Today is July the 12th, and even after six months, I remember this day almost as clearly as Canada Day. I am there with Rebekka, Justyce, and Dmitri. We had a performance in the morning, and Vanessa, our band director, explains to us what we have to do now. "Hey Roundup! Listen up ! These next instructions are very important so I need all eyes! It is now 11:15. We have a performance at 4:00. And we need to be back right here, right outside the Saddledome by 3:00. So here's the fun part. I love to give you guys free time, but I need to know that you can be responsible by yourselves. So we need to make a deal. This is the test day. Seniors, you can answer these questions: how many people in a group?" And then shouts from seniors of the band: FOUR OR MORE! "Good. And why do we need four people in a group?" Evangeline Ballantyne, the tuba section leader, raises her hand, and Vanessa acknowledges her. She says "We need at least four people in a group because if one person gets hurt, then one person can stay with him or her, and the others can go get an instructor or chaperone, and nobody is ever alone." "Good explanation. So get into groups of how many?" FOUR OR MORE! "Good. And.......go!" I instantly turn to Rebekka, and she does that smile that just makes me melt. Sam, a clarinet, joins us, and then Jason and David, trombones, do too. Rebekka offers her hand to me, and I take it. I don't know how, but her hand is cold despite the weather. First we just go around looking for food. I buy two slices of pizza, one for me and one for her. Sam, David, and Jason know what was going on. They're just genuinely nice people and don't spoil the moment. It's been only 11 days since I met her, and I only saw her once after that. Yet I already feel like I know her. We get too hot, so we go inside the building with Stampede-themed stuff inside. We then see a picture taking place. They put you in front of a green screen and digitally put you in Old Calgary. So that's what we do. The other three people, who were quite short, go in the front, while I go with Rebekka to the back. I realized just how tall she was. When we stood shoulder to shoulder, it's hard to tell who was taller. They take the picture, and they even give us lanyards for us to hang them around our necks. To this day, I look back at this picture and remember how strange and pleasant the feeling was. After a while, when it's almost two, I forget what time we were supposed to come back and it was getting really hot. So we head back to the spot in front of the Saddledome. We climb over a little fence (I helped Rebekka climb over) and onto a hill. Since we were back at the chaperone station, we don't't need to be in groups anymore. So the three boys go to do their own thing while Rebekka leads me to a nice spot halfway up the hill, beside a tree, which provides a little shade. I, trying to be nice, let her take all the shade.
Now here's the thing. Rebekka always says she's tired, and I believe her, but I also think that that's her excuse to lay down on me.
I take my hand out of hers and wrap it around her. I took my other one and did the same thing, and before I knew it, she is using me as a pillow. Her hair is in my face, and I can smell something pleasant. She doesn't weigh much at all, but just the way my legs are, she's putting all her weight against my knee. She grabs hold of my arms, and I let myself relax. Again, the world around us disappears, and the only things that exist are us two and the grass. I don't know how long we stay there. It feels like forever, but not long enough. Our heartbeats are the same, our breathing is together. The feel of her hands on my arms, her hair tickling my cheek, her leg beside mine. I will never forget that. The fact that people are looking, and the fact that the Stampede Showband is looking, none of that matters. And I will remember that day every time I see the steps of the Saddledome.
