The Line (16 page)

Lucy asked, “You guys know what happens if we lose tomorrow?”

Lance nodded and said, “The rest of the Line is going to totally blame us.”

Nathan answered, “Not necessarily. I think everyone agrees Jerm went a little overboard. Maybe they can justify what we did.”

Jared rolled his eyes and added, “This is so not what we need going into Indoor.”

“I just wish I knew what I could do to make Jerm less of a prick about this whole thing,” Lucy said.

Mark watched as the Line made their way back into the stands and advised, “I think you can start by avoiding him as much as possible.”

“Definitely on my 'to do' list, but guys?” Having their full attention, she said, “The rest of the Line may hate us, but when it comes time during Indoor, I know we’re going to hear our names called when best bass line is announced.”

To say the stands were uncomfortable that evening was a massive understatement. It was hard to march the show and not notice an entire section was missing from it. Rumors were flying through the marching band. Lucy smiled as she heard what was going around.

“…It’s all Lucy’s fault. I know she forced the guys not to march. Only she would pull something like that…” As if!

“…I heard this was all South’s way of sabotaging our line. I bet Sam doesn’t even like Lucy…” He does so!

“…I heard Lucy and Jerm actually started fighting…and Lucy won!” Lucy laughed out loud when she heard that one.

While Lucy did her best to ignore the random rumors, halfway through the fourth quarter, Jerm motioned for Lance to meet him on the track below the stands. Jerm crossed his arms and asked, “Do you want to tell me what in the hell that little stunt was all about?! You think you can just show up on the field whenever you feel like it?”

Lance looked down at Jerm. With more bravado than he actually felt, the sophomore responded, “Well, Jerm, you run your section one way, I run mine another.”

Jerm turned bright red and shouted, “Let’s not forget who is running the entire section!”

“And we all see how well that’s turning out.”

“What do you want me to do? The rest of the Line is pissed one of the sections punked out the night before a competition. If we lose tomorrow to S.W., it’s going to be all your fault.”

Lance refused to back down, and answered, “Maybe you should’ve thought of the consequences before benching Lucy. You think we’re our best as a section when one-fifth of the group is missing?”

“Maybe Lucy should’ve thought about the consequences before she started dating Sam.”

Lucy, who had been trying not to butt in, leaned over the fence, and yelled down at her Captain, “Jerm, I thought we discussed this earlier – who I date is my business!”

Jerm looked up, and tried to ignore the band members who were leaning in and listening intently, “I don’t remember asking you to be a part of this conversation!”

Lucy took a deep breath. She needed to save face in front of the Line, so she went for the low blow, “Jerm, why don’t you tell everyone what this is really about?”

“I don’t know, Lucy. You tell me. How about your complete inability to listen to authority? Your lack of decency to the guys you’re dating? Your unbelievably horrible taste in a boyfriend?”

The bass drummer ignored his insults and replied calmly, “No, I was actually thinking of the summer when you and Sam were friends.”

Now everyone in the band was at attention and listening in on the drumline’s conversation. Fortunately, Mr. Izzo was across the field talking with the other school’s band director, which left only the band parents to gawk and wonder at what was going on. Overall, the Forrest Hills band was relatively well behaved and disciplined. There were occasional scuffles between some of the sections and the usual pranks, but nothing like this situation had ever happened.

Jerm looked up at Lucy. She stared back at him, green eyes locking with steel blue, not backing down. If he wanted everyone to know what happened that summer, she was more than prepared to fill them in.

“Lucy, I think you should head back to the band room.”

During the confrontation between Lucy and Jerm, Lance had been exchanging looks with the bass line. They had all agreed at practice they were in this thing all the way. Lance wanted to send the message that if you messed with one of the bass drummers; you messed with all of them.

Lance barked out, “Bass line, ten hut!”

Lucy and Jerm turned and stared at Lance as if he had lost his mind, but the remaining bass line members responded by hitting their drums in unison.

Lance continued calling out orders as he walked up to the stands, “Bass line, get your drums on and get in formation.”

Jerm and the rest of the band could only watch as Lucy scrambled up the stairs and joined the bass line, putting her drum on and walking up out of the stands to where the drumline traditionally gathered before marching back to the school. Lance, reunited with his own drum, clicked his mallets against his rims, and the basses started playing the bass cadence, Self-Proclaimed Huguenots, marching all the way back to the percussion room, leaving a dumbstruck Jerm in their wake. Back in the band room, everyone took off their drums silently, unsure what to do or say. Then Lucy started laughing hysterically. She couldn’t help it; this whole situation was surreal. It only took a few seconds before the rest of the basses joined in.

Lucy wiped tears from her eyes and said, “Seriously guys, you go ahead, I know I should probably avoid our beloved captain, but I’m going to try and see if I can’t work things out with Jerm. And Lance?”

Lance looked up.

“That was a seriously brilliant move.”

A new round of giggles started up. The guys high-fived each other and left the room. Lucy changed out of her uniform and went out to wait at Jerm’s car. She had a feeling he wouldn’t want to see Mandy tonight. While Lucy was waiting she called Sam to fill him in about what had happened.

Sam said, “You tell Lance if he ever wants to switch Lines, we could use someone with
cajones
like that.”

“I will. I’ll try and introduce you two tomorrow. See you then?”

“I’ll be the one in the South Washington drumline jacket.”

Lucy hung up the phone and heard someone walking up behind her. Taking a deep breath, Lucy turned around, surprised to find Jerm behind her, with an equally odd look on his face. Jerm, she had to admit, cleaned up nicely in his traditional post-game “uniform:” well worn dark blue jeans, a fitted white t-shirt and one of his crazy belt buckles.

“Come on Lucy, let’s take a walk.”

Lucy looked at Jerm strangely, but nodded. They began walking through the parking lot down to the stadium. It was a nice night; the team had won, summer had finally given way to fall and there was a briskness in the evening air. Given the range of events in the past week, Lucy was glad for the quiet time – with each step the anger and resentment she was feeling towards Jerm seemed to dissipate. She couldn’t tell, but she thought Jerm might be calming down as well. They walked all the way down to the field, which was still brightly lit by the large lights. The empty stadium was a stark contrast to earlier in the evening. The awkward pair stood overlooking the field when Jerm finally broke the silence.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do with you, Lucy Karate.”

Lucy thought a moment before answering. She commented, “She must have been really special.”

“I—this isn’t about—shit—yeah, she really was and I thought he was my friend.”

“Do you think I don’t know what that feels like?”

Jerm was unresponsive.

“Look at who you’re dating right now, Jerm. Mandy. Did you even once, for a second, consider dating me?”

Jerm gave the female percussionist a strange look.

Lucy rolled her eyes and continued, “It was a hypothetical question, Jerm, but put yourself in my shoes. I have two beautiful friends and for the better part of our friendship have had to watch as they constantly dated the guys I liked. But I didn’t hold it against them. Well, I tried not to hold it against them; sometimes it was really difficult. Eventually, I would try and come to terms with the fact they were a better couple than he and I ever would’ve been. So, I know exactly where you’ve been, but I got past it a long time ago.”

“Yeah, I dig.”

“So then, maybe you can let go of this grudge against Sam…and me?”

“Maybe, but I can’t let the bass line go unpunished.”

“I know, but that was their decision, not mine.” Lucy asked, “Would you expect anything less of the snares?”

“After your section’s stunt, I think we’re going to have a chance to test that theory.”

“Mr. Izzo benched you?!” Lucy had to bite her lip from laughing.

“Yes, he did,” Jerm pouted.

Lucy tried to comfort her captain, “Doesn’t matter. Think of it this way, next week is Homecoming, and that doesn’t really count as a game anyway.”

At the same time, the junior was trying to think of a solution that would make everyone happy. She couldn’t take back the things she had done or said, but the Line would have to work together if they were going to have a shot at Indoor or the competition tomorrow. She asked, “I can’t go above Lance’s position, but what if we offer to clean all the drums?”

“Including polishing the cymbals?”

“Especially polishing the cymbals – it’s the least I can do for Nevada.”

“Fair enough.”

“Just be sure to talk it over with Lance. Hopefully the two of you can kiss and make up.”

“Okay,” Jerm grumbled.

Lucy shivered slightly and asked, “Can we head back now? I’m sure you’re going to have some explaining to do at Waffle House.”

“Yeah.”

They started walking back to the now deserted parking lot. Lucy asked, “Hey Jerm?”

“Yes?” There was a slightly exasperated tone in his voice.

“I think Sam is ready to talk whenever you’re ready.”

Jerm didn’t say anything, but Lucy didn’t expect him to – there was only so far you could push a teenage boy in one evening. Jerm turned to Lucy when they had reached his car and looked like he wanted to say something, but extended his hand instead. Awkwardly, Lucy shook it.

“Night, Lucy.”

* * *

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: ANY GIVEN SATURDAY

Arriving home, Lucy was far too wired to think about sleeping. After saying hello to Pam and changing into her comfiest set of flannel pants and a tank top, she quickly signed online. It had been entirely too long since she had talked to Cartwright213. Lucy chewed on a pen as she waited to see if he was on. She missed their easy talk and banter, as well as his much needed insight into her love life! Lucy was bummed when she didn’t see his name pop up in her buddy list and dawdled around. She was about to sign off and to get some much-needed sleep when Cartwright213 popped up. Lucy instantly began typing.

bassgirl17:
Howdy stranger!

Cartwright213:
(yawn)

bassgirl17:
Where have you been young man? Isn’t it past your bedtime?

Cartwright213:
Can’t a guy have a life?

bassgirl17:
Fine, fine. Listen, do you have a minute? I could really use some advice.

Cartwright213: Umm, yeah, go ahead.

Lucy looked at the screen, noting something was off in her online buddy’s voice. Lucy looked at the clock on her computer…it was after 1AM, maybe that was the reason. Realizing she had to be up in a few hours to head out to the competition, Lucy decided to let it go.

bassgirl17:
Well, never mind. It can wait. I know it’s late.

Cartwright213:
K.

Lucy signed off quickly, a little hurt. On the other side of the computer
Cartwright213
sighed deeply as he saw
bassgirl17
sign off without saying anything else to him, this was not how he wanted things to go. He stared at his computer screen, wishing he’d had the guts to tell her who he really was, but knew his identity would only further complicate her already complicated life.

Lucy dragged herself out of bed in the morning, showered quickly, and made one side trip on her way to the school. She cautiously crept into the band room, looking around for a friendly face and was a bit surprised there were not a lot to be found. The marching Flyers had definitely noticed the missing section last night. Although it had been amusing at the game, the seniors realized it could affect the outcome of the competition today. Lucy tried to offer a smile to some of the upperclassmen, even though internally she was seething, then scooted into the percussion room.

Jerm was already present and apparently had spread the word things were cool again on the Forrest Hills drumline. Lucy smiled to herself noting this behavior was the great difference between guys and girls. There would be no lingering, bitchy feelings going on. Lucy also knew that sometimes refined sugar could go a long way towards an apology. The bass drummer dragged her bass drum case out, and placed the four dozen still warm Krispy Kreme donuts on top of it, telling the group, “Hey guys, come and get it! Drummers need sugar to survive, or hadn’t you heard?”