Lost Stars

vi. flare star

Regret indeed came last as Elle saw the death of her as soon as Melissa stopped the car. The mansion was an absolute disco ball as beams of light came out through the windows in solid rays. The music was loud enough that it could make you want to rip out your eardrums and throw them as far away as you could. It was a massive understatement to say that this party put the Playboy Mansion to shame. All of these components in one night was an absolute nerve wrecker for a first timer like Elle.

"Come on." Melissa groaned in annoyance as her hand slammed on the honk before a massive horn came out directed towards the cars in front of her, but it probably went unnoticed as it was disintegrated by the murderous music coming from inside. Melissa's stress was basically composed of a paranoid thought of getting run over by a ten wheeler that coincidentally came out of nowhere, considering that the queue that was formed over the arched driveway that met the front door at its center extended to the point of some cars having to wait on the streets, which was where Melissa's car was. Some people were actually just going out of their cars and walking over in their six inch heels, probably not wanting to miss one of Lucas' parties.

"Maybe we should just go to the mall and get some burgers or something," Elle voiced her second thoughts out to Melissa as she whispered it in a hesitant and terrified voice. A scene like this definitely had the ability to intimidate Elle, considering that she has never been to one whereas the average teen of her years would have already attended thirty in their alcohol-based lifetimes. Seeing all of the lights rapidly change neon colors was psyching her out and giving her anxiety, but Melissa clearly noticed.

"Hey, it's an accomplishment that you even agreed to this. Just let yourself live a little." Melissa talked as if getting her to agree was a whole new different thing from getting her to actually stay and enjoy it. Melissa kept telling her on the way here how her attendance to the party would erase her good girl image because of how everyone saw her as 'the girl who lingered over books and good grades' or the 'girl who was practically invisible'.

As the queue finally progressed and brought them towards the front door where Lucas' hired valet was, Elle kept telling herself over and over again in her terrifying mind that Melissa was right and that she needed to live a regular teenage life. She kept reminding herself how much her parents kept telling her that although volunteering for something as isolated as organizing books in the library, it wasn't what regular girls her age did. She never understood why everyone around her would pull her towards the pressure of becoming just like everyone else. She didn't understand why she had to be a regular girl for people to accept her, when standing out was beautiful.

"Finally, I thought that we would be in our graves before we made it to the door." Elle was pulled out of her thoughts with Melissa's words as she saw her getting out and handing the car keys to the valet that Lucas clearly needed with this much people who could not be bothered to look for a parking space in the midst of his parents' massive property. Elle instantly rushed to get out of the car, afraid that Melissa would leave her with a bunch of strangers.

Elle was absolutely speechless at the choices of clothing she saw everyone in. She saw a girl in the skimpiest blood red dress in her life as the neckline plunged dangerously low towards her chest area as well as a skirt that was right below her butt cheek that it made it seem that she intentionally bought a dress five sizes smaller in an effort to make her look more appealing, which it didn't. Another girl wore shorts that were basically the spitting image of knickers with a top that could have well been gone with the little areas it covered. And finally, she looked down on herself as she wore a regular black dress that ended right above her knee with long sleeves that extended throughout her arm as it flattered her modestly and classically that it didn't make her seem like someone who was looking for a pregnancy overnight but merely for a learning experience in uncharted territory.