Disclaimer: Do not own Ant Farm
Chapter 3
Chyna Parks was up no earlier than 9:00 in the morning that day. She woke to a bright San Francisco morning greeting her from her bedroom window.
The exact moment she woke up, her phone rang.
Already? Chyna wasn't exactly a missus grumpy pants in the morning, but she wasn't a morning person either. She was somewhere in between. Her brother Cameron, on the other hand, was dead to the world until 12 noon.
She looked at the caller id. Oh wow, she was surprised to see who it was. She hadn't heard from her since school ended.
"Hi, Chyna!" Chyna heard Olive's voice loud and clear. It hurt Chyna's ears a little bit.
"Uhm, good morning, Olive." A light bulb flashed in Chyna's head. "You planned to call me at this exact time, did you." It was not a question. Chyna knew her friend well.
A pause. "Well, yea."
Chyna shrugged, even though she knew Olive wouldn't see it. "Well, ok, so what's up?" Chyna asked, this time with a much brighter tone to her voice. It felt good to her from her friend, even though the timing was kinda weird.
"I am going to be on a flight to Tokyo today," Olive announced in a very I got my 67th consecutive A fashion, "and I thought you should know."
"Oh," was all Chyna could say. That was news. Very sudden too. She figured Olive as the kind of friend who'd give her a heads up about these kinda things. Maybe they could've hung out before the Tokyo trip somehow. It was getting really close to the beginning of school and they haven't hung out once.
After a moment, Chyna asked. "When you coming back?"
"Don't know."
"Oh, so where are you staying over there?"
"The Tipton Hotel in Tokyo. That's about all I know about the trip, and this…" Then Olive launched into all about how Principal Skidmore, of all people, had called her up, at 3:45 in the morning no less.
After Olive finished her quick little story, Chyna couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Chyna hadn't had a chance to do anything all summer. No vacations. Nothing. When she mentioned it to her dad, Darryl muttered the same answer everytime: "Vacations aren't free." And that was that.
After she finished talking with Olive, Chyna walked downstairs to the living room, thinking about something quick to fix up, only to see Cameron (her brother awake!) on the couch, eyes intent on the laptop. He kept pounding his little fists in frustration. Seeing her older brother get so worked up over what was probably nothing brought a smile to Chyna's face. He was always good for a laugh.
"I can't – nooo – why? I was the 100th guy to submit…!"
Chyna rolled her eyes and smiled. It really was too early in the morning for Cameron. He didn't make no sense.
"So what's got you all worked up this time? Urban Outfitters don't ship in size tiny no more?" She wrinkled her nose and smiled at her own joke.
Cameron shot a look at her, with an incredulous, what in the world did you just say look.
"Noo! I was just on the London Tipton website. They have this contest where people send this application online to win a free trip to the Tipton hotel in Tokyo. It's where the lovely London Tipton is staying at these days, and whoever wins this free trip gets to meet her." Cameron smiled a very mischievous, Cheshire smile.
But the smile was short lived. He frowned, "the 100th submitter wins. But I was 102nd! To think, I was three spots away."
Chyna thought about what she heard about London Tipton, and how she wasn't – exactly the sharpest tool in the toolshed. "You know, Cameron. You and London Tipton would probably make the perfect couple, if she wasn't like – 5 billion times richer."
Cameron at first smiled as if his sister was paying him a compliment, but then he thought better of it. "How so?" He said suspiciously, his eyes comically big and accusing.
"Nothing," Chyna rolled her eyes, but inside her mind was starting to form a plan.
"Say, isn't London Tipton supposed to be going out with this big hot shot record producer these days?" She asked. "Mark…Templeton?" She tried out the last name and decided it sounded funny, and obnoxious.
"Yea, that's the guy! He's so awesome – " Cameron went on to list the many reasons about why that man was awesome. Chyna agreed with his many points but she was no longer listening to her brother.
In her mind was a plan. A way to get the vacation she wanted, spend time with her friends, and maybe, just maybe get the big break she'd always wanted.