Chapter Text
Nicole pulled up to the Creative and Performing Arts building that the liberal arts students referred to as CAPA at Shale University. She stepped out of her car and quickly stretched her legs and took a deep breath. She reached into her backseat to grab her music bag, containing her drumpad, sticks, and music. She made her way to the walkway towards the building. Even in tennis shoes she had to watch her balance to avoid slipping on the dew spilled onto the brick walkway. She figured after marching for almost ten years that she wouldn’t have to think twice about her footing but that was never the case for Nicole and her long legs.
She followed the walkway into the building and made her way into the giant band room. She was the first one there, of course. She checked her phone. It was 7:15 AM. Rehearsal started at 8. The first rehearsal of band camp.
She sent a message to all the drumline captains to make sure they would at least be there thirty minutes before rehearsal started. She began the painstaking process of setting up the drumline equipment alone. Eleven snares, eight tenor drums, eight bass drums, and six pairs of cymbals. She didn’t even bother going near the front ensemble equipment.
She was halfway done setting up the tenor drums before her drumline instructor arrived.
“Nicole! My favorite senior. You’re way early. I like it!”, said Dr. Dan Molina. He was a professor of percussion and directly over the drumline at Shale.
Nicole smiled, “ Well you picked me as center snare for a reason Mr. Molina.”
“You’re right about that. I’m just going to head back to my office. I saw Jay, Abby, and Karson heading here. I’m going print off extra sheets of music.” said Mr. Molina.
As Mr. Molina walked out, Nicole couldn’t help but think back to the first time she had seen him. He was a short and lean man. In his thirties for sure. He had a runner’s body. Brown skin. Jet black hair. He always wore glasses and was dressed professional except when at outdoor rehearsals. He was nice but very strict and wasn’t prone to anyone that was willing to halfass their way through to keep up during the season.
Molina walked out as Nicole’s fellow captains walked in. Since she was the snare captain she was automatically center snare and the head captain over the drumline. Jay walked in giggling with Abby showing her something from his phone. Jay Pace was the bass drum captain. Nicole and him had clicked since they met freshmen year. He was tall and very stocky with sandy blond hair.
Abby Ammons was the cymbal captain. She looked like she walked out of a grunge magazine. Blonde hair. Nose and tongue ring. Absolutely gorgeous. Her boyfriend was supposedly one of the new assistant drum majors for the year but Nicole wouldn’t know for sure until later.
Karson walked in and ran straight for Nicole excitedly like he hadn’t seen her in months even though they lived together. Karson Cormier was the tenor drum captain and Nicole’s absolute bestfriend. They had went to the same highschool together and moved in together after they graduated. He was kind of short but ripped as hell and full of tattoos. HIs energy always bounced off of Nicole and she loved him for it.
“Alrighty so what’s the plans for the first day captain oh captain?” asked Abby.
“Well all the members on the line should have been practicing their music over the summer. We’ll try to run through it today and see how much they actually learned.” replied Nicole.
“Oh and Karson and Jay, yall might wanna tune your drum heads before everyone gets here.” said Nicole.
“Oh but Nicole I got some exciting news!” said Karson as he barreled over towards her.
“Do you now? Can you talk to me about it as you tune those drum heads.” replied Nicole.
The pair walked over to the tenor drums and Karson reached into his pocket to get out his drum key.
“Wynonna texted me and said her sister is the new head drum major.” said Karson as he tapped on each drum head adjusting the tune.
“Wynonna’s little sister? I thought she went to Middleton State?” said Nicole.
“She transferred here this semester.” answered Wynonna as she walked into the band room.
“Oh?” said Nicole.
Wynonna never talked about her sister much to Nicole. Nicole only knew her name. Waverly.
“She got offered a better scholarship to transfer and they saw her tapes and wanted her to audtion for drum major.” Said Wynonna as she started to adjust the snare directly right of Nicoles.
Nicole and Wynonna had always competed since the day they met freshmen year on the snare line. The only difference between them being that Wynonna didn’t want nor handle responsibility well and deferred the leadership stuff to Nicole.
“Well that’s great when can I meet her?” asked Nicole.
“In a few hours. She wants to hear the drumline since we’re the only ones here.” replied Wynonna.
For the first two days of bandcamp only the drumline would report to campus for rehearsal. The rest of the band would follow on Wednesday. During those first two days the drumline would focus on conditioning and learning the music for the upcoming marching season and football games.
Nicole checked her phone. Two minutes till rehearsal started. Everyone seemed to be waiting behind their drums. The freshmen looked nervous as Nicole took her position behind her snare.
The graduate assistants were standing in the front of the room along with Mr. Molina as they stared at the entire drumline.
The second the clock struck 8, Nicole started the opening warmup cadence. She played a riff alone through eight counts and the entire drumline followed except for the freshmen who froze in place unsure of what to do. Nicole’s eyes stayed foward the entire time, never once looking down at her drum. She kept perfect time to 120 beats per minute.
Once she finished the warmup she placed her sticks on the top of her drum head and walked to the front of the room to stand next to Mr. Molina. He looked at her with soft eyes and reassurance and she took a step forward.
“For those of you that don’t know, I’m Nicole Haught and I’m the snare captain and overall captain of this drumline. The basic warmup you saw today is how we begin any rehearsal. I start and you follow. There’s no one here to baby you through. No instructors are going to tell you when to start. And we’re not going to wait on you. I suggest you get here on time. Every time. I look forward to a great marching season.” said Nicole.
She walked back toward her drum with her captains and Wynonna smiling at her. She felt great. All of her years in band have led up to this moment.
“Welcome to the greatest marching band in the country.” said Mr. Molina. He met his gaze with the entire drumline.
“Shale University has one of the top ranked liberal and performing arts programs in not only the state, but the country as well. You being here is a privelage, not a right. This is a stage. You’re expected to be the best of the best. If I were you freshmen, I’d do everything Nicole here does. You have a lot to learn from her.” said Mr. Molina.
And with that the morning block of rehearsal began. Nicole had memorized all the music over the summer. Along with the other captains and Wynonna. They flew through their warmups and show music and went over some music for the football games. Stand tunes as they called them. Morning block ran for three hours and they broke for lunch.
Karson, Nicole, and Wynonna got in Nicoles car and drove to their favorite pizza place a little ways off campus.
Once settled into the booth they began talking abou the upcoming season and the show. The music pieces and how prepared everyon was for the classic. The Conference Classic was the closest thing that a superbowl would be to collegate marching bands. They would compete their at the end of marching season. They had been runner up every year that Nicole was at Shale and she and the rest of her friends were determined to win the entire thing this year.
“So will your sister be there when we go back for sectionals?” asked Karson as he ate his last bites of pizza.
“Waverly is her name.” replied Wynonna annoyingly. “And yeah. She texted me before we left for lunch. She was still moving her things into our apartment all morning.”
“I’ll be happy to meet her.” Nicole said as she smiled.
“Of course you will.” said Karson while still chewing. “If she’s as hot as Wynonna you’ll probably drool when you shake her hand.”
Wynonna reached across the table and hit Karson in the shoulder.
“OW!” screamed Karson. “I was fucking joking Wy.”
“Don’t talk about my baby sister like that.” said Wynonna.
“Woah why all the hostility Wy?” asked Nicole.
Wynonna took a deep breath. “She’s my little sister and I’m just nervous for all the unwanted attentions she’s going to get from the asshole men in this band.” said Wynonna.
Nicole nooded her head in understanding. “Don’t worry Wynonna. I’m sure Karson and I will keep an eye on her.”
“I’m sure you will.” muttered Karson.
Both girls turned their face to look at him.
He sheepishly put his hands up. “Kidding! Yall take everything so damn seriously.”
Wynonna sighed again and looked at Nicole and laughed. “I’m gunna fuck him up one day.”
They all rose up to leave.
“And I’m gunna help you.” replied Nicole.
They drove back to CAPA. Sectionals was Nicole’s favorite block of the day. It’s was two hours of just focusing on snares and nothing else. Less people to worry about and less technicalities to work through.
The second they walked back into the band room Nicole saw her. A beautiful girl laughing with Mr. Molina in the front of the room. She had the sweetest laugh Nicole ever heard. She turned and looked at Nicole and smiled.
“Wynonna!” she said.
“Hey baby sis!” said Wynonna as she walked towards her sister.
Nicole and Karson followed.
“Alright so Waverly I’d like you to meet one of my really good friends. This is Nicole Haught.” said Wynonna.
Waverly looked Nicole up and down. “You’re Nicole? I’ve heard so many stories about you.” said Waverly.
Nicole felt like she couldn’t even speak. Where was the confidence she had this morning?
“Al-all good things I hope.” said Nicole as she laughed nervously.
Karson butted his way in front of Nicole. “Hi I’m Karson, Nicole’s roommate. It’s nice to meet ya. Wynonna and I are friends too.”
Waverly smiled. “Nice to meet you Karson. You’re the tenor captain right?”
“That I am.” said Karson puffing out his chest.
“KARSON!” screamed Abby from the corner of the room. “Come help me fix my cymbal strap.”
Karson rolled his eyes and walked over.
Waverly turned her attention back to Nicole. “And you’re the snare captain right?” she asked.
“Yeah. Snare captain. Center snare. Whatever you want to call it.” answered Nicole as she rubbed the back of her neck.
“Impressive. At Middleton the drumline mainly consited of guys. And this band is way better and you have multiple girls in captain roles. Awesome.” commented Waverly.
Nicole blushed. Literally blushed.
Suddenly Jay was behind her. “Time to start sectionals Nic.”
Nicole flinched. “Oh yeah uh.” She turned to face the drumline members. “Alright everyone follow your captains into the designated spots for your sectionals. Be mindful with your drums please. Snares stay in here.”
Karson was already walking with his huge tenor drum and stand. “Come on tenors we’re going outside under the oak trees.”
Abby was spinning and flipping her cymbals with ease making it look effortlessly. “And cymbals we’re going into the studio since it has mirrors. I want you guys to see how you look when you use good technique.”
Jay grabbed his music binder. “Basses we’re gunna set up on the ampitheatre stage outside in the blazing hot sun since I pulled the short straw this morning.” he said as he looked at Nicole in annoyance. Nicole laughed.
“Wow so it seems you have very good help when it comes to managing this drumline.” said Waverly.
“Molina writes the music. I make sure it sounds perfect. This is my line.” replied Nicole.
“Well I don’t want to keep you any longer from them. I’ll be walking around introducing myself and getting a feel for the place.” said Waverly.
Nicole smiled and walked toward her drum.
“I’ll catch you later sis.” said Wynonna.
During sectionals, Nicole had the snare line run through parts of the first song of the show. The entire time she could feel Waverly’s eyes on her and it made her nervous. She doesn’t get nervous. She was always confident. And now Waverly was stealing that from her and she didn’t even know why.
After sectionals the groups met back up again for a full drumline rehearsal. When the rest of the band would get there in a few days, the afternoon block would be a full band rehearsal. The music at this point was starting to get repetitive to Nicole. The only thing keeping her mind from waundering was the sound of a riff when the entire line got it right or Waverly’s smile everytime she seemed to catch her eye.
At three Molina made everyone put away their drums and gather around in front of him.
“Don’t get used to breaking this early. When the whole band is here we rehearse from 8 in the morning till 7 at night. But good job today everyone. You can take the rest of the afternoon off. I didn’t expect yall to come having the music prepared like yall did.” said Mr. Molina.
Nicole and Karson walked out together only to run into Waverly and Wynonna in the hallway outside the bandroom.
“Nicole! Watching your drumline play was amazing. You guys are so talented. Can’t wait to work with you.” said Waverly.
Nicole smiled, “Thanks Waverly. I’m looking forward to it as well.”
They waved goodbye and Karson and Nicole continued walking.
“What does that mean? Why would she have to work with you?” asked Karson.
“Karson I’ve told you this so many times. She watches my feet. To keep time when shes conducting the show. She has to learn to watch my feet and keep my tempo. We have to be on the same page.” explained Nicole.
“Right right because the band is so big and the music can delay from one side of the field to the other right I got it.” said Karson as he checked his phone.
Shale University’s band had just over 300 members. One of the biggest marching bands in the country.
Nicole drove home listening to Karson babble about his girlfriend not being able to see him until that Friday. But Nicole didn’t hear any of it. All she heard was the Waverly’s laugh. Over and over.
When Nicole stepped into the bandroom the next day at 7:15 she did not expect Waverly Earp to be there.
“Waverly?” said Nicole.
Waverly had been sitting down looking through a binder filled with music. She looked up when she heard Nicole. “Hi Nicole.” she said.
“Why are you here this early?” Nicole asked as she started setting up the drums.
Waverly closed her book and walked towards Nicole. “I’m the drum major Nicole. I need to make sure everythings running smoothly. And since you’re the only parts of the band that are here till tomorrow, I have to occupy myself somehow.”
Nicole smiled.
“Can I help you with those?” asked Waverly.
“Oh uh they’re kind of heavy.” said Nicole.
“No worries. I used to help the drumline out when Wynonna and I were in highschool.”
The girls spent the next ten minutes setting up the drums according to section. Waverly never stopped talking to Nicole the entire time. She made sure she followed Nicole’s every move and placed the drums exactly like Nicole did.
“So does it feel weird knowing that you’re the head drum major of a program that you’re brand new to?” asked Nicole once they finished setting up.
“Honestly. It’s exciting. I love meeting new people and so far everyone seems really nice.” said Waverly. “And not to brag but, I’m good at this. I play flute and I’m on scholarship for it but I was the drum major at my highschool for two years and we won the state festival both times.”
Nicole smirked. “Cocky much?”
“Oh and you’re not?” toyed Waverly.
“In this environment. With all these men. You have to be a little cocky. Prove yourself.” said Nicole.
Waverly nodded her head in agreement.
The rehearsal day flew by for Nicole. If you would have asked her what the highlights were for morning block she would have to say Waverly’s eyes. If you asked her how sectionals went she would say she didn’t remember because Waverly was always there. Watching her. And she knew she was watching everyone because that was her job. She had to process their systems and the way they played the music to understand the program but her presence threw Nicole off. Not enough to effect her playing or leadership, but enough to effect her thought process entirely. Enough to when Nicole closed her eyes that night to sleep, she saw Waverly’s face over and over and knew she was fucked.