Disclaimer: Do not own Ant Farm

Chapter 18

The Tipton Ballroom was as spacious as a football stadium. High arching ceilings composed of a patchwork of gray beams and glass let in large amounts of moonlight. The natural lighting of the ballroom gave the impression that the party was outdoors.

Hundreds of tables and seats filled the outer edges of the floor, with a large dance floor in the middle, and a massive stage at the far end for musical performers.

Chyna, Olive, and the rest of the girls from the Ant Farm strolled inside the ballroom dressed head to toe in London's finest clothes.

The Ants drew quite a lot of attention as they made their way to their tables. Heads from the younger boys at the party craned to sneak a peak at all the pretty ladies making their late entrance, and several people had recognized Chyna. "Hey, that's the music girl!" Chorused several fans.

Chyna just grinned and kept her head down. Usually, she liked the attention, but tonight wasn't the night for it. The Ants chose to occupy the tables all the way in the back. It was best not to call too much attention to themselves.

With any luck, Chyna hoped - they were going to enjoy the night, Skidmore wouldn't make too much of a scene, and they would all head home after they enjoyed the party.

Over by somewhere in the middle tables, Chyna spotted Fletcher dressed dashingly in a handsome suit, seated at the same table as Janice. It was like he knew where Chyna was, because he took one look over his shoulder at Chyna's direction. He did not smile. He just looked at her and turned his attention back to Janice. Chyna didn't know how she felt about that.

Besides that, things were good so far. Chyna hadn't spotted Lexi Reed just yet. There was no sign of Skidmore either, which was even better. She relaxed, just a little. Maybe they would be able to get a few dances in before Lexi started stirring up trouble.

Chyna spotted Gibson, dressed in a haphazard ensemble of a really bad suit, making his way over to them. His fro was really sticking out there – it was as if he grew an extra head of hair overnight.

He plopped himself down in a seat next to Chyna. He grinned at her, "These are great seats! And it looks like it's going to be an awesome party!" He turned to Angus, "Thanks for letting me know, dude! Luckily, I had this spare suit in my luggage!"

Chyna glared at Angus's direction. He shrugged as if to say What, I wasn't supposed to tell him? Then, he went back to eating his m&m's while he listened to the guest speakers.

An hour passed. The Ants had managed to make it all the way to the dancing portion of the party without a hitch, and once the music started playing, Chyna found herself doing less worrying about what was going to happen tonight, and more vibing to the beat.

And she wasn't the only one having fun. Already, over the music, she could hear Olive going crazy over the fruit punch. She saw Angus over to her left, owning the dance floor. Cameron was doing his best Chris Brown imitation; he attempted dance moves she hoped he'd never try again. She even spotted Gibson taking part in the action – he was dancing with some pretentious looking lady with a snobby nose, who for some reason seemed to find Gibson really appealing. Her dancing reminded Chyna of a tone deaf peacock.

The only person she hadn't spotted yet – was Fletcher. She found him after a minute - there he was, dancing with his new girl, Janice, and they were looking in each other's eyes. Chyna suppressed the urge to gag.

Then - Chyna didn't know why she was doing it – she made her way to Fletcher. She tapped her finger on Fletcher's shoulder. He turned and she smiled at him, "Maybe I have this dance?"

Janice looked appalled that she would have the nerve. Fletcher just stared blankly at Chyna. Chyna couldn't tell what he was thinking. Then, the music changed to a slow song. Finally, Fletcher said, to Janice, "Can you give the two of us alone to talk?"

Janice looked incensed. She stormed off, leaving Chyna and Fletcher to talk.

Fletcher was first to talk. "You weren't going to let me know about the party," he said.

"I was going to tell you, but I kinda got held up," Chyna explained.

"So you were going to tell me?" He asked, looking straight into her eyes. He expected an honest answer, she knew.

Fletcher's eyes were blue – piercing blue. Chyna had never taken the time to look at them until now. "Well – maybe… I'd like to think I would've."

Fletcher just scoffed. That wasn't a good enough answer.

"Look, Lexi was – is- going to be at this party. She's going to find us out, blab to Skidmore, and get us all in trouble. And then we'd all be sent home early." Even to Chyna's ears, the excuse sounded a little lame.

Fletcher shrugged. "We were all going to have to go home sometime."

Chyna slumped. "Yea, that's exactly what Olive said."

"Can't you just admit that you're a little jealous?" Fletcher blurted.

Chyna was taken back by his boldness.

"Listen, I am not jealous-"

But Chyna couldn't say more - she spotted Janice out the corner of her eye, with Lexi in tow – Janice pointed Lexi straight to Chyna, and then to Gibson, Angus, Fletcher and the rest of the Ants –

The flash in Lexi's eyes told Chyna they were toast.

Lexi marched straight to Chyna, and demanded, "What in the world are you Ants doing here?" Her high voice carried loud and clear over the slow music.

Chyna wilted a bit underneath the high shrill of her voice. Then, out of desperation – maybe even a little sense of hope - she decided maybe she could try appealing to Lexi's good side. "It's a long story. But could you try not ratting us out to Skidmore? …Please."

"Too late. I already talked to Skidmore. She's on her way to the ballroom now."

"Oh man."

"Oh man is right!" Principal's Skidmore called from somewhere in the crowd. After some pushing and shoving and grunting, Skidmore had made her way through the crowd. She fixed her eyes immediately at Chyna. Almost as if choreographed, every Ant stepped away from Chyna, leaving her the sole focus of Skidmore's attention.

"What in the world is going on here?" Skidmore demanded. Then, in an aside meant just for Chyna, "I would've been to this party sooner, but I couldn't pick out the right dress. Does this look good?"

"It's the right dress."

"Good. Now DO YOU CARE TO EXPLAIN YOURSELF, young lady?"

"It's a long story."

"Oh, just give me the cliffnotes! I don't care about the little details."

A deep, authoritative voice called out: "The young lady can tell you all about it, outside of the ballroom."

Everybody turned to the voice. It was a security guard, large, imposing, with a serious face. He looked at the Ants, then at Skidmore, Gibson - even Lexi. "Do any of you have any authorization to be here? I'd like to see the passes, please."

When none of them could produce the passes, the security guard boomed: "All right then, everybody out! Let's go! Come on!" He ushered everybody out, even Lexi.

Janice tried to say: "But Lexi can stay – " but the security guard wasn't hearing it. So Lexi too, was thrown out into the hallway.

In the hallway, Skidmore was taking turns interrogating everybody.

"So you really thought that this was a school trip? In the middle of August?" Skidmore grilled Gibson.

Gibson shrugged. "I thought maybe you'd wanted to start early?" He suggested hopefully.

Skidmore groaned, then turned to Angus: "And did you really hack into three different websites to get everybody here?"

This was essentially everybody's biggest fear about getting found out. Hacking was a serious offense, and if Skidmore wanted to tell… well, everybody would get into serious trouble, with the law.

Angus couldn't look Skidmore in the eye, "Well, yea."

"Well that is just terrible!" Skidmore produced a women's online catalogue from her purse. "You should've told me earlier! Do you think you can still get me these clothes for free?"

Angus beamed at his principal. "Well, of course I can!"

"Well then, good. And what about this?" She leans in to whisper something to Angus.

Angus said, "Easily!"

"Well then, I suppose there's nothing else to talk about here." Skidmore pointed to Olive. "That one," Skidmore said to Gibson," annoys me. I'm not taking her home with me, you can have her."

Olive hmph-ed, while Gibson said, "Sure, Olive can go home with us."

"Well, that's that, then." Skidmore looked longingly at the door, which led to the ballroom. "It's too bad. That seemed like a good party."

Lexi shrieked. "That's it? You're just going to let everybody off the hook?" She asked Skidmore.

Skidmore smiled deviously. "Well, not exactly. "

All eyes were on Skidmore now, wondering what she meant.

"I wouldn't report Angus to the authorities," the principal said as if this much was obvious, "that would lead to way too much hassle and questioning. And then there would be the grave possibility that my lovely trophies – I mean, students – would be forced to leave the Ant Farm. We can't have that."

"There is a much easier, and cleaner way to punish you guys," Skidmore continued, "When I get home from Japan I am calling each and every one of your parents."

The ants broke out into a huge clamor.

"You can't do that!"

"What would my mom say?"

"I'm going to have no life!"

Skidmore silenced them with a hand. "Too bad! So I suggest you guys enjoy this trip while you can!" Skidmore sang as she walked off.

Lexi turned to face the Ants, a pleased look on her face. She scrunched her perky nose at the Ants as she smiled, then walked off in Skidmore's direction.

Then, it was just the Ants left in the hallway. They stood there glumly, not knowing what to do, and slowly, everyone started to go their separate ways..

So the night was over, Chyna thought glumly. She made to walk off as well, when – a noise from down the hallway – a loud ball of energy came storming down the hallway, with Maddie trailing behind her -

"Itttt's meee, back from Paris," sang London Tipton.

"Hold on – let me catch my breath - weren't you in China?" Maddie asked, after a few seconds.

"Yea, I was in China," London turned to Maddie, "but then I made a pit stop to Paris to pick up these pair of shoes," she gestured to the shoes that she had on. "They look great, right?"

"Right," Maddie deadpanned.

"Of course! Anyway, what are you all doing out in the hallway?" London asked as she took a look at everybody in party clothes. She made special note of all the female Ants. "You girls have great taste. I have those exact outfits in closet number 2, 4 and 15!" She exclaimed.

Maddie whispered to Chyna, "And yet that girl still can't recite the Alphabet."

"Well come on in, everybody!" London gestured to everybody. "No way are these party clothes going to waste!"

"But the bouncer kicked us out -" Olive tried to explain.

"Freddie? That man is a kitten. He wouldn't turn away anyone I bring to a party."

In two's and three's everybody went back inside the ballroom. Chyna made to follow, and Cameron nudged her aside. "Watch yourself, squirt. It's time I introduce myself to the lovely London Tipton." He stuck out a hand to London. "Hi I'm C-"

"Don't care!" London said brightly, and then burst through the ballroom doors, ready to take on the life of the party.

Chyna frowned apologetically to Cameron, who was unfazed: "Don't worry, she's just getting warmed up to me."

Chyna rolled her eyes, then returned to the dance floor.

It was there where she found a familiar looking man talking to Janice. He turned to Chyna, recognition lit on his face. "I was just talking to Janice about you!"

Chyna smiled. "Hi again! How's it going with the new bride?"

Haru Toriyami's grin was impossibly large. "I'm having a great time!" He answered very loudly. But then he leans in, in a hushed whisper, "Nightmare!"

"Anyway," he continued, "let's talk about you. How would you like to sing a few songs for us?"

"Um, you mean now?"

"Oh, yes! Turns out you have a big following here at the party. The band over there," he pointed over her shoulder, "will be willing to play whatever you want."

This was going to be Chyna's biggest "concert" yet. "Sure."

"Ok, come with me now." He ushered her through the throng of dancers hitting the floor - she brushed shoulders with a few Japanese boys – they winked and nodded at her – she smiled politely –

Suddenly she found herself on the center of the front stage. It all went very quickly after that, for her. She started out with a melody, strumming a guitar. It was a song she had on the back – burner, that she'd worked on from time to time back at San Francisco. The band, after a while, were able to pick up the beat and join in.

And then, she started singing. The crowd got increasingly louder with every note she sang –

The energy picked up fast! Before long, she was belting encore after encore as if she'd been doing concerts her entire life. It felt good, and she might've gone on forever if she had unlimited energy.

Eventually, she stepped off the stage to deafening applause. She spotted Olive with her hands cupped around her mouth like a bullhorn, shouting "Chyna!" and Fletcher slipping her a thumbs up while he danced with Janice.

The rest of the Ants were all smiles, and slapped congrats on her back and shoulders.

"You were awesome!"

"You rocked, Chyna!"

"Everybody back home's going to be so jealous when you tell them!"

After a while, everybody got back to just dancing again. Chyna was thankful that the attention was off of her for now. She went to the table to grab some punch. She was done with songs for the night -

"I can see why Skidmore wouldn't budge," she heard Janice's voice.

Chyna turned to the star athlete, confused.

"I'd laid down an ultimatum," Janice explained. "The only way I was going to go to the Ant Farm, was if she'd kick you out."

Chyna raised an eyebrow. "Ok?"

"But Skidmore was adamant. She'd said something about you having way too much talent to slip off her hands." Janice rolled her eyes.

Janice made to turn back to the dance floor, but turned back to Chyna. "We could've probably been good friends. If only you weren't way too interested in Fletcher."

This was confusing. "What are you going on about?" Chyna wondered, and then Janice surprised her with a high, uproarious laugh, that wasn't fake or pretentious, but with great mirth. It was as if Janice'd finally discovered the hilarious punch line to a complicated joke.

"You really don't know yet, do you?" Janice asked.

"Don't know what?"

"How much you really like him."

Chyna was left to chew on those words the rest of the night.