CHAPTER 1

Mark Time, March!

"Always start with your left foot!" yelled Mr. Shets. "The left foot shouldgo down on the first beat. I know we don't normally start marchinguntil high school, but you need to be ready to march in the parade atthe Magic Kingdom. Let's do it again. Let's play a B-flat scale in quarternotes, and take a step every time you play a note."

"Hey, Jason, he looks a little ticked off," whispered Scooter, who wasstanding next to me holding his trombone. "What does he expect? It'sonly our first day doing this."

"Perfection," I said sarcastically.

"I'm stressed, too. We should have been marching last week, but itpoured every day. Now we're stuck with figuring this all out in a fewdays," said Mariah from the row in front of us as she turned her headslightly backward. Percussion marched just in front of us, and Mariahwas a good snare drummer.

"Mark time, march!" shouted Mr. Shets. That means we have to getready to march. I was glad everyone was in school and couldn't see usmaking fools of ourselves out there. I hadn't fallen yet, but a few peoplehad. Many of us tripped repeatedly over our own feet. Who knew thatmarching would be so hard? I mean, people walk and talk every day.It's crazy how when you add playing an instrument into the mix, youget chaos. I had to think about which foot should be moving while alsoplaying the right notes to the right beat. Yikes.

We practiced for another half hour, marching around the parking lotof the school and just playing scales. In Disney World, there is a paradefor the winning middle school bands. We may not even have to march,but we want to be ready just in case we're one of the top three finishers.I wasn't going to worry about it. We probably wouldn't even be in thetop three. There would be fifty middle school bands at this event. Likewe really have a chance, I thought. I don't even care about that. I'm justgoing to have fun!

At the end of band practice, Scooter asked the trombones if we'dbe willing to stay for part of lunch to practice some more. He was oursection leader, and he was taking his job very seriously. It's rare that aseventh grader is section leader, but there weren't any eighth graders inour section. "I want the `bones to at least get it right," he pleaded with us.

"Fifteen minutes. That's it. I still need time to eat my lunch," Naomisaid. Lydia nodded. They agreed about everything.

"Let's move it, then," I encouraged. I've got Scooter's back. He'salways got mine. That's what best friends do.

We stayed in the parking lot while the rest of the band went inside.Mr. Shets just smiled at us as he walked in. I thought he'd stay out andbark orders at us, but maybe he was just proud we were doing it on ourown.

Scooter wanted us to march while playing scales again, but Lydiainterceded. "I think we all have the basics down. Can we try playing partof the song we'll march to at Disney?"

I was thinking the same thing. "I want to try it with the song. It'llmake it all seem more real."

So we did. We played the John Philip Sousa march called "Stars andStripes Forever." It's a famous song. It was a bit easier to march to actualmusic instead of just scales. It was going to be hard to remember not tostart running when we play eighth notes!

"Good extra practice," Scooter acknowledged. "Thanks for staying."

I smiled. "You know me. I always want to be the best, so let's makesure the trombones are the best. It'll only help the entire band. Oh, andfood would help. Let's go get some!"

* * *

"Can't we please go to Florida too?" whined Polly. "It's not fair thatJason gets to have all the fun!"

"Jason has worked hard for this trip. Not only has he been dedicatedto band, he also spent much of his summer working on the groupfundraisers," Mom reminded her. "Tell me honestly, would you haveweeded those yards all summer long in the hot sun?"

"She'd have one awesome suntan if she'd done that!" quippedTayleigh.

"I know he worked hard, but I've been dedicated to orchestra, too.We only got to go to Six Flags for a day," Polly continued to whine, butthen she changed her tone. "I just want to go to support him. We shouldbe there to cheer on the band."

I slapped my knee and laughed out loud. "That was a good one,Polly. Support me. Right. You're just jealous that I get to go to DisneyWorld before you do."

"I wish we could have taken off work to go watch the performanceand spend a few days at Disney as a family. It's just not a good time forme at work," Dad said. "I'm glad that Leigh and TJ will be able to cheerfor you, even if we won't be there."

"That's it! I could just stay with Uncle TJ and Aunt Leigh," Pollysaid. "I won't even be a bother to them."

"Number one, you're not missing school. Number two, where areyou getting the money for the plane ticket?" Mom said. "Leigh and TJwere able to work this stop around one of TJ's business trips to Florida.Number three, the answer is still no." I was cracking up in my head.Mom was getting upset with Polly's whininess. Score one for me.

"But I have most of the same classes as Jason, and our teachers aregiving the band students packets of homework to do on the bus ride. Icould do that, too."

"Polly," Dad said in that tone of voice when you know you've crossedthe line. "End. Of. Discussion."

"Yes, Dad," said Polly, sighing as her shoulders slumped over and sheslowly walked to her room.

"Well, I'm glad we got that cleared up," I said, a bit too snarky.

"Jason, go practice!" ordered Mom. Maybe I crossed the line.

I ran up the stairs two by two on the way to my room. One wholeweek without any family telling me what to do. No parents to tell mewhen to go to bed or clean my room or eat my broccoli or practice.No twin shadowing me every minute of every day. No big sister actinglike she's the boss of me. I'm not going to lie, I was really excited thatit would be just me and Scooter hanging out all the way across thecountry. I checked it out. I would be 1,201 miles away from BattleCreek, Michigan. I had never been away from my entire family for aweek.

Oh wait, duh, I thought. I had totally forgotten that Bryant wouldbe there too. It was going to be wonderful to spend some time withhim. He'd been at the University of Michigan for the past two years, andI only got to see him a few times a year. He did take me to the firstMichigan football game of the season about a month ago, and I had ablast screaming "Go Blue!" all afternoon. Good thing U of M won, solosing my voice was worth it. I hope he's the chaperone assigned to mygroup, I thought. My friends whose parents are chaperoning don't wantto be in their parents' group, but I like hanging out with Bryant.

I guess I'd better practice. I was third chair, which meant I playedsecond part. Scooter and Naomi played first part, and I played secondwith Lydia. In the high school band, there were six or seven trombonesfor each part, but there were only two of us, so we need to make surewe're good.

I barely got my trombone out of its case when Mom knocked on mydoor. "You were supposed to bring home the final itinerary for the triptoday. Do you have it?"

"Right. I totally forgot. It's in my music folder. I put it there becauseI'd see it when I practiced tonight. See, I had a plan."

"Why don't you get it and come back downstairs so we can go overit together with your father?" Mom suggested. I nodded and grabbed mywhole music folder.

"Here it is," I said as I laid out the two-page itinerary. Mr. Shets wasextremely detailed in the plan, even giving the address of the resort andlisting each restaurant we'd be eating at while staying at Disney World ona sheet attached to the overview itinerary.

Saturday

Leave the school at 7:00 a.m. That means the charter buses are loaded withinstruments and students are on board ready to leave at 7:00 a.m. We'llarrive in Atlanta, GA, around 9:00 p.m. to spend the night.

Board the bus at 9:00 a.m. We'll arrive home around 3:00 p.m.

"I'm glad Mr. Shets is so thorough. I feel like I know where you'llbe at all times, which helps me let go of my baby for a few days," Momexplained.

"Oh, Mom, really? Bryant will be there too, remember, plus like amillion other parents. I won't be all alone."

"You're going to have a lot of free time on this trip. I know you'regoing there for a competition, but you'll be exploring Disney World fora few days with just small groups. Please remember everything we've toldyou," said Dad.

"I know, I know. Don't talk to strangers. Keep my phone with me.Check in on time. Stay with my team. Be respectful. Call you everynight. Trust me, I got it."

"I think Leigh and TJ will only be there on Tuesday, but we shouldcheck with them for sure," said Mom. "It may be that they're in the areafor a few days because of work, I just don't recall. You have their phonenumbers, so you make sure you connect with them on Monday to givethem details about where to go on Tuesday for your performance. In fact,put a reminder in your phone right now to do that."

"Got it. Really, it's all fine. Can I go practice now?"

"Get out of here," Dad said, laughing as he slapped me across theback. "Just be thankful we're not chaperoning. Then you'd know whatoverprotective really was!"

Hallelujah to that, for sure! As I headed back to my room, I heardthem calling Bryant to review the itinerary with him. He wasn't goingto ride the bus down with us. He had a weekend class that he couldn'tmiss, so he'd fly down Sunday morning and meet us at Disney World.I know twenty-some hours on a bus doesn't sound like that much fun,but I thought we'd make it fun. I'd be with friends, and I loaded up myiPhone with movies to watch.

* * *

"Only two more days," Polly whispered dreamily to Allie, her bestfriend, as she looked over at me. "I'll finally find out what it's like not tohave a twin nearby ..."

"Polly and Allie, eyes up here, please," interrupted Mr. Jobs. Hequickly turned back to drawing on the Promethean board to continuewith his dissection of what led up to the Civil War. Unfortunately Iwasn't paying that close attention either. I do like history, but once wemoved past the early 1800s, it definitely got less interesting for me. Ithink the 1700s and early 1800s seem more real to me since we went toVirginia last spring. I know we were close to some Civil War battlefieldstoo, but we didn't stop at any of those. So, instead of taking notes, Iwas making a list of things I need to take with me on the trip. Momwas going to make me pack that night, so I wanted to make sure I hadroom for everything I needed, like my iPhone and headphones ... twohats, because I have to wear my U of M hat when I first see Bryant, butI don't want that one to get wet, so I have to wear my Chicago Cubs hatin case we go on any water rides ... snacks, oh yeah, I'll definitely needsome good food ... maybe I'll use the rest of that iTunes gift card I haveto download some new music and movies ...

"Mr. Vesper!" shouted Mr. Jobs as he pounded his fist on my desk.It wasn't threatening, but it sure did startle me. "It seems that neitherof the Vesper siblings are paying attention today. If the two of you can'tget involved in the rest of the lesson, then we can revisit it after schoolduring detention."

Polly looked down at her desk, and I quickly apologized. "There'sno excuse, Mr. Jobs. I'm present now. The Civil War. I'm ready." Pollynodded.

I had to continue paying attention because Mr. Jobs kept calling onme. He called on Polly more than usual, too. Scooter did catch my eye atone point during class because he was making faces at me. I was so gladwe didn't get caught for that!

"Longest two more days ever," I said to Scooter as we left class andwalked to our lockers.

"We're leaving in, like, forty-six hours, so really it's less than two daysnow."

"Whatever. It still feels like it's forever away. I want to go now!"

"I think we'll all be ready to go after the rehearsal Mr. Shetsscheduled after school today. I like band, but enough is enough."

I smirked. "Of course, we have the music and marching mastered,but the rest of the band may need some work. Hey, have you thoughtabout who else we should invite to be part of our team?"

"It's not like we have total control over that, Jase. Mr. Shets has vetopower if he thinks our self-selected teams aren't manageable. I definitelywant a fun group to hang out with at Disney, though. Of course, yourbrother has to be our chaperone. Bryant will be a blast! Oh hey, whatabout Diop? He's hilarious! Oh man, that would be awesome to all roomtogether, even though we'll probably never get any sleep."

I nodded vigorously. "Excellent suggestion, my man. I hope he hasn'talready gotten a team. We really should have been thinking about thissooner. Kira's cool. We could ask her. You know we have to have girls onour team." I kicked my locker to get it to open. Sometimes it could be sostubborn.

"Wherever Kira goes, so goes Mariah. I could live with them.Although, won't Lydia and Naomi feel like we're kicking them out? Imean, we are a section together. Shouldn't we start with our section andadd on to it?" asked Scooter. I think Scooter kind of liked Naomi. Heused to have a thing for Polly, but thankfully he got over that.

"Sorry, man, but Lydia told me they're going to team up with someclarinets. They left us first."

"Well, we need another girl. Three people to a room at Disney, andtwo rooms to a team. If you, Diop, and I share a room, then the sixthteam member needs to be a girl."

I had to really think on this one. I wasn't all girl-crazy like some ofmy friends were, and I didn't want some girl on our team who was goingto be distracting. Some girls just talk incessantly about boys or whatever,like Tayleigh, and that would just ruin my trip. "Oh, I know! Whatabout Momo?"

"I don't even really know her. I don't have any classes with her otherthan band, and we never really talk. Do you like her?" asked Scooter.

"Not like that!" I retorted, a bit too loudly. A few kids in the hallturned their heads at me. "I have art with Momo, and she draws someamazing anime. You know she moved here from Yokohama, Japan, lessthan a year ago. She's a little quiet but friendly." I finished shoving stuffin my locker and slammed it shut. I only needed one folder and a pencilto head to art class.

"Okay, you ask her. I have next hour with Diop, so I'll ask him. Wecan talk to the other girls in band. Let's hope Kira and Mariah haven'talready asked someone else."

We bumped elbows as we took off in different directions. We've beentrying to come up with our own handshake for years, but nothing hasreally lasted. Right now we're just bumping elbows, but sometimes itfeels like we're just running into each other. We'd figure it out someday.