Tess sat down on her bed. Finally, she was done unpacking. She hung over the side of her bed and pulled out her binder. Flipping through it with tired hands, she saw sketches of herself, most done by professionals. She'd been meaning to look through the binder for years, but it hadn't been touched other than by the movers for over five. Finally, she reached the back page, a yellow piece of paper she had added to the binder. "What's this?" She squinted at the paper.
-
Tess's Plan.
Step 1: Beat Mitchie at final jam.
Step 2: Steal Shane Grey's heart.
Step 3: Create a band.
Step 4: Confront mom.
Step 5: Sell 1 hit record by the time I'm 21.
Step 6: Make up with friends
Step 7: Find something I love.
Step 8: Learn to ----
Step 9: Be happy.
Step 10: Apologize
-
She almost laughed at it at first. What a childish list. She guessed it was made at Camp Rock all of those years back. Reading them over again, though, she frowned. None of these dreams came true, except for possibly number 8, depending on what the word crossed out was. A tear came to her eye. No, of course these weren't fulfilled! They were all stupid! Stupid dreams of a stupid fifteen year old!
Her mind quickly wondered, though. How could she let this list defeat her? She couldn't, she wouldn't… The list was going to be fulfilled. Starting with step number six. Make up with friends.
-
The Camp Rock 2008 yearbook wasn't hard to find. Tess had unpacked it just the previous Monday, and put it on the bottom shelf of her bookcase. As she grabbed it, she noticed just how amazing the apartment was. Her mother had really gone all out with the designers, Tess would have to thank her again. If she could get ahold of her….
Nevermind that. Tess sat in one of the white chairs which blended with the walls perfectly. It was large enough for her to curl up in, and she pulled the cover, which was left there from her nightly Twilight reading from the night before, over her body. She slid her cellphone out of her pocket and opened the yearbook.
Of course, Connect 3's photo was the first page of the book. She would save them for last. Then came her cabin. Tess Tyler, Ella Pador, and Margaret Dupree. "They probably still hate me." Tess grimaced. This wasn't going to be easy., but it had to be done. She searched the page for Ella's number, dialed it, and pressed the call button on her cellphone.
It rang a few times, enough to make Tess pretty sure Ella wouldn't pick up. Suddenly, an old women's voice burst into her ear.
"Hello?" Tess thought she could hear some kind of old time game show in the background. This couldn't be Ella, could it?
"Ella? Is that you?" Tess peeped up.
"Ella? Oh, no, no…" The old woman laughed from the other side of the line. "Ella moved out just a few years ago. Who am I speaking to?"
"Tess Tyler."
"Oh, oh, Tess!" The voice on the other end seemed to go into panic. "I'm Ella's mother… Tess Tylers… Ella's friend from Camp Rock. She missed you the second year."
Tess recalled it. She hadn't gone to the next year's Camp Rock out of fear. "Yeah… I was wanting to talk to her, catch up."
"I'll get you her number, it's right on the bulletin board. Let me get my glasses."
Tess smiled. She'd never met Ella's mother. She seemed like a nice woman.
"Here it is…" Ella's mother recited the number, and Tess simultaneously typed it into her phone.
"Thank you, ma'am." Tess said.
"Of course.
"Have a good night." Tess inched her finger towards the button to end the call.
"Oh yes, Tess?"
"Yeah?"
"Ella's a little touchy about that one girl… What was her name? Margaret. Don't mention her." Ella's mother's voice was grave.
"Did they get in a fight?" Tess smiled. They weren't ever the best of friends.
"Oh, um, goodnight, Tess Tyler." The line cut.
"Well that was rude." Tess said to herself. She looked down to her phone to make sure she had Ella's new number down right, then pressed the call button.
This time, the phone was answered almost instantly. "Tess? Tess Tyler Tess?" Tess knew it was Ella's voice.
"How'd you know?" Tess smiled, thanking god that Ella held no grudge.
"Caller ID, it's the future Tess!" Ella giggled. "I haven't seen you for a good five years!"
Tess laughed. "Yeah. My mom wouldn't let me go to Camp Rock 2009." It was a lie, but what Ella didn't know wouldn't hurt her.
"Bummer. Me and Peggy had a great time." Ella said, with a slight touch of sadness.
"Yeah…" Tess trailed off. Well, this was awkward. Plus, it didn't seem to be going anywhere toward accomplishing the sixth step. There was no making up to do… But why? Ella hated Tess the last time they saw each other.
"How'd you get my number?"
"Oh, I called the number in the yearbook and your mom gave me this one." Tess replied. "She's nice."
"Yeah, she is…" Ella said. "So, why'd you call?"
"I just wanted to catch up. I'm trying to get in contact with all of you from Camp Rock. You, Connect 3, Mitchie," Tess remember what Ella's mother had said, how not to mention Peggy, but she decided to ignore it. "and Peggy."
"Um…" Ella's voice changed… Was she… Crying? "Uh…" Sobbing noises were now obvious to Tess.
"What, what's wrong, Ella?" She could almost guess what was wrong. She'd been reminded of Peggy, and whatever happened between them.
"You really didn't hear?" Ella was yelling into the phone, trying to keep her voice calm. "After Camp Rock 2009, Peggy was driven home by her mother. A man drove by them… He had a gun, and…"
Tess held her breath in shock. What? What did she just say? She couldn't mean… "Ella, Peggy was… Shot?"
Ella broke out into uncontrollable sobs, and Tess did the same soon after. She shouldn't have mentioned her… "It was her mom that was… After she was dead the car lost control… Peggy was killed in the accident…"
"No…" Tess's tears stained the cover that was wrapped around her. "Ella… I'm so…"
"Don't be…" Ella started to recover. "Peggy's in a better place."
Tess nodded.
"Anyway… Where are you living now?" Ella sounded slightly better.
"New York. I'm in an apartment up here."
"Oh my god, are you serious?" Tess could hear Ella blow her nose on the other end after she talked. "Me too, we should get coffee! You up for it?
Tess smiled, tears still dropping off her chin. "Yes, of course."
"Baron and Sander opened up a coffee shop in Brooklyn, you remember them?" Ella said.
Tess scanned her mind. Oh yes, the dancers! "Yeah, them."
"They have nightly rock bands, Saturday Connect 3 will be there, you down?"
"Sure!" Tess said. Maybe she'd see Shane?
"The place's named Hasta La Vista. Be there about… Five-ish? Connect 3 should be there by then." Ella said.
"Sure."
"Night, Tessie… I missed you." All the time Tess had spend with Ella came flashing back.
"I missed you too. Night" Tess hung up, laid against the chair, and cried.
She wasn't going to be calling the others tonight. She didn't care. Connect 3 would be at the coffee shop anyway. Chances were Mitchie would be there to steal the spotlight from Tess as well, as usual. The only one missing would be Peggy…
Tess Tyler slowly cried herself to sleep. Maybe this list wasn't the best idea.
A.N.: Co-written with Ressficent. Thx 4 reading. Please review
