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Poets.
Geniuses.
Revolutionaries.
The 2011 band Lemonade Mouth was called all of these things.
So was the 2026 band, Lemon.
But the real story here isn’t about Lemonade mouth. It’s about how Lemon came to be, 15 years and a detention later.
Picture this: A detention room.
The girl with brown curly hair and heavy makeup was Mellie Velásquez, lead singer and guitarist.
The girl with the clearest skin known to man and intricately twisted braids was rhythm guitarist, Katerina Roworth.
The boy with dark hair that stuck up and a septum piercing was Calloway Edgar, keyboardist for Lemon.
The person with the curly mullet and dark nail polish was Micah Waters, Lemon’s drummer.
And finally, the girl with blonde waves and an aura that screamed popular was Ruby Tanner, the drummer.
But how did they all get into detention?
That’s the question.
Katerina jumped as she heard a knock at her door, quickly wiping the tears away from under her eyes. “Uh.” She started, trying to stop her voice from shaking. “Who is it?”
There was a sigh on the other side of the door. “It’s your mother. Remember me? Breakfast is ready.”
Katerina put on a fake smile. “Yep! I’ll be down in a moment.”
She picked up her phone, and nearly shouted when she saw the time! “Mom!” She screamed. “We’re gonna be late!”
She ran downstairs where her mother was hurriedly putting on her coat. “I know. Your brothers set the clock back again!
” Ignoring her rumbling stomach, she grabbed her coat too and ran out the door, dress flapping around her knees.
“Perfect.” She thought as her mother parked just as the bell rang. “I’m late and my mom is driving me.” She immediately felt guilty for the thought. There was nothing wrong with her mom, but having a parent drive you to school at this age? Embarrassing! “Bye, Mom.” She mumbled, fumbling with the door handle.
“Katerina, wait.” She grabbed Kat’s arm, stopping her.
Kat’s face went red. Now everyone was definitely staring. “Mom, I’m already late.”
Her mother sighs. “Just- just have a good day, okay? Talk to people.”
Kat gave her a small smile before jumping out of the car. Talk to people? Yeah right. Kat couldn’t think of anything more intimidating than talking to the snobby students of Mesa High School that think they’re so good because they attend the school that Lemonade Mouth was formed at.
Kat frowned to herself. They aren’t even that good!
Calloway pulled his sputtery car into the school parking lot, art project literally strapped into the seat beside him.
He admired it for a moment. The way the spikes reflected off the sunlight was borderline heavenly. It was a metaphorical piece representing anarchism, the spikes being people breaking away from societal and governmental norms.
Surely, none of the dimwits of Mesa High would get that, but who cares?
Suddenly, there’s a pounding on the window of his car.
A girl. No, not just a girl. Grace Higgins. Calloway stifled a sigh as he got out of the car, and Grace threw her arms around him, kissing him hard.
He choked against her lips. What the hell? I mean, it was nice. He kisses her back for a few moments before pulling away. “Hey, Grace.” He says, voice strained.
Grace gave him a sly look. “Hey handsome. You look hot today.”
He rubs the back of his neck insecurely. “Uh, I do?”
Grace tiptoes her fingers up his chest. “Yeah.” They stop on his neck. “Yesterday was great.” Her voice is almost at a whisper.
His heart drops at the mention of yesterday. “Sure, yeah it was. Great. It was great.”
“We should do that again sometime.” She shrugs.
Again? No way. Calloway laughs nervously. “Yeah. Again. Sure.”
To his enjoyment, the bell rings. “Well, that’s the bell.” He says awkwardly. “See you Grace.”
“Calloway, wait-“ Grace starts, but Calloway is already halfway across the carpark.
Micah grunts as their lighter went out yet again. “Why won’t this damn thing work?” They mumble to themselves, the cigarette almost falling from their lips.
After many more tries, they give up. “Screw me. Just what I need this morning.”
They shrug it off, deciding to get their spare lighter from their locker before first period.
They straighten up, getting out of the footwell of their car where they were hiding to have a smoke. If a teacher saw them smoking, jeez it’ll be bad.
They check their phone.
Message from Tyler, reading “Did you get the thing?”
Micah scoffs, not having the foggiest idea what “The Thing” is.
But in bold numbers is the time. Micah groans. “Why must school start in five minutes?” They whine to themself.
“Because it does.” Says a voice.
Micah looks up to see Bree at the open window. “Bree. Hi. I thought you broke up with me?”
Bree rolls her eyes. “I did. I’m just here to get my sweater, it’s cold.”
Micah does a mental scan of their messy car. “You see Bree, I would give you your sweater but it’s actually not here.”
“Why isn’t it here?” Bree pinches her temples.
Micah smirks. “I kinda sold it.”
Bree’s face is pure outrage for a moment, before she flips Micah off and leaves.
The bell rings, and Micah sighs, forcing themself out of their car.
Ruby’s mother reapplies her lipstick in the car mirror. “Do you have your spare mascara? You never know when you’ll need one.”
Ruby smiles sweetly. “Yes, mother. I do.” She kisses her on the cheek. “Bye!”
As she leaves, Ruby’s mother shouts “Don’t say bye! You sound like a boy!”
Ruby runs to meet up with her friends, Emmeline and Lily. “Hey, girls.”
“Hey Rubes.” Emmeline says, posture perfect as always. Emmeline’s weekend job is modelling. Literally.
“Hi Ruby. How’d you sleep?” Lily is also drop dead gorgeous, but she’s more of an academic.
The thing that they have in common is that they both are friends with Ruby Tanner.
“I slept alright. Recurring dreams though.” Ruby wrinkles her nose.
Emmeline sighs. “Don’t wrinkle your nose, it’ll crease your makeup.”
Ruby smiles. What would she do without her girls? “God, thank you Em. You’re a lifesaver. I can’t imagine what I would do if Daniel saw me with creased makeup.”
Lily puts her arm around Ruby. “He probably wouldn’t give a damn because you’re gorgeous anyway, and totally gonna be his date to Hoco!”
“You really think so?” She feels herself go red.
Emmeline’s dark hair slaps her neck as she turns to face Ruby. “Oh my god, yes! Daniel would be clinically insane to not ask you to Hoco. You’re so modest, Ruby.”
“And you’re so honest, Emmeline.” Ruby laughs.
Lily puts her arm out, stopping the girls from walking as the bell goes. “Kat in the hat alert! Ew, look at her dress! What is that, Forever 21?”
Ruby bites her lip. Kat in the hat is a stupid nickname, but Katerina does look stupid in that dress of hers. “Yeah! What does she think it is, 2015?”
Emmeline faux gags. “So bad.” Suddenly, her eyebrows raise. “Hey, Rubes. Can you help me with something before 1st period? It’ll be quick.”
Ruby shrugs, nodding. “Sure, why not?”
Mellie sighed happily in her car. Honestly, she was so proud of her outfit today. An embroidered sweatshirt with a pale pink tank top underneath (that would get her dress-coded, but she won’t take the sweater off so who cares?) and flared jeans that she made herself.
But that luck ends as soon as she opens her car door. Mellie’s bag tumbles out, contents falling all across the parking lot.
She feels her face go hot as students around her snicker. “Great start to the day, Mellie.” She mumbles to herself, cursing.
“Do you need help with that?”
Mellie looks up to see Daniel Whitman, this super popular jock. “Yeah, that’d be great thanks.” She smiles.
Daniel gets down, helping her pick up the contents of her bag. “What’s your name?”
Mellie wants to roll her eyes. She’s been in school with him since kindergarten, and he doesn’t know her name? “Mellie.” She says quickly. “Mellie Velásquez.”
Daniel grins at her, and there’s a small gap between his top front teeth. “Mellie. Cool name. It sounds like a name an American Girl doll would have.”
“No actually, there’s one named Nellie but not Mellie.” She says without looking up.
Damn. Now she sounds like a nerd.
She meets Daniel’s eyes, and he’s smiling. “Sorry.” She mumbles. “I used to be obsessed with them.”
Daniel raises an eyebrows as he places her toiletries bag back in her backpack. “Obsessed how?”
She laughs. “Obsessed in the way that I had 15.”
Daniel grimaces. “Jeez. That is obsessed!”
They both laugh, but then Mellie realises there’s nothing else on the floor. “Thanks for the help, Daniel.”
Daniel stands, brushing off his blue jeans. “Anytime, Mellie.” He starts towards the school before stopping and turning toward her. “Also, I love your jeans.”
Mellie’s grin lasts until the evil bell rings a moment later.