A/N: Hello again! Sorry it's taken me so long to update, I've just been so busy with school, band, and AP exams. It's been forever since I've even written for the AR fandom. Argh! But I decided someone's going to make an appearance, whom I adore. But I don't think it will affect the main plot or anything. Not that there really is a main plot. Then again, why not?

Disclaimer:

Alex: No, I do not belong to this psychopath who is making me play a musical instrument! But she does own her flute, so you can sue her for that!

Nuclear Squid: No! You're not allowed to! Anyways, technically, my dad owns it since he bought it for me.

Alex: Well... fine then.

NS: Ha! Fail! (To readers) Enjoy, my lovies!

Alex managed to play one note in three measures. For him, it was really good. Especially since the notes had three lines connecting them. That meant fast, right?

Right. Mean-Flute-Girl was kind enough to inform him that he was retarded. Charming girl, really.

Alex sighed and looked back at his music. Oops. He lost his place. Blinking, he looked at Nasty-Girl's music. It was covered in penciled hearts with the initials M.B. inside of them.

That didn't help. Soon, the band stopped playing and Mr. Bishop turned to the trumpets to pick apart a part of the song. According to Nasty-Girl's whispering to the girl next to her, it was a really easy part.

"Try to keep up flute-boy," Nasty-Girl said, turning up her nose to study Alex between her way-too-long eye lashes.

Alex tried his hardest to keep from making some snappy comment. Luckily, the second chair flute came to his rescue. Maniac villains he could deal with. PMSing girls wielding flutes, not so much.

"Chill, Jen. He's new," Okay, it wasn't the best defense on his part, but it saved him from getting impaled with a flute. Which wasn't even all that pointy.

Alex sighed and stared at the clock before picking up the flute and attempting to play.

Alex noticed some people get up occasionally and go to the bathroom, and he attempted to do the same thing. "Chicken," Nasty-Girl hissed with a smirk.

Straightening defiantly, Alex stayed where he was and did his best to prove Nasty-Girl wrong and that he could actually play, contrary to propular belief.

Not soon enough, band class ended and Alex made his escape. He almost ran to his bicycle and peddled home with shaking legs.

When Alex got home, he collapsed onto his bed until Jack came upstairs to prod him into making the effort to eat supper. Luckily, she took pity on his poor soul and made lots of one-sided small talk and avoided any mention of anything to do with music.

Up late, Alex rubbed his eyes as his Algebra equations blurred in front of his. Stupid maths! He was still trying to catch up from his last bout of 'sickness.'

All too soon, it was the next morning and Alex found himself late for school. He ran into Algebra after locking his bike and handed in his messy homework. "You call these equations, Rider?" his teacher asked.

Some kids laughed, but Alex just stared at the board. "Sorry, Sir."

The teacher nodded and continued with class. Alex tried to stay awake so hard, but ended up falling asleep. The week continued much this way, but Alex found himself getting more accustomed to his sleep time (or lack thereof) and found himself more alert and awake.

Too soon, it was time for after school band practice again. Alex did his best to follow along, but whoever said the second day was easier must have been on crack. Nasty-Girl continued to make snide comments, and even the director commented on how lacking his flute section was.

The next day held sectionals. He learned that Nastly-Girl was named Jen, The first chair was named Raven, and the second chair was named Jessica. Knowing him, though, Alex probably forgot someone.

The sectional went okay, Alex supposed. Raven was really nice and helped Alex indirectly to save him from snide comments from Nast- Alex quickly corrected himself- Jen.

The next day was better than all the others in class, but a horror waited for him outside the band room after class. It was Tom.

"You're in band?!?" he yelled.

Alex winced. "What are you doing here?"

"Delivering a note to the chorus director. Stop changing the subject. And answer my question."

"It wasn't really a question, it was more of a statement."

"Then deny it, or something."

"What's wrong with it?" Alex asked. He didn't want to know the answer.

"Band is for nerds, Alex. You already have people thinking you're a druggie. And a Martian. Do you want them to think you're a band nerd as well? What do you play anyways?"

"Flute," Alex whispered, seeing no point in denying anything.

"Even better," Tom groaned. "Now you have a Drug-Dealing Pansy-Martian."

Alex rolled his eyes at his friend. "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't want to take band, but I needed a fine arts class this term. And pottery was just brutal."

Tom sighed. "There's no need to apologize to me, Mate. Just tell me these things, okay? And don't make me find out like this. Yuck."

Alex promised and they went off to the football field to kick a ball around.

They messed around for a half an hour before Tom said. "Alex, don't look now, but there's a creepy guy at the end of the field. Do you know him?"

Alex stiffened and dearly hoped it wasn't MI6. He wasn't the nicest to Blunt the last time he had seen him.

They began to play and Tom allowed Alex to rotate around so he could glance at the man. Alex's blood ran cold. Instead of acknowledging the man, Alex ignored him. "Never seen him," Alex whispered to Tom.

Tom nodded and soon the two boys were tired and went their separate ways home. Tom, leisurely peddling his bike while Alex sat erect and paranoid.

Nothing ever happened after that, so Alex dismissed it as a trick of the light. That is, until he walked into band the next day.

The same man stood there that was there the day before on the football field. The same man that haunted Alex's dreams and nightmares. The same man that was leaning casually against the front table an chatting idly with Mr. Bishop.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Mr. Bishop greeted the class. "I'd like to introduce our new Assistant band director,"

Alex's heart stopped for a moment. He would be staying permanently? Great. As if Alex's life didn't suck enough.

"Yassen Gregorovitch."

Alex let out an involuntary gasp as the piercing blue eyes rested on Alex. A smirk flitted over the man's face that made Alex squirm before moving onto the rest of the students.

Alex guessed life didn't torture him enough with the near-constant missions and near-fatal experiences to leave him alone while at school.

Gah, I hate how short it is, but I couldn't resist stopping there. Oh, how I love making Alex squirm!

Wowzers. I got like a million bajillion reviews! Thanks everyone!

FunFlirtyFlute: Hehe, yay flutes! Don't worry, I'll be getting there with at least one of the characters.
Ambrele: OMG, I wish I could play violin so bad. Unfortunately, our school doesn't have an orchastra -cries-.
VSLDT: Hehe, I miss you too. I can't decide yet. Ari is kind of a self-insert of me hehehehe. But, I will try to add you too.
Iwantapiccocccliclllllooooo: Yeah, my band has eleven flutes and only two tubas, most because I needed a legitimate reason for Alex to join the flute section. It'd be kind of hard for me to write about him learning to play a brass insrtument, since I don't play brass.
Snuffle: Thanks!
XxXmaximuM-RideRXxX: Hehe, yes. The nickname was just a random thought in my mind. Last year, our flute section had a guy, but he was super cool and first chair.
True Colors: Nah, it's staff. But yeah, my flute section has eleven flutes while the band has only two tubas. I just needed a reason to make Alex play flute. And another flute player is being added, she was absent that day in class.
Sheluby94dreamer: Hehe, yes, flute-boys are awesome. There was one in my section last year and he was super cool and first chair.
Lady Shadow Of Time: Hehe, thank you very much! It's amusing me as well just to write it!
The Feral Candy Cane: That's good, cause flute is amazing, hehe. Thanks for the review!
purple kimono: Haha, that's great! Instruments of torture... hehehehe. Too bad Herod Sayle isn't there to play the high high high C on piccolo. I do that to spite people on whim.
Jusmine: Hehe, insane people are the most fun. Thank you for correcting my mistake, I'm sad, for it was my favorite line in the story and I messed it up!
Griffin16: Yeah, guy flautists are amazing! We had one who was first chair last year!