Free Keeping in Line by Courtney Brandt Page B

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