Music and Flags

Chapter 4: Truths Be Hidden

Vena marched out of the school, across the field and stopped under the bleachers. Her heart was pounding, anger coursing through her veins.

Ethan? Her best friend since grade school? Liking a bander? And a boy, at that?

How could he?

Ethan knew that she hated homosexuals with a burning passion when she found her brother kissing a guy in his room! How could he betray her like this?

"Ethan!" She screamed, collecting the attention of the Flaggers and a few banders. Ethan paled, stepping forward timidly.

"You, Ethan Paul, are kicked out of Colour Guard for being with a bander!" Vena pointed her finger at him, accusingly. Many of the Flaggers stared, stunned that Ethan, the funny, caring bestie to all the Flaggers, was kicked out.

Vena watched as a bander placed down her instrument and pulled him into a hug. Soon, another student joined the hug. They waited patiently for Ethan to calm down, his eyes bright with tears. The lead bander stepped forward, cleared the others and called for the 'leader' of the instrument groups to step forward.

Vena noticed that Alex and the girl from Day One walked over to him. A boy with a flute pushed past the taller kids, his purple hair sticking up wildly. A girl with blonde locks. They talked among themselves, the girl with the green and silver streaks throwing her hands in the air and pointing at Vena. That girl was starting to get on Vena's nerves.

Finally, Vena yelled.

"If you want him, take him!"

The girl gave the first boy a pointed look and pulled Ethan over to them.

"Welcome to the Banders. I'm Saige Warner. That's Kristen Jacobs," she pointed to the first boy. "That's Keeley Heyla, she's a French horn," she waved her hand at the girl with the blonde curls. "That's Olive Yunia," The flute boy, who smiled faintly. "And finally, that's Alex Estrada." She smiled at the boy with the beanie. Ethan smiled softly, a flush covering his face, sitting on a bleacher. Alex took a seat next to him, giving Ethan a peak on the cheek before returning to practice. Many of the Banders rolled their eyes and handed each other money. She watched as Olive cursed and handed Keeley twenty dollars.

Vena watched as Saige pushed his shoulder playfully. She rolled her eyes.

Banders are Bandits. They lie, steal, cheat.

She wished that Ethan could see that.

People were annoying, but her love life was absolutely positively cursed. All the boys she fell in love with had girlfriends, were her friends or were fags.

And she hated fags.

Vena stomped back to the Flagger side of the field. She sat down on a bleacher, crossing her arms over her chest and huffing angrily.

Marsha walked over and joined her, rambling about how hot the Dance Team's soloist is. Vena rolled her eyes. It was so obvious that Willis had the hots for his brother's girlfriend's stepbrother.

But still, she listened to Marsha complain about how Willis never returned her flirting and never wanted to hang out. Vena sighed.

"Marsha, maybe he just isn't interested. But that would be so totally stupid, considering how you're basically the only single, straight girl in all the athletic groups." Vena said, throwing her hair behind her shoulders.

Marsha looked offended, but Vena didn't care. Instead, she stood, clapped her hands and yelled for the Colour Guard to get their flags and get into position.