by James Ponti
“What is all that?” Shane asked in stunned amazement.
“It’s my last breakfast with Mrs. Torres,” Colby said with a smile as he ran over the menu. “She made me all my favorites. Breakfast burrito, Texas toast and bacon, the hash browns she makes with the little peppers and onions, and orange juice.”
“That’s unbelievable,” Shane responded. “You’re not even human.”
“Don’t listen to him, Colby,” Mitchie said. “You have made my mom’s summer. She loves cooking for people who appreciate her food so much.”
Colby smiled and said something that they couldn’t quite understand because he was chewing a big chunk of Texas toast at the same time.
At that moment, Caitlyn entered from the kitchen, carrying a tray loaded with enough food to rival Colby’s. She actually wasn’t walking with her tray so much as she was swaggering with it. It was all part of her role. She had been assigned hip-hop and was already fully into character. “Yo, yo, yo, word up!”
“Word,” Shane replied as they bumped fists and she sat down.
There was a moment of silence, and then everybody laughed, no one louder than Caitlyn.
There was something kind of funny about little Caitlyn trying to act like an oversize rap personality. But the truth was, Caitlyn loved hip-hop and had been thrilled when Brown assigned it to her.
Tess came in right after Caitlyn carrying a tray containing a bowl of cereal, fresh fruit, and a glass of orange juice. Even though they were indoors and it was summer, Tess was wearing sunglasses and a scarf. The funny thing was that Mitchie couldn’t tell if she was in costume or just being Tess.
Colby swallowed a hunk of breakfast burrito and finally came up for air long enough to talk. “How’s it going, Miss Thang?”
“That would be Miss Diva,” Tess corrected. “A Motown diva, to be exact.”
Shane couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s a stretch.”
Mitchie swallowed nervously, not sure how Tess was going to react. But after pretending to have hurt feelings for a moment, Tess flashed a huge smile and rolled her eyes. “I have absolutely no idea why Brown picked that for me.”
Now they all laughed, and Mitchie sighed with relief. She and Tess had gotten off to a rough start, but things had gotten much better since, and she now considered Tess a friend. At least here at camp. Mitchie wondered if they’d still keep in touch during the school year.
“Where’s Lorraine?” Caitlyn asked right before she took a bite out of an apple.
No one had seen her.
Just then Mrs. Torres came in carrying a basket of blueberry muffins and singing something that Mitchie didn’t recognize. She assumed it was a Go-Go’s song.
“Here you go, guys,” Connie said as she put the muffins in the center of the table.
“Muffins, too?” Mitchie asked.
Connie shrugged. “Today’s the last day. So I’m cooking whatever we’ve got left. It’s either that or throw it out.”
“Heaven,” Colby said as he grabbed a muffin and took a bite. “I’m in heaven.”
The others shared a look.
“Amazing,” Caitlyn said. “He’s like an eating machine.”
“Mom, have you seen Lorraine?” Mitchie asked.
“She was the first one here this morning,” Connie explained. “She wanted me to tell you all that as soon as you were done with breakfast, you should head over to wardrobe. She has a surprise for you.”
“I wonder what it is,” Colby said.
“Maybe, if you’re lucky, it will be more food,” Caitlyn joked.
“Nah,” Colby said, totally missing the fact that she was kidding. “You know how she is about food around her clothes. Although, I could go for something sweet to hold me over till lunch.”
The others just laughed, because they knew that despite the feast he had just consumed, Colby was one hundred percent serious.
CHAPTER
THREE
Because she had come to Camp Rock on the later side, Lorraine Burgess was technically considered a “newbie.” Despite this, she had a level of respect from the other campers typically reserved for the “vets” who had established their reputations after attending for years.
This reputation had nothing to do with her lovely singing voice or the mad skills she demonstrated on the piano. Those were impressive. But most of the kids at Camp Rock were impressive when it came to music. The trait that made Lorraine stand out was her talent with clothes—Mitchie and Caitlyn called her a superpower.
Lorraine was a genius when it came to wardrobe. She could sew, alter, and design like no one any of them had ever seen. More importantly, she saw potential in things that no one else saw. She could take any three random articles of clothing and with a few quick flourishes turn them into a single outfit that was not only cutting-edge, but that also made the pieces seem as if they had been made to go together.
Brown had happily given her total control of what had formerly been known as the Costume Cabin. The first thing she did was rename it the Wardrobe Studio.
“Costumes are for Halloween,” she explained. “Performing artists wear wardrobe.”
Since then, Lorraine had successfully turned what was once little more than a glorified closet into the centerpiece of the camp. No one—not even Tess Tyler—went onstage without first stopping by for a consultation with Lorraine.
Now, though, they weren’t sure why they were coming.
“Look,” Colby said as he entered the studio with the others. He held up his hands for inspection. “No candy!”
“Thank you,” Lorraine said with a laugh. Colby had a bad habit of eating candy bars during fittings. “Chocolate and white linen simply do not mix,” she had told him on more than one occasion.
“What’s our surprise?” Mitchie asked excitedly as they all sat down on the wooden benches in the corner of the cabin.
“I know tonight is not officially a jam,” Lorraine said. “But it is the last time we will perform together. At least until next summer. So, I wanted to pick out some items that I thought might come in handy today while we’re in character and tonight when we go onstage.”
“Like what?” Caitlyn asked with great anticipation.
“Like this,” Lorraine said as she pulled out a jacket and handed it to Shane. “For our British invader.”
She had taken an old denim jacket and dyed it black. Then she had sewn a British flag onto the back of the jacket and added some red piping to the shoulders and pockets.
“This is amazing,” Shane said, slipping it on. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“I’m glad you like it,” Lorraine said, trying not to smile too much at the compliment. Shane still made her slightly nervous. After all, he was a rock star. “If it doesn’t fit right, I can adjust the sleeves.”
Shane moved his arms around, testing it out. “It’s a perfect fit,” he said. “Don’t change a thing.”
“Now, for the queen of hip-hop,” Lorraine said, turning to Caitlyn. “I went a little old school.”
Caitlyn smiled broadly. “I like old school.”
“I found a choice hat and some serious bling.”
She gave Caitlyn a black porkpie hat, a thick necklace with a hood ornament hanging from it, and two giant rings that covered three fingers each. One read HIP and the other read HOP.
“This is da bomb,” Caitlyn said as she put it all on. She tilted the hat to one side and struck a pose that made her look just like a famous rapper. “How do I look?”
“Awesome,” Mitchie said happily with a little clap. “Lorraine, you are the best wardrobe person ever!”
“True dat,” Caitlyn added, still trying to keep up the rap talk.
“Thank you,” Lorraine said proudly. “But, you’re probably just saying that because you know I found you some totally rad gear.”
“You did?”
“Of course I did,” Lorraine said as she started handing Mitchie the clothing. “Purple stirrup pants, a lime green
sweatshirt cut so you can wear it off the shoulder, and this hot pink cowboy hat.”
The others stared at the outfit, unsure what to make of it.
“Are you sure about that?” Caitlyn asked in her regular voice. “Those colors don’t really . . . go together.”
“I know,” Lorraine said. “That’s why I had Mitchie’s mom come down and check it out.”
“What did she say?”
“She called it gnarly,” Lorraine answered.
“That means it’s good,” Mitchie explained.
“And trust me,” Lorraine added. “When you put it all on together, it works. It defies every law of fashion, but somehow it works.”
Mitchie disappeared into one of the changing rooms in back. A few moments later, she came bopping into the room, a dancing blur of vibrant colors.
“What do you think?” she asked.
“Gnarly,” Caitlyn said.
“Totally,” added the others.
“Got anything for me?” Colby said, flashing a hopeful smile. Then he looked over at Mitchie and shuddered. “Maybe not quite as colorful as what you got her.”
“Do not worry,” Lorraine said playfully. “You grunge and alt-rock guys typically avoid bright colors.”
Colby breathed a sigh of relief.
Lorraine listed the items while she handed them to him one by one. “Flannel shirt, plaid shorts, high-top sneakers and wool cap.”
Colby nodded and smiled as he looked down at the armful of clothes he was holding. “Believe me, if I wasn’t supposed to be so dark and serious, I’d be jumping up and down and high-fiving you right now.”
“I completely understand,” she said with a friendly pat on his shoulder. “I wouldn’t want you to fall out of character.”
Colby disappeared into a dressing room and returned a minute later looking like he came straight out of Seattle circa 1992.
Now all eyes turned to the one person still remaining.
“Don’t even think about it,” Tess warned. “I’m not wearing a costume.”
“It’s not a costume,” Lorraine said. “It’s wardrobe.”
“Whatever you want to call it,” Tess said. “This is not a final jam or a concert or anything else. It’s just us performing onstage for each other. Believe me, I have plenty of wonderful clothes that will do fine.”
Lorraine smiled. After spending the entire session sharing a cabin with Tess, she knew just how to get her intrigued.
“I know. That’s why I wasn’t going to get you anything. I mean, your clothes are to die for. But then I saw a gown that just screamed Motown diva. Believe me, it’s not a costume. It’s more Beyoncé on the cover of Vogue.”
It was the mention of Beyoncé and Vogue that hooked Tess.
“We’ll see about that,” she said, trying to hide her sudden interest. “I guess, since you went to the trouble, I should at least look at it.”
Now it was time to reel her in. Lorraine turned to a rack and unzipped a hanging garment bag to reveal a beautiful black-and-white gown. It looked like it belonged on the red carpet at the Grammys. Even Tess couldn’t hide her excitement.
“I love it!” she squealed. “You really are a genius when it comes to wardrobe.”
This was such an honest and uncommon compliment from Tess that the others just remained quiet for a moment to let Lorraine enjoy it.
“What about your wardrobe for tonight?” Colby asked Lorraine.
“Yeah,” Mitchie said. “What do you have picked out for glam rock?”
Now Lorraine was really smiling. “It’s special. But, I’m going to spring that on you guys tonight. That’s my last surprise.”
“I can hardly wait,” Caitlyn said.
Just then, the door swung open and in walked Brown. He gave them the once-over, checking out the new outfits.
“I like it,” he said. “Tonight should be a good show. But the question is, will it be an amazing ‘think about it for the rest of your life’ show? Are we going to end on the right chord?
“As soon as you’re done with your work,” he went on, “I want you to meet me at my cabin. There are musical mysteries that need to be solved.”
With that, Brown spun around and left.
They all shared a look, unsure what to make of his cryptic hints. Musical mysteries?
“Knowing Uncle Brown,” Shane said, “this could be really great.”
“Absolutely,” Lorraine agreed. “So let’s get busy.”
CHAPTER
FOUR
“It’s like looking at my younger self,” Connie said when she saw Mitchie wearing her new-wave outfit. “Lorraine nailed it.”
“You wore colors like this all the time?” Mitchie asked.
Connie flashed a big smile. “Every day.”
Normally, Mitchie would have changed before working in the kitchen. But they were supposed to stay in character as much as possible during the day. Besides, she wasn’t going to be doing any messy food preparation. Most of the appliances and equipment had already been scrubbed clean. Mitchie and Caitlyn were just moving them into Connie’s catering truck.
“This truck is so cool,” Caitlyn said as she slid the side door open. “It’s like a kitchen on wheels.”
“It is a kitchen on wheels,” Mitchie said as she carried a stack of pots onto the vehicle.
Mitchie’s parents had turned a delivery truck into the ultimate catering operation. It had a grill, an oven, a small sink, and a microwave. A large skylight in the roof made sure it stayed nice and bright.
There was a wall filled with cabinets and drawers designed to hold specific items. The names of these items were written on the drawers, making it easy to put things away. Mitchie opened the one marked POTS and slid them in. They fit perfectly.
“What do you think Brown meant earlier when he said there were musical mysteries?” Caitlyn asked.
“I have no idea,” Mitchie said. “With Brown it could be anything.”
While Mitchie and Caitlyn were helping close up the kitchen, Colby and Shane were with Dee La Duke, the camp’s music director, doing an inventory of all the musical instruments and equipment.
Colby was used to helping organize the band room back at his school. But he was impressed with how hard Shane was working. Colby had been intimidated by the star when he first came to camp. But now he felt comfortable with everyone. Even Shane.
As they cleaned, they tried to get some info out of Dee on what Brown had been talking about, but it was useless. If she knew anything about Brown’s plans, Dee wasn’t letting on.
Meanwhile, Lorraine and Tess were working in the Wardrobe Studio. Actually, Lorraine was working while Tess was on her cell phone trying to get in touch with her mother.
At first, Lorraine thought it was very cool that Tess’s mom was a pop star. She was even a little bit jealous. But as she observed Tess during the summer, she had seen that there was a definite downside.
Tess always had trouble getting in touch with her mom. And when she did, there was never time for more than a quick hello or e-mail. This made Lorraine appreciate how great it was that her mom was always there for her.
My mom may not be famous, Lorraine thought. But she’s a star to me.
“I understand,” Tess said into the phone, trying not to sound disappointed. “I’ll call again after the photo shoot.”
When Tess snapped the phone shut, Lorraine tried to look busy. They were friendly, but Tess was not one to open up about personal problems or anything that cast her in any light other than the spotlight.
“My mom’s doing a cover shoot for People magazine,”Tess offered. “She hates that kind of stuff.”
“Who wouldn’t?” Lorraine answered.
Tess nodded absently and quickly changed the subject. The topic was off-limits.
Within an hour, they had all finished their work and were sitting in Brown’s cabin. Even Dee and Connie had come along. They all wanted to know what Brown had planned.
Unlike the rest of
camp, Brown’s cabin hadn’t been packed up at all. He was staying on for a few more weeks. Some of his old bandmates were coming by, and they were going to jam.
“Hello, everybody,” Brown said as he entered the room. “I want to play a record. You do know what a record is, don’t you?”
They all laughed. Brown was always joking about how old and out-of-date he was.
He had a huge record collection that was stored along one side of the room. Reaching over to a shelf, he pulled out an album.
“This is a record album,” he said jokingly, pointing to it. “Inside the cover is the sleeve, which protects the record from getting scratched. And inside the sleeve is the actual record.”
He held it up for them to see.
They played along and oohed and aahed.
“Back in the days before you could download songs or burn your own CDs, if my mates and I wanted to listen to music we could either turn on the radio or play a record.
“We played them on these,” he continued as he placed the large round disk on a turntable. “This, by the way, is called a record player.”
They laughed.
He set the needle down on the record, and a moment later music started to play. The first thing Caitlyn noticed was how scratchy it was.
“Who can tell me who this is?” Brown asked.
The campers looked at each other and then collectively shook their heads. It sounded familiar, but they had no idea who was singing.
“I know,” Mrs. Torres said gleefully.
Brown smiled. “Please enlighten these uncultured young minds.”
“The Beach Boys,” Mrs. Torres said. “I had this album.”
“Was yours as scratchy as his?” Caitlyn joked.
“It is scratchy,” Brown said, “because I played it about ten thousand times. I used to sit in my room and play this album over and over. This was the record that hooked me on rock and roll.”
He closed his eyes and listened to the music. For a moment, he felt like he was a kid again back in his room. “Listen to how their voices come together to make one beautiful sound. I was growing up on the other side of the world and somehow these five voices from California spoke right to my heart. It was magic.
