Lemonade Mouth//Scott Pickett

Chapter 7

Harper sat on her front porch waiting for Scott to show up for their tutoring session. It had been a day since the Halloween Bash and she was still riding the high but also nervous about Monday morning. She knew they were going to get reamed on by Principal Brenigan when they went back to school. He was not happy about what they did at the bash. Not to mention Scott and Mo's breakup was still on her mind. "Hey," Scott said walking up the steps.

"Hey," Harper said glancing up to look at the boy, "So I figured we could do a few practice quizzes for upcoming tests."

"Okay," Scott said as Harper handed him the paper. They sat quietly as Scott went through the test. On top of band practice and tutoring Harper has started to get a little behind in her own studies. Usually, their tutoring sessions were more chatty than this but Harper wasn't in the mood. "Done."

She grabbed the test looking through it to grade. Her brows furrowed as she saw Scott got several problems wrong. If this was an actual test Scott would definitely get an F. "Scott this sucks," Harper said, "If this is how you're going to do on the next test you're going to fail."

"I did my best," Scott defended.

"Well, it's not good enough!" Harper snapped. She closed her eyes taking a deep breath. She knew snapping at Scott was uncalled for. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"It's fine," Scott said as he looked at the girl, "Are you okay?"

"Yes. No. I don't know," Harper admitted, "I just have a lot going on right now. I guess I'm stressed."

"You can talk to me you know," Scott said.

"I just feel like things are going good right now but also falling apart," Harper said, "The band is doing well and the Halloween Bash was amazing but I know we're in for it on Monday."

"Yeah I don't think Brenigan was too pleased," Scott admitted

"It felt like we really did something," Harper said, "Like we could do so much more."

"I have to admit you guys were amazing," Scott said, "We have some competition at Rising Star."

"It almost feels too good to be true," Harper said.

"So what's the problem?" Scott asked.

"I don't know," Harper said, "I just feel like I'm stretching myself so thin, like there's not enough of me to go around. I feel like I haven't seen my mom in weeks. She's always working and I'm either tutoring or at band practice."

"You love it all though don't you?" Scott asked.

"What?" Harper asked.

"Your band and tutoring," Scott said, "You love both things?"

"Of course I do," Harper said.

"Then why not embrace the chaos?" Scott said, "Yeah right now it feels like you are going crazy but a few years down the road you'll look at this like the best time of your life. You don't want to regret not having fun now." Harper thought about what Scott was saying. Maybe he was right. Maybe what she was doing now was the best time of her life.

"Thanks," Harper said.

"Hey after everything you've done for me that's the least I can do," Scott said.

"Shall we get back to math then?" Harper asked. Scott nodded his head. "Good cause looking at this test you need it."

"Hey!" Scott exclaimed pushing her shoulder lightly. Harper couldn't help but laugh at his reaction.

🎶🎶🎶

"Well, well, well," Principal Brenigan clapped as they all stood in front of him, "That was quite a show you all put on at the Halloween Bash. Mm, you're very talented. Very." Harper couldn't help but wait for the but in the situation. "But just for your information, a high school dance is no place for a...political tirade. What you did Friday night was completely...completely disruptive! And you promised there'd be no funny business."

"But it wasn't funny," Stella responded making Brenigan scoff, "We just spoke our minds and-Principal Brenigan you shut us down."

"Yes I shut you down because the decisions I make are for the good of this school, okay?" he said, "And with that good in mind, Lemonade Mouth is finished. You will not use the music room. You will not use the instruments. If I hear so much as a hum coming from the locker room showers, I will suspend you." The band looked around at each other not believing what they were hearing. "Understood? Good. Dismissed."

🎶🎶🎶

"This year's Halloween Bash will best be remembered for the powerful performances by the surprise standout Lemonade Mouth," Stella read from the school newspaper as everyone smiled, "A champion for students sidelined by the high school privileged and elite. Can you believe it?"

"Our first review," Charlie smiled as Mo grabbed the newspaper.

"And last apparently," Wen said. Girls giggling caught everyone's attention. They looked up to see the girls smiling at Charlie.

"I think they like us," Charlie smiled.

"I'm not sure it's us the like, Charlie," Olivia said.

"What do you mean?" Charlie asked making everyone laughed.

"Come on, bro."

"Never mind," Harper shook her head.

🎶🎶🎶

The group sat around a table at Dante's Pizzeria. The student body had gone absolutely crazy for Lemonade Mouth. All over the school were signs supporting them. Harper couldn't even walk through the hall without someone saying hi to her. "What would you say..."

"If, um, we told you we could play again?" Wen finished.

"I'd say you nuts," Mo laughed, "Brenigan is never gonna change his mind.

"We're not talking about at school," Stella said, "We're talking about here."

"Here?" Charlie asked.

"Mm-hm," Stella nodded.

"Look guys I have Dante our CD, and he loved it," Wen said, "He said we could start playing here. Principal Brenigan can tell us we can't play at school, but he can't tell us we can't play here.

"And it could become a regular gig," Stella said.

"Wait a regular gig?" Olivia asked, "I barely made it through the first one."

"Guys my parents already think I'm at soccer practice every afternoon," Charlie said.

"Yeah, I'm so busy. I don't if I can do a regular gig," Harper said, "There's no way I can pull this off."

"Me either," Mo said, "Scott eats here and I'm pretty much planning on not seeing him again for the rest of my life."

"Guys, we mean something to people," Stella said, "Lemonade Mouth is their voice. It's like we're at the center of a movement here." Harper followed Mo's eyes to see Scott walking in with Jules.

"Guys, good luck with your movement," Mo said, "But I've got homework to do."

"Mo," Olivia said as the girl got up from the table. They all stood following Mo out of the pizzeria.

"Mo, you okay?" Harper asked as they walked out and saw her staring up at the building. They all turned to see a giant poster with a picture of them from the bash with 'don't stop the revolution' written at the bottom.

"What, no way!"

"Oh it's beautiful," Olivia gushed.

"Look at us up there!"

"Guys this is amazing," Harper smiled.

"Maybe we do matter," Mo said.

"Of course we do."

🎶🎶🎶

Before we knew it, we were playing at Dante's pizzeria every Thursday night. Standing room only.

We were ready for Rising Star.

We were ready to be heard.