prepared for my first day of camp. It was a promising
day, which ended at five in the evening.

The next day was the same as before, and I won't bore you with the
details, except for this one: I had to face my fear of high places. I shudder
at the thought. The whole week went on that way, until that Thursday night.

I was on my way out the door, when our new band director asked me to
stay. Since I was to direct the drum line, he wanted me to stay and test my
teaching skills and help someone who was a rookie and had never picked up a
drum stick in her life.

Needless to say I did. I don't regret it. The drummer's name was
Rei. I had heard a lot about her from our mutual friend of Mina, but didn't
know that this was the same girl. Mina always called her Ralina, as that it
was her first name. I taught her how to read her music, and got her to say
'crash' every time she had to use the symbols, and then we got off topic.

If there is one thing about me, it's that I am about as
scatter-brained as our band director admits he is. I let it slip that Mina
was a good friend of mine, even though she was in a lower grade, and how we
would talk on the phone a lot during the day, and she talked about how she
had a friend named Mina too. That's when I realized a connection, but kept it
to myself.

That's when we started talking about special abilities that we could
do, and what we dreamed about. We talked for hours, and around eight, I
finally confronted her about her real first name.

We became best friends after it all, and every dream I had screamed
that It wouldn't last and that I would end up being hurt, but I didn't listen.
My dreams have been wrong before, and I have blocked most of them out. I am
happy to say that they have yet to come true.

As the weeks went by, so did Band Camp. I was mortified that our band
had shrunk from the strong 60 members, to the lesser 30 that we had at the
time, most of which were rookies, and the flag line.

But, we did well through the whole camp, even though at the last
minute the BOE decided to yank our trip to an out-of-town camp, which led us
to stay at the school. It was all fun.

The first practice that was after the camp was when I met all the
managers. School had started, and our football season was about to head off
to a roaring start. That's when I met him.
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