Charlie's Story
Chapter Seven

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PrincessKay

song = Play My Music by the Jonas Brothers, Camp Rock

The next week passed by quickly, everyone at camp had fallen into a comfortable routine. I was improving in my guitar and vocal lessons, and my relationship with Mitchie was growing stronger than it had ever been. my relationship with Shane however hadn't changed I still went to all my dance classes on Mitchie's request, although it was quite clear the only rhythm I had was when I was playing guitar. Shane continued to make a strong effort to spend time with me. He offered to help me with my dancing during free time, to which I civilly informed him that I was too busy getting ready for pyjama jam to attend. Noah had annoyingly signed us up to perform at pyjama jam; the problem is our practise sessions have hardly been productive. We still don't have a song or a band name and the pyjama jam is tomorrow night. I rested my head against the wooden desk I was sitting at. It was the end of another song writing lesson everyone had practically run out of the room, all eager to enjoy another day of nice whether. Nate approached nosily taking a seat next to me.

"Something wrong?" he asked. I raised my head and caught his eyes. Noticing they were the same shade of brown as Shane's, the same as my dads, his brothers. I guess that technically that makes Nate my uncle.

"The band still doesn't have a song to sing at pyjama jam tomorrow" I told him sadly. He seemed to think this over for a little bit. I began to flick through my song book, I was ok at song writing but I wasn't amazing at it like Mitchie or Nate. Noah, Seth and Dylan tended to use song writing as a time to goof off. There was nothing that I had written that I wanted to use for our band.

"What if I give you permission to used one of Connect 3's older songs?" he suggested. I didn't answer, I didn't know how to, I didn't think it would be right for our band to use one of there songs. Nate seemed to know what I was thinking.

"Shane and I wrote most of those songs, they belong to us and I think he would like it if you used one" he continued. I gave him a worried look.

"What makes you so sure Shane would like it?" I questioned Nate smiled. He placed his hand on my shoulder. I was unsure as to why I suddenly cared if he did or didn't like it.

"Charlie, trust me he would love it, in fact I know exactly which song you should use" he grinned confidently. I couldn't help but smile at him. I stood up and grabbed my stuff ready to leave. I had to go and tell the others we had a song, we would need to start practising straight away. Nate walked over to his desk searched through some papers and came back. He handed me the music for the song he wanted me to use.

"Thank you" I said reaching forward I took the papers, then spontaneously gave him a hug. He wrapped his arms around me and whispered in my ear.

"That's alright, I'm always happy to help family" he said.

I ran into Shane on my way to the dining hall to meet the others, literally ran into him.

"Whoa, hold up what's the rush?" he chuckled, his hands on my shoulders gently holding me in place after I had crashed into him. I was in a much better mood knowing the band now had a song to perform.

"The band now has a song for pyjama jam, I have to go show them so we can practise" I rushed out grinning excitedly. Shane smiled too.

"I have to go" I whispered, Shane lowered his hands releasing me, he seemed a little down making me feel guilty. As I hurried to the dining hall I remembered something Mitchie had told me the other day.

"Shane has only known he was your father for as long as you have known you're his daughter, go easy on him, Charlie" I could hear her voice reasoning with me, making me feel worse for my behaviour lately. I shook it off and burst into the dining hall my enthusiasm returning.

"I have in my hands our song for pyjama jam" I squealed excitedly waving the sheet music in the air. They all laughed at my excitement. I could have sworn I heard Noah mutter something about girls but I ignored him.

"Well let us hear it then" Seth told me, he was sitting down at his drums. I picked up my guitar and took a seat next to Dylan, calling Noah over to us. I showed Noah the first few chords then handed the sheets to Dylan for him to sing. Dylan tapped his palms to a beat against the table top.

"Give us a beat like that, Seth" he instructed. Seth instantly picked up the tune followed quickly by Noah and myself. Then Dylan came in with the lyrics.

Dylan only got a few lines into the song before we stopped.

"Awesome!" Seth cried happily.

"I like it" Dylan said nodding his head. Noah seemed pretty happy with it too.

We continued to practise until people began to set up for dinner. We had almost perfected the song, it was great! Our first productive band session, I was really happy and proud of the band. That night I decided not to tell Mitchie which song we were going to play. It had become a regular occurrence that every night the two of us would sit together and talk until I fell asleep. I felt the need to keep the song a secret just between the band, well the band and Nate. Sort of like a surprise.

CSCRCSCRCSCRCSCRCSCRCSCRCSCRCSCRCSCRCSCRCSCRCSCRCSCRCS

I was so nervous before pyjama jam, I was seriously freaking out. My eyes swept the room taking in all of the campers and instructors dressed in colourful pyjamas happily watching the group before us perform. In the back corner of the room I spotted Shane standing next to Mitchie. I took deep breaths but it did nothing to calm me. No matter how many times I reminded myself of the fact that we had spent pretty much every waking minute of the last two days practising this song, a hundred butterflies were fluttering around in my stomach. Dylan came up behind me, his arm wrapping firmly around my waist.

"Relax, your ok, this is going to be fun" he whispered reassuringly into my ear. I took another deep breath, catching Mitchie and Shane's eyes one last time before we were called to perform.

Before we started I stepped up to the microphone in front of Noah, so he could sing the harmony.

"We would like to thank connect three for letting us use this song" I said shakily before moving to my place on stage.

My fingers moved easily along the guitar strings, following a well memorised melody, I could hear our audience start clapping along to the song as we got into the chorus.

Hand Clapping
Hip Shaking
Heart Breaking
there's no faking
what you feel
when you're right at home, yeah


Music's in my soul
I can hear it
Every day and every night
It's the one thing on my mind
Music's got control
and I'm never letting go

I kept my eyes nervously, staring down at my fingers as if though I was concentrating really hard. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Dylan removing the microphone from the stand and make his way over to where I was standing. I lifted my head, smiling at the huge grin on his face. He was having the time of his life performing up on that small stage to just a small room full of people. I couldn't imagine how thrilled he would be if the band ever got the chance to perform in front of an audience anywhere near the size of Mitchie's usual crowds, and how sick I would feel in that situation. I looked over the room everyone appeared to be enjoying the song; I anxiously let my eyes find my biggest critics. Mitchie was laughing, her hand resting on Shane's shoulder. Shane looked gobsmacked there's no other word for it. He was staring directly at me, so I smiled at him remembering that this was one of his own songs that he had written. He was probably just shocked to hear his daughter play his song. Before the song was over Shane recovered. Something about the way he smiled at me that night I don't think I will every forget it. He looked proud, proud of me. The song ended we left our instruments on stage, to be collected later. We hurried off stage and out side. I filled my lungs with fresh cool air. Seth and Noah came jumping outside shouting and cheering excitedly. Adrenaline pulsing quickly threw our veins. Dylan came rushing over to me wrapping his arms around my middle, lifting my feet off the ground he span me around in a circle. I squealed in surprise and happiness, we had done it, we just survived pyjama jam something I was certain would be a disaster from the moment Noah signed us up. Once my feet were back on the ground I pulled all three boys into a group hug. Pulling away the boy arms were quickly replaced with Mitchie's embrace.

"That was great! I am so proud of you!" she gushed holding me tightly. I giggled.

"I get it mom but I need to breath" I said teasingly. Then froze realising what I had just called her. I hadn't meant to, it just slipped out and well she was acting like my mom. 'Maybe because she is your mom' a little voice inside my head pointed out, in a highly sarcastic tone. Mitchie didn't make a big deal out of it, I was sure she had heard me though.

"Alright, alright I'll go, see you later" she smiled heading off towards our cabin.

"You know what, maybe we should go pack up our stuff" Dylan said the tone of his voice was off and he appeared to be only talking to Seth and Noah. I turned around to see Shane a few metre's behind me. Nate and Jason were a few metres behind him. I nodded to Dylan.

"Yeah, just leave mine, I will see you tomorrow" I told them the boys shrugged and headed off, Dylan pausing to quickly kiss my cheek first. His lips were warm and soft, and even though they only connected with me skin for a second tingles ran down my spine.

"Good luck" he breathed almost silently, then jogged off to catch up with the others. I walked towards my father and uncles shuffling my converse covered shoes nervously. Nate moved forward to meet me.

"Told you" he whispered pulling me into a hug, then heading off towards his cabin.

"Loved the song!" Jason beamed copying Nate. Once they were gone Shane and I wandered over to the cabin where he took the dance lessons, taking a seat on the steps outside. We sat as far away from each other as possible whilst still sitting on the stairs.

"Did Jason give you that song?" He asked finally I was getting really nervous with all the silence. I shook my head.

"Nate" I answered shortly, moving my feet up a step so I could hug my knees close to my chest. Shane smiled.

"I wrote it around the same time I fell in love with your mom" he fiddled with his shoelaces making me realise he was just as anxious about being around me as I was about being around him. I decided right then it was time I started making this easier for him, I had absently let Mitchie start playing mom, time to give Shane a go, who knows maybe it could work out. He wasn't the evil guy my mind had made him out to be.

"Mitchie... mom… she told me about when you went to camp here" I informed him and he nodded.

"Do you still love her?" I asked clearly. He sighed running his fingers threw his dark hair.

"I think so" he confessed, turning to read my expression. I smiled kindly in response.

"Then tell me something, Shane… dad?" I bit my bottom lip hoping he hadn't noticed the way I choked over the word dad.

"Anything" he beamed happily, inching a little closer.

"What on earth are you doing sitting here talking to me? Mitchie is in our cabin, alone" I stated emphasising the alone part. Shane chuckled reaching over he placed his arm across my shoulders and pulled me in close, so I was leaning against his side. Oddly I didn't feel the urge to pull away from him.

"Because you're my daughter, our daughter and I love you too. I am really proud of you, your much better at guitar than you are at dancing" he teased. I smiled up at him as he stared down at me.

"It was a good song" I complimented. Shane smiled.

"It is, and I am glad you used it" he whispered kissing the top of my head.