The Rivals

'Mr. Beech and Ms. Yamada! Stop this outrageous behavior at once! I've had enough with you two! To my office now!' Ray and Stella glared at each other, their faces red with fury and just inches apart. Instantly Stella was struck with the wish to spit on that jerk's face again. Ray Beech, the soccer star and captain, the honor student, lead singer and songwriter for Lemonade Mouth's rival band Mudslide Crush, and blessed with unbelievably good looks. With his soft blonde hair, awesome athletic physique and shining, devilish blue eyes he was every girls dream. But, in spite of all this Stella Yamada hated him, absolutely hated him. In fact, all these things were the reason she hated him this much. How could such an egotistical, arrogant, self-centered jerk be so blessed! He was the self-proclaimed king, the tyrant of Mesa High. Everybody loved him, feared him and followed his rules. She really couldn't understand the workings of this world. How come all the bad boys become so popular and at the top of the social ladder!

But in any case things had changed since her arrival there, she thought with a smug smile. And probably that was the reason that Beech hated her so much!

He would always play pranks on her, deliberately pick up fights with her in the hallways, and bully her friends all the time! But Stella didn't just sit back and watch. She retaliated with her own set of pranks on him and his cheer girls, shouted at him till she was hoarse, and all in all tried to make his life a living hell.

Without even once glancing at each other they reached principal Brenigan's office. He was just fed up with their antics and in any case if he wanted to stop his school from tumbling down because of the chaos they created he had to make sure that two started tolerating each other. The very last day the two had created such a racket in his office with him standing there, shouting to the heavens for the two to shut up! He had been really shocked by their outrageous behavior. That too in his office!

After that Brenigan spent the rest of his day thinking up a plan to make them bury the hatchet and move on. And today morning as Kate presented him with a new pamphlet he was struck with an idea so bright that he wouldn't have been surprised if his head had lit up like a light bulb! But now he was here to finish the most difficult part- convincing these two.

'Sit down' said principal Brenigan thinking silently. He handed the pamphlet to Ray and explained-'There is a singing competition for all schools in the Arizona state. Each school is supposed to participate and send in a singer and an instrumentalist for the competition. This is the first year of this competition and I want my school to win it. As you two are the best in your respective fields here i.e. singing and playing I want you two to represent our school in the competition. This is a very prestigious competition and it would be beneficial for both your bands' future. So I would like if you two participated.' Ray and Stella sat with their mouths hanging open. They had expected detention by principal Brenigan's serious demeanor and here he was asking them to represent the school in such a huge competition. Both of them had heard of it. The Rizing Star was just limited to the schools I Mesa but this was competing with the schools from all over Arizona. If they won, it truly would be very beneficial for them. But there was just one problem.

It was Stella who spoke up first- 'Sir, I would be happy to represent the school in this competition but don't you think Olivia should be the one to join me. I mean she is a way better singer and song writer than this piece of crap', eyeing Beech with disgust. Ray piped in before principal Brenigan could say anything- 'Sir, if you want our school to win this competition then please choose someone better than this talentless freak!'

'Oh yeah, like you are any better…'

'Then you accept you are one!'

Before they could get any further with this verbal sparring Brenigan practically jumped in between. 'That's enough you two! I've given this a great deal of thought and thus my decision is final! Either you two will participate together or no one will! So if you want to take advantage of this opportunity you will have to suck it up and do whatever it takes but sort out the problem between you two! There are hundreds of students in this school who would be flattered to get this opportunity. And you two are sitting here complaining! Get the hell out of here and sort it out! And return only if you both are prepared to work together! Go!'