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Authors: Courtney Brandt

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Keeping in Line

BOOK: Keeping in Line
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Keeping in Line

 

A Novel

 

By

 

Courtney Brandt

 

 

Published by Courtney Brandt at Smashwords

 

Copyright December 2010 Courtney Brandt

 

* * *

 

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

 

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

 

 

* * *

 

Dedicated to B and Rae…

and the many fun times we’ve had around the world.

 

* * *

 

 

Other books in The Line Series

 

The Line (available in print and digital release)

A Fine Line (available in print and digital release)

The Line Up (available in print and digital release)

 

* * *

 

 

Room 631.

 

Always crowded.

Always open.

Double doors into a new world.

The best Coke machine in the school.

The best "toys,"

Nearly the size of a closet.

Barely enough room to function, but we make do.

The best groups come out of this room.

The most dedicated and motivated.

Nothing can compare to the things this room can do.

We don't need nice tv sets, video gaming systems or couches.

We have our instruments.

These walls have absorbed the sounds of thousands of kids.

The music stands have held hours of music.

This room will feel empty without me.

But it will soon be full of new kids, starting their adventures in room 631.

 

by
Krissi Banks
(used with permission)

 

* * *

 

 

CONTENTS

 

PROLOGUE: Can I Graduate?

CHAPTER ONE: Summertime and the Livin’s…

CHAPTER TWO: Boot Camp

CHAPTER THREE: A Simple Plan

CHAPTER FOUR: Strategery

CHAPTER FIVE: Operation Tattletale

CHAPTER SIX: Boys Will Be Boys

CHAPTER SEVEN: Facing the Music

CHAPTER EIGHT: Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps

CHAPTER NINE: Rumors

CHAPTER TEN: Discussions

CHAPTER ELEVEN: How Do You Talk To A Drummer?

CHAPTER TWELVE: Drumline Idol

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: This Means War!

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: If You’re On Time (You’re Five Minutes Late)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Hollaback…Boy?

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: With A Little Help From My Friends

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: Accelerando

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: I’ll Never Fall in Love, Again

CHAPTER NINETEEN: The Minor Fall, The Major Lift

CHAPTER TWENTY: Crossing the Line

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: Battery Operated

Acknowledgements

 

* * *

 

 

PROLOGUE: Can I Graduate?

 

Dear Journal,

 

I can’t believe Lucy’s class has graduated. It seems like only yesterday I was meeting all of them for the first time as a little naïve freshman. Not that much has changed on that front…but I’m getting ahead of myself. Where are my manners? As I’m starting a new journal, I’d better reintroduce myself although nothing really exciting or revolutionary has changed in the four days since I ended my last journal and began this one. My name is Bronwyn Margaret Flueger. I am a (recently turned) fifteen year old and officially (school got out today) in between the summer of my freshman and sophomore year, so I’m not sure if that makes me froshmore or a sophoman. Of course, there’s one thing that pretty much sets me apart from most girls my age:

I’m a drummer.

So, how would I describe myself? (Or, more honestly, how do I want to remember myself when I look back and read this one day?) Well, I’m on the short side of 5’2” with red hair. I wish it was a prettier red, because in reality it’s kind of a warm scarlet color that clashes with everything. It is my own natural color which is cool, but it is a wild curly mess and some days I’d rather I didn’t have any hair at all. My eyes are a blueish gray and I struggle to fill a B cup.

Introductory sidebar over, what’s the big deal about graduation? Firstly, I had to go and see my friends on their big night. The seniors of the Forrest Hills drumline are some pretty important people to this froshmore/sophoman. They were all members of a group that is pretty much my reason for living – the drumline.

And I’ll go ahead and brag here because I am marching SNARE this season! Every time I write it or read it or hear other people talk about it, I still can’t believe it’s actually real. I keep expecting to wake up, get a call from Henry (our Instructor) and have him tell me it’s all some huge mistake and I’m actually lucky to be playing the triangle. This is something Lucy (more on her later) tells me I need to work on. Generally, percussionists are gifted with a healthy dose of attitude and confidence. As you might be able to guess, I missed that class. I know I’m good; I just sometimes have problems projecting that image. Not helping the scenario are some very intense upperclassmen that make up the rest of my section. On paper, I know I can keep up with them, but reality is a different matter. I’m going to have to be my best this year because I know everyone’s going to be watching and waiting for me to mess up. I was the only freshman to make the jump to the snare line and of course, there’s the whole “only” girl thing to go with it. I’m the first girl in five generations of the Forrest Hills Line to make snare. There’s a lot of pressure, but I’m not going to let it get to me. Fortunately, I do get a bit of time to build myself up to a place where I feel a comfortable and confident member of the section. We’re having a number of practices – snares only – during the summer. That should give me enough time to figure out that I actually belong with them.

Okay, okay…so, back to graduation. Remember those seniors I was mentioning? There was one very important person among them – Lucy Karate. So, who is Lucy and why is she my hero? Well, you’d have to consult journals 7-9 for those stories, but I’ll give you the short version – she’s basically everything a drumline girl could hope to be…except maybe Captain, which is totally what I want to be thanks to Lucy. Remember that naïve little freshman I was telling you about? Well, I would be even more socially awkward had it not been for Lucy. She took me under her wing last season and literally transformed me into a different person. Without getting all Lifetime Original story, I can assure you that when I started at Forrest Hills, I was this shy dork who didn’t know how to flirt, let alone talk to boys my age (kind of a problem considering my chosen section). Now, I will admit I still have a long way to go, but I have a lot more confidence on that front. I fully believe the confidence Lucy gave me allowed me to ‘man up’ and have the proverbial cajones to audition for (and make) snare.

In addition to Lucy, I’m also very sad to see Tom go. I’ll admit, next to my weird infatuation on Drew (more on that later), I had a bit of a crush on the former quint section leader…but watching him with Jewel, well, it’s not like he and I were ever going to be anything, so he should be happy with someone. He always made me laugh and paid attention to me, which, when you’re a freshman is sometimes the best you’re going to get.

I’m definitely going to miss them, but with all the ways to keep in touch these days, I know they won’t be too far away. Don’t ask me why, but I have a feeling I’ll need Lucy in my life if I’m going to make it through this season alive. Fortunately, she’s going to State which isn’t that far and she promised to try and come back for a game or two.

Well, I’d better go and practice. In fact, I’m surprised J.D. hasn’t already called me to see if I’m drumming. As I’m sure I’ve mentioned in previous journals, J.D. is going to be a senior and was recently chosen as this year’s captain. Oh, I mean Captain with a capital C. And actually, if I wrote his name like all the Guard girls say it I would be writing Jay Deeeeeeeeeeee while going all googly eyed. Now, I’ll admit he is cute, but Lucy warned me to stay away from dating in the Line, making my life ‘unnecessarily complicated.’ It’s no big deal for me – when I’m with the rest of the Line after summer, I’m planning on concentrating on the music and drill only. Plus, I've got my eye on someone else.

Yes, even though I was very slow to admit it – I have major feelings for one of our three drum majors. His name is Drew O’Malley. He’s a senior and last year when I was in Pit, we talked a lot. Well, it’s not like we had deep and meaningful conversations, but we did interact on a usual basis. Anyway, once the season ended, I didn’t see him that much, which was kind of sad. Furthermore, he’s going to be all kinds of busy this season, so it’s not like he would even have time to see me. He’s the senior drum major, plus, this year Mr. Izzo decided to add an additional person to help lead the band. This is a first for us, so we’ll have to see how it all works out.

I guess I’ll just have to crush from across the field. Or, maybe this is the year things are different…

Oh, one more thing, back to what else? Drumline. Even though Lucy and my old section leader Molly are graduating, it’s not like I’m the singular “girl” on the Line. Beth and Valerie are girls in Pit and are both freshmen this year. I met them at the Warm-up Week we had for all the incoming 8th graders. They seem cool enough, but that means, like Lucy was last year, I am the only girl on the Battery. I’m cool with it. I just hope I can get to the point Lucy was at. Everyone respected her, but they also totally knew she was a girl too. I wonder how she did that.

 

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