Free Rock Royalty by Kathryn Williams

people, should know that. No one is really like they’re portrayed in the magazines. You can’t judge a CD by its cover—or a person by his or her press.”
    Grudgingly, Shane stepped back. He shoved his hands deep in his jean pockets. “You’re right,” he said. “I just never thought ‘the press’ would be one of my friends.”
    Mac gulped. “Are we?” he asked with a distressed look on his face. “Still friends, I mean. If I promise never to write another story about you ever again?”
    Mitchie answered for them all.
    â€œYes,” she said. “Of course. Camp Rockers stick together.”
    Mac looked relieved. He threw his arms around Mitchie and then a surprised Shane.
    But there were two Camp Rockers he wasn’t sure would still call him a friend— Colby and Caitlyn. And they were talking together just beyond the light of the bonfire.
    â€œExcuse me,” Mac said. “I think there are a couple more people I still have to personally apologize to.”
    Mitchie and Shane nodded, and Mac walked shyly up to Caitlyn and Colby.
    â€œHi,” he said sheepishly.
    â€œHi,” they answered in unison.
    â€œYou lied to me,” Colby said. “You lied to all of us.”
    â€œI know,” said Mac. “I did, and I’m sorry.”
    â€œHow are we supposed to ever trust you again?” asked Caitlyn.
    Mac sighed. “I don’t know,” he said. “All I can ask is that you try,” he said. “And if I lie to you again, I give you permission to hang me from my toes by the flagpole.”
    Caitlyn and Colby couldn’t stifle their laughter. “All right,” said Caitlyn, “but I’m holding you to that.”
    â€œMe, too,” Colby said, and the three of them walked back toward the bonfire and their other friends, chuckling at the thought of a helpless Mac hanging upside down from the flagpole.
    When they were seated, Brown came up and squatted down next to Mac. “I’ve been thinking, Mac, and I have one more condition in order for you to stay at Camp Rock,” he said.
    â€œOkay,” Mac replied nervously.
    â€œYou’ll promise to write a Camp Rock newsletter,” said Brown.
    Mac smiled. “Actually, I think I’ve decided to leave journalism behind. I’ve found a new passion at Camp Rock.”
    â€œWhat’s that?” asked Brown.
    â€œMusic producing.” Mac grinned and looked at Caitlyn. “I have a good teacher.”
    Caitlyn blushed.
    â€œBut a newsletter would help us all keep in touch after camp,” Mitchie offered.
    â€œIn that case,” Mac said, as campers sang a song about Camp Rock in front of the bonfire, “I’ll do it.”
    He was sure that was going to be one story worth writing.

By James Ponti
Based on “Camp Rock,” Written by Karin Gist & Regina Hicks and Julie Brown & Paul Brown
    M itchie Torres was not a morning person. It didn’t matter if she was at home during the school year or at Camp Rock in the summer, her goal was to get up at the last possible moment. The fact that musicians usually performed at night and slept late the following morning was part of the appeal of a life in rock and roll. But this morning the piercing sound of an alarm clock was making sleep all but impossible.
    At least it was for Mitchie.
    On the other side of the cabin, her best friend, Caitlyn Gellar, was sleeping like a baby, completely unaffected by the alarm’s buzz.
    Mitchie attempted to block out the sound by wrapping a pillow around her head. When that didn’t work, she tried a blanket. Out of frustration, she chucked the pillow across the room and hit Caitlyn right in the head. If she was going to suffer, she at least wanted to suffer with company.
    But Caitlyn just took a swat at it as if it were a mosquito and rolled over, all without waking up.
    Finally, brushing her brown bangs out of her eyes,