This is Euphoria

-14-

ATHENA

"Where to?" Vera asks after pulling out of the parking lot. I clench my hand against the assistant grips as Vera flies down the road busied by cars. It's astonishingly pleasant, aside from the very real possibility of crashing. The wind is screaming, getting louder the faster we drive. I look in the rearview mirror and see Kai in the back seat; his long hair is straining against the will of the wind. He looks effortlessly hot.

"My house is around here," he offered.

"Alright then," Vera smiled and followed his directions.

It was a short drive, just like he said it'd be, and we pull up to the same official looking building. The street is now packed with cars, except the first spot, which Kai parked earlier. Vera parks there again, and we both wait for the next move. Kai gets out of the car, Vera and I both tread behind.

We follow him beyond grand doors and into a lobby even nicer than the outside of the building. Employees rush around, all dressed in fancy suits, and the elevator door is already open before we reach it.

"Thank you," I say to a short man with a large mustache. He bows his head, and I wait for the doors to close. Kai pushes the button to the top floor and sways back and forth.

"So you're rich?" Vera says wittingly, after a few seconds. To be honest, I would like an explanation to answer my questions too. The elevator doors open before he can fend for himself, and a beautiful apartment, no, penthouse, is richly displayed.

"Holy shit, you're loaded," Vera gulps.

She meanders further into the suite, and I follow, probably just as if not more dumbstruck, confused, and amazed.

I don't know where to look first. It's all so much to process.

An exquisitely modern museum meets my eye. It seems too delicate to be a home, it's outrageously exhibited. Expertly painted art illustrates the impeccably white walls. The concrete flooring has been skillfully polished and stained ebony. Futuristic lightning fixtures that resemble something of a flower hang up over our heads, intensely brightening the room. Oddly shaped seats are in perfect alignment with the similarly gray-scale, contemporary coffee table. Beyond the sitting area is a fireplace, but not the kind you would imagine your family gathered around at Christmas; it was, like everything, tasteful and architectonic. There's even a bookshelf full of hundreds of book copies. A set of stairs, which is wide and seemingly hanging in midair, leads to a different level, which I can only picture what ornates it. The residence is curvy, but I'm able to see the kitchen along with the dining room. It's just how I pictured it would be; opulent and modern.

I finally tear my stunned eyes away from the furniture, and register the real eye catching attribute right in front of my eyes. I slowly walk towards it, afraid if I walk too eagerly it'll disappear.

I touch my finger to the glass, leaving a small smudge on the untroubled wall. The city is right beneath my feet, socializing, feasting, celebrating life. My eyes bore through the glass, and focus on the magnificent skyscrapers. The authenticity was indescribable, and I declare my love for the city just then.

an: last chapter was boring as hell, so here's hopefully a more interesting one :)