Breathe

Chapter 2

"According to Greek Mythology, humans were originally created with four arms, four legs, and a head with two faces.  Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate beings, condemning them to spend their lives in search of their other half." -Plato 

The sun just disappeared and darkness suffocates me as I drive down this gravel road looking for the house of the party.  I reach for the radio, switch stations, and turn up the volume.  It's finally time for the party, and I'm determined to have an great night with my best friend.  I'm trying to convince myself that it's possible to escape the darkness just for one night.

A new unfamiliar song starts playing, and I'm frustrated that I don't know what it is. I grab my phone and use the app I downloaded yesterday to determine what song this is. "Heartbreak Girl" by 5 Seconds of Summer pops up on my screen.  Maybe I'll have to look further into them sometime.

I pull into the driveway right as the bonfire flares up high. Beer cans already litter the yard, and half-naked people are running around.  The party has already started, but I'm not surprised that I'm late because I finished the book I was reading before I left my house. 

I step out of my car in a blue shirt with lace designs down the front and jean shorts.  My best friend, Valerie, is on the opposite side of the bonfire already twirling her brown hair with her fingers and hitting it off with a few guys.  Valerie loves to flirt, but she also holds a ton of self respect. She talks to and dates a lot of guys because, as she always tells me, she's trying to find "the one".  I tend to stray away from dating because the thought of falling in love scares me.  How can someone put so much trust into another person without the constant fear that they'll break it?

"Valerie!"

"Hey!" She exclaims running over to hug me.

A cute boy hands me a cup. Just let go my head reminds me.  I set the cup down on a table since I don't drink, which is probably not a good start to "letting go".

"Let's go!" She says gesturing to the fire.

People start gathering around the flames when the music becomes prominently louder.  Val grabs a guy and starts dancing near the fire as others gradually follow in her footsteps. 

"Aren't you having fun?" Valerie asks twenty minutes later.

"Yeah, I guess." I let out a fake laugh.

A loud beeping noise escapes from her phone.  Her eyebrows slightly furrow before her lips form a cheeky smirk as she stares down at the screen.

"Hey, come help me find a bathroom?" Val whispers.  How are we supposed to find the bathrooms if we've never been here? I don't even see a house in sight now that I look around.  We're just standing around a fire surrounded by a forest near a gravel driveway.

"Yea, we can try to find it." I reply.

We make our way down the gravel path that twists and turns all over the place.  As we approach the house, our jaws hit the ground. The house is huge and absolutely gorgeous.  It's a beautiful three story brick mansion with large, elegant doors in the center.  I've never seen a house this large in my life.  The rumor that spread around the party earlier was that their parents were out of town, so I reach for the door handle, open the door, and walk in.  I thought the outside was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on, until I look inside.  There's a luxurious chandelier hanging in the middle of the living room,  a grand piano, and paintings that probably cost more than my house.  It's practically my dream house, and it kind of upsets me.  We stroll down several long, tall hallways and open various doors until we reach the bathroom.  I'm a little tempted to yell and see if my voice echoes, but I decide against it.