Author's note – it's been a long while since I've done a full-length MCL fanfiction. I'm so ready for this. Loosely follows some of the episodes in the game, but not all of them and again, only very loosely with the ones that do pop up. You can see their character profiles on (dot com), where this fic is also posted. Please review!

Warnings (for future reference for the upcoming chapters/topics/subplots) – drug use, sexual scenes, suggestive material (as these subjects come up, they will be warned appropriately in the chapter they appear in)

Title: When Heads Roll and Bodies Rock
Summary: Olivia Mackey is back in high school after deciding to finish her education before beginning her first world tour with her, fairly popular, band. She had hoped that high school would be easy and relatively drama-free, but sadly, as she attends Sweet Amoris High School, she learns that that simply isn't the case. Especially when the redhead that sits behind her is apparently Winged Skulls Number One Fan. She just prays he doesn't figure out that she's the lead singer.
Genre: Romance/Humor
Rating: T to low M
Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim My Candy Love. I do own Ocs, including Olivia Mackey/Dawn Volt and the other girls within her band.

CHAPTER ONE : WELCOME TO THE ROCK SHOW

At the rock show

I'm looking at the front row

Heart and soul, we both know

It's where we gotta be

Rock Show - Halestorm

There were three things that Olivia Mackey always did after a concert ended. She started to head backstage trying to pop her ears so they'd stop ringing. Once she regained the ability to hear, she headed off to the refreshment table, gathered as much as she could, and then finally, she went straight into the dressing room. The other band members had a very similar after-concert ritual, aside from Aya who happily skipped the first step as the banging of her drums never affected her.

Olivia, as, per usual, was the first to reach the dressing room with her stash and collapsed onto the couch with a heavy sigh of relief, happy to be off her feet after such a long concert. She watched as the others shuffled in with their own stashes of food and settled into their spots, with Sharpay and Katriel opting to share a bean bag chair close to her as Aya stretched out across the floor, her back against the wall, leaving Molly to sit at one of the stools by the makeup mirror. By the time Olivia looked back to her stash, half of it had disappeared. She sent a dirty look toward the culprit, who gave a cheeky, innocent grin.

"Sharpay," Olivia's voice cut, "Come on, we're all hungry after a show, hand it over."

The grin dropped, but Sharpay remained stubborn. Olivia sent a look toward Katriel, control her. Katriel sighed and nudged her girlfriend, who whined at the betrayal but begrudgingly held out a few rice kripsy treats and a can of soda. Olivia snatched them up with a sharp glare in warning. Though she knew that it didn't matter how many times she warned Sharpay, the girl had a thing for stealing other people's food.

"Here Sharpie," Aya whistled to get the blonde's attention before tossing a donut her way, "Have some of mine."

Wordlessly, Molly's hand reached toward Aya to hand her a nutrition bar with a shrug, not having grabbed anything else aside from a few bars and a small cup of fruit. Ally accepted it with the happiness of someone who had just received a dozen donuts at the end of a diet plan gone wrong.

"You guys know that little alley near the truck," Molly's words spoke to everyone, yet she turned to Olivia as Aya munched on her received treat.

"The one where every couple in our sound crew makes out in," Sharpay paused just long enough to speak before burrowing herself farther into Katriel's lap with a treat in sticking out between her lips.

"And everyone can hear them," Molly nodded in confrontation, "Apparently it's some sort of sweet spot. You can stand there, say anything, and almost everyone within a few yards can hear you. You'd think the sound guys would know that."

Sharpay muttered something about how she was sure that they did know that and that was why they stood there, but her comment went ignored. Molly's eyes focused directly onto Olivia, baring into her irises as if she could shoot lasers out of her eyes. Katriel watched the two carefully and thoughtfully as Olivia paused mid-bite, caught in Molly's glare. She knew then that she was missing something. Aya didn't seem to notice the sparks that were beginning to fuse between the two and Katriel lost any hope she had that they could go one concert without an incident. At least Sharpay seemed to notice the sparks, yet failed to feel the growing tension.

"Olivia," Sharpay furrowed her brows, "I thought you didn't like snogging up with people?"

"I don't," Olivia snapped, causing Sharpay to make a face, but she backed off as Olivia turned toward Molly, "But I do like privacy if I have a conversation with someone, Molly."

"Standing in an acoustic sweet spot, yeah that's private," Molly rolled her eyes as Katriel sighed deeply, already feeling a headache beginning to form, "And you can try to pin this down on me all you want, but no one's going to be against me when they hear what you were talking about."

That received everyone's close attention. Katriel muttered and prayed a why me, why my sisters, why does this always have to happen, but she went ignored as Sharpay leaned forward enough to nearly fall off the beanbag chair. Aya stopped munching and listened with her cocked to the side in interest. Olivia felt her veins burn as she crushed a rice krispy treat in her fist, her head beginning to throb.

"You make it sound so bad," Olivia spoke through a locked jaw, grinding her teeth, "I didn't do anything wrong."

Molly scowled, "So talking about putting off our first world tour, without telling any of us isn't bad? When did you plan on saying something, when it was the day before the world tour and our flight got delayed? You'd just slide on in like don't worry guys, we don't have to be there yet."

That was a thought Olivia had briefly, but she'd be damned if she let Molly know. Her vision was turning a bit too red to control the shaking in her hands as she stood abruptly, the last nerve she had been holding onto so desperately finally snapped.

"I was going to tell you after the show, but leave it to you to sweep in before I had the chance," Olivia spat, her voice rising as she struggled to resist the urge to jump Molly and put a new definition on the term 'cat fight.' "And I didn't tell you because I was going to surprise you."

Katriel rocked a bit in her seat, muttering to herself frantically, her knee bouncing with nervous energy. Aya had bit her lip hard enough to make it bleed as she eyed the fight cautiously, shifting uncomfortably as she debated if stepping in would make it worse or better. Sharpay had already taken to the floor as she dared to get closer to the fight with wide eyes, watching in fascination like a kid watching Saturday cartoons.

"Surprise us," Molly mocked, scowling as her arms pressed tighter against her chest. "That phrase is reserved for good news."

"Delaying the tour wasn't the good news," Olivia's voice bordered on yelling, "The good news was that I decided to back to school! Real school! Where I can meet people and ask questions and I need this Molly, I'm the youngest and I'm the only one who doesn't have a high school education! I have to do it now before it's too late!"

That finally caused a pause within the argument. Molly merely blinked, stunned as she digested the information before swallowing the guilt she felt for forcing the information out of her band mate. Her friend. Delaying the tour withing telling them stung, a lot, but Olivia making the choice to go back to school soothed the burn of betrayal. She didn't get the chance to speak, nor apologize, before Sharpay and Aya jumped Olivia with large grins and happy squeals.

"Good for you," The two cheered and hugged Olivia tight enough she felt she could break. Their voices blurred together in an excited buzz, rising in energy with each statement and question they flung at her. "It's about time! I knew you could do this. Finally we can all be graduates! I'm so proud of you. We can throw you the biggest graduation party after you're out! It'll be a good experience for you."

"Girls," Katriel finally spoke up, whistling sharply to stop the onslaught. The two turned to Katriel with hurt, puppy dog looks. Katriel stood her ground, raising an eyebrow. They both pouted, but obeyed the unspoken command and backed off. Katriel took a deep breath and hopped off the bean bag chair toward Olivia. She put both her hands on the smaller girl's shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes.

"High school will wreck you," her voice spoke with the intensity of a war veteran, a haunted glaze in her irises, but as quick and intense as it came, it was gone, replaced with a cheery bright smile as she pulled Olivia into a tight embrace. "But it'll be worth it. I'm so proud of you for deciding to do this and we will all have your backs."

Katriel sent a pointed glare toward her sister, who sighed in submission but finally gave a small, weak smile and a nod, signaling her begrudging support. Olivia breathed a sigh of relief, sinking back down to her spot on the couch, her headache throbbed, but at least it wasn't going to get any worse. She absently reached for the neglected rice krispy treat and began to munch on it as the others, more so Aya and Sharpay, chattered on about the wonders of high school. How it was better than online schooling. That she'd like the experiences she could have there. She swore that it was if they forgot she was in high school for a brief time before the band took off and then after the others, being older and a grade or more ahead, graduated there was no point for her to be the only one left. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but the world tour offered a chance for a fresh start.

"So what school are you going to," Katriel gave a warm smile and sat beside Olivia on the couch as Aya and Sharpay moved on to the proper ways to organize your locker, "Are you heading back to Iowa?"

Olivia gagged, crinkling her nose, "Nothing can get me back to Iowa, Kat, nothing…. As for the school, I talked Dad out of a private school and I'll be a senior at Sweet Amoris High School starting Monday. It's only ten minutes away from here actually. Dad decided to rent out an apartment nearby for me to stay at since it'd be more comfortable. I'll have it mostly to myself since he'll be out working."

Katriel had a thoughtful expression on her face, humming slightly as she frowned. Molly, however, raised an eyebrow, "Do you really thing it's a good idea to go a high school so close to our last concert? You won't ever catch a break."

"A change of hairstyle does wonders," Olivia stated, in a matter-of-fact tone, "That plus clothes that don't show off my tattoos and the fact that literally no one would expect Dawn fucking Volt showing up in their school, I don't think they'll make the connection. At worst, they'll probably just think it's funny that I look like the main singer or something."

"Kinda like that joke that everyone at the Daily Planet knows that Clark Kent looks like Superman," Sharpay chimed, turning away from her conversation with Aya, "But no one genuinely believes he's Superman."

"Exactly," Olivia tossed one of her treats toward Sharpay for agreeing with her, causing the other girl to let out a happy whoop before digging into the treat. "It'll be a piece of over priced cake."

"But you'll be at the apartment alone," Katriel finally voiced her the thoughts that had began to poke at her, "That doesn't sound very safe… And what if you have someone come over?"

"First off, ew," Olivia gagged at the implied tone, "Sex and I don't mix, and Molly's boxing lessons have taught me enough to stop anyone who doesn't take no for an answer."

Molly couldn't help but puff her chest up in pride, the lightly toned muscles on her arms flexing slightly at the mention of the activity. But Olivia's words did nothing to soothe Katriel's nerves, nerves of which Aya had apparently shared as she finally turned more of her attention to the conversation with worried eyes.

"But you'll get lonely," Aya's heart bled, "Do you think you'll be okay? That's such a long time to go without contact with the people that care about you, Olivia."

Olivia's cheeks flushed slightly as she crossed her arms, "Well, I don't technically have to be alone… Dad says the apartment has two bedrooms and the couch folds out. Anyone who wants to stay can. Dad's offering plane tickets to anyone who wants to take this as a chance to spend some time home."

Aya wished that she could stay, but at the later half of Olivia's words made her pause. It made everyone pause. Bands were fun, as were the road trips, concerts, fans. The interviews were tedious at times, but offered good laughs and a chance to answer fans' questions. All the fast food trips were something that hit everyone's hips and thighs a bit, some more than others. Each of them loved it all, but it'd been a tough year with no brakes as opposed to the all the trips they had made in the past. With a world tour so close in their future, the chance to go home and breathe was tempting. Glances were exchanged between everyone that made their choices clear, though Katriel's frown deepened at the results.

"I guess that means I'm the only one staying."

Molly looked to her sister in brief alarm, taken off guard by the declaration. For a moment, it hurt that Katriel wished to stay instead of returning home, but she swallowed the bitter pill, knowing that her sister had her own reasons. It wasn't as if their family liked her very much at the moment and she knew how attached Olivia and Kat could be at times. She shifted on her feet, wondering if she should stay too, but hated that she knew that if she did, her and Olivia wouldn't survive living in such close quarters for an extended period of time.

"I'll tell Mom that you wanted to come home, but felt obliqued to look after Olivia," Molly finally spoke up, her expression softening, "She'll understand. She won't be happy, but she'll understand."

Olivia furrowed her brows, "Doesn't your Mom hate me?"

"Don't take it so personally," Katriel draped her arm over Olivia's lazily with a sigh, "Mom hates just about anything that's different."

There was a muttered comment about that different including herself, causing Olivia to lean against Katriel in an effort to comfort her. She gave Olivia a small smile and ruffled her hair as a thank you. Aya grew more and more uncomfortable as the conversation went on, but opted for a cheery smile to help cover how it was bumming her out. Molly's bitter scowl, which had turned into her 'neutral' expression over the years, had returned with more force.

"I wish my mom hated rock music," Sharpay whined, "But no, she just had to be a wannabe rock star in her roarin' twenties. I think on some level, she's like proud that I'm in the family business or something. The first time we had a real concert, she pulled me aside and told me that to wait until I was seventeen to have sex with any fans because fan or not, you never know if someone has something and at least at seventeen, anyone I'd sleep with should be smart enough for condoms. Didn't want me to have a kid as early as she did."

Sharpay's tone turned bitter the longer she talked, but tried her hardest to shake it off, feeling only a bit of shame for ruining the mood.

"I'm sure she's thrilled your dating Kat," Molly huffed, "As far as she knows, there's no chance of you of getting pregnant."

"As long as I wear a condom, there isn't," Katriel pointed out, "Because we do not need that publicity mess."

Sharpay looked a bit more at ease, but there was still a caution and bitterness in her eyes. She stood up and stretched out until her back popped. "I'm going to head out to that alley for a smoke. Anyone want to join?"

"I do hope that that smoke will be with a cigarette and not another dubee, Miss Lancaster. We talked about you smoking weed outside where the press can see."

The sudden voice made everyone jump, Sharpay wincing at being caught, planning on spending the next hour getting high from the very thing that the manager warned her about. Aya, however, waved and smiled pleasantly as Olivia's father stepped into the room. He gave a curt nod in acknowledgment that made Aya grin even harder. Molly gave a small nod toward him that went returned before he turned his attention back toward Sharpay, prepared to give her another light warning about smoking weed in public. However, before he could get a word out, Olivia latched onto him in a tight welcoming embrace.

"Dad! I'm glad you're here." He tried his hardest to look past his daughter toward Sharpay, but she did her best to block his view. She had a hand behind her back, motioning for Sharpay to sneak past while he's distracted. "I already talked things over with the girls. Everyone is looking forward to getting a break and going home, but Katriel decided to stay here and keep me company at the apartment."

That comment made her father, and very dedicated manager, forget about Sharpay's 'plant abuse.' He looked sharply toward his daughter at the statement, briefly looking between her and Katriel. His eyes held hesitance and uncertainty. "Katriel? I don't know how I feel about that, Olivia."

He eyed Katriel from his corner vision and inwardly winced at the hurt that flashed across the girl's face. It wasn't his intention to come off in that manner, but the instinct to do what was best for his daughter tended to rear its ugly head more than he liked. As much as he hated it, there were times he had to set his foot down. Though he hated the hurt within Olivia's eyes even more. He hated that she knew exactly why he didn't want Katriel to stay with her at the apartment alone. He knew what she'd say. I told you a thousand times I don't even like sex. Katriel and I are just friends. Katriel has a girlfriend, why would she be interested in me? Do you have a problem with her? His head began to throb.

"Yeah, Katriel," Olivia raised her head in defiance, "She's the most reasonable choice to stay with me anyway. Would you rather Aya stay?"

Aya was in no way attracted to Olivia, in fact she was perfectly happy with her boyfriend and men in general, with no inclination toward women. Yet as Mr. Mackey glanced in her direction, almost pleadingly as if he was hoping that she'd speak up and trade places with Katriel, she blew a flirtatious kiss in Olivia's direction with a saucy wink. She felt as if she nailed the bedroom eyes that she usually reserved for her boyfriend. But her tactic worked as Mr. Mackey recoiled as if he was stung, taking in a sharp hiss of air.

He knew that one day, between the all the fast food and managing a rock band of five girls, one being his very headstrong daughter, that this was going to kill him. Either a heart attack or from Molly's very intense death-glare, he wasn't sure. What he did know was that his headache was getting much worse as he admitted that his daughter had a point. Katriel had to be the most responsible and level-headed to stay. Knowing Katriel, she had probably taken the offer to stay in a heartbeat while the others preferred the break to go home. It's for the best, he reasoned. If Molly had been the one to stay, she and Olivia would be at each other's throats within the next week. Aya wouldn't stay after the stunt she just pulled. Her ability to make anyone uncomfortable continued to astound him. He was fairly certain Sharpay was Olivia's 'drug dealer', but he definitely knew that Sharpay was the source of all the high-off-their-asses crew members and roadies.

"Alright," Mr. Mackey sighed deeply, running his hand over his face, "I should know by now that it's a huge stress saver to just agree… So Katriel, Olivia can show you where the apartment is tomorrow after we've packed up everything from the concert tonight. As for you other girls," he turned to the other two, "I'll get the planet tickets so you can be on your way home Sunday night, until then, you know the drill. Clean up and pack up everything you can before you crash at the hotel."

He briefly looked around and let out a frustrated sigh when he noticed that Sharpay was missing, "Oh for fuck's sake… Just… Tell update Sharpay whenever she shows up and Molly - "

Molly perked up at the mention of her name as Mr. Mackey sent her a tired look, his eyes heavy, "Make sure that when Sharpay boards Sunday that she's not going to get stopped by security again."

Molly gave a lazy, two finger – salute, "Aye, aye, captain."

He opened his mouth as if to comment on that, but just sighed and shook his head. He briefly stopped on his way out to give his daughter a weak smile before the left room shaking his head, muttering. Olivia happily closed the door behind him.

"And that's how you do it, girls," Olivia gave a dramatic mock bow that the others jokingly applauded.

Sunday night was filled with heartfelt, but happy goodbyes and mock tears as three of the girls ascended into the plane. They had spent the entire weekend locked away into their hotel rooms, determined to spend as much time together as possible. Mr. Mackey happily left the girls to their own devices during their 'sleepovers,' a word they normally wouldn't have used had it not been spent giving Olivia a makeover before she began school, giving tips about senior years and seniors themselves. Olivia was disheartened when the weekend ended, having felt as if they were back in middle school again – before they were rock stars – and her nostalgic, saddened demeanor didn't go unnoticed.

When they finally the apartment that would become their home for the next year, Katriel opened the door and watched as Olivia passed by her, dragging her feet. She sighed deeply, her own heart feeling a bit heavy. Since Mr. Mackey wouldn't be coming by until the following weekend, having much work he needed to get done, Katriel made sure to lock and secure the front door. She briefly scanned over the apartment, noting how barren it seemed with nothing set up on the shelves, counters, or the broad, empty walls. There were a few angles and corners, but hardly any hallway space. She could see a bedroom door off to one side and off to the other there was another door to what she assumed to be a bedroom and across from it, a bathroom. There was plenty space between the rooms, living the living room, kitchen and dining room – all filled with minor furniture – spacious with more than enough floor space. But she knew in her heart that if they were staying there for a year, she had a lot of work to do if she planned on making it a more homy space.

There was a large pile of their luggage and suitcases by one of the bedroom doors. She assumed it was the master bedroom since it wasn't the one across from the guest bathroom. Either way, it was must be their bedroom due to the familiar luggage and the fact that Olivia headed directly toward it. Her feet still dug into the carpet, her shoulders hunched over as she grabbed some of her luggage and tugged it into the bedroom. Katriel followed suit, taking her own luggage and happily carrying into the bedroom. She tried her best to carry some of Olivia's things that she couldn't grab herself.

"Dad said he'll take the smaller bedroom," Olivia's voice was sluggish and tired and just as slow as her movements, "But he won't be here often with all the work and planning he has left to do for the world tour."

Katriel nodded in understanding, looking at the shared bedroom. It was just as spacious as the rest of the apartment, which was pleasing, and had a small private bathroom off to the side. However, it was also bare and empty. Two nightstands stood on either side of a fairly large adult-sized bunk bed set that had depressing, white sheets and blankets. There was a TV mounted on the opposite wall of the beds with a DVD player against the floor beneath it. Katriel knew that everything was fairly sudden, but she had hoped that Mr. Mackey would have done something to make it look like a more livable space. It hardly mattered. She was already creating a list of things she needed to do to the bedroom.

Olivia, however, hardly cared that everything was free of personal touch and void. Between her half-dazed state and still being a bit depressed over saying goodbye to the fun weekend, she felt like it matched her current emotions too perfectly to complain. She dropped her luggage to a spot beside one of the nightstands before slowly, carefully climbing up into the top bunk. Her head moved from side to side, her hair following the movement.

"My head feels lighter with it this short." The ends barely grazed against her shoulders, "I hope it's okay if I'm top bunk."

Katriel stood at the bottom of the ladder on the side, watching Olivia carefully, prepared to catch her if she fell. "No," she spoke, "You can take it, it's fine, being up there would just make me dizzy anyway. Just… get some sleep. You'll need it for school tomorrow."

She didn't have to see Olivia to hear the loud, tired groan that emerged from the top.