Going Platinum, (2 page)
The screams were deafening. Everyone began jumping around and cheering. Swept up in the excitement, Shane said good-bye to Mitchie and moved through the crowd to find his uncle.
“Can you believe this?” Caitlyn cried. “This is going to be awesome! Think of all the stars who will come here to party with Connect Three!”
“I guess,” Mitchie said uncertainly. As she watched, Shane was swarmed by everyone trying to congratulate him. Mitchie knew she should be excited and happy for Shane, but she was nervous. Sharing Shane with the world outside of camp was one thing, but having his star friends and the press come
inside
camp was a whole other story.
T
he next morning camp was still buzzing about the big news. Rumors of who would be on the guest list were running wild, and Shane was bouncing around, happier than Mitchie had ever seen him. The old Shane would have never agreed to a party in the middle of the woods, but the new Shane seemed happy that the party was coming to
him
on his own turf.
Inside the kitchen, Mitchie and Caitlyn were working. “Would you cut up those oranges over there?” Mitchie's mom, Connie, asked the girls.
Caitlyn's kitchen duty for the summer was officially over. But she liked hanging out with Mitchie and her mom, so she helped out whenever she could. And the extra cookies she could always snag were a perk.
“Hey, ladies!” Brown called as he entered the kitchen. “How is everyone?”
Connie placed the fruit that was on her cutting board in a bowl and gave Brown a smile. “We're platinum, I hear.”
“Indeed we are,” Brown said with a laugh.
“Have you thought about what we're going to serve all these city folks when they arrive?”
Mitchie was sure that her mom had been tossing and turning all night thinking about what she was going to serve at the party. Connie would like the event to be extra-special for Shane. Plus, she would want to make a good impression on all the visitors.
“I'm working on it,” Connie said, trying to sound confident.
“Morning!” Dee sang as she waltzed into the kitchen. “I had to get my early cup of java.” She headed over to the coffeemaker. “Connie, big plans for the party?”
As if her mom needed any more pressure! Mitchie watched as the line on her mother's forehead deepened.
“No worries,” Connie told her, now trying to sound confident
and
calm. “We'll think of something. We always do.”
Dee nodded. Turning, she looked at Brown. “Friday is the annual B's Jam. You sure you want to share the spotlight?”
“What's B's Jam?” Mitchie asked before Brown could answer.
“Only one of
the
highlights of Second Session,” Caitlyn explained. “Friday is Brown's birthday, and every year we celebrate the big day with B's Jam. Four songs are picked to be performed. All original. All unplugged. No bands, no synthesizers.” Caitlyn made a face. “Not my thing.”
Caitlyn was all about her computer when it came to music. Her dream was to be a producer, taking a song and making it stronger with her laptop. With a few keystrokes, Caitlyn could change the sound of the music. She was really good. But she was definitely not a fan of
unplugged
âunless running her laptop on battery and Wi-Fi qualified.
“I was thinking, this year, I can pick the top four songs during Shane's songwriting session,” Dee continued, still not letting Brown speak. “Those performers will go on to sing at the jam, and then the audience picks the winner.”
Brown waved a hand in the air. “Of course we should still do the jam,” he said. “We'll just make sure it's over before the platinum party starts.”
“Great!” Dee exclaimed. “Then it's all set!” She stood up and grabbed her mug of coffee. “And one more thing,” she said. “I think that we should spruce up the place a bit today, don't you? Lots of people are coming, and the outside of the theater could use a paint job.”
Brown nodded. “Good thinking, Dee. Sure. Get the troops on that this afternoon.” He gave Dee a pat on the back. “Free publicity is always good for business!”
After Brown and Dee walked out, Mitchie turned to Caitlyn. “Do you think I have a chance of winning B's Jam? I haven't won a jam yet this summer!”
“It's practically made for you,” Caitlyn said. “But they have to be all new songs, so you better get writing.”
“I'm sure Shane's songwriting session tomorrow is going to be packed, huh?” Mitchie asked. Anyone who wanted to sing in the jam would probably be there.
Nodding her head, Caitlyn agreed. “You have to stay focused and not worry about everyone else. I bet you have a few surprises locked up in your song journal.”
Mitchie nodded. Her journal was not just filled with daily events and drawings like some other people's. It was mostly filled with lyrics, music notes, and uncompleted phrases. Hopefully the contents would inspire her to write one of her best songs yet.
“I really want to do this,” Mitchie said to Caitlyn and her mom.
“Then you will,” Connie replied, giving her daughter a hug. “And I'm not just saying that because I'm your mom.” She grinned at her own catchphrase. “Now go eat your fruit and pancakes with the rest of the rock stars.”
A
fter breakfast was over, Dee roped in most of the campers to help out with painting the theater. Out of the corner of her eye, Mitchie saw Shane check out the scene. He quickly ducked behind a bush, hoping to sneak by. But Dee saw him, too. Caught, Shane walked up and Mitchie handed him a brush and a bucket of paint.
“Thanks,” he said. He dipped the brush in the bucket, swishing the paint around. “I think this party is going to be really cool. Definitely different than the typical record-label parties.”
“That's for sure,” Mitchie said, dipping her own brush into the paint.
“I heard that all the top producers and stars are coming,” Tess said, approaching Shane and Mitchie. Ella and Lorraine trailed behind her. Tess held a small bucket of paint with one finger, a look of disgust on her face. She couldn't believe she was painting! At home, there were people to do that for her. Sighing, she went on. “My mom would totally be here, Shane, but she's in Europe right now.”
Mitchie knew what was coming. Tess was about to go on and on about all her best friends in the business who would be coming to see Shane . . . and her, of course. Tess didn't disappoint.
“My mother said that Lily Rain is planning to attend,” Tess boasted, talking about another big star. “And if Lily comes, then I am sure Zack Beslow will come, too.” Tess fanned herself with her hand. “He was at one of my birthday parties, you know.”
“I actually don't think those guys are coming,” Shane said, unaffected by Tess's report. “Lily and Zack would break out in hives if they had to be out of the city lights for more than an hour.” He laughed. “But my manager is stoked with the responses he has gotten. He says that it's gonna be a huge party.”
“How many people?” Ella asked. Today, she had matched her lip gloss to her neon pink tank top.
“More than this camp has seen in a long time,” Shane replied.
“Then all the more reason to make sure we get this building painted,” Dee said, walking up behind them. “I want this camp to look its best.”
Mitchie let out a big sigh. More than the camp had seen in a long time? It made her stomach flip-flop. Unlike everyone else at camp, this platinum party was beginning to make her feel more dull than shiny.
L
ater that evening, Caitlyn found Mitchie sitting on the porch of their cabin, journal in hand. Caitlyn shook her head. She should have known that Mitchie would have her nose in that book. “Hey, how's it going?” she asked as she approached. “You disappeared after dinner. Shane was asking where you went, and I've been looking all over for you!”
“I wanted to try to write something,” Mitchie admitted. “But I can't seem to find the right wordsâor even a tune.”
“I bet a late-night snack would help you out,” Caitlyn said. She put out her hand and pulled her friend up. “I happen to know where there might be some cookies to give you the inspiration you need.”
Clutching her journal in one hand, Mitchie followed Caitlyn to the mess hall. When they walked inside, they found Connie sitting at one of the islands. She was hunched over a notepad, crumpled papers surrounding her.
“Don't tell me you're trying to write a song, too!” Caitlyn exclaimed.
Connie looked up, her expression exhausted. “Hardly!” she said. “I'm trying to figure out a menu suitable for a platinum celebration. Do you realize how few platinum-colored foods there are?”
Mitchie and Caitlyn shrugged. “Hmm, I never really thought about it before,” Mitchie observed as she slid into a chair next to her mother.
“Looks like you need a bit of chocolate-chip inspiration,” Caitlyn sang out. She marched over to the pantry and grabbed a container of freshly made cookies. “A little chocolate goes a long way.” She extended the box to Connie and then to Mitchie.
“Maybe you're right,” Connie said, taking a big bite of the cookie. She got up and began to pace. “I'll take inspiration anywhere I can get it right now. I have to present the final menu to Brown first thing tomorrow morning to get my food order in on time.” Looking over, she noticed Mitchie's glum expression. “How's the writing coming, sweetie?” she asked.
“I've got nothing,” Mitchie said with a sigh as she took a handful of cookies.
Swinging herself up on the counter, Caitlyn looked over at Connie's pad. “Neither does your mom. You don't have
any
ideas you like?” she asked, noting the lines of crossed out words.
“Could be too limiting to do only platinum foods,” Mitchie commented. “Maybe you should branch out.”
“What about using a million copies sold as a theme?” Caitlyn suggested. “That's what going platinum means.”
Connie's eyes widened. “That's a great idea!” She raced back over to her pad, pencil in hand. Then she stopped. “A million what, though?”
They all laughed and passed the cookies around one more time.
“I have to wonder, even if it is a great hook, why would any of these A-list record people want to come to a camp in the middle of the woods?” Connie mumbled. “They have elaborate, expensive parties all the time. They're used to red carpets, not dirt paths.”
“Hey, what's wrong with camp?” Caitlyn said defensively. “You are talking about MY camp here. The lake, the spirit, the music, the cookouts!”
Mitchie jumped up. “That's it!” she cried. “That's the perfect theme!”
Connie and Caitlyn stared at Mitchie in confusion. They had no clue what she was talking about.
“Don't you see?” Mitchie asked. “
Camp
is the theme! All the great foods at campâ s'mores, hot dogs, hamburgers, bug juice . . .”
“Chocolate-chip cookies,” Caitlyn added. “I get it. Go rustic. Go camp. Go real.”
The girls waited to see Connie's reaction. She looked up at the ceiling as she considered the idea. Then a smile spread across her face. “That's brilliant,” she said, walking over to embrace her daughter. She reached out and pulled Caitlyn into the hug, too. “Oh, you girls are the best.”
“What's the best?” Brown said as he opened the door, clipboard in hand. He had been craving a treat and saw the light on.
“The theme for the party Friday night,” Caitlyn said, grinning.
As Connie described the menu, Brown grabbed a cookie and nibbled on the treat. “That all sounds delicious. I love it!” He slid his clipboard onto the counter and applauded. “A standing ovation! Is that why you called this meeting?”
Connie bowed and then blushed. “Sort of,” she said. “These girls have been a great help.”