Fragile, Handle with Care

No, Henry really wasn't prepared for this. Leo was there before five. Why was Henry doing this?

He needed Vada, but she said there was this family thing. She couldn't make it to the first football game of the season.

Leo talked him into this, somehow. Henry guessed it would be OK. He'd sit by the band. Well, behind the band.

As luck would have it, Leo got there just in time for the band ritual in the band hall. The usual stuff and then this huge prayer where everyone held hands, all in their glory of top hats with feathers and double breasted coats in purple and gold.

Henry felt a little dizzy then. He didn't know what it meant, but soon enough, he had to go up into the stands alone to find his spot. He'd sit right behind Leo. It would be like old times. He'd be around the other drummers.

By the time he got there, he thought he might faint. There was only a touch of fall in the air. Although, it wasn't cold. Yet there was a damp cold near the ground. Of course, he was up high, but he could smell the fresh cut grass.

Soon the band filed in.

"You? OK?" Leo looked back at him, yet it was too late to say he wasn't.

Henry nodded, but he was pretty sure a headache was definitely setting in tonight.

"OK, I just don't get it?" Cody didn't mind being at the game with Vada and Dean, but why were they here?

"Dean's afraid of girls." Vada said ever so solemn as they went to the corner stands to give Dean his space.

"Really?" Cody sort of laughed as if it were funny. He guessed. He scooted in next to Vada who had the supersized package of Twizzlers under her jean jacket. Of course, she didn't dress like it was a date, but neither did Cody who was still in the plaid shirt over his orange T-shirt.

"Except me," Vada shrugged. "He's not afraid of me."

Cody nodded, wondering what that meant. They watched Dean at the gate.

"So its like a blind date?" Cody winced.

"I guess. Its just he doesn't really want to be alone with her." Vada sighed as she bit into a couple of red Twizzlers.

"Why?" Cody wanted to know what could possibly go wrong.

"We're just his back up." She stared at Dean.

"Back up?" His cheek touched her shoulder. He liked being this close to her, but he doubted she noticed.

"Don't let him out of your sight." She sounded as if she were waiting for the worst to happen.

"Just why did we come, again?" Shan helped Fish up the lean stands. He'd never came to a football game here. It wasn't on his radar last year, and it really wasn't on his list this year, either. But here they were.

"School spirit." Fish shrugged.

"Yeah, well, I never needed it before." He found them a place as it was filling up fast. Parents and teachers, cousins and little kids. It was a right style show. All the high school girls in their best fall outfits. Of course, Shan was in his trusty army coat while Fish was in a nice gray sweater over a plaid shirt and neat kakis.

"You'll be fine. It'll be fine." Fish edged him some popcorn.

"Are we really watching the game?" Shan winced as he looked around the stands. That's when he spotted Henry, close to the band. Shan festered a frown.

"Not really," Fish said. "I just wanted to see how something turned out."

"Oh, really." Shan was waiting for Fish to catch him up on just what was going on.