Rocking Out!

by AJ Stern

  The concert was actually amazing, and when it was all over, my parents and I went to find Aimee Chapman. My parents wanted me to apologize for putting so many things in her green room when she had only asked for a few boring things. And also to say I was very sorry about the flowers. I thought I was giving her a surprise that she would love, but actually I gave her a surprise that she hated.

  “That’s what riders are for,” she explained to me after the concert.

  “I thought you didn’t know you were allowed to decorate the room, too!” I told her.

  “Oh, I know all about that. I’ve been doing this a very long time. It’s always good to know what you need and it’s always good to ask for it, but you know what’s even better than that?” she asked me.

  “No, what?” I asked her.

  “When people listen to my needs and wants.”

  I gulped hard.

  “I’m sorry, Aimee. I didn’t think of it like that,” I told her.

  “I know you didn’t, but you need to from now on. Being a rock star looks like a lot of fun, and it is, but it’s serious business, too. I do things a certain way so that I can play a good show for everyone. The more calm I am before I go onstage, the better.”

  “That makes sense,” I told her.

  “Good,” she said. “So from now on, when adults tell you what they want, are you going to listen?” she asked.

  “I’m sure going to try!” I said.

  “That’s good enough for me,” she said.

  “Aimee?” I said as we walked down the hall toward her calm green room.

  “Yes, Frankly?”

  “I’m sorry I ruined your life,” I said.

  “Oh, Frankly. You did no such thing!” Then she put her arm around my shoulder and I almost fell over from happiness.

  Her mean manager came over to us and he was yelling on the phone. Aimee gestured for him to get off, but he turned his back and ignored her.

  “Chris,” she said to him, “please get off the phone. This is a fund-raiser. I really don’t think you should be doing business now.”

  He looked very irritated and walked outside and kept talking on the phone.

  Aimee looked at me and said, “Frankly, if you don’t start listening to people, you will grow up and be like my manager. And you know what happens to grown-ups who don’t listen?”

  I shook my head.

  “They get fired from jobs.”

  That’s when I gasped in a breath of “I do not want that to ever happen to me” air.

  But it also reminded me of something.

  “Don’t go anywhere,” I told her. “I have something for you!”

  Then I ran into the green room where I had put my bag. I pulled out the manila envelope with my résumé and rider in it. I ran back to Aimee and handed it to her.

  “What is this?” she asked me.

  “That’s my résumé. Just in case you ever need to hire me,” I said.

  She laughed really hard, but not at me, which was good. Then she said, “Frankly, I’m so glad I met you.”

  I felt the exact same way.

  “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go fire my manager.”

  Later, we had something called an after party at the Ark. That was when everyone celebrated the success of the night. Noah was in his office counting the money. Everyone was waiting to see if we raised enough. We played music and danced, and soon Noah came down the stairs. Everyone got quiet.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we raised enough money!” Noah announced. That’s when everyone cheered loudly.

  “Noah, I will match whatever you made,” Aimee Chapman called out.

  Noah gasped. “Are you sure? That is incredibly generous, Aimee. You don’t have to do that.”

  “I know I don’t. I want to,” she said.

  Aimee Chapman was a really special type of person. Noah came down and hugged her. Then he had another announcement.

  “I believe someone gets an ice-cream flavor named after her!” Noah said, looking directly at me.

  I felt such pride-itity in myself, I could barely stand it.

  “Frannie, what’s your favorite flavor?” Noah asked.

  “Strawberry!” I yelled out.

  “You mean Frankly Franberry?”

  I nodded. I loved that name for an ice-cream flavor. Then he went to the ice-cream counter and scooped some Frankly Franberry into a cone and handed it to me.

  As I licked my flavor-named ice cream, I thought I couldn’t get one inch happier. But I was wrong.

  My parents walked over to me and I gave them each a lick.

  “You know who I bet would love that ice cream?” my mom asked me.

  “Who?” I wanted to know, thinking she’d say Elliott.

  “Your new dog,” my dad said.

  I gasped out loud. “Winston Churchill?!”

  “Winston Churchill,” my mom said.

  “We decided to give you a chance. If you can’t be responsible for a pet, we’ll give him to someone who can be. Understand?”

  I nodded. Then I ran to tell Elliott, who couldn’t believe his worldwide ears about this news.

  I was going to add the word Doctor in front of my dog’s name. That sounded much more professional than just Winston Churchill. Doctor Winston Churchill. I could not wait!

  Before the party ended, Elliott and I ran to our bags and brought Aimee Chapman our autograph books. She wrote:

  Dear Frankly,

  I’m so glad I met you. Don’t forget to listen to others, and in return, they will listen to you.

  With love, Aimee Chapman

  That was when I knew I actually could not get one inch happier than I already was.

  THE END.