it'll be pretty obvious who's who as ur reading but just in case u wanna know
olivia: y/n
wen: calum
mo: luke
stella: michael
charlie: ashton
listen. i know luke doesnt play bass but. i can dream.
so i don't mention how the boys get detention, but basically it's the same as the movie almost: new kid michael got detention the same way stella did, ashton purposefully hit someone with a soccer ball at practice, calum was late to class (not like wen but he's the bad boy of the school and he has a step-mom that he doesn't like (like wen) just so ur not confused later), and luke skipped class with someone i guess idfk
ok i'll shut up now thanks for reading if u decide to continue ily
~
DETENTION
This is where it all started.
It was a Tuesday afternoon and you had been given detention for the first time in your life. It was an unlawful punishment for your only infraction of skipping first period to hide out in the supply closet and practice for the presentation you had to give later that day. But then again, the Principal was the one who found you, so... You couldn't say you were surprised.
You were the first person in the detention room – the music room – and sat at the desk right in front of the teacher's. You smiled slightly when she looked up at you, but quickly pulled your homework so you didn't have to make eye contact with anybody.
Another solid two minutes passed before the next two people unlucky enough to receive detention strolled into the room. One of them sat at the desk behind you while the other went to the one two away from you. Another person came in not long after – maybe 15 seconds later – and took the seat next to you. And then, the exact moment the clock was turning to 3:30, the last student came in.
"Good afternoon, my fellow classmates," the boy announced, smiling at the teacher, "Mrs. Hughes."
"Always a pleasure, Calum," she replied with a small smile on her face.
"Hello to you too, Michael... Luke... Ashton..." he grinned at each of them as well. He paused in front of your desk, causing you to look up at him. "Girl whose name I don't know," he greeted you. You rolled your eyes and sighed lightly, looking back down at your papers while he simply plopped down in the seat beside the boy behind you.
"We got that out of our system?" Mrs. Hughes asked Calum.
"Yes, ma'am," he nodded.
"Excellent," she stood up from her seat, "Seeing as there are a couple new faces in here, I'll go over the rules. There will be no talking, no texting, no sleeping, no eating, no drinking. You break any of these rules, I add another day of detention. Are we clear? Good."
You were all startled by a strange sound coming from whatever room was above the one you were in – a restroom, if you weren't mistaken – making all of you look up. The noise happened again, and it was apparently the final straw for the music teacher.
"You know what?" Mrs. Hughes huffed, "I am going to go give Bernstein a piece of my mind! If this administration cared half as much about the arts as they do sports..." Her voice trailed off as she stomped out of the room. You cocked an eyebrow at the door slamming shut before shrugging it off and getting back to your work.
"Guys," Michael stated, "This school sucks." You all looked at him for a moment – you simply remaining quiet while the other boys decided to start having a conversation.
"You must have been a genius at your old school," Calum commented, making the other two boys snicker softly.
"Whatever," he rolled his eyes, "It still sucks."
"Can you guys just be quiet before Mrs. Hughes comes back?" you murmured, directing all eyes to you, "I don't need more detention."
"Who even are you?" Calum asked, still not having placed where he'd seen you before. You sighed sharply, looking over your shoulder at him.
"We have Biology together," you told him, "I just saw you in fifth period."
"Are you sure?"
"Am I sure whether or not the tall guy with the blonde streaks in his hair wearing a leather jacket in the middle of September is in my Biology class?" you grumbled, turning back to your homework, "You know, now that you mention it, I might be thinking of someone else." The three boys laughed a little louder while Calum let out a small, amused breath out of his nose, crossing his arms and leaning back in his seat.
The room was quiet for a few moments until Ashton started tapping his fingers on his desktop. You tried not to let it bother you – you tried to block it out – but when the other boys got up from their desks, the distraction became too much. You looked up and watched them smile as they walked to the other side of the room – Calum going to the piano, Michael grabbing a guitar, Luke finding a cello, and Ashton made his way to the drum set.
"What are you guys doing?" you asked as they started playing, "We're gonna get in trouble."
"She didn't say we couldn't play music," Michael reminded you.
You looked back down at your papers, subconsciously beginning to tap your foot along to the beat of Ashton's drumming. You missed Michael smile at the other three and nod toward you, all of them smiling when they noticed your foot – and you even surprised them when you started singing.
Na na na na na, na na
Take a look around; who would have thought we'd all be here?
So let's mess around, 'cause the future is unclear
We got nothing better to do; we're just trying to get through
Can you hear me? Can you hear me? Yeah
You got up from your seat, walking over to the other side of the room with the boys.
Let the music groove you
Let the melody move you
Feel the beat and just let go
Get the rhythm into your soul
Let the music take you anywhere it wants to
When we're stuck and can't get free
No matter what, we'll still be singing
Come on, come on, turn up the music
It's all we got; we're gonna use it
Come on, come on, turn up the music
Yeah
All we have is now
Let's make the most of this
Come on, break it out
So everyone can hear it
They don't have to understand
But we'll make 'em if we can
Do you hear me? Are you with me?
Yeah
Let the music groove you
Let the melody move you
Feel the beat and just let go
Get the rhythm into your soul
Let the music take you anywhere it wants to
When we're stuck and can't get free
No matter what, we'll still be singing
Come on, come on, turn up the music
It's all we got, we're gonna use it
Come on, come on, turn up the music
Yeah
Come on, come on, turn up the music
It's all we got, we're gonna use it
Come on, come on, turn up the music
Turn up the music
Let the music groove you
Let the melody move you
Feel the beat and just let go
Get the rhythm into your soul
Let the music take you anywhere it wants to
When we're stuck and can't get free
No matter what, we'll still be singing
Come on, come on, turn up the music
It's all we got, we're gonna use it
Feel the beat and just let go
Get the rhythm into your soul
Let the music take you anywhere it wants to
Come on, come on, turn up the music
Yeah
You were all grinning as the music stopped, but the smiles were immediately wiped off your face when you turned your heads and realized Mrs. Hughes had returned. Your eyes widened and you were the first person to squeak softly and hurry back to your seat.
"We were just-" Luke started before being cut off.
"Quiet," the teacher shook her head, holding her hand up, "I need to think..."
"We-"
"Shh!" she demanded.
The boys looked amongst each other before going back to their desks. Mrs. Hughes turned around to look at the group, the wheels in her head clearly turning.
"You," she stated, hurrying over to you, "Y/N-" She put her hands on your desk, making you jump lightly as your head snapped up to look at her. "-you have a beautiful voice!" she shrieked with a wide smile. You raised your eyebrows – that certainly wasn't the reaction you were expecting. "Your band is incredible!" she said, looking at all of you.
"We're not a band," Michael shook his head.
"We hardly even know each other," Ashton added.
"But you were meant to play together!" she insisted, "People – they... They need to hear you! That would show Bernstein!" She gasped suddenly, her eyes widening in realization. "That would show Bernstein..." she said slowly before shrieking again. "That's it!" she exclaimed, "Rising Star!"
"Rising what?" Michael asked, looking at you when you started speaking.
"Rising Star," you breathed, "It's a talent competition."
"Winner gets a record deal," Luke informed him.
"The bands in this school play it every year, but none of them have ever won," Ashton said.
"Well, if none of them have ever won, there's no use in playing it, right?" Michael mentioned.
"Plus, Midnight Blackout is playing this year," you shook your head, relaying the name of your boyfriend Kyle's band, "They're amazing."
"They're not that amazing," Calum mumbled under his breath.
"If they're so 'amazing', then there's no point in trying to beat them," Michael went on, "Why enter a competition we know we won't win?"
"Because you said it yourself," Mrs. Hughes smiled, "You deserve to be heard."
~
The next day
You'd received a text from Michael the moment the bell rang at the end of fifth period telling you to meet him at the local pizzeria to talk. As you were looking at your phone – your eyebrows furrowing in confusion at the text – you felt someone come up behind you.
"Think it's about the band?" Calum asked, making you jump.
Your head snapped up to look at him as he put his forearm on the tabletop beside you, leaning down. He turned his phone to you so you could see that he got the exact same message you did.
"I thought we decided there was no band," you said softly, nervous at how close he was to you.
"Don't know why else he would want all of us," he shrugged, "Ashton and Luke got the text before fifth period started. So you going?"
"Do I have a choice?" you sighed, making him grin brightly as he stood back upright and began walking to the door.
"Meet me by the back doors!" he called over his shoulder, "I'll give you a ride!" You sighed again, closing you books and getting up from your chair, heading to your locker.
~
"Hey, guys!" Michael smiled widely as you and Calum entered the pizzeria, waving for you to sit with him, Ashton, and Luke. You took a seat between Luke and Ashton while Calum sat between Ashton and Michael. "Here," the blonde said, giving you both paper plates and then gesturing to the pizza in the middle of the table, "Grab a slice."
"What's this about, Michael?" you asked, wanting to get right to the point. You didn't pass up on the pizza though, taking a piece off the pan and beginning to eat it.
"Just wanted to let you guys know I signed us up for Rising Star," the blonde smiled, causing the four of you to nearly choke on your food.
"I'm sorry?" you questioned.
"We're not experienced enough!" Ashton reminded him.
"Which is also why I signed us up for the Halloween Bash," he nodded.
"Midnight Blackout is already playing the Halloween Bash," you shook your head.
"I know," Michael chirped, "And we're opening for them."
"How'd you pull that off?" Calum asked, taking another bite of his pizza slice.
"It's amazing what a principal will agree to if he thinks his new 'problem student' is channeling his energy into something more...productive."
"Messing around in detention doesn't make us a band, Mike," Luke stated.
"So we'll practice!" he replied, "We can meet every day after school and use the music room!"
"Alright," you humored him, "Then what are we supposed to play?"
"We could write our songs," Calum said.
"We?" you cocked an eyebrow, "You write music?" He simply shrugged in response.
"I don't know..." Luke said slowly, making Michael sigh.
"I don't know about you guys, but I don't wanna be some random face in a yearbook," Michael insisted, "I want people to listen to what I have to say; I wanna be heard for the first time in my life. Don't you guys want that too?" You all looked at each other for a moment.
Of course you wanted to be heard – you just didn't know how to do it – and now, Michael was presenting you with that option... And you were absolutely terrified.
"Okay," Ashton stated, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a quarter, "Heads, we do it... Tails, we don't..."
The group nodded in agreement and he flicked the coin into the air, all of you watching it fall onto the table. The five of you leaned over it to see what it was.
Heads.
~
i wanted a different title but. u know. what u gonna do.
inspiration: Lemonade Mouth
song used: "Turn Up the Music"
outfit: https://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=229528686