Disclaimer: I don't own Camp Rock.
First ever Camp Rock fic, hope you like it!
The Truth Comes Out
Caitlyn tried to stop Mitchie being ousted, but nothing can stop a trainwreck from happening. She saw everyone's disappointed faces as the truth came out. Peggy and Ella's faces were the worst, betrayal written all over them. Lola and the guys just looked disappointed in her but the smug look on Tess' face was what set it off. Tess was meant to be her friend, but this just proved she was not, she did not have friends, she had lackeys and admirers but not real friends. And Mitchie pitied her for that. But when she saw Shane's face, his eyes wild with disbelief and hurt, everything fled her mind apart from him.
"You're just like everyone else, you wanted to get to know Shane Grey, not me." He marched off with those words ringing in her mind and dimly she felt Caitlyn leading her off before she broke down in front of everyone.
"I didn't mean to...I just wanted things to be different and then it blew out of control." Mitchie stammered to Caitlyn, tripping over in her shock.
"Hey Mitchie, things will be okay, really." Even Caitlyn did not believe her words and it seemed Mitchie did not either. She started to cry harder and Caitlyn started to lead her to her mom's cabin, through the back way to make sure they didn't run into anyone.
"Connie?" She called desperately into the cabin and Connie opened the door.
"Caitlyn? Mitchie!" She cried horrified at the state her daughter was in. Mitchie ran to her mom and hugged her tightly, still sobbing. Connie turned shocked eyes to Caitlyn. "What happened?"
"Something big happened, simply Tess was a huge jerk and using a mistake of Mitchie's she turned the whole camp against her." Connie looked down at her daughter.
"I'm sure she regrets this mistake now." Mitchie nodded and sobbed harder at her mother's quiet words.
"Mitchie needs you." She said to Connie and then said softly to Mitchie, "I'll see you tomorrow okay? Remember we have that dance class with Shane tomorrow." Mitchie nodded, quietening down now and Caitlyn quickly bid a retreat.
The next day when she watched Mitchie dissolve into tears at Shane's words, she felt hot rage pierce her. Couldn't he see that she was suffering enough? He did not need to embarrass her in front of the entire class like that. She almost stood up and said something but a glance at Mitchie's face told her that that would not be welcome so she kept quiet and settled for glaring daggers at Shane. It seemed that he saw her but seemed very confused about why she was glaring at him so viciously.
"Break my friend's heart will you." Caitlyn muttered to herself and resolved to help Mitchie win Final Jam, beat Tess and make Shane see the truth.
At the end of Final Jam, Tess saw Peggy, no Margaret, win the Final Jam and clapped hard. She had meant what she said earlier, when someone was that good they should get recognition for it, not shoved to sing as a backup singer. She watched Caitlyn and Mitchie celebrate with mixed feelings: jealously for the way they were able to be so happy that they did not win and for how strong their friendship had grown over the past month and also guilt for how she treated them.
"You guys were great." She started with, not sure how to start off an apology, having never had to do it before.
"Thanks." Mitchie said in an unsure tone.
"Yeah." Caitlyn echoed, eyeing Tess suspiciously.
"So I told Brown that you didn't take my bracelet." It was the nearest she could get to an apology and from Mitchie's expression she could tell that she understood what it means.
"Wow." Mitchie was obviously gobsmacked but polite. "Um...thank you."
"See you next summer." Was all Tess could say, a lame finish but the damage would have to be repaired slowly.
"Um...sure." Was all Mitchie said before Tess gave a small nod and walked off. At the top of the stairs she heard Mitchie say to her parents that she did win and hear her talk to Shane Gray like a person. She was struck by an aching sense of loss, for parents who cared enough to stay until the end of Final Jam, for someone like Shane who could forgive her after she made a mistake like that.
A sense of purpose filled Tess and she smiled at the nearest person, who turned out to be Brown. He smiled happily back, glad to see Tess without the whole world on her shoulders or rather her mother's expectations.
"Better get ready for the last song." Brown told Tess and she walked off confidently. She could bounce back from this, she was Tess Tyler. To grow to be her own person and not the person her mom was would be hard but she definitely was determined enough.
Caitlyn watched Tess walk off and felt hope stir in her. There was still a good person inside Tess Tyler and it seemed Mitchie brought that out in her. She did that to people. After she had helped her to stop being so bitter towards people.
"Hey Mitchie." She called, grabbing her before she went on for the final song. "I'm really glad I made friends with you. Getting kitchen duty was the best thing that could have happened to me." Mitchie smiled widely at her, all teeth, and hugged her tightly.
"I'm glad too. You're like my sister as well as my best friend." With only an absent older brother, Caitlyn was glad to get a sister.
"Thanks Mitchie." She said quietly and the girls hugged again.
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