October 12: Ruby

Ruby



“In five, four, three, two…” Mrs. Mashburn signals me to go and I put on my President’s smile.
“Good morning, Boomers. Ruby St. Clair here with a few morning announcements.” I tug on my shirt and wish I wasn’t in front of the camera today. Today is not a pretty day. But it is a Friday, which means video announcements and homeroom.
“If you have any candy you would like to donate to the Boo Bash for Halloween, please give that to your homeroom teachers within the next couple of Fridays. Remember that the homeroom with the most candy from each grade level will receive free Papa John’s pizza. Auditions for the fall play will be held today after school. If you are interested in being on the main stage or behind the scenes, please talk to Misses Mashburn about signing up. Today we will have our first pep rally during fourth period. This will get us ready for our first home football game against Woodcrest tonight. Everyone be sure to come out tonight dressed in school colors and plenty of spirit. All football players and cheerleaders should report to the gym when the fourth period bell rings. Student council members be there as early as you can. Everyone else report to your fourth period classrooms. Thank you, Boomers and have a great, spirited Friday!”
“And cut.” Gabe turns off the camera and I let out a long sigh. “Great job, Miss Fabulous.” He claps his hands and smiles.
“Thanks.” I shake my head and jump off of the stool. “I’m still not used to that stuff. I don’t see how you do it.”
“I live for the stage.” Gabe hands me my book bag and we head out of the studio. “Some people are just born that way.”
“Not me.” I shake my head. “Are you going to the football game tonight?”
“I have to.” Gabe rolls his eyes. “The whole twin brother, wide receiver, parents are forcing me thing.”
“Ah.” I smile. “Well you can always come and sit with the band.” I pat his arm as we walk into the main building.
“What, and ruin my reputation?” He smiles sarcastically. “I will be sure and cheer for you guys.”
“Thanks. You might be the only one.” I sigh. People don’t care much about the marching band here. “But I am really excited. Our show is coming along nicely. That field is my stage.”
“And I support all of the arts, even the dorky ones.” He puts his arm around me and squeezes me before heading towards his theater friends. “I’ll see you around, Ruby.”
“Bye Gabe.” I wave and hurry past the theater kids and the mob of preps guarding their lobby.
Samantha and Anderson wave at me and I wave back but don’t stop to talk. I hurry to calculus and get out my homework. I spent three hours on it last night; I better get an A. Mr. Baker grades our homework while we do practice problems in groups. He passes it back at the end of class.
One hundred, with a smiley face. I stuff the paper into my binder with satisfaction, ignoring the dirty looks from the people in my group.

After botching a speaking quiz in Spanish class and learning how to dissect a pig fetus in AP Biology, I hurry to the cafeteria and sit down with my equally stressed friends.
“Thank God I’m getting out of AP Chemistry for a pep rally.” Jake takes a long swig of chocolate milk.
“Pep rallies are the biggest waste of time,” Jessie retorts.
“Mister East hates them.” I open a blueberry muffin and eat it quickly. “It takes away from practice time, which we need in order to be ready for the game.”
“Yeah,” Ariana says. “And you can’t even sit with us because you’ve got to do the announcing.”
“You guys won’t be doing much sitting,” I assure her. “I’m going to need your help with all of those stupid games.” I check the time on my phone. “We actually need to head over to the gym so we can finish setting up.”
“Screw this.” Elle gets up and throws away her trash. “Are they going to have a pep rally for us when we go to our first Mathletes competition? Jocks, I swear they rule this place.”
“It’s our job.” I put my arm around her and we all head to the gym for last minute pep rally preparations.
When we get there, some of the cheerleaders are standing around stretching in their tiny red and white uniforms. I have to drag Skylar and Jake away while they stare.
“Thank goodness you’re here,” says Mr. McGinnis, the teacher in charge of student council and the leadership team. “We need a few people to help Audrey finish putting up streamers.” He points to a set of bleachers, where Audrey Oliver is hanging up red and white streamers. “And we also need to check the sound. Skylar, can you handle that?”
“I’m on it.” Skylar puts his book bag down and heads up the stairs to the second level of the gym.
“We’ll get the streamers,” Ariana volunteers herself and Elle.
“Alright.” Mr. McGinnis nods. “Ruby, I wanted to go over the itinerary with you so that we have a nice flow of things.”
“Sure.”
“Okay, we will start with the introduction. It’s your job to get the crowd pumped and excited about the game.”
I think to myself that it will be hard to get people excited for something I’m not even excited about. I nod and he continues.
“Then we will have a few games that the leadership team and some selected students will participate in. Shoot out games and things like that.” He points to the schedule. “Then we will have the band play a few of their stand tunes. I guess you will conduct those.”
“Of course.” I nod.
“Good. And then the cheerleaders will do their dance routine and we will bring in the football team. Anderson Stone will do some speaking, along with some of the coaches. And then we will have the band play a couple more songs.”
“Sounds great,” I tell him. “I think I can handle that.”
“You think?” He raises his eyebrows.
“I can handle it.”
“Alright. I’m going to go up and tell Skylar everything he needs to know about the sound stuff. You go over this and start practicing what you are going to say.”
He hands me the paper and runs off. I look over the schedule and try to think about how I am going to get the school excited. It shouldn’t be too hard; football is huge around here. Everyone has been waiting for this day since last November when the season ended. I sit down on one of the bottom bleachers and go over my speech.
“Hey,” a voice says beside me. I look up and see Alex, the freshman.
“Hey,” I say. His face is red and he looks upset. “You okay?”
He shrugs. “Just the team. They’re all assholes to me for no reason. I guess their reason is I’m just the water boy. I don’t really matter.”
“Of course you do,” I assure him. “Without you, they’d all pass out and die of dehydration. Hey, maybe you should just do us all a favor and quit.”
He smiles and slumps back against the bleachers. “Maybe. I’ll get them one day, though. Their time is coming.” He stares off distantly and nods slowly.
“Yeah,” I mumble.
“We got all of the streamers up.” Elle and Ariana sit down beside me. Audrey stands in front of us awkwardly before sitting down too.
“Sweet.” I hand Ariana the itinerary. “This is the schedule for the awesome pep rally.”
She looks it over and laughs. “Still just as lame as always.”
The bell rings a few minutes later and I get up. “I’m going to run to the band room to make sure everything is ready. I’ll be back in a few minutes,” I tell them.
I hurry to the band room, where the members are running around pulling out instruments and music. Mister East stands in the front of the room at the podium.
“Ruby, can you get them situated please?”
“Sure.” I sigh and he steps off of the podium. “Guys, everybody get in your seats.” They sit in two rows, woodwinds on the front row and brass in the back. Jeoff straps on his snare drum and stands behind them.
“Alright, the pieces you will need for the pep rally are Malagueña, Smoke on the Water, Go Big Red, and the fight song.”
“What about the alma mater?” Drew asks.
“We aren’t playing the alma mater until you can get that trumpet descant,” I tell him. “Which had better be by tonight.”
He sighs and stuffs the music back into his folder. They shuffle for their music and put their instruments together quickly.
“Alright, let’s warm up and then we are going to head on into the gym.” I hold my arms out and wait for them to put their instruments to their mouths. We play through a few scales and run some sections in the music until I am satisfied.
“Okay get your music and let’s go. Just because this is a pep rally doesn’t mean we don’t play with a good, strong sound. Does everyone understand?”
“Yeah,” they all mumble. I know they hate pep rallies just as much as I do.
They follow me to the gym and fill in the bleachers blocked off for them.
“Get up Go Big Red,” I tell them. “We are going to play that once people start coming in.”
They fumble with their flip folders and once people start flooding the gym, I get up on the wooden box Mr. East set up for me and start conducting. Although the band is small, they produce a good sound and the notes ring throughout the gym. The bleachers are divided for each grade level and the freshmen in the bottom section start to dance. Once the gym is filled up, I stop the band and head to the center of the basketball court where Mr. McGinnis is waiting.
“Show time.” He pats me on the back. “They’re all yours.”
I tap on the microphone he hands me and take a deep breath. “Alright everyone!” The gym slowly gets quiet. “Are you all ready to stomp the Cavs tonight?”
The students surrounding me erupt in cheer. The cheerleaders shake their pompoms and yell. I have to admit that the school spirit and the nauseating amount of red and white is a little exhilarating.
“Alright, for those freshmen who haven’t figured it out yet, we are all about school spirit and having a good time supporting our teams. So I need my leadership team and a few student volunteers. We are gonna have our own little football-throwing tournament right now. Who wants to play?”
Everyone yells, begging the student council members that are running up and down the bleachers to pick them. Once several students are picked, they set up the tournament and I watch as they toss footballs back and forth. Once that is over, I step back into the center of the gym floor.
“Alright, now I want you all to give it up for our band. They are going to showcase a few of the songs they will be playing tonight as we cheer on our team!”
I turn the microphone off and ignore the lousy claps while I hurry over to the band section. I count them off and we play through two of our stand tunes. The crowd cheers relatively loud and I hurry back to the center of the gym.
“Thanks you guys. Now I want you to give it up for our cheerleaders. They have put together a great routine to get you guys pumped for the game. I will hand the microphone over to the captain, Miss Samantha West.”
Sam takes the microphone from me and smiles. “Thanks girl.” She waves to the gym full of people and laughs. “Hey everybody! I’m Samantha and I’m the captain of the cheerleading squad.” She allows a few seconds for everyone to cheer. I clap softly behind her. “I want you to put your hands together for me and my girls and let’s show our team just how pumped we are for them!”
The crowd goes crazy as she hands me the microphone and the rest of the cheerleaders take their places. I give Skylar the cue and he starts the music. The cheerleaders dance and do stunts while the crowd goes crazy. I stand back and watch them turn flips and finish the routine with several high pitched, unoriginal cheers.
When they are finished, I conduct another song for the band and am exhausted when it is finally time to introduce the football team.
“Alright, now we are finally here. The moment you guys have been waiting for. Put your hands together for Coach Allen Barnes, and the Five Point Boomers varsity football team!”
The crowd erupts into applause and yelling. The football team comes stampeding through the corner of the gym like a pack of hungry wildebeests. I step out of the way as they jump up and down, fist bumping each other and encouraging the crowd to be louder.
Coach Barnes takes the microphone from me and finally gets the students to get quiet after several seconds of cheering. He gives a long, excited speech before handing the microphone over to Anderson.
“Thanks, Coach.” Anderson pats Coach Barnes on the back. “We want to thank everyone for the support. I love seeing all of the red and white out there and I hope to see more of it tonight. Go crazy. I want to see body paint, pompoms, all of it.”
Everyone laughs and cheers until Anderson holds his hand up to calm them back down. “This is my last first game here at Five Points. I’ve thrown a lot of footballs. I can promise you that this is the best team of the best guys I have ever played with. We are going all the way this year. Everyone come out tonight and support us. We love you guys. Go Boomers!”
He hands me the microphone and I cue Skylar, who plays another song. The team gets in close together and starts cheering in low voices. They get louder and louder, igniting the crowd and getting everyone excited. The cheerleaders throw confetti all around the gym as whistles and cheers echo throughout the big room. I look around at all of my fellow students, cheering and yelling. Everything stops for a second and I take it all in, my last first pep rally. I try to get excited, but my cheers and yells are empty. Something is missing.
I have lost my spirit.
*********
Once school is out, I stop by the band room to make sure everything is ready for tonight. I have just a couple of hours before I have to be back at school and warming the band up. My friends are waiting for me at my car.
“Sonic?” Skylar asks.
“Sure,” I shrug. “I just have to be back by five.
“Yeah, we are working the concessions tonight.” Elle says. “So we have to be here at five-thirty.”
“Alright. See you guys at Sonic.”
They head across the parking lot to their cars and I throw all of my books in the backseat of mine.
“Hey Ruby.”
I look up and see Anderson standing at his truck.
“Oh, hey Anderson.” I open the driver’s door and throw my keys in the seat. “Are you ready for tonight?”
He shrugs. “I guess. You know how it is.”
I knew it. The speech he just gave in the gym was all fake. He doesn’t care about this game, and I may be the only person who knows that.
“Yeah, I got you. Well I’m sure you guys are going to be great,” I assure him.
“You guys too. I wish I could see the halftime show, but you know how that goes.”
“Yeah, I know.” I nod. “Well, I’m going to eat. I will see you at the game. Good luck tonight.”
“Thanks, Ruby.”
I get into my car and drive the few miles to Sonic. While I’m driving I think about Anderson, a pretender like me. He does a very good job of it, like me. Before I get out of the car at the fast food restaurant, I take an energy supplement and swallow it dry. It’s supposed to keep me going for five hours. We will see.
I join my friends at one of the menus in the pavilion. I order mozzarella sticks and a cherry limeade. I can’t eat too much before a game. The rest of them choke down foot long hotdogs and chili cheese fries. Once we are finished eating, we head back to school.
“I’ll see you guys after the game.” I get my band stuff out of the trunk of my car and turn to them. “Have fun selling root beer and barbeque to angry fans.”
“Don’t remind me.” Ariana hugs me. “You guys better do well tonight. We’ll be watching.”
“Yeah, good luck.” Jessie pats me on the back. “You guys will be great.”
“Thanks.” I hug them all and head to the band room. All of the band kids are sitting around the musty room eating fast food and laughing.
“Hey Ruby,” Sasha says to me. She is already in her sparkly red and yellow color guard uniform.
“Hey.” I ignore the loads of makeup and glitter she is smearing on her face and go into the changing rooms to get my own uniform ready.
I have to wear a crazy uniform this year to go along with our circus-themed show. With red leggings and a dress that is several different colors, I definitely look like a clown. I tease my hair so that the black curls stick out all around my head. I put a little bit of makeup on and rub silver glitter onto my eyelids.
When I get back to the band room, the members are already in uniform. They look sharp in their starched white pants, stiff red jackets, and spotless white marching shoes. I am so proud to call them my band. Mr. East is talking to them, getting them ready for the game and our first performance of the season.
“You guys are going to be great. You are ready for this, I can assure you.” He stuffs his hands in his pockets. “Go out there and have a good time and show the crowd the work you have been doing. It’s the first game; you know the stands are going to be full.” He turns to me and smiles. “They’re all yours, drum major.”
I put my white gloves on and step up onto the podium. “B flat scale, half notes,” I instruct them. They flip their horns up to their mouths and play in the strong, passionate tone that I love so much.

An hour later, we march down to the stadium. The sun is setting behind the school, providing a soft gold shimmer over the field.
“And now, please join me in welcoming the Five Point High School Marching Boomers as they lead us through the pregame festivities.”
The stands are packed in the big stadium. There is not an empty seat in the stadium, and it’s only pregame. They cheer loudly and I look into the audience and spot my mom sitting with my brother and sister. She looks bored already, but they seem excited. I want to wave to them, but I call the band to attention.
We play through the Star Spangled Banner, the reverend of the local Baptist church says a quick prayer, and the football team rushes onto the field as we play our school’s fight song.
The crowd is a sea of red and white t-shirts, pompoms, and painted bodies. Several people have signs that they hold up as the football team charges through the long banner that the cheerleaders hold up at the end of the field.
We climb into the stands and immediately start playing pep tunes as the first quarter starts. Our team gets off to a good start and by the end of the first half, we are winning by twenty-one. The two teams trail off of the field for halftime, preparing themselves for little water and a lot of cuss words from their coaches.
Most of the people leave the stands for halftime. They run to get hamburgers and refills and cotton candy. I curse my friends working at the concession stands for stealing my audience with their tempting smells of grease and sugar. Those people should be watching me, watching my band.
We march onto the field and I give my salute. The crowd that has stayed cheers for us rather loudly. As I stand on the podium in front of my band, conducting in perfect time and staying in sync with Jeoff, I can’t help but feel so powerful. The stadium lights shine in my face, the smell of the freshly cut field fills my nose and the sounds of trumpets and flutes echo in my ears and tickle my brain.
No matter who is watching, I conduct with everything in me. When we are finished, I turn to the audience, smile and salute. Jeoff taps us off and we march off the field, sweating and smiling. We had a great run.

As the air gets cool and the crowd gets louder, the seconds on the clock tick down slowly. We finish strong, winning fifty-two to thirty-nine. The football team crowds around the front of the stands as we play the alma mater, Drew sailing perfectly on the trumpet descant. The crowd screams and I know there will be a big celebration somewhere tonight.
I deny the invites to the big party so that I can continue the Friday night tradition with my band mates.
“Denny’s?” I ask Drew and Kyra as they pack up their trumpets.
“For sure,” Drew says. “I’m starving.”
It is a tradition that after every home football game, we all go to Denny’s restaurant for eggs, pancakes, and ice cream sundaes.
Jeoff passes me with his drum and I grab his arm. “What about you, Jeoff? You want to go to Denny’s?”
“Nah, I can’t.” Jeoff shakes his head. “I’ve got to get home.”
“Okay.” I nod. “Maybe next time.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
He never goes, but I still ask him anyway. I guess he’s got to get home to deal with his gang stuff. I shake my head and start to scrub my makeup off while the others take off their uniforms.
“Let’s go!” Seth puts his trombone case on the shelf and hurries towards the door. “I’m starving.”
I drive Sasha and Michelle, who talk about freshman drama in the back seat. Corey rides shotgun, but he doesn’t talk much. When we get to the restaurant, we sit at the same table that they reserve for us every Friday night. We cram into the big, semi-circular booth in the back corner.
Rachel, our waitress, brings us our usual drinks. I sip on a cherry Coke and look over the menu, trying to decide if I want breakfast or a hamburger and fries.
“That was a great run, man.” Seth slurps on a strawberry smoothie. “Drew, your descant was amazing.”
“Thanks, dude.” Drew says without looking up from his menu.
We all order big meals and eat everything, picking from each others’ plates and talking about the game. In this instant, I forget about everything. I forget the mountains of homework waiting for me at home, the college applications that still need to be filled out, the student council and yearbook meetings that I’ve got to plan, I forget it all.
For a moment, the headache that has been around for as long as I can remember subsides and I don’t think about anything. I just laugh and embrace the people around me. I wish this moment would never end. But an hour later, I drive home and walk through the dark house to my room.
I lay awake for the entire night. And vow to find my spirit again.