1 SHOWING Chapter OFF Hey I’ve got it Lemuel Soriano said catching up with me by my locker Lunch was over and we were both headed to the band room Whatever you’ve got you can keep it Lem I covered my nose with my hand Because I don’t want to get it Kori He frowned I’m not sick Just kidding I moved my hand and pointed to my lips See I’m smiling Good Lem’s frown faded Because I’m talking about the challenge music Mr Byrd asked us to work on I practiced all night and I skipped most of lunch to practice some more Now Lem was the one smiling And I finally got it 4
That’s awesome I high-fived him But I wasn’t surprised Lem practices harder than anybody else in the Benton Bluff Junior High band He probably plays his trumpet more than he does anything Even eating Or sleeping How about you Did you practice Lem asked Nope I fidgeted with a loose thread on my backpack strap Lem’s lucky I can’t practice as much as he can Kori Lem’s brown eyes widened behind his blue-framed glasses Hey it’s no biggie Yeah Lem said it is too Mr Byrd wants us to have this song ready for our final concert Okay so Lem was right It really was a big deal Every year Mr Byrd our band director plans the Summer Celebration concert at our school for just before summer break And he always puts together a special ensemble to play a harder arrangement that he calls a challenge song This year Mr Byrd 5
chose some kids from the brass section including Lem And me I’ll be ready I promised I’ll practice tonight I wanted to anyway but I wasn’t so sure it would happen We’re all counting on you Lem said I know But Lem wasn’t the only one counting on me Last night my mom worked second shift at Dottie’s Diner So she’d counted on me to help my little brother and two little sisters with their homework And then they counted on me to cook them supper Hot dogs macaroni and cheese and toast have become my specialty ever since my dad moved out Good thing no one’s counting on him Not anymore anyway You can count on me I added And I was serious Helping out at home and preparing for the concert somehow I’d make it all work 6
Lem held out his hand for a fist bump Don’t let moi down I won’t Our knuckles thumped together So is that the only French word you know or what Of course not After you mademoiselle Lem held the band room door open for me Lem is related to French royalty But only by marriage And that was so long ago cavemen still walked pet dinosaurs on leashes Lem found out about his fancy ancestor when we studied our family trees Now he throws in French words every chance he gets Like now All the way into the band room Lem talked in an exaggerated French accent Lem is cool At least most of the time Sometimes we don’t get along so great But that’s because we both want to be the best in band Being the best is easy for Lem For me not so much Especially with Jack Cassilly III playing trombone too He’s such a showboat And today he was at it again 7
