Best Friends Rock! by Cindy Jefferies

Ellie’s phone bleeped. It was her mum. Are you okay? Are you coming back for dinner? Don’t be too late, will you?
    â€œI think I’m going to have to go home,” she told the boys.
    â€œBut what about the other interview?” said Joe. “The one I let you down over.”
    â€œI didn’t think you wanted to do that one,” said Ellie in surprise.
    â€œWell…” Joe scratched his head. “I don’t want to talk in depth about how I feel about being Rocky Steel’s son. I’m sure you can understand why. But could you do a sort of day in the life of Joe Steel? Would that be any use? Dad would love it if you came to a gig, so you’d be doing me a favour too. You could write about being backstage, and living in hotels…that sort of thing. What d’you think?”
    â€œI’d have to run it past my Editor,” mused Ellie, “but it sounds great to me, and I’d love to go to a gig. It would be fantastic!”
    â€œRight then!” said Joe. “Let’s set it up. I’ll speak to Dad. You talk to your Editor and we’ll see what we can do.” A slow smile crept over his face. “And I’m sure Connor wouldn’t mind coming to another gig if you’re going to be there.”
    Connor blushed, and thumped Joe on his arm, but the boys were both smiling. Ellie liked Joe much more than she thought she would. And he was right. It would be especially good to be at the gig with Connor.

Straight away on Monday morning, before the Steel Vortex gig, Ellie told Francesca the truth about her abortive Joe Steel interview, and of her new idea…a combined concert and interview article. Ellie was careful not to mention anything about Joe’s problems with his father, or his very secret ambition.
    â€œWell those two boys certainly gave you the runaround,” said Francesca with a laugh. “But you seem to have come out of it rather well. A backstage article, with the boys, a description of the gig you’re going to tonight, and a bit about Rocky Steel himself! That all sounds pretty good to me. Well done! Do the article straight away on Tuesday, while it’s still all fresh in your mind. I’m sure Angel will go for it.”
    Steel Vortex were playing three gigs in London, and Rocky sent a car to pick Ellie up for the concert that Monday evening. Connor and Joe were there to greet her, and they took her backstage so she could interview both Rocky and Joe. Rocky was really nice to her, but she definitely got the feeling that it wouldn’t be much fun to get on the wrong side of him.
    â€œSo is it a thrill, having such a cool father?” she asked Joe. She was certain Joe’s father would approve of the question.
    Joe smiled blandly. “Oh yes,” he said, and she was almost sure that he was trying not to laugh. “It sure is!”
    Heavy metal wasn’t really Ellie’s favourite sort of music, and there were lots of people of her mum’s age in the audience, but none of that mattered. Live concerts were always exciting, and Steel Vortex certainly knew how to ramp up the atmosphere. Joe told her lots of technical details, and snippets of insider gossip about the band, which Ellie knew would make a great article. And Connor was there, which made the whole evening even more wonderful.

    The next few days flew by. Connor met Ellie after work each day and they hung out together. Connor got his wish to go on the London Eye, as well as several other places. Sometimes Joe was with him and they all had fun together, but he was often busy having singing lessons with a teacher Mr. Edwards had recommended.
    â€œDad has said I can do an audition for Rockley Park,” Joe told Ellie. “So I’m going to have as many lessons as I can.”
    â€œWas it difficult persuading him?” said Ellie.
    Joe looked really happy. “He didn’t like the thought of me going to school in