Disclaimer: I do not own "Lemonade Mouth." If I did, "Lemonade Mouth 2" would have happened, and Rayella would be canon.
Friday finally arrived. Stella had been given until the end of Friday classes to submit her Chemistry homework, and she would finally meet her tutor. So, in 6th period study hall, she furiously tried to finish the remaining questions. Beside her, Olivia was studying for history, but took peeks at Stella's homework once in a while to make sure the other girl was at least on the right track. Stella wasn't even sure if she was doing it right, but as long as she handed it in, she was a step away from summer school.
When Stella's last class of the day finally ended, her stomach was flip flopping with nerves. First, she stopped at her locker to drop off her books and pick up what she needed to bring home.
As Stella walked to the Chem lab, she tried to figure out who Dr. Singh got as her tutor.
Maybe it was one of the kids from the Science Club? They were always nice to her and sometimes offered to let her copy their homework, in return for her helping them raise funds for their rocket project last year. But, Stella was a revolutionary, the leader of a cause for the oppressed! No matter how tempting their offer was, she had morals, and she refused to take advantage of the kindness of others!
Finally, she arrived and peeked into the glass window. Only Dr. Singh was inside, grading papers. The teen knocked, before entering.
"Hey, Dr. S," she greeted. "I have the homework."
The teacher smiled as Stella handed her the missing homework. "Good, Stella. Your tutor will be here soon. He's a good student, a junior, very smart. He was in Honors Chemistry last year and was in the Top 5, so we trust that he can help you raise your grade."
Before Stella could ask who it was, the door opened.
"Alright, who's the loser I'm tutoring?"
Stella could swear that her heart stopped, as the blood drained from her face. She knew that obnoxious, spine-tingling voice everywhere. In fact, she hated that voice as much as she hated its owner.
The young revolutionary whirled around with a scowl to see Ray Beech, Mesa High's golden boy, soccer star, and resident pompous bullying asshole. He disgusted her! And he looked equally surprised and disgusted to see her.
"YOU?!" they both screeched at each other.
Meanwhile, Dr. Singh clapped as she stood from her chair. "Good, you know each other!"
The two students looked at her in disbelief. Really? She didn't know about two of Mesa High's biggest rivals?
Whenever the two crossed paths, there was always a war. Their shouting matches sent freshmen scurrying off in fright, while upperclassmen watched in either amusement or annoyance, sometimes both. Many teachers had the honor (or dishonor) of stopping their fights and sending them to detention (more Stella than Ray. If there was a soccer game coming up, Ray was sure to always get off with a warning).
As the two sent poisonous glares at each other, Dr. Singh continued to talk. "Mr. Beech here needs service hours, and what perfect way to do that than tutoring?"
Stella's head was spinning. Why Beech?! Why him?! Why the hell did Juniors need to do service hours to get to Senior year anyway?! It was unfair and inhumane!
"You can both create your own schedule, and if you have the same study hall period, you can use that time to meet up. The school library is open until 7pm every day, and if you make a reservation, you are sure to always have a table, so I advise you to take advantage of that."
She turned to Ray. "I'll sign your service hours sheet, if Miss Yamada here passes the semester."
"And if she doesn't, I suffer?! That's not fair!" Ray protested.
"And you think that he'll actually 'help' me?!" Stella also added, adding air quotes to "help." "If anything, I'm going to fail even more!"
Dr. Singh sighed. "Raymond, you said you needed service hours and you refuse to tutor the kindergartners…"
"They're loud and sticky!"
"… you don't want to help with the weekly yard clean-up…"
"I don't pick up other people's trash!"
"… and you won't collect donations for the homeless."
"Hey, that wasn't my choice! The Service Club said they had enough people!"
Stella snorted. If anything, the Service Club probably didn't want him "helping" if it meant hours of insults at their personas. Stella heard they turned away a few of the snobby junior cheerleaders too. The Service Club only wanted the willing, not the ones forced because they needed hours.
"I'm giving you this opportunity, so it's either you take it or leave it," Dr. Singh said, firmly.
Ray tried to protest again, but was silenced by the Chemistry teacher's raised eyebrow. The blonde turned to the little half-asian girl in front of him, who was still glaring at him. His face started turning red.
"Hell, no! I'll take the brats over this brat!"
"I didn't want your help anyway, you jerk!"
"Good! Then we're done here!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
And with that, he stormed off, slamming the door behind him.
Stella smirked, because for once, Ray chose to turn away from her, instead of screaming at each other before they were interrupted. She won this round. But, then, the realization that she was now without a tutor sunk in. She quickly turned to Dr. Singh.
"Please tell me there's another tutor who can help me!"
But Dr. Singh shook her head. "I'm sorry, Stella. But he's the best one. I've asked the others and they all refused, except for Ray… well, until now."
Stella let out a frustrated growl. "What do I do now?!"
"I'd talk to him, if I were you. There's really no other choice here, Stella. He was the only one willing to tutor another student. It's either him, or no one. Unless, you can get a private tutor elsewhere…"
Stella was hit with a dilemma. On the one hand, she really needed a tutor so she could raise her grade so she didn't have to go to summer school and miss Lemonade Mouth's summer tour. On the other hand, she really, really, irrevocably hated Ray Beech.
"Stella." Dr. Singh's voice broke through her conflicting mind. "Just reminding you that Ray Beech was Top 5 last year in Honors Chemistry. He can help you raise your grade so that you don't have to go to summer school. Do you really want to spend a whole month holed up in here, while you friends are off in New York or Florida or California without their lead guitarist?"
With those words, Stella finally swallowed her pride and made a decision.
"Beech! Hey! Beech, get back here!"
Ray groaned at the annoying voice of his nemesis calling his name. He continued to walk towards the parking lot, but slowly this time to allow her to catch up. Why not? He could use some entertainment before heading to Dante's to meet up with the soccer team.
"What do you want, Yamada?"
The little half-asian girl finally caught up to him, a scowl on her face. "I need you to tutor me."
Ray sneered. "Hell, no."
He sped up, inwardly pleased at the struggling sophomore trying to catch up with him.
"If I don't pass this class, I have to go to summer school!"
"Not my problem!"
"I need to pass this class!"
"Good luck, you'll need it!"
Stella finally managed to catch up and block his way, holding her arms out on either side of her. Ray inwardly scoffed. As if her flimsy little arms could stop him.
"Look, I suck at Chemistry, and you're good at Chemistry. You need service hours, and I need a tutor. It works out!"
Her voice now had a hint of pleading and Ray was surprised to find that he enjoyed that she was almost begging him. The key word was "almost". The day the annoying spitfire Stella Yamada actually begged him for something, would be the day that pigs fly.
Stella was stuttering now. "Pl… Pl…"
Ray raised an eyebrow. Stella swallowed and took a deep breath.
"Please," she hissed.
And apparently, today, pigs would fly. Instead of irritation, Ray realized that he was more amused at the situation than anything. Stella Yamada, Lemon Head leader and annoying little bitch, just said "please" to THE King of Mesa High, Ray Beech.
"Let me think." Ray allowed a thoughtful look to cross his face.
She looked up at him, hopefully.
Gotcha, he thought before shaking his head. "Nope, still no."
And with that, he walked past Stella's right arm, chuckling obnoxiously at her defeated face. He loved winning.
"I guess that means you're not as smart as Dr. S said."
That statement stopped Ray in his tracks as a cold feeling rushed over him. Him? Not smart? He was in the honor roll! Top 20, thank you very much!
"You probably copied off someone else to get that Top 5 spot in Honors Chem. Maybe you even copied off one of your minions' homework."
Ray Beech?! A copier?! He knew he had desperate-to-be-popular freshmen doing his bidding for him, but NEVER his school work!
Turning red and angry at her words, he turned around to defend his honor and saw her smirking! The little rebel was smirking! She knew she had him!
"Are you calling me a cheater?!" he demanded.
An eyebrow perked up. "If the shoe fits," she said. "Face it. You can't help me with Chemistry because you know nothing about Chemistry. You're just another dumb jock, no brains, no academic future. Tsk. Have fun scraping the gum off the cafeteria tables during summer break."
His heart was pounding as the blood rushed to his face. Right then, he marched up to the still smirking Lemon Head, face seething and hands shaking in anger. Damnit, he couldn't believe he was actually doing this!
"Monday, after school, library. Don't. Be. Late."
And with that he turned and headed to the parking lot without another backward glance.
Pfft, him? A dumb jock? He would show her! And he would absolutely not scrape gum off the cafeteria tables!
Meanwhile, Stella's smirk widened. She didn't think that would actually work! But, as it turned out, Ray Beech was very protective of his honor roll status, and would defend it to the end.
As she headed to the music hall for band practice, Stella realized that she would be spending the next few months with Ray effin' Beech.
And she was so not looking forward to it!
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