Chapter 1-The quiet afternoon
it was a oddly quiet afternoon at camp.
Not peaceful.
Not relaxing.
Just… quiet.
And at Camp Rock, quiet was almost never a good sign.
Usually, by three o’clock in the afternoon, the entire camp was practically vibrating with noise. Someone would be playing guitar near the lake. Someone else would be singing at the top of their lungs outside the cabins. Drums would echo from the rehearsal building. Counselors would be shouting for campers to stop running through the dining hall. And there was almost always at least one person arguing about who had stolen their favorite microphone.
But today?
Nothing.
The lake was still.
The cabins were strangely calm.
Even the main stage, which normally had a constant stream of campers practicing on it, sat completely empty.
Mia noticed it the second she stepped outside.
She stopped halfway down the cabin steps and looked around.
"Okay," she said slowly. "This is weird."
Behind her, Desi nearly walked straight into her.
"Why'd you stop?"
Mia didn't answer.
Desi stepped beside her and looked across camp.
He blinked.
Then blinked again.
"Whoa."
"Exactly."
"What happened?"
"I don't know."
Desi looked toward the dining hall.
Nothing.
He looked toward the rehearsal cabins.
Nothing.
He looked toward the stage.
Still nothing.
"Did everybody disappear?"
Mia shook her head.
"No. I saw people earlier."
"Maybe they all decided to take a nap."
"At the same time?"
Desi shrugged.
"Could be."
Mia gave him a look.
"You don't actually believe that."
"No."
"Then why did you say it?"
"Because I wanted it to sound less creepy."
Mia laughed despite herself.
There it was.
The first real sound she'd heard in almost five minutes.
Desi grinned.
"See? Problem solved."
"You're ridiculous."
"And yet you keep talking to me."
"Unfortunately."
"Wow."
He placed a hand over his heart.
"That hurt."
Mia rolled her eyes and started walking.
Desi followed.
They had been at Camp Rock long enough to know that an unusually quiet afternoon usually meant one of three things.
A surprise announcement.
A major rehearsal.
Or trouble.
And neither of them liked the third possibility.
They crossed the campgrounds together.
The sun was high enough that the wooden cabins cast short shadows across the grass. A few birds moved through the trees, and somewhere in the distance, Mia could hear water moving against the edge of the lake.
It should have felt peaceful.
Instead, it felt like Camp Rock was holding its breath.
Mia glanced at Desi.
"Do you think something happened?"
"Probably."
"That's not reassuring."
"I didn't say it was."
They kept walking.
When they passed Cabin Three, they finally spotted someone.
A camper was sitting on the porch with headphones on, staring at their phone.
Mia waved.
The camper looked up, waved back, and immediately went back to whatever they were doing.
Mia frowned.
"See?"
"What?"
"Everyone's acting weird."
Desi nodded.
"Okay, yeah. That is weird."
They continued toward the main activity area.
A few more campers were scattered around, but nobody seemed interested in doing anything.
No one was practicing.
No one was rehearsing.
No one was even talking very loudly.
Then Mia noticed something sitting on the bulletin board.
A large sheet of paper.
She stopped.
"Wait."
Desi turned around.
"What?"
Mia pointed.
"That wasn't there this morning."
They walked over.
A crowd had already started gathering around the board.
That explained the quiet.
Everyone was waiting.
Mia squeezed through the group.
"Excuse me—sorry—coming through."
Desi followed behind her.
When they finally reached the front, Mia looked at the paper.
There was one sentence written across the top in enormous letters.
### **SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT — ALL CAMPERS REPORT TO THE MAIN STAGE AT 4:00 PM.**
Mia stared at it.
Desi leaned over her shoulder.
"That's ominous."
"Everything is ominous to you."
"Not everything."
He pointed at the words.
"That is definitely ominous."
Mia read the announcement again.
"Why would they call everyone to the stage?"
"I don't know."
"Do you think it's about the camp competition?"
"Maybe."
"Maybe they're announcing the final performances."
"Maybe."
"Maybe somebody famous is coming."
Desi looked at her.
"At Camp Rock?"
Mia nodded.
"Yes."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"That's not how guessing works."
"I know."
They both laughed.
But Mia couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was happening.
Around them, the campers began whispering.
"I heard it's an announcement about the summer showcase."
"No, I heard somebody important is coming."
"My counselor said we're supposed to dress nice."
"Seriously?"
"That's what I heard."
"Maybe it's a surprise concert."
"A surprise concert would be amazing."
"Who would perform?"
"Connect 3, maybe?"
Mia's eyes widened.
She looked at Desi.
"Did they just say Connect 3?"
Desi shrugged.
"People say stuff."
"But what if—"
"Mia."
"What?"
"You're already getting excited."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm curious."
"That's the same thing."
"No, it isn't."
"It is when you're smiling like that."
Mia immediately stopped smiling.
"I am not smiling."
"You absolutely are."
"Stop."
Desi laughed.
The campers slowly began moving toward the main stage as the afternoon continued.
By the time the clock reached 3:45, the entire camp was gathering.
The stage was decorated with banners and lights, even though nobody knew exactly what was happening.
Mia sat near the front with Desi beside her.
She kept looking toward the backstage area.
"Something's happening."
Desi nodded.
"Definitely."
"You seem suspiciously calm."
"I'm not calm."
"You look calm."
"I'm pretending."
"Why?"
"Because you're nervous enough for both of us."
Mia crossed her arms.
"I'm not nervous."
"You've checked the clock six times."
"I like knowing what time it is."
"You checked it thirty seconds ago."
"Maybe I forgot."
"You didn't."
Mia looked at him.
"Can you please stop noticing everything I do?"
"No."
She smiled.
Before she could answer, the lights around the stage flickered.
The crowd immediately became silent.
Mia sat up straight.
A microphone was placed at center stage.
Then another.
Then another.
Three microphones.
Desi noticed them too.
"Three."
Mia looked at him.
"What?"
"Three microphones."
She stared at the stage.
Three microphones.
Her eyes widened.
"No way."
The crowd began whispering.
The whispers grew louder.
Then music started playing through the speakers.
The opening notes were unmistakable.
The crowd erupted.
Connect 3 walked onto the stage.
The reaction was immediate.
Campers screamed.
Some jumped to their feet.
Others started filming.
Mia couldn't stop smiling.
Desi laughed beside her.
"I knew it."
"You didn't know anything."
"I absolutely knew something."
"You guessed."
"That's basically knowing."
Connect 3 waved to the crowd before taking their places onstage.
One of them stepped toward the microphone.
"Hey, Camp Rock!"
The campers screamed even louder.
"How's everybody doing?"
The response was deafening.
Mia covered her ears, laughing.
Desi leaned toward her.
"Okay, maybe they should've brought earplugs."
"You say that every time."
"Because every time, I'm right."
After greeting everyone, Connect 3 exchanged a look.
It was subtle.
But Mia noticed it.
They didn't look excited.
They looked nervous.
That was strange.
Connect 3 had performed in front of thousands of people.
They weren't the type to get nervous in front of Camp Rock campers.
So why did they look like they were about to deliver bad news?
One of them took a breath.
"We're here today because we need to talk to you about something important."
The crowd became quieter.
Mia's smile faded.
Desi sat forward.
Important?
One of the brothers continued.
"As most of you know, we're getting ready to start a brand-new tour."
The campers cheered.
"We've been working on it for months. We've got new music, new performances, new production, and a lot of surprises planned."
Another cheer.
"But there's been a problem."
The crowd fell silent again.
Connect 3 looked at one another.
"Our opening act had to drop out."
A wave of shocked reactions moved through the crowd.
Mia's eyebrows shot up.
Desi whispered, "Oh."
The brother continued.
"And because the tour is starting soon, we don't have a lot of time to find someone new."
Mia stared at the stage.
That explained everything.
The strange quiet afternoon.
The announcement.
The three microphones.
The nervous expressions.
Connect 3 weren't at Camp Rock for a casual visit.
They were looking for someone.
One of them stepped forward.
"We've talked to our management team. We've contacted performers. We've looked at different options."
He paused.
"Nothing has worked."
Another brother added, "So we decided to come somewhere we know has incredible talent."
The campers began whispering.
Camp Rock.
Mia looked around.
Everyone suddenly seemed more alert.
Every camper was thinking the same thing.
*This could be us.*
Connect 3 smiled.
"We're looking for an opening act."
The crowd exploded.
Mia's heart started pounding.
Desi turned toward her.
"Well."
Mia looked at him.
"Well what?"
"You wanted to know why everyone was acting weird."
She looked back at the stage.
"Yeah."
"I think we found out."
The announcement continued.
Connect 3 explained that they weren't simply looking for one singer.
They wanted an act.
A performer or group that could command a stage, connect with an audience, sing live, dance if necessary, and handle the pressure of performing in front of thousands of people.
They needed someone who could open the show and make the audience excited for Connect 3.
And they needed them quickly.
Very quickly.
"Auditions begin tomorrow morning."
The campers erupted again.
"Tomorrow?" someone shouted.
"That's right."
"What time?"
"Nine a.m."
Another camper yelled, "How many songs?"
"Two."
"Can groups audition?"
"Yes."
"Can we write our own song?"
"Absolutely."
Mia's mind was already racing.
Two songs.
Tomorrow.
Opening for Connect 3.
A real tour.
This wasn't some camp showcase.
This was an actual opportunity.
Desi leaned closer.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?"
Mia didn't look at him.
"Probably."
"Which is?"
"We should audition."
Desi grinned.
"Exactly."
Mia finally looked at him.
But then her expression changed.
"Wait."
"What?"
"You said *we*."
"Yeah."
"You mean you and me?"
Desi nodded.
"Unless you suddenly have another incredibly talented person standing beside you."
Mia laughed.
"You're confident."
"Someone has to be."
She looked back at the stage.
The campers were already talking excitedly.
People were making plans.
Some were grabbing their friends.
Others were already discussing songs.
Camp Rock had gone from completely silent to louder than ever in less than ten minutes.
Connect 3 finished the announcement by reminding everyone that there would be multiple rounds.
Only one act would ultimately be selected.
And the chosen performers would have to leave Camp Rock and join the tour.
That last part made Mia's stomach flip.
Leaving camp.
Traveling.
Performing every night.
Thousands of people.
Real stages.
Real pressure.
It sounded incredible.
It also sounded terrifying.
After Connect 3 left the stage, the crowd immediately scattered.
Everyone rushed toward their friends.
The campgrounds became chaos.
Mia and Desi remained where they were for a moment.
Neither spoke.
Finally, Desi looked at her.
"So."
"So."
"You still want to audition?"
Mia nodded.
"Yes."
"Even though we have one night to prepare?"
"Yes."
"Even though we're competing against everyone here?"
"Yes."
"Even though Connect 3 basically said they're desperate?"
Mia smiled.
"Especially because they're desperate."
Desi laughed.
"That's the spirit."
They started walking back toward the cabins.
Behind them, Camp Rock was already transforming.
The quiet afternoon was gone.
Music began spilling from rehearsal rooms.
Someone was testing a microphone.
A drummer started practicing.
Guitars were being tuned.
Campers were shouting song ideas across the field.
And Mia realized something.
The summer had barely begun.
Yet somehow, everything had already changed.
This wasn't going to be an ordinary Camp Rock summer.
Tomorrow, everyone would audition.
Tomorrow, everyone would get one chance to prove themselves.
And somewhere among all those voices, instruments, dancers, singers, and musicians...
Connect 3 were hoping to find the performers who could save their tour.
Mia looked at Desi.
"Tomorrow."
He nodded.
"Tomorrow."
She held out her hand.
He bumped his fist against hers.
"Let's do this."
And as the sun began to set over Camp Rock, the first notes of music echoed across the camp.
The search had officially begun.
