Chapter 4- Stepping off on the wrong foot
#5 of Suicide Series # 1
* He the next chapter and again it kinda long but not as long as chapter three. Also this chapter is based of my first semester Freshmen year in high school. At the end I'm going to tell you what part of this chapter is false. Enjoy and it will be awhile before i post chapter five, since i haven't even started yet.*
Chapter 4- Stepping off on the wrong foot
The next morning, Carlos took me home. I was relieve to get out of the hospital and go try real food again. I was also happy to get fresh air again and to be able to do anything I want.
On August 10th, Carlos and I went to school to pick up our registration packets. I use to hate school because I thought it was a waste of time. That was until I tried band. I play the clarinet, and I'm not very good but I try harder than anybody in the band.
Once Carlos and I turn in the packet, we both got our schedule. I was shock because we both had almost the same schedule. The only different was second and forth period. I had band and band P.E. while he was a T.A. It didn't matter because he ends up as a T.A. for my band teacher anyways.
"How did we end up with the same schedule? That couldn't have happen by accident." I asked Carlos hoping he could answer me.
"I had my parents call the school so we end up with the same schedule. It took some persuadetion but it work."
"Wow thanks. Maybe this will be the start of a good school year."
"I hope it will. You've been through a lot already."
After getting our schedule, Carlos and I went to his work. Once there Carlos introduces me to Brandon. My and Brandon were a little bit nervous at first but then we realize that we were a lot alike, it was almost as if we were brother. Carlos then tells Brandon that he could keep his job and that I'll be the new assistant manager. I was shock that he would even let me be a manager because I was always messing up.
"Hey Brandon, how old are you?" I asked trying to figure out if he could be my brother.
"I'm fourteen; I believe a year younger then you."
"Were you an orphan?"
"No, why do you ask?"
"I have a felling that we are brother but I'm an orphan."
"We could be but I don't think my parents would only give away one son and not tell me about it."
"Are your parents in town?"
"No, they go out of town a lot for business meetings. Sometimes they are gone for half a year."
"Oh but do you know when they will be back."
"No but I don't think we are brothers because of the giving away part."
"Maybe, all I want is to meet my parents, just once. And I don't think we will be brothers either because my parents business didn't take off until I was three and you would have been two already."
"I'm sorry I couldn't help."
"It okay, you could have done anything."
Carlos then took me to the back and told me how to take inventory and what my job as manager was. It took me awhile but I got it down and then Carlos and I went to see how Brandon was doing. It amaze me how much Brandon work, and also how much I miss my old job.
School started and Carlos and I went to our first class, Carlos had to help me a lot because I had trouble walking. We had English first and it was not my best subject. I was really bad at spelling and we had spelling quiz every Friday.
I worked very hard to try and gat an A but ended the first semester with a B.
Second period was band and it was easy but I was shock to see Brandon there. He played the Trombone while I played the Clarinet.
Third period was Spanish; I wanted to learn Spanish since Carlos parents spoke Spanish.
It wasn't too hard since Carlos already spoke Spanish and taught me at a faster speed but with less information. Carlos was the best student there and I was the second but everybody else seem like they weren't even trying.
Fifth period was lunch and six periods was Algebra 2 Honors. Math was my best subject, you could ask me a question math related and I would be able to solve it. Then seventh period was Biology, I was bad at science but somehow I got an A without Carlos help.
Now fourth period was like a living hell to me. It was band P.E. and I was really bad. For the first two weeks, I couldn't do anything but play because of my broken leg. Once my leg was fixed, I went out there on the field but nobody wanted me there. I heard people that I was dead meat, and I was a waste of dragon life and I should go kill myself.
I wanted to give them there wish nut I wanted to prove them wrong more. One day during practice, I fall down and the whole band looks at me with hated eyes.
The only one there that seems to worry about me was the band teacher and Brandon.
Then the band director came up to me and helps me up.
"Why are you helping me? You know that I don't belong here. I'm the worst marcher ever. All I'm doing is holding the band back."
"The reason why I'm helping you is because you try harder then anybody out there. It time that the seniority ands and we put in equivalently. I can show you how to improve and you can prove everybody wrong."
"Thank you," I told him as he helped me up.
"Now go back there and keep your head up and showed them that you belong here with the band."
"I will," and I meant it too. I was not going out with out a fight and I was going to prove everybody wrong.
It seems though that the more I tried, the madder they became with me. I didn't let it go to my head though. Instead I use that as a motivator to continue and try even harder.
In October, I was finally average and some people even started to act nice to me. I started to hang around them and soon we became a huge family. At the end of October, marching season was coming to an end and I was one of the best marchers there. Everybody notice and the senior were mad because I was better them some of them, even those that march all four years.
My band teacher, Mr. Ryan, came up to me after practice and asked if he could see me in private.
"Sure, where do you want to meet?"
"In my office, it easier for me and that way nobody will eavesdrop."
"Alright then, lead the way."
I followed Mr. Ryan to his office and once inside he told me that he had good news and bad news.
"What wrong now?"
"I'll start with the good news first, seniority is coming to an end but the bad news is the senior are planning to go after you once the season over."
"Let them, I'm use to it. I've been through a lot in my life already, what can they do to make it worst?"
"I don't know but if they attack, I'll make sure they get what coming to them. I get them suspended if I have to."
"Thank you. Well tomorrow the finals, I'm nervous about it though. I mean we are up there, we could end up in first place or stay second again."
"Don't be nervous, everything will be okay."
"I sure hope so, well I got to get going before my parents go and ground me for being late again."
"Goodbye Drake."
I left the band room and meet Carlos outside. We both then head to his car and go home for the night.
The next day, Finals were starting and our school was up first. We were ready, and if you look at us from a distance, you would have thought that we were robots. Even the judges were intimidated but our drum line was inhuman. They made the band look weak; there were in the top five drum line in the country and top ten in the world.
We went on and we ended flawlessly; nobody made a mistake and at the end everybody was crying, including me, because it was finally over.
Soon it was time for award and then everybody was on the edge of their seats because the other school we were competing with was huge and they usually win. The school was James Logan High School, the biggest band in the state. Our school was Clovis West and we were the smallest one there.
"Now in second place, with a score of 93.5 I repeat 93.5. - Really Long Pause- James Logan High school.
"That means that Clovis West High School, Golden Eagles are our winners, with a score of 98.8, again, 98.8!"
Everybody was going crazy and there was a huge group hug. Even the seniors were going crazy, but who could blame them. It was a perfect way to end their last marching year.
Once we got back home, I put my stuff away and walked outside.
"Wait right there," one of the seniors said. I turn around and notice that all the seniors were there.
"What is it?" I was nervous; I thought there were all going to jump me.
"We aren't finish we you yet. Let get him everybody."
Before I could react, all the seniors surrounded me and I couldn't escape. I close my eyes preparing for the worst but then I heard a bottle of soda open. I open my eyes and then I saw one of the seniors walk up to me and spilled the soda on me.
"It not what you think it is, Drake? This is just our way of saying we couldn't have done this without you. Now lets party!"
I was in shock; I almost pass out from the news. Everybody then started laughing and then all the other students came and joined the party. I looked around and I saw Carlos laughing too. I walked up to him and asked if he was in on this party too.
"Yeah, everybody was in on it, even Mr. Ryan was in on it. He misleads you into thinking that the seniors were after you and planed this whole party."
"Why? I'm not trying to be negative but why me?"
"Because of you, everybody was trying harder to improve and they all looked up to you. Some of the seniors even looked up to you because you did what they wanted to do when they were your age. Now come on and let's enjoy the party."
The party lasted until about ten and then we had to call it quits.
Weeks later there was an award banquet and I got the most awards. I got most improve, most inspiring and most positive. Everybody was cheering and it seems that everything in the world, bad or good, was waiting and watching me.
The first semester may have started bad for me but in the end, everything turns out alright.