Rock Royalty by Kathryn Williams Page B

summer. Her laptop went with her everywhere, so when inspiration hit, she could begin work on songs in progress immediately.
    Mitchie took a bite of her burger before continuing thoughtfully. “Sometimes I just wonder what it would be like to have all the advantages of someone born into the business.”
    â€œYou mean like Tess?” Caitlyn asked, glancing over at Tess, who tossed her blond hair behind her shoulder as she answered more campers’ questions about the concert. She looked perfectly comfortable with all the attention.
    â€œWell, not exactly like Tess,” Mitchie said. “Just . . . haven’t you ever wondered what life would be like if you were born someone else? In a different situation?”
    â€œOf course,” said Caitlyn. “Everyone does.”
    â€œThat’s all,” Mitchie said with a sigh. “I just wonder what it would be like to be rock royalty.”
    Caitlyn thought about it for a second. “Weird,” she decided.
    Their conversation was interrupted when Mac walked up to the table.
    â€œHey, y’all mind if I sit down?” he asked in his soft North Carolina accent.
    â€œGo ahead,” Mitchie said brightly. She smiled mischievously at Caitlyn, who blushed and narrowed her eyes at her friend.
    Mac sat down on the bench next to Caitlyn and smiled at her. “So, what do y’all think about Tess and this concert?” he asked. He waited, apparently very interested to hear Caitlyn’s answer.
    Caitlyn shrugged. “Tess seems pretty excited,” she replied. She glanced again at Tess, who was now leaving the mess hall, trailed by Ella and Lorraine.
    â€œI reckon I would be, too,” replied Mac. “What do you think, Mitchie?”
    â€œI think the cause is pretty cool,” Mitchie observed. “To give kids who can’t afford private classes—or places like Camp Rock—the opportunity to take music and singing lessons. I wish my school had a music program like that. We learned to play recorders in fourth grade, but that was about it.”
    â€œMe, too!” exclaimed Caitlyn. “I learned to play ‘Hot Cross Buns.’”
    â€œAnd ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,’” remembered Mac, nodding.
    All three of them laughed.
    â€œSo, um, you were into music even when you were younger?” Mac asked Caitlyn, when the laughter had faded.
    â€œDefinitely,” she answered. Looking up, she found Mac staring intently at her. He blushed and turned to Mitchie.
    â€œWhat about you, Mitchie?” Mac asked, attempting to cover his embarrassment.
    â€œI’ve been writing songs for as long as I can remember,” she answered. “But it wasn’t until this summer that I got up the guts to actually sing them for anyone.”
    Mac looked surprised. “Really? But you were great at B’s Jam!”
    For camp-director Brown’s birthday every summer, Camp Rock had a special acoustic jam. This year, Mitchie hadn’t won, but she’d definitely rocked the moment with one of her original songs.
    â€œThanks,” Mitchie said with a shrug.
    â€œAnd when you sang with Shane the other night at the B-Note,” Mac added. “What’s up with you two, by the way?”
    Mitchie turned as red as the checkered tablecloth on the mess-hall table. “We’re just friends,” said Mitchie.
    Mac sure is asking a lot of questions, Mitchie thought. He must just need an excuse to see Caitlyn. Too bad I have to be caught in the crossfire.
    â€œ Good friends,” Caitlyn teased, poking Mitchie in the ribs.
    Now it was Mitchie’s turn to cut her eyes at Caitlyn, whose mouth had turned up into a playful smile.
    â€œShane and I are good friends,” repeated Mitchie, hoping to put the subject to rest.
    Mac nodded his head and looked as if he was about to ask her another question, but then reconsidered. Mitchie let out a sigh of relief. Mac was a really