Keeping in Line (9 page)

Drew looked her over appreciatively, “You’ll do.”

Bronwyn flushed even more. Drew put his car in gear and pulled out of the Forrest Hills parking lot.

This is definitely starting to feel like a date.

Quit freaking out! You’re only going to get one shot with this guy anyway.

Please don’t remind me.

Bronwyn stared out the window and saw a number of familiar places rush by.

He’s probably going to take me somewhere where no one will recognize us. He’s probably embarrassed to be seen with me.

Bronwyn’s once great idea now seemed like one destined to end in an embarrassing failure.

Drew reached over and squeezed her hand, “We’re almost there.”

When the car pulled into someone’s driveway, she asked nervously, “Drew, where are we? Do you know who lives here?”

“Relax, this is my house.”

“So now what?” Bronwyn was confused.

Drew looked at her and smiled, “Come on.”

He led Bronwyn to his backyard and announced, “It’s not my best idea ever, but it’s all I could come up with on such short notice.”

Bronwyn saw a large trampoline in front of her and was a bit bewildered. He continued, “I have to go in and get a few things, will you be okay out here?”

She nodded, unsure what the appropriate response should be. Drew went inside and Bronwyn nervously went ahead and got up on the trampoline and tried to come up with the right position to sit in. Eventually, she sat crossed legged and leaned back on her hands, pleased the nice weather had persisted. The temperature was warm and the stars were shining brightly overhead.

Drew came out and joined her on the trampoline, easily visible to her in the almost full moon. He announced, “Come here woman, I have brought sustenance.”

Bronwyn burst out with a nervous giggle. Suddenly, she was very aware of where she was sitting in proximity to Drew and tried to remind herself she had sat closer to him in the car. He didn’t seem to notice her nervousness as he pulled out some snacks and started spreading them out on the bouncy surface. Bronwyn was even more impressed when he revealed an iPod attached to small speakers. For a spur of the moment date, she was delighted with his effort and somewhat relieved he hadn’t taken her somewhere traditional. The thought of dinner and a movie seemed less personal than the intimate setting on the moonlit trampoline.

“Let’s see, do you want Dr. Pepper or Mountain Dew?”

Bronwyn grinned; it was like being on the drumline bus. She answered carefully, “Dr. Pepper.”

“Fine, Mountain Dew for me. And since we both marched a difficult show tonight, I brought grapes, cheese, and crackers to eat.”

“Crackers on a trampoline? Isn’t that a little messy?” Bronwyn teased.

“Umm…we’ll just bounce off the crumbs.”

Bronwyn laughed again and wondered if he showed this side of himself to everyone. While they ate, they discussed the show that evening and the improvements that had been made since band camp. At the end of the day, her nerves were a bit unfounded, he was very easy to talk to, and the conversation flowed between them. Wiping his mouth, Drew asked, “Finished?”

Bronwyn didn’t want to be. She figured the date would be over once she was. She replied slowly, “Yes…”

“Good. Now come over here by me.”

Bronwyn was suddenly shy, “Why?”

“Just come on.”

She scooted carefully over to Drew’s side and asked, “Are you going to take me home now?”

“Are you kidding? I’m trying to convince you to be my date for Homecoming, aren’t I?”

“Yes?”

“Well, I’d hope I had more planned than Dr. Pepper. No, we’re going to do some stargazing.”

Bronwyn had no other dating experience to go on, but looking up at the stars sounded like a great idea to her. Drew unfurled a fleece blanket that he had brought with him, and laid it down in the middle of the trampoline.

“Hey now – there’s no need to be shy.” He patted the space next to him and said, “We’re co-conspirators, remember?”

Bronwyn had a moment of serious panic, then decided she had better use this time for all it was worth because she wasn’t sure when something remotely like this would happen to her again. Bronwyn carefully lay down next to Drew, so that she was close, but not touching him.

Drew let out a frustrated sigh and said softly, “I promise I don’t bite.”

Bronwyn scooted a tiny bit closer, and Drew scooted the rest of the way, putting his arm under Bronwyn’s head and drawing her close to his broad chest. In a way she couldn’t describe, it felt right being cuddled up next to him. She listened to the contented beat of his heart below her cheek and to the cicadas buzz in the distance. Taking a deep breath, she realized he had taken the time to splash on some cologne while he was inside getting their food. Bronwyn was almost too nervous to breathe, let alone carry on a conversation. However, it didn’t seem like words were necessary on this evening in September. Drew gently stroked her hair and she wished the moment could last forever. The fall sky shone brilliantly down on them, and Bronwyn wondered why she had never done this before.

Too soon, Drew said quietly, “It’s probably time to get you home.”

Bronwyn sighed, but took his hand as he helped her off the trampoline. He continued holding her hand as they walked over to his car. The ride home was quiet and the radio played softly. Bronwyn was dreading the end of this car ride. It had been magical out on the trampoline, but the harsh reality that it was going to be their only date definitely put a damper on things, at least in Bronwyn’s opinion. She cringed as Drew turned into her neighborhood.

Guess I won’t be getting that elusive first kiss after all…

Bronwyn had long ago made up some random guy she had met on some beach vacation beach so that Meredith and Megan would stop bothering her about this whole kissing thing. She had been hoping it would be with someone meaningful.

So what if I’m a late bloomer?

Drew’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts, “We’re here.”

Bronwyn gathered together her uniform bag and said, “Thanks for everything. I guess you’ll talk to J.D. next week…”

“Yeah.”

“Well, for what it matters,” Bronwyn gulped, “I would’ve loved to go with you.”

“It would’ve been fun.”

Bronwyn’s mind screeched to a stop.

Does that mean he actually might’ve gone with me?

She got out of the car and walked to the door, only turning around to wave goodbye, not wanting Drew to see the silly disappointed tears in her eyes.

How did you think this was going to end?

She was so lost in her own thoughts she didn’t hear Drew close the car door. Bronwyn squeaked when she realized Drew was right behind her. She turned and looked up at him, his handsome face, so familiar to her now, and held her breath.

“Since it’s a real date…” Drew quickly closed the distance between them. He cupped her face and lowered his mouth to her slightly open lips. The redhead didn’t have anything else to judge how great a kisser Drew was, but in her mind, it was one of the best moments in her life. When the embrace finished, she opened her eyes and saw Drew grinning at her.

“I wish things were different, Bronwyn.”

“I know; me too.”

“Sweet dreams.”

As Drew walked away, Bronwyn briefly entertained the idea of transferring to a different school just so she could date the guy she liked. Once inside, the redhead immediately called Meredith and Megan to fill them in on the exciting news. They were both happy for her, and tried to make her feel better that she had at least gotten something special out of this whole mess.

* * *

CHAPTER EIGHT: Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps

J.D. approached Drew after practice on Tuesday and said, “Alright dude, she’s had to have made up her mind by now.”

“She did.”

“And?”

“You win.”

J.D. immediately burst into scornful laughter, “I always knew I liked that girl.”

Drew sighed, and surprising himself, said, “I did too.”

“Don’t tell me you actually had feelings for her. She’s just some silly sophomore.”

“Is that all you see?”

J.D. didn’t respond.

“Look, if that’s what you think about her, I feel sorry for your section.”

J.D. crossed his arms, “Don’t even think about going there. I am the drumline Captain and we are doing fine this year.”

Drew rolled his eyes, “Whatever. Now, I want you to listen to me for two seconds. Bronwyn may just be ‘some sophomore’ to you, but she’s a damn good player and has done nothing to earn your resentment and exclusion. You’re sabotaging your own section with your actions. Do you think any other section leader goes around betting on the people they are supposed to lead?”

“They do things their way, I do things mine.”

“Just think about what I said.”

“Not likely. Look, I’ll expect your apology to the Line before this week’s game.”

“And what of Bronwyn?”

“The only thing she has going for her is that she was smart enough to turn you down.”

Drew watched as J.D. walked away and felt terrible for the little redhead.

The senior drum major walked down to the practice field with Bronwyn on Thursday. He walked next to her but Bronwyn quickly noticed he wasn’t saying much. She nudged him, “What’s up?”

“I told J.D.”

Even though she knew the plan was coming to an end, Bronwyn slumped and asked, “What did he say?”

Drew clenched his teeth and forced himself to remain calm, “Nothing. I’m going to ‘talk’ to you guys before Friday night’s game.”

Bronwyn blasted a rim shot off on her snare drum in frustration, to which Drew laughed and said lightheartedly, “That is the perfect sound for the way I feel.”

Bronwyn kept walking and muttered to herself, “I just hope it actually changes things.”

“You know, I’m actually surprised he’s going ahead with this thing. I thought it might be enough for him just to have this privately over me.”

Bronwyn nodded, “You’re right, it’s been so long since the ‘incident,’ I’m surprised it still matters to him.”

“Then again, this is J.D. we’re talking about.”

“I’ve never known him to let anything go. He can carry a grudge forever.”

They walked on, and Bronwyn realized after it came out that she had turned Drew down, they probably wouldn’t get to hang out like this. She would miss him. Not knowing if she would get the chance to anytime soon, she said, “By the way, if I haven’t said it, thanks again for doing this for me. For both our sakes, I hope it works.”

“If things were different…” Drew drifted off.

“Yeah?”

“Do you think I could just not go along with the terms of the bet? I mean, it’s just J.D., I don’t really owe him anything.”

As desperate as Bronwyn was for a solution that could allow them to be together, she reasoned, “The thing is – the band needs this. You know it does.”

The disharmony from band camp had grown and they both knew J.D. needed to ‘win’ to come back to participating normally with the other sections. Drew admitted, “I really wish Lance was Captain.”

“You and me both.”

“Drew?” It was Geoff, the brass Captain.

“Yeah?”

“You were going to go over the closer with us?”

“Coming.” He looked at Bronwyn and said, “Goodbye.”

At the end of 5th period the next day, J.D. held his stick up for attention and addressed the entire Line, “I’d like everyone to be on time tonight. We’re going to have a special treat from the drum major before the game.”

Tony cracked, “Is this for all of us or just Bronwyn?”

Bronwyn immediately flushed, but she just as quickly flicked Tony off, as many of the members of the Line tried to hold back a laugh.

J.D. winked at Bronwyn and said, “Everyone just be there.”

Bronwyn inwardly cringed at J.D.’s leery gesture. As the Line broke attention to put their instruments away, Bronwyn tried to ignore the stares she was getting from the other percussionists. The whole situation was getting too complicated. She knew they all thought she knew what was going to happen tonight…which she did know, but wasn’t supposed to know. Plus, if a drummer had somehow missed the drum major personally squiring the only girl on the Battery after the past two games, they had certainly heard about it from someone else on the Line. Therefore, Bronwyn was not surprised to hear a purposely loud afterthought from Tony.

“It’s just disrespectful if you ask me. I mean, it’s like Drew thinks he’s better than us because he’s drum major or something. And if Bronwyn is with him, well… ”

Bronwyn painfully clamped down on the inside of her cheek, knowing exactly what the first bass was insinuating. She had to use every bit of restraint not to yell at her fellow sophomore.