Metathesiophobia || Billie Eilish

Chapter 4

You always have to mentally prepare for family gatherings because it can get wild (in a totally sophisticated manner). As expected, presents were raining down on me like water, my little cousins were running around causing a great ruckus, mom was trying to keep it together but was ultimately failing as she shouted oders to the poor catering company's staff in the kitchen and Uncle Sam was telling the same stories to me and Harry, who was forced to endure my family because he was accompanying me to the ball after the lunch.

"So I was standing in front of this beast of a man who was ready to fight for the briefcase in my hand, but I-," Uncle Sam was (fortunately) cut short by my Grandpa Andrew who was clinking a teaspoon against a champagne glass to gather the room's attention. The room, as expected, killed any conversation they were having, the children even coming to a standstill before my grandpa cleared his throat.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate Felton's graduation as well as the long standing tradition we have in the Vanderbilt family. Monday, next week, Felton leaves to start her thirty day journey to self discovery. We all may know the rules, but I will repeat it again for those who are new to it."

My grandpa continues to recite the rules I've heard every time someone was graduating for as long as I was able to comprehend what words meant.

"Now! Let's have a good day and celebrate the Vanderbilt tradition. To Felton!" grandpa says and raises his glass in the air before the whole room repeats the salut in a series of choruses and everyone comes over to us to smile and clink their glass againts mine and Henry's, with wishes of good fortune and a healthy life.

Lunch concluded as normal and soon everyone was greeting me and Henry at the elevator as we were preparing to head to the ball. My white dress complimented my dark hair and fair skin as we walk to the limo that was waiting for us at the entrance of the building. When Henry opened the door for me, a series of hoots and cheers were heard from the inside of the car as I climbed in. Henry's friends, as well as a few of my friends and their dates were in the limo and my face automatically went into one with a smile. The ride to our destination was filled with more champagne and I was already feeling the affects of it as I giggled way more than I do when I'm fully sober.

We reached the venue and everyone filed out the door to continue the night's journey. Music was thundering from the inside of the building as we stood outside to show our tickets to concierge. He nodded and told us everything was in order, before leading us inside, where the music was now even louder and more clear. A DJ and his setup was perched up on the stage as people danced on the colorful dance floor that flashed in accordance with the beat of the music, hyping up the energetic teenagers even more and setting the mood to one resembling a club more than it did a ball. Tables and chairs decked with luxurious decorations could be seen surrounding the dance floor as a few people were sitting down while attempting to talk over the loud music.

"You wanna go dance?" Henry asks while resting his hand on my lower back.

"Sure," I say looking up at him with a smile. We make our way to the dance floor and Harry starts moving to the beat, me following his actions.

-

The ball was coming to a end as the excessive alcohol in the punch bowls had long ago taken effect and people were stumbling to the entrance to head to a club or a after party. Our friend group had been sitting at our table for a while now, trying to drink in the last moments of high school as slow music played from the speakers while a few couples still stood dancing.

"I've just had a idea!" Naomi announces abruptly.

"Let's hear it," I say on behalf of the group.

"Let's sneak into school."

"Our whole high school career we've been trying to sneak out. And now you want to sneak in. I'd rather go to a club," Tyler, Henry's best friend complains with a laugh.

"Come on! It'll be fun," she whines to me, since I'm the only one who'll change their minds.

"I'm in," I give in after I couldn't say no to Naomi's pouting. She's always known my soft spots.

"Me too," Henry agrees, squeezing my hand. The whole group eventually agrees after Naomi's drunk self nagged every person until they eventually caved in and all of us headed to the limo.

-

The eerie looking building of our school came in sight and I was not at all excited to enter it. As someone who's afraid of everything, I can safely say that this is something straight out of a nightmare.

"Let's roll!" Tyler says as the car comes to as stop and he pulls down his balaclava (we made a stop on our way because Micheal insisted that if we're breaking in we'll need disguises, even though we're all still in the clothes we went with to the ball). Naomi stops Tyler's actions.

"Come on! That's so lame dude!" Naomi argues.

"What? It wasn't that-,"

"Let's just go guys! The night's still young and it'll come to an end if this goes on," I say, stopping a potential fight. Everybody nods and opens their doors.

With stifled giggles and a series of shushing, we make finally found a open door to slip into the building. Micheal was a tec genius and managed to hack into the security room to shut down the cameras as well as the beams on the ride to school from the venue. Our little group roamed the dark halls with only our phone's flashlights as light sources. Henry was carrying two bottles of champagne to share when we get to the place Tyler calls the look out.

We climbed a staircase I haven't seen before that was near the assembly hall. The stairs led to another hall and when we reached the end of the hall, Tyler opened a door to his left, to come out seconds later with a ladder. He positioned the ladder against the wall, climbed up and felt around on the roof until he pushed it upwards to reveal a opening. He pushed himself through the opening and motioned for the next person to come up. Everybody had copied his actions and all of us where standing there before Tyler walks futher, followed by us. I soon learned we were walking above the stage in the assembly hall. Tyler walked to a glass window that probably shined light on the stage in the day and pushed it open to climb through the opening onto a platform on the other side.

When I climbed through the window I was met with a stunning view of the school grounds and the city. All of us sat down on the roof, looking at the stars (as if we could see through the pollution) while taking turns drinking from the champagne bottles until we had to go back home.

-
I had a dream I was at a festival and the audience and Billie had a egg fight. Yes, I'm totally aware she's vegan, but anything can happen in my dreams.
Stay safe (and healthy)
- D