by Lucy Ruggles
Trying to take it in stride, Tess sprang back to her feet, but she couldn’t keep up. The magic was gone … and so was her mother. Letting out a strangled cry, Tess ran offstage.
Brown took the stage once again. After all, the show had to go on. He quickly introduced the next act—Barron James, Sander Loya, and the Hasta La Vista Crew.
The curtain opened to reveal the group, who quickly jumped into a hot reggaeton number. The crowd responded by surging to their feet. A few people held up their glow sticks, waving them into the darkening sky.
When their song was finished, several more acts followed until Brown once again took the stage. “Well,” he said, “it looks like that’s all for tonight—”
Suddenly, Dee ran up to him, handing him a scrap of paper. Brown read it, surprise coming over his face. “Seems like we have a last-minute addition,” he announced. “Come on up, Margaret Dupree.”
The crowd looked at each other and shrugged, clapping. Backstage, Ella was just as confused. “Who’s Margaret?” she asked quietly.
“Me,” Peggy answered, walking up to join her friend.
Ella nodded, smiling. “Go, Margaret!” she cheered as Peggy ran onto the stage and took her place in the spotlight.
When Peggy opened her mouth, a soulful, deep voice came out. Years of frustration at playing second fiddle to Tess poured out of her. She was amazing! She strutted up and down the stage, belting out her song with a confidence the crowd—including Connect Three—had never seen before.
In the audience, glow sticks were going crazy. The crowd loved Peggy and her energy. Finishing the song, she took a triumphant bow. As she ran off the stage, blowing kisses at the audience, Tess called out her name.
“What?” Peggy said, ready for a fight.
But Tess had no fight left in her. “You were really good,” she said quietly. “And if you’re good, somebody should tell you.”
Peggy smiled. “Thanks.”
Turning to go, Tess threw out one more surprise. “And I’m sorry,” she said.
“I know, I know,” Brown was saying from the stage, as he tried to settle the crowd still going wild from Peggy’s showstopping performance. “I guess that’s it. It’s officially the end of Final Jam. And time for our judges to go off in private and, well, judge,” he said gesturing to Connect Three. Shane, Nate, and Jason stood up and made their way to the back of the theater.
Brown turned to leave the stage, when all of a sudden, music blared from the speakers. The crowd, which had started to get up, quickly shuffled back to their seats. Looking over at the wings, Brown saw Mitchie and Caitlyn gesturing wildly to him. Trying to hide his smile, he walked over.
“It’s the end of Final Jam,” Mitchie said when he joined them.
“I hoped you would catch on,” he said, letting his smile finally show. “Now, go out there and steal their hearts.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
All the adrenaline that had been pumping through Mitchie’s veins seemed to vanish as she walked to the center of the stage and saw all the people. The campers, their parents, Shane, and even the press were looking—and waiting. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Caitlyn start the music. But when Mitchie opened her mouth to sing, she couldn’t do it.
Caitlyn immediately restarted the song. Mitchie took a deep breath and finally started to sing—very quietly.
“Louder,” Caitlyn whispered.
But Mitchie was so nervous, it was all she could do to remember the lyrics. She looked into the crowd, finding her mother and father. She started to sing louder. Then she spotted Shane, and her voice picked up until it was full-throated and strong.
Closing her eyes, Mitchie sang her song loud and clear. She sang what she had trouble saying—that she was so much more than meets the eye, and that she had found her dream and there was no way she would let it go ever again.
From his spot in the back of the theater, Shane’s eyes grew wide. He couldn’t believe it. “Hey, that’s the song,” he said.
“So that must be the girl,” observed Nate.
Shane stared at Mitchie up on the stage, so confident and talented, so true. This was Mitchie’s moment. Mesmerized, along with the rest of the audience, Shane began to make his way toward the stage. When he got close enough, he smiled at Mitchie. She returned the smile while continuing to sing.
Grabbing a mike from Brown, Shane ran up the stage stairs and joined Mitchie in the lyrics he now knew by heart. He looked into her brown eyes as they sang to each other. In that moment, all the lies and all the pretending were forgiven.
When they finished, they dropped their mikes but not their gazes. For a silent moment, Mitchie and Shane looked at each other as if for the first time. Then they were engulfed by roaring applause so loud it shook the stage. And while every glow stick in the audience was up and swinging, Mitchie and Shane continued to look into each other’s eyes—oblivious to anyone but each other.
The crowd was antsy as they eagerly anticipated the announcement of the Final Jam winner.
Shane stood onstage with Brown and Dee but couldn’t take his eyes off Mitchie, who waited eagerly in the wings with Caitlyn.
A young camper handed a sealed envelope to Brown and then rushed offstage. “Okay, everyone,” Brown announced, “this is it. The winner of Final Jam this year is …”
Brown ripped open the envelope. He was as eager as the campers to hear who had won. As he read, a grin crossed his face. “Margaret Dupree!” he said proudly.
Peggy clutched at her chest as if to say, “Who, me?” Her face went from a look of shock to joy. The crowd applauded wildly.
“You won! You won!” Mitchie screamed, jumping up and down.
“You gotta go! You gotta go!” Ella said, pushing her friend onto the stage.
Peggy didn’t need to be told twice. She ran to the stage, and Brown handed her a huge Camp Rock trophy and an envelope.
“Way to go!” Brown grinned. “You just got yourself a chance to record with Shane Gray.”
The crowd cheered.
“Congratulations, Peggy,” said a smiling Shane. “You deserve it. You were amazing. I can’t wait to record with you.”
Shane and Peggy hugged and posed for the flashbulbs going off all around them.
Back in the wings, Mitchie couldn’t stop smiling. “We did it,” she said, throwing an arm around Caitlyn.
“You did it,” Caitlyn corrected.
Mitchie’s eyes widened as she let out an “I can’t believe it!” scream. She had done it. She’d stood on her own two feet and sang her heart out to a huge audience. And they’d liked it! Mitchie couldn’t wait to do it again.
In that moment, Tess appeared beside them. The air was tense as the girls waited for her to speak.
“You guys were great,” Tess said finally. She even sounded sincere.
“Thanks,” said Mitchie.
“Yeah,” seconded Caitlyn, knowing how hard those words were for Tess.
Tess seemed uncomfortable. “So, I … uh … told Brown you guys didn’t take my bracelet,” she said, looking down at her feet.
“Thanks,” Mitchie said again. There was nothing left to say so Mitchie and Caitlyn left to find their family and friends. Tess stood alone.
“Hey, honey!” Tess heard behind her. She turned to see her mother walking toward her. “You were so good up there,” T.J. said, putting her arm around Tess.
Tess shrugged her mother’s arm off. “You didn’t see it.”
T.J. looked confused, then her face softened. “I did,” she said proudly. “Got the whole thing on my camera phone.”
“Really?” Tess’s face brightened.
T.J. hugged her daughter tight. “How about you tell me all about camp on my tour bus while we’re in Europe?”
Tess pulled away, her eyes shining, “I’m going on your tour?” Her mom nodded. “I don’t want to capture all our good times on my phone.” Tess smiled wide.
Mitchie had finally found her father and mother. “So
rry you didn’t win,” Connie said, giving her daughter a big hug.
“It wasn’t about winning, Mom,” Mitchie said with a grin.
As if on cue, Shane walked up. Mitchie gave her parents a knowing look and moved to the side, eager to hear what Shane had to say.
“I guess my search is over,” he whispered, a smile lighting up his face.
“Depends on what you’re looking for,” Mitchie teased. Then, because she had never officially done it, Mitchie introduced herself.
“So,” Shane went on after he introduced himself. “Up for a canoe ride later?”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” answered Mitchie.
Then they shared a smile bright enough to light up the night.
“Okay, everybody!” Brown called one more time from the Camp Rock stage. “Final Jam is over. And you know what that means—the Final Jam jam session!”
“Let’s kick it!” yelled Dee.
A mix of music filled the air. It was rock and roll, pop, R&B, reggae, country, opera, folk, heavy metal—all rolled into one, just like Camp Rock.
The campers swarmed the stage, even Mitchie and Shane. It was a full-on party, and they stood in the midst of it all, dancing and singing together. As the music swelled around them, Shane bent down and kissed Mitchie on the cheek. Blushing, Mitchie knew one thing for sure—Camp Rock rocked.
