Sound Off! by James Ponti Read Free Book Online Page A

looked up and smiled. “We may get on the plaque.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?” Lorraine asked. She was sitting in a massage chair, so her voice vibrated as she talked.
    â€œ The plaque,” Tess explained. “The top three teams get their names engraved on the plaque that hangs in the Music Mess Hall of Fame.”
    â€œSo does the winner of the Big Enchilada,” Shane added with a smile. “And I got my name on it as proof.”
    Nate shook his head. “I can’t believe you brought that up,” he said. “You did not deserve to win that. If I hadn’t slipped on that pile of wet leaves, I would have beaten you.”
    â€œYeah,” Jason added. “And if I had been . . . faster and finished before you, I would have beaten you, too.”
    â€œThose are pretty big ifs, fellas,” Shane said gleefully.
    The boys continued giving each other a hard time, but Mitchie was focused on what Tess had just said.
    â€œYou really think so?” Mitchie asked her. “You think we could make it into the top three?”
    â€œWe’ve got a great chance,” Tess said, “if I did all the calculations correctly.”
    The two of them exchanged smiles. After years of nothing but frustration when it came to sports, the chance to actually do well in a competition was almost more than they could have hoped for.
    Mitchie went and sat down next to Tess. “What events are left?”
    The two of them looked over the list and started plotting out their strategy.
    Unlike Mitchie and her team, Caitlyn was having a lunch that was anything but fun and exciting. She barely paid attention to her sandwich as she stared at the papers spread across the table in front of her and continued to flip through her giant binder.
    Brown approached and sat down next to her.
    â€œWhat’s the matter, Commish?”
    â€œEverything,” Caitlyn said, frustrated. “The balloons were just the tip of the iceberg. We’re behind schedule. We’ve had to rearrange the event order. I’m not sure we have everything ready for the Big Enchilada.”
    â€œSlow down,” Brown said gently. “I think you’re losing sight of something.”
    â€œThere’s something else?” she asked, panicked as she looked at her papers to see what she might have missed. “What is it?”
    â€œIt’s not in those papers,” he told her. “Come here a second.”
    Brown stood and signaled for her to follow him. Reluctantly, she got up.
    â€œI want you to look at this.” He walked her over to where the Sound Off plaques hung on the wall. “Who has won the Golden Drumstick more times than anyone else?”
    â€œI have,” Caitlyn said.
    â€œThat’s not luck,” Brown told her. “The Golden Drumstick is given to the camper with the most spirit. And for quite a few years, that has been you. You’ve won it because you’ve gotten into Sound Off more than any camper ever. Why?”
    â€œBecause it’s so much fun.”
    â€œThat’s right,” he said with a smile. “But you haven’t looked like you’ve had much fun today.”
    â€œThis year, I’ve got responsibility,” she replied. “I’m supposed to make sure everyone else has fun.”
    Brown laughed. “And they are. But there’s no reason you shouldn’t have fun, too.”
    He looked at Caitlyn hopefully, but it was clear his words hadn’t hit a chord—yet.
    It was time to try a different tactic. “Some day you want to be a music producer, right?”
    Caitlyn smiled. “Absolutely.”
    â€œAnd when that day comes, you’re still going to enjoy the music, aren’t you?”
    â€œOf course,” she replied.
    â€œBelieve me,” Brown said, pointing at the papers on the desk, “this is nothing compared to how far you’ll fall behind schedule when you’re trying