Breathing

Chapter Four

I'm staring at my computer screen, looking at the Official science website page, as it says here, you can not get a cold by being in the cold, it's germs. I did not risk my little siblings life, this means I still get a chocolate fountain for my sweet sixteen! I close my computer and go downstairs.

"Happy sweet sixteen!" It's Evan.

"Hi Evan, why haven't you visited in awhile?"

"Well..." The ghost of Evan says. "You remember Mary?"

"Yeah! Your wife Mary, the love of your life mary? He answers in an excited tone.

"That's the one! She died!" I'm struggling to think how that's a good thing.

"What about Danielle? Your fifteen-year-old daughter is an orphan!" He smiles, nervous.

"We didn't think we would die so young so we didn't have anyone ready to take care of her so-" I interrupt him.

"We will take care of her." "Thank you Lexi." and in a flash, he's gone. Turns out I'm going to have a friend at my sweet sixteen after all, we barely ever speak but I bet we will have fun together.

* * *

I stare at my right hand, make a fist and knock three times really loudly on the pale blue door that now only belongs to Danielle. There's a super long pause, she's probably paranoid that both of her parents are dead and is taking a good look through the peephole. "Danielle, it's me, Lexi." I say reassuringly. The door slowly opens, I see a girl with short brown hair and giant bags under her eyes, it has to be Danielle. Something swings at me, when I see that it's just a fly swatter, I say

"So, imagine I actually am a murderer, you are gonna try to scare me away with a fly swatter?" She raises an eyebrow at me.

"I'm a fifteen-year-old orphan who is living alone and threw out all of her weapons so nobody could sneak in at night and grab a knife from the kitchen and stab me, on top of all that, I have not got any sleep for weeks." I stare at her blankly.

"I have no friends and my only friend left me to be with the popular kids and turned everyone against me, on top of all that, everyone is afraid of me. My mother is also pregnant." I shoot back.

"I lost my mother." She says sadly.

"I lost my brother." I say quickly after that.

"Make it even?" She asks holding out her hand, I shake it. I think that we are going to get along, or at least sometimes...

* * *

Danielle and I are now in my room going over my sweet sixteen plans, Danielle is actually having fun.

"So Lexi, who is coming to your sweet sixteen?" I respond happily.

"Your Grandma and Grandpa, the baby also known as your aunt or uncle-" We both giggle at that thought. "You and your dad." Danielle stares at me like I'm a psycho.

"He's been dead for nine years." She says.

"Really? I thought he was still alive!" I respond in an overly dramatic tone. "I can still talk to him, he's the one that told me to take care of you." I say. Danielle's eyes lit up.

"Can you talk to him for me!" "Well, he comes to me. He just visited today but he hasn't visited in a month since your mom died." Danielle shuttered.

"I do not want to know what those two ghosts are doing." I shutter with her.

"I'm feeling really tired." I say, yawning.

"Really?" she says as if I'm super weird.

"It's only 6:30."

"What?" I respond. "No!" And then we hear it.

"We're ready Lexi!"

"We need to wear the perfect party outfits." I tell Danielle. She gives me the hard stare so I add on "You can borrow one of my outfits."

* * *

I'm looking in the mirror at my jean shorts and cute top saying

"It's my sweet sixteen!" I bought it just for this occasion. The shirt is a bit big on me although two weeks ago when I tried it on, it fit perfectly. I lost weight when I don't need to. I run downstairs to see Danielle in one of my beautiful party dresses.

"You look awesome Danielle!" I tell her. I look behind her to see the beautiful chocolate fountain. I grab Danielle's hand and rush her to the fountain. I grab a marshmallow and put it on a skewer, Danielle makes a cup with her hands, she puts them in the chocolate fountain and sticks her face in the cup. I'm in the middle of dipping my marshmallow when I see Danielle's face covered in chocolate, we both started to laugh. My chest starts hurting so I'm trying to stop laughing but I can't. A familiar feeling comes in my lungs, I can't breathe, I start coughing. I hear music come on well I fall to the floor. It's happening again.