Chapter 2

Friday morning the halls were buzzing. Everyone was talking about the party. "So, Ariel, are you going to the party tonight?" asked Jim.

"Yeah. Eric's band is playing." She said as she dreamily stared off into space.

"Oh, you're still into him? You've never even spoken to him!"

"Geez Jim, don't get your braid in a twist!"

"I only want what's best for you."

"Who are you my father?"

"No. By the way, why is he letting you go to the party again?"

"Adella and Alana will be there and I guess he figures they'll keep an eye on me."

"Can you guys pick me up?"

"Of course Jim, you're my best friend." As Ariel walked off Jim sighed. They had been best friends since they met last year and he had fallen in love with her. Unfortunately she had fallen for Eric the moment she laid eyes on him.

"Jim, what's wrong? You look down."

"Oh, hey Taran. I'm fine it's just-"

"Girl troubles?"

"How'd you know?"

"I've been having some too. You know Aurora right?"

"Taran, I hate to say this but she's way out of your league. She's a sophomore who only hangs out with upperclassmen."

"You're supposed to be helping."

"Okay, I'm sorry. Maybe you can impress her at the party."

"How?"

"I don't think I'm the one to help you with that."

"Yeah, but who else am I going to ask?" Eric walked past him on his way to talk to Naveen and Taran got an idea.

"Hey you guys." Taran said as he walked up to the two seniors. "I was just wondering, you guys are good with girls, can you give me some tips?" They looked at one another and shrugged.

"I usually just try to be myself. If she doesn't like you for who you are then she isn't the one for you." Eric replied sincerely.

"Be yourself? That's horrible advice! Girls want romance and to be swept off their feet. Play her a little bit of music. Girls love music. If you follow my advice my friend, you can have a blonde on your left, a brunette on your right, and a red head on the side."

"Music huh? Okay. I can do music, thanks Naveen."

"That kid is doomed." Eric said as he face palmed.

"Hi Naveen, hi Eric." It was Vanessa. It was amazing how well she could cover up her evil.

"Henry wanted me to tell you to be there at six for a sound check and set up. Be sure to pass it on to Flynn and Aladdin."

"Uh, yeah okay." She had the boys in a trance as she walked away.

Five 'o' clock rolled around and Snow White's stepmother was about to leave when there was a knock on the door. It was a girl with shoulder length strawberry blonde hair and a conservative dress.

"Hi, my name is Cinderella. I believe we go to school together."

"Yeah," Snow White replied "I'm a freshman."

"Are you okay? You seem a bit down."

"I'm fine. I just really wanted to go to Henry Charming's party."

"I'll tell you a secret. I wanted to go too." Suddenly there was a knock at the door. When Cinderella checked to see who was outside no one was there. There was only a box left on the front porch.

"Who was at the door?"

"No one, but someone left a box."

"Should we open it?"

"I don't see any reason not to." They opened the box and inside were two beautiful dresses. One was a silvery colors that sparkled in the light with customized crystal pumps. The other was a champagne color with a royal blue bodice.

"Why would someone send these?" Snow White asked the girl that was sitting beside her.

"I don't know but I have an idea. Let's put these on and go to the party. What time is your step mother getting back?"

"Midnight I believe."

"Great. Now all we have to do is be back before midnight." The two girls got ready and then left the house. When they got to Henry's mansion they could hear the music before they even entered the house. Everyone was dancing and the lights were dimmed and strobes were flashing. It looked amazing until Cinderella found two faces in the crowd that she had hoped wouldn't be there. Drizella and Anastasia were standing close to the make shift stage orbiting around Vanessa.

"Snow, I'm going to look for my friend Aurora. Come with me." They pushed their way through the crowd until they finally found her.

"Cinderella!" she squealed as she saw her best friend. "I thought your step mother was making you babysit. "She is. Snow and I just really wanted to come to the party. We just have to get back before midnight." Drizella and Anastasia hadn't noticed Cinderella. All night they had been staring a Henry like vultures as he danced with different girls in the room. Eventually they decided to cut in and dance with him themselves. He couldn't even begin to count the number of times they stepped on his toes.

It was around 11'o' clock and Cinderella and Snow White knew it was time to go home, but as they started leaving Henry walked up to Cinderella and asked her to dance. They danced for what seemed like 5 minutes but was really more like 50. When the clock struck midnight Snow White and Cinderella ran as fast as they could, Cinderella breaking one of her heels off in the process. She didn't even have time to pick it up.

"Wait!" Henry called to her as she ran. "I don't even know your name!" He was too late. Cinderella and Snow White were already driving off.

"Hi there!" Taran yelled above the music as he approached Aurora.

"And you are?"

"My name is Taran and I'm here to sweep you off your feet!"

"Aww. How cute."

"Cute?" a disappointed Taran walked away and bumped into a very happy Jim dancing with Ariel. Jim gave him a look that said he would tell him about it tomorrow.

On the other side of town Adam, Megara, Kida, and Esmeralda were sitting on Adam's driveway drinking. "So tell me again why you three didn't go to the party?"

"We couldn't just leave Kida alone." Esmeralda said

"I told you guys I would be fine."

"We all know that's not true. You've got it bad for that little dork." Megara teased.

"Yeah, I don't understand that. You could do way better than Milo."

"Like who? You Adam? You can be a sexist ass sometimes."

"Oh and you're such a prize Esmeralda?"

"Beast boy, Susan B. Anthony, stuff it." Kida let out a small laugh in response to Megara's statement.

As the party was ending Eric, Naveen, Flynn, and Aladdin started packing up their equipment. A flock of girls surrounded each of the boys.

"So Naveen," came the voice of Charlotte Le' Bou "what's this big thing you play called?"

"You mean a bass?"

"A bass." She sighed along with the other girls.

"Looks like we're going to have to make a run for it." Said Aladdin as he finished loading up the last piece of his drum set into Eric's van.

"Agreed. Hey, Eric, Naveen," Flynn called "we need to leave now!"

The boys made a b line for the van and then drove off. They went to a small diner down the road. The place was pretty empty which made sense considering the time.

"What time do you and Aladdin have to be home?" Eric asked Flynn.

"It doesn't matter. Our foster parents are too busy taking care of the younger kids."

"We pretty much have free reign." Aladdin added. The two boys were close. After all of the years they spent in foster care together they really had become brothers.

Eric dropped all of the boys off at their houses and went home. When he walked into the front door his butler, who was also his caretaker, was waiting for him.

"Grimsby you didn't have to wait up for me."

"Of course I did. I promised your parents I would take care of you."

The next day Jim skated over to Taran's house.

"I figure you want to hear about what happened last night." Jim said when Taran opened the door. "That would be nice."

"It's not what you think unfortunately. I'm her best friend and she wanted to dance. That's it."

"I'm sorry Jim. If it makes you feel any better, Aurora treated me like a baby." They both laughed at their failed attempts at romance.