Lemonade Mouth

TLC

Chaptered

Written by Lavender

Not owning Lemonade Mouth. If I did, Rayella would be canon.

WOOO LAST CHAPTER!

(^^)

Waking up next to Ray Beech was nothing compared to having Izzy leaning over the both of them, her eyes wide and her smile ever wider. She looked like she just caught the two teenagers in a sinful act, which was not the case since the two were only sleeping.

Currently, the electric guitarist of Lemonade Mouth was squished underneath the front-man of Mudslide Crush; his head was tucked in the junction of her neck, his one hand clasping her hip. Stella found herself blushing when she realized that her own hands were innocently playing with the gold locks curling against his neck, her fingers tangled in his tousled spikes, her other hand had strayed to linger on the small of his back, she could feel the fabric of his silk boxers on the tip of her fingertips.

For a moment she forgot what was happening.

How'd I get in Ray's bed?

"Do you two wanna be left alone?" Izzy asked quietly, her blue eyes shining in silent laughter. "What are you doing in here?"

"What are you doing in here," the younger poised, her brow arched expectedly, obviously expecting an answer as to why their babysitter was in her brother's bed. "Just…go."

She sighed in feigned disappointment. "Okay, but school starts in an hour…" Izzy proceeded to jump off of Ray's bed and out his bedroom door, but only after giving Stella a smirk, as if to say that she knew this was going to happen at some point.

Shaking her head, Stella lifted the hand on Ray's back and touched his cheek.

"Ray," she tried to rouse him, getting him to groan softly and sending a small rush of air to caress her face. "Ray, come on…" He nuzzled his nose deeper into the junction of her neck, his hand on her hip loosening only to tighten around her waist. Stella gritted her teeth in attempts not to scream. "Ray get up." The blonde moaned and grumbled. "No."

"Come on Ray, I've gotta get to school."

"No."

"Yes, I've got to go to school," she paused and noticed the skin of his neck, tanned and calloused from his outdoor activity prior to his Chicken Pox, and totally lacking the scarlet blemishes. "Ray?" He grumbled again. "Shut up Stella, I'm trying to sleep."

"Ray, your Chicken Pox are gone."

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

He grumbled and muttered something incoherent in her ear that sounded vaguely like: 'That means you can leave,' but Stella quickly told herself that she was obviously not entirely awake yet. "Ray, come on," she tried to get up on her own, but unfortunately for her, Ray had regained whatever strength was on reserve since he had the Chicken Pox and he was holding onto her too tightly for her to leave. "Ray," Stella tried another tactic and stroked Ray's upturned cheek lightly. "Come on Ray, we're going to be late."

"Where are we going?" he asked drowsily, his head slowly moving out of the junction of Stella neck and looked at her with slightly red eyes. "School, your Chicken Pox are gone."

"Do I have to go?"

"No."

"Do you have to?" As much as she would've liked to say no, Brenigan threatened suspension again and her dad was already on edge about the whole 'babysitting' of the Beech siblings. "Yep."

Ray sighed, shut his eyes for a second and then sat up with a groan. "Fine." Stella snickered, making Ray look at her. "Does this mean no more ointment?" She looked over at his sleep drenched face. The bags had receded and weren't as severe as the first day she came, his complexion was no longer worryingly colorful but was stable and healthy in hue, no longer stained with red blotches if only for a few near his hairline. Surprisingly despite an entire day during which Ray had sulked and refused ointment from his sister, there was no sign of the scars that she had promised him if he kept on itching.

"Nope, I don't think so. But when you take your shower you can just check if there's any left," Stella stated, stretching as she sat. "You were right; your bed's way more comfortable than the chair," she added.

As Ray swung himself out the bed, he said, "You're better to sleep on then my pillow." Her head snapped towards him and he smirked at her, "Though I could've done without the snoring."

She glared, grabbed the pillow her head had lain on and threw it at his head. "You're a jerk."

"I like you too."

xXx

To Stella

From Mo

Hey Stella, think we can meet before school today?

xXx

To Mo

From Stella

I'm running a little late, can we just meet in the school parking lot?

xXx

To Stella

From Mo

Sure.

xXx

"Hey Stell?"

"Hmm?" Behind her, Izzy tucked a strand of crimson locks behind her ear and smiled at her. "Do you think you can come to my violin recital this afternoon? You can go with Ray!"

"Uh," Stella glanced at Ray, who seemed to have trained himself to not look at her since his tiny confession that morning.

"I actually have band practice this afternoon." Izzy pouted. "But he'll fall asleep listening to classical music! Please, you have to come; someone has to keep him awake!"

"Hey I didn't fall asleep the last time I went to your recital," Ray defending getting his younger sister to huff in the seat behind his. "That's because they were serving free food and you made Scott come with you!"

Stella sniggered. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Because no one decent denies free food," Ray responded getting her to arch a brow. "Is that fact?" He rolled his eyes at her. "Alright fine, only if there's no meat."

"That's better."

"Hey we're here!" Izzy declared, grabbing her violin case and readjusting her school bag. "Thanks for the ride Ray!" she claimed as she opened the door once the car stopped moving. "Yeah, see you later kid." She stopped mid-way from shutting the passenger door and stuck her head back into the car. "Don't forget to bring Stella this afternoon."

"Fine." The door slammed and as Ray peeled out of the sidewalk, Stella rolled her eyes. "I've got band practice."

"It can wait."

"Says you," she snorted. "Yeah because like I said, no one decent denies free food and we're eating out after the recital."

"We? Are you used to planning everything for everyone?" He shrugged. "Isn't Mo playing at the recital?" Stella paused. Oh…yeah… "Well…"

"And you can't exactly have band practice when people are missing."

"…okay fine, you got me there."

"So you can just go with me."

"Now what makes you think I want to go with you?"

"What makes me think you don't want to go with me?" Check mate. She thought dryly. They hadn't argued or fought in any way since their little truce in Ray's shower, it was almost as if the entire six months prior to this had never happened. "On one condition," Stella said, crossing her arms and giving him a look once he stopped at the red light. "You have to drive Lemonade Mouth to the recital." He looked thoughtful, "If you can convince them to get in my car."

"Well they'll agree once I tell them."

"Tell them what?" Ray asked almost hesitantly. "Well, what reason would I give them for this morning ride, and then the fact that we're going to see Mo and your sister play this afternoon?"

"Make something up."

"Like what? We're suddenly friends?" That wasn't exactly a lie…but it would definitely be a shock; the two biggest rockstars of Mesa High being buddy-buddy after almost six months of continuous fighting and stupid arguments? Yeah. Shell-shocking guaranteed.

"Aren't we?"

It would just be Ray's luck that after a whole week of 'babysitting', Stella decided that nothing was going to change and that they'd just carry on hating each other.

"Well we would be but," she paused to look at him, "friends don't normally wake up next to each other." He exhaled softly through his nose. "So…what now?" Stella tapped her fingers thoughtfully against her lap. "I don't…know."

"This makes things awkward."

"Not really." He glanced at her. "Why not?"

"Coz we're here," Stella stated gesturing at the window, the Mesa High parking lot just beyond the glass. Everyone was looking in at them, murmuring amongst themselves. "What now?"

Ray looked at the teenagers beyond the confines of his car and then glanced at Stella. "Do you care what they think?"

"You know I don't." It didn't look that way though. Stella felt like she was in one of those Freak Shows, to be pointed at and ridiculed. She'd always been on show as a rockstar, a revolutionary, a troublemaker. But she'd never been looked upon as anything to make fun of, she was protected by her reputation as any of the three, it was an awkward change, almost as awkward as their performance on Rising Star.

Noticing the uncomfortable look on the half-Asian guitarist's face, he stated coolly, "Smile and wave." She looked back at him, and at the playful wink he sent her, she couldn't resist the urge to smile back.

"Smile and wave."

xXx

To Ray

From Scott

Baby what are you doing with Yamada?

xXx

To Scott

From Ray

…Are you kidding me?

xXx

To Ray

From Scott

This is Patty BTW ;)

xXx

To Scott

From Ray

Good to know.

xXx

To Scott

From Your Service Provider

RAY BEECH has blocked this number

xXx

xXx

To Stella

From Mo

Stell, were you with Ray this morning?

xXx

To Mo

From Stella

Yes

xXx

To Mo

From Stella

We're coming to your recital

xXx

xXx

To Mo

From Charlie

Is something going on between those two?

xXx

To Charlie

From Mo

Looks like it…

xXx

xXx

To Stella

From Patty

You bitch, what do you think you're doing with Ray?

xXx

To Patty

From Your Service Provider

STELLA YAMADA has blocked your number

xXx

To Stella

From Scott

Don't think you can ignore me so easily!

xXx

To Scott

From Stella

I'll buy Scott a new Sim Card

xXx

To Scott

From You Service Provider

STELLA YAMADA has blocked your number

xXx

To Mo

From Stella

Tell Scott that Patty has his phone and that I'll buy him a new Sim.

xXx

To Stella

From Mo

Don't bother; Ray bought him a new one already

xXx

Lunch was a surprising affair, especially when Ray abandoned his usual table in favour of Scott and the Lemon Heads. The funny thing is; it wasn't awkward. It was almost funny how quickly the Mudslide Crush front-man was assimilated into the Lemonade Mouth table.

There was barely any animosity between them.

Of course there was the bit of uncertainty with Olivia, considering that Ray did bully her when he found out that she was the lead of the rival band, the timid blonde did have a reason to be worried about his presence. That changed when Jules and Patty decided to harass her before lunch, Ray sent one glare in their direction and all the cheerleaders surrounding her evaporated.

With Charlie, it seemed that the past humiliation he suffered at the hands of the soccer captain dissipated long ago, with Stella being so into her music, she was almost always on his case about the beat when they were jamming. Dealing with Stella on a daily basis at that point made dealing with Ray much easier.

Wen, of course, being the naturally friendly guy that he was, easily accepted Ray's change.

Scott was pleasantly surprised at his best friend's arrival, and both carried on as they used to before they reached high school and before Ray admittedly became a jerk. Mo was more accepting of Ray, if only to make her boyfriend happy.

Stella's reaction to his arrival to their table was slightly different from that of her friends and band mates:

"Now what do you think you're doing here Beech?"

"I'm eating lunch, what do you think Lemon Head?" She looked him up and down, smirked and said, "On one condition."

"Another one?" He asked in feigned exasperation. "Yeah; you've got to get subterranean," Stella waved an unopened can of Mel's lemonade at him. The entire cafeteria waited in silence, watching the whole scene play out like a movie. Ray stood up from his seat next to Scott and Charlie, and looked like he was going to start a fight. Just as the other members of Lemonade Mouth were about to stand in order to stop any chaos from ensuing; Ray took the can from Stella, popped the cap and emptied it in one gulp.

His Lemonade Mouth was legendary. His taste-buds were of no use for three hours.

The student body of Mesa High School almost roared with applause. Ray Beech was officially an honorary Lemon Head.

After school, as Lemon Mouth piled into Ray's car, Stella at shotgun and the rest of the band squished in the backseat, the radio blared out a remix on the radio of 'Determinate' and 'Don't you wish you were us'.

It was random, and after everything that happened that day and the afternoon following it, it was almost suitable.

XXx

To Stella

From Ray

Izzy's got Chicken Pox

Looks like you're staying over again.

xXx

To Ray

From Stella

This should be fun

Can I look at your baby pictures again?

xXx

To Stella

From Ray

We'll compromise.

xXx

FINIS

Here's to all the amazing people who've reviewed!

To the reviewers of chapter nine:

Nixie: Yeah I know there was definitely room for improvement during their interaction, but everything that I tried previously would've made things awkward and I wanted to keep it as natural as possible...

JuliLuvsEliGold: Haha I know, I felt kinda silly adding it in, but I just finished watched the last HSM and Lemonade Mouth and I don't know...I was stuck in some weird world XD

iStoleYourBlueMoonIceCream: In a sense yes. Normally when people spike drinks it's planned before hand if they were thinking about doing it with a powder (I think...) but it can also be done by just adding a few drops of alcohol into the drink. Patty is the redhead.

When I Make It Shine: I'll be honest, I didn't know how I was going to let them find out, so I'll just leave it to them to assume something...

Everybodyelse027: I still have other projects I have to deal with and the only chance I can get to complete a story is stopping it now. Besides, I don't know what to do if I were to continue!

Princesakarlita411: I should think so...after getting blocked by Ray and now Stella, I don't think she's dense enough to still try something...but then again, you never know...

xXLuv2LoLXx () : Wow what a compliment, thanks so much! Watching High School Musical and then Lemonade Mouth probably was the cause of making Sharpay and Ryan his cousins, when I was writing it, I felt so random XD The text messages originally weren't going to be there. When I was writing, I added the text messages only because that was my chocolate break and I was feeling pretty hyper when I carried on writing... As for the right times for humour and romance, I'll be the first to admit that I had no idea what I was doing XP It was buy good luck that people such as yourself found it artful, and I really am glad you enjoyed it!

iLove Toko and Saddie: Thanks!

Christian Sunday Valentina: Hope you enjoyed it!

SaguaroCactus: Baby Ray, without the smirking, insulting and bitching...and he smiles too!

Lemonademouthluver: Well it's not a book, but I'm glad that you've enjoyed it! Hopefully the ending didn't suck too badly... And thanks for the PM message! I'd block her too!

Thanks to all these people who've added this story to their favourites:

al3xasara, booklover1995, booklover51089, Bubblelina15, dancegirl3991, DegrassiGleek22, Destinydream13, , ElleBelle171, Everybodyelse027, FoxandDogchan27, iLove Toko and Seddiem, invader-lindy, JuliLuvsEliGold, kept on laughing, lemonademouthluver, LemonadeMouthLuver2, Madelines, Mika Door, .Ninja, obringerk, SavannahCaileyAndZayaRules, ScohiniLove4, , TealCrystalCAT and When I Make It Shine

And finally, thanks to all the people who've read this little side-project of mine! Hope you guys have enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it! THANKS!

TADA! Okay...yeah, so this is my FIRST COMPLETED STORY. I'm pretty happy about that...though I do feel kinda weird about the ending...don't get me wrong, there won't be another chapter, but this is the first story I've completed...EVER and I kinda spaced out when it came to how I was going to end it...

Hopefully it didn't suck too badly?