Ok guys. I think I’m going to wrap this one up. 15 chapters is just 2 long. And I’m bored with this one. And if I’m bored, you will be too. So I’m going to make this one the story of what really truly happened. With a little teeny weeny exaggeration. And I have a few confessions. Ok. Taylor? Yeah, he was in our band until he moved his 8th grade year. And he was only a year older than me. He came back to visit the day I wrote the Taylor chapter. Andrew and Chris? Well, they’re both real, but they’re 2 years older than me. Andrew talks to me, but we usually get into an insult war. I used to have a crush on Chris, but I figured out he’s an egotistical jerk, and I had a friend tell him that. Now instead of ignoring me, he tries to talk to me. Too much for his ego I suppose. Nikki? Her real name’s Hana. She really is one of my best friends and she really is a co-section leader. Jen? Ari. She just started to play snare and uh...she’s not officially in band yet. She’s really on guard for marching season, but she’s joining band this year. Rich? He’s...well...him. Except that he would never kiss a girl...hehehe. We have our theorys...shhh. Wesley? Exactly like himself. Except he would never help Ike. Him and Chris are friends, but he and Andrew really don’t get along well. Everyone else is true to themselves...except that Ike really isn’t smart enough to think of a plan like that. And she really is obsessed with Andrew. And as for me, well. Just read the story. You’ll figure out what’s going to happen to me this next school year. Chapter 15

Early Monday morning, Laura dropped her stuff off by the band room and headed outside, as was her custom of everyday. She quickly found Jen, Nikki, CJ, and Natalie. Cj and Natalie were two of her friends who weren’t in band. She was so sad. She didn’t know if she could last through the whole ordeal of telling them.

“What’s the matter, Loz?” asked Jen. Loz was their nickname for her.

“Guys. I have some really big news. Ok. You have to promise to take this calmly, ok?”

“Ok...” was the general answer.

“Ok.” Laura took a deep breath. “I’m not coming back next year.”

“WHAT?? What do you mean you’re not coming back?! Where are you going? Why?!” she was bombarded with questions.

“I’m going to Bowman next semester. My parents want me to do the magnet program over there, and I kind of want to...but...I’m going to miss you guys so much!” she said sadly. “Next Friday is my last day. End of the semester, you know?”

Everyone just stared. Laura had always been there. She was like...one of the originals! They had known each other forever, and Laura and CJ had been friends since 2nd grade. The group had just kind of built on them from there. Everyone looked at her, disbelieving this information.

After much sighing, and sadness, they finally thought to cheer each other up.

“Well. Have fun. It’s you last week,” said Nikki.

Laura couldn’t believe she had so little time left in band...and with her friends.

The news spread like wildfire that Laura wouldn’t be coming back next semester. Everyone was upset, those who loved her, because they did. Those who didn’t, because she was the only bass clarinet and harp they had. Taylor was pretty upset too. When Laura told him, he just took her in his arms.

Early Thursday morning, Laura dropped her stuff by a column in the rotunda (big round room outside the band hallway), ignored Andrew and Chris, and kept going outside, to see if anyone was there yet. She found Christine, her other best friend (not in band) and ran up.

“Hey!” she said, hugging CJ (her nickname).

“Hey! I have the pictures from my house before the dance! Wanna see?” CJ asked, pulling out some pictures.

“Yay!” Laura said, looking at the pictures. She burst out laughing.

It was her, CJ, Jen, and Nikki. They had all gotten ready for the dance at CJ’s house, and her mom had taken pictures. Being the cutups they were, the pictures were hilarious. They were all joking around. There was one of CJ hugging Laura with her leg up at Laura’s waist. They were both laughing. There was another of Jen in a quite small pink spaghetti strap with glitter, a short skirt, boots, and money sticking out of her shirt. CJ had her tongue out like she was going to lick Jen, and Jen had her head titlted and her mouth open so she looked drunk. There weren’t really any bad ones of Nikki, and then there was a picture of all of them together making faces. They all pretty much looked REALLY slutty. It was kind of funny though.

“Oh my gosh! We have to show Nikki and Jen! Just make sure no one else sees them!” Laura laughed.

Nikki and Jen finally got there. Laura and CJ showed them the pictures and they were all cracking up. Another of their friends, Natalie, showed up and asked what was so funny. They showed her the pictures and she thought they were hilarious. Natalie saw David walking towards the band room and she and Nikki started whispering.

“What are you two up to?” asked Laura suspiciously.

“Nothing. Gotta go, bye!” said Natalie, grabbing the pictures and running off.

“Natalie! Get back here now!” said Laura. She didn’t listen, and Laura decided to ignore it. She didn’t realize that Natalie had taken the pictures of all of them looking like OBT hookers. After a while, they decided to go into the band room. They found Chris and Andrew looking at some pictures. Laura snuck up on them.

“Hey guys. What’s going on?” she asked.

They started cracking up when they saw her.

“What?” they all asked at the same time.

“You guys!” they laughed. They were laughing so hard that they were practically on the ground.

Laura saw what they were looking at. The pictures!

“Natalie!!” she bellowed.

“Hey, don’t look at me. I just gave them to David,” Natalie held up her hands innocently.

“You knew he would give them to Andrew and Chris! Argh!!” Laura wailed.

And so Andrew and Chris had dirt on the girls.

It was Friday morning. It was Laura’s last day of band ever. It sounded so final to her. And it was a final thing. Laura walked into the rotunda (hall outside the band room). She was almost in tears. She was going to miss everyone. Even the idiots sitting against the wall of the beginning of the band room hallway. Yes, even Andrew and Chris. No one was there yet, except for them, Johnathan, Brett, and another Chris that Laura didn’t particularly know. Laura sighed and sat against a column in the rotunda, waiting for someone to unlock the door that would let them into the band hall. She decided to read the Hobbit, because her English exam was today, and she had an essay question on it.

“Hey Laura. You know those pictures are getting around, right?” asked Chris out of the silence that they had just been in.

“They won’t if you know what’s good for you,” she answered back cooly.

“Like you could do anything to us,” Andrew scoffed.

“Oh be nice, Andrew. It’s your very last day of class with me ever. You should be worshipping the ground I walk on,” Laura answered.

“Why is it your last day?” asked Chris.

“Are you kidding me?” asked Laura.

“Noooo...why is it?”

“I’m leaving next year, dimwit! You didn’t know that?!” asked Laura.

“You are?!” both the boys asked incredulously.

“But...but...who are we going to tease? You like...you can’t go!” Andrew said.

“Well I can and I am. I’m surprised you haven’t heard about it,” she snapped.

“Awwww. Come one. It’s not our fault you didn’t tell us, now is it?” asked Chris, scooting so that he was sitting next to her. He gave her the puppy dog eyes.

“Yeah. You know we would have said something if we knew,” Andrew said, scooting so that he was on her other side. He started with the eyes too.

Laura sighed in exasperation. She grabbed the two guys around the neck and hugged them. “I forgive you. Man! You two are like puppies! I can’t stay mad at you!”

“Well that’s us for you,” said Chris. “And by the way, tell Christine if she was going for the OBT look, she pulled it off perfectly.”

Laura was busy saying goodbye to Aubrey and Dawn. Whe felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to find Wesley.

“Yes?” she asked cooly.

“Um...can I talk to you for a second?” asked Wesley.

“I guess,” she said and followed him.

“Well...you know the whole...band camp thing?” Wesley asked.

“How could I forget?” she asked coldly. She had never forgiven him for that and he knew it.

“I’m so sorry about that. See...someone paid me to do it,” Wesley said timidly.

Laura opened her eyes in shock.

“What?! What do you mean someone paid you?!”

“Well...they paid me to break you and Andrew up.”

“Who was it?! I’ll kill them!” Laura said.

“I can’t tell you. But...it was nothing personal...ok?”

“I guess so. I’m not mad at you anymore.”

“Good. Are we ok, then?” Wesley asked hopefully.

Laura sighed.

“Yeah. I can’t believe you did that though.”

“Well...I just wanted to make sure we were ok before you left.”

Wesley hugged her and left, leaving Laura confused.

It was time for last goodbyes. Laura had said bye to everyone in the band. Except for Taylor. She walked over to him.

“Hey,” he said softly. “I can’t believe your actually leaving.”

“Me neither. I’m going to miss you so much.”

“Same here. Are we still going to be together?” he asked softly.

“Of course we are,” she answered.

“Ok then. Just don’t go talking to any guys when I’m not around,” Taylor teased.

“Of course I won’t. I’ll just stay away from the male population in general,” Laura answered back.

“Good. I want you all to myself,” he decided out loud.

“Can I have a goodbye kiss?” Laura asked.

“Of course you can,” Taylor answered.

He pulled her gently to him and brushed her lips softly with his. She pressed against him, already starting to miss him. They started just kissing, but after a few minutes of tender kissing, they started making out. Taylor was a good kisser to begin with, but he really was at his best this time. Laura let a single tear fall down her cheek. They finally broke apart, Taylor leaving her wanting more and breathless as always.

“Bye,” she said, giving him one last kiss on the lips before walking out of the bandroom. She had said good bye to everyone, and everyone was going to miss her in their own way.

As she walked outside, she remembered all the good and bad times she’d had in that building. Marching band had been so awesome, and her semester in it had taught her many things. The band room had seen her laughs, her cries, her joys, her sorrows, and her friendships, along with many other things. She was going to miss band at McDermont High more than she was willing to admit, and that was quite a lot. But it was time for her to go. Time for another chapter in her life. As she turned to walk away, she thought of the ultimate lesson that being in marching band had taught her. It was perhaps one of the most important things she ahd ever learned.

“All’s fair in love and marching band,” she thought, walking away for the last time.