Major Star

Band Camp Day 1

* 4 months previous*

Daxton POV

¨ Let's Go! Lunch is over and the show won't learn its self!¨ I yell to my other band members. It's day 1 of band camp and everyone is already tired. We were practicing our new show, A pirates revenge. This show I'm super excited for. One because it is my last marching band show as a high schooler. And two, I'm the drum major which I have been wishing to be since I had started marching band as a tiny freshman. 

¨ Daxton can we please have a few more minutes we are all too tired to continue,¨ a small group of the new freshman marchers walk up and say to me with puppy eyes. Silly kids. I don't make the rules and can't give them any more time. Everyone is tired and sick of the sun, including me. 

¨ Sorry guys, we have to start it up again or we won't learn everything we need before our first performance.¨ I try to sound sincere as possible but it might not have sounded as nicely as I wanted.

¨ On the field in 10 minutes! Make sure you drink water and apply more sunscreen before going out there!¨ I make one more quick announcement and start packing my stuff back into my little bag. 

I walk out of the cool high school and am blinded by the sun. I am not ready to do this for another 4 days. It is so gross and sticky and I already want to go home. 

I walk over to the podium. As I'm walking over I see Christiana is already there. Of course. She is the mentally stable best friend who is always on time and loves planning everything before it even happens. I still love her though and don't know what I would do without her. 

¨ So I will do the first and half of the second movement and you do all of 3rd? I think that is the best way to separate everything as even as possible,¨ Christiana starts saying before I have even stopped walking. 

¨ Works for me. I love playing the first and second movements so I like that idea.¨ Ever since I became a drum major I haven't been able to play my tenor dum as much as I used to and I'm starting to miss carrying around my 45-pound baby. 

My watch starts beeping showing that our ten minutes are up and it's time to get back to work. With over 50 new marchers learning how to march is our top priority for day 1, because without knowing how to march we can't really have a show. 

¨ So we will start with some stretches just so nothing happens and so we just have a breather before getting to the good stuff," I tell my band. Oh, that has such a nice ring to it. I absolutely love it. 

I lead the stretches which we do for about 15 minutes just so we are all stretched and so no one pulls a muscle or injures themselves. And stretches are probably the only thing easy and relaxing that we will be the rest of the afternoon so hopefully, everyone enjoys this. 

¨ Alright guys let's start off with some fundamentals. We will first do a box drill. which is an 8 to 5 step size. we will go 8 forward, 8 to the left, backward 8, then right 8. In between each set of 8, we will do an 8 beat marching in place. ¨ Box drills are honestly one of my favorite drills which is why I chose to do it first. 

Surprisingly, nobody else really likes box drills. I get why cause they really aren't that fun but they are easy and I enjoy doing them. 

Everyone starts doing the drills as I start walking around to help any new marchers that need help. Most of them were doing really good just needed to work on getting higher toes or staying in time and always stepping off with their left foot. 

¨ Alright guys let's look at your coordinate sheets and look at set zero and find your spots. If you need any help ask an upper-classman or find me or Christiana to help you out,¨ I said with a smile on my face ready to help anyone. 

¨ could you please help me find in the 45 and 8 in front of the front hash please,¨ a freshman trumpet boy asked me. It was so cute him saying please and so nervous and I remember that being me just a short 4 years ago. 

¨ So you will go inside the 45-yard line and then count off 8 steps going towards the front sideline from this hash line.¨ I try my best to explain this to the trumpet but it is a bit difficult since it just is so easy for me and is like an instinct for me to find my spots.

I walk with the kid to his spot and make my way to the podium to make sure everyone was in the correct spot and of course, Christiana was already on the podium looking for everyone. 

¨ 5 minute water break,¨ Christiana yelled to the band. I was just about to yell for them to go get some water. This heat makes everyone tired and thirsty. I look down to check my watch. Wow, only an hour left. That's honestly crazy. 

¨ Everyone let's go inside and work on our music for a bit then it will be time to go home.¨ I give everyone some time to pack up and give them an opportunity to cool down and relax for the rest of day one.

I start packing everything up and make my way back to the high school to start a new lesson inside and relax for the next hour before we get to go home.

¨ Alright everyone lets get started on some music,¨ Christiana says because she will be helping the band while I take the drum line to work on their music since they don't really train with the rest of the band.

After working on our music for a long hour it's finally time to leave and I can't wait to finally be home and go to sleep.

¨ Bye everyone, see you tomorrow,¨ I say my farewells and walk to my car ready to get out of this school. And just ready to sleep in general.

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That's it for chapter 1. We are going back to before everything happens, get ready for a roller coaster :)