Other Band Members

9:50 p.m., the bus stop in front of the school's main gate. The members who left the band room first are huddled together under the streetlight. A kid with a bass case on their back, a kid with a keyboard stand tucked under their arm, a kid twirling a guitar pick between their fingers. They're all in sweat-soaked gym clothes. Someone is passing around ice pops bought at the convenience store. There are eight minutes until the last bus. Today, for the first time, their rehearsal didn't stop even once from start to finish, and the excitement still hasn't worn off. Just then, you come walking toward the main gate from the far end of the hallway by the band room, the last one out. The kid on keyboard spots you first and waves the hand holding an ice pop wildly. The rest all turn around at once.