Rock Royalty by Kathryn Williams

C HAPTER
O NE

    T he sun was high over Camp Rock, and stomachs were growling. After a full morning of dance practice, voice lessons, and swimming, Mitchie Torres was famished. She couldn’t wait to see what her mom, Camp Rock’s chef-in-residence, had whipped up for lunch. Normally, Mitchie would have had to help her in the kitchen, but today Connie Torres had given her daughter the day off.
    â€œAfter all the parties I’ve had to cater this summer, I think I can handle a little old lunch on my own for once!” Mitchie’s mom had assured her, practically pushing Mitchie out the kitchen door that morning.
    Now, walking with Lola Scott, Peggy Dupree, and her best friend, Caitlyn Gellar, Mitchie clutched dramatically at her stomach. “Who knew hip-hop could take so much out of a girl!” she cried.
    â€œYeah,” agreed Peggy. “That new move Shane’s teaching us—the Crush—is killing me. I just can’t seem to get it down.”
    â€œSpeaking of crushes,” said Lola, raising a mischievous eyebrow, “I think someone at Camp Rock might have one on Caitlyn.”
    Caitlyn’s mouth fell open. She blushed as Mitchie, Lola, and Peggy began to giggle. Lola’s observation wasn’t a surprise to the friends. It had become obvious that a certain camper who had come to Camp Rock for Second Session had taken a special interest not just in the music Caitlyn liked to produce on her laptop, but in the producer herself.
    Caitlyn immediately sputtered out a protest. “Mac does not have a crush on me!”
    â€œI didn’t mention Mac.” Lola grinned. “You did.”
    Caitlyn turned a deeper shade of magenta, and the other girls laughed harder.
    Mac Wilson was Colby Miller’s bunkmate. The two newbies had become friends even though they were wildly different. Colby was a preppy New Englander while Mac was a Southern boy who played guitar, always quick with a smile and a greeting. Mac was one of those people who got along with everyone—especially Caitlyn.
    â€œWell, I think he’s cute,” Mitchie said, coming to Caitlyn’s aid. “His drawl is adorable.”
    â€œWhat’s wrong with meeting someone a little extraspecial at camp?” Peggy shrugged. “It worked for Mitchie.”
    Now it was Mitchie’s turn to turn bright red. It was true that Mitchie and Shane Gray, lead singer of the hot band Connect Three and current Camp Rock guest instructor, had formed a special friendship over the summer. Despite his bad-boy reputation and rock-star attitude upon first arriving at camp, Shane was actually really cool. He and Mitchie just got each other. Mitchie had helped Shane get back to his own sound, and he had helped her find her confidence onstage. Still, their friendship was a subject that made Mitchie shy.
    Caitlyn laughed and threw her arm around her friend’s shoulders. Just as she was about to say something else, the deafening sound of a propeller drowned her out. The wind whipped around them, blowing Mitchie’s long brown hair in her face. All at once, every camper walking toward the Mess Hall of Fame turned his or her face to the sky.
    It was a helicopter—and it was heading right for Camp Rock!
    Soon, more campers spilled out of the B-Note canteen in the mess hall’s basement and down the paths from the cabins. Everyone wanted to see whose chopper was descending on Camp Rock’s front lawn. As the huge aircraft touched down on the grass, they stood with their mouths hanging open.
    A moment later, pop sensation T.J. Tyler stepped out of the helicopter.
    The star shook her long blond hair out of her face and scanned the growing crowd. T.J. had some exciting news for her daughter Tess, a camper at Camp Rock. She’d decided a surprise visit was in order so she could tell Tess in person.
    Besides being an award-winning, multi-platinum recording artist, T.J. Tyler was also the face of Blush