Paper Airplane

4

Chapter Four

                When we arrived at the someplace fun Brady had been talking about, I made the immediate decision to escape at some point during the night.  Hitch a ride in a cab or even walk all the way back to my brother’s condo.  Because there was no way I was spending the amount of time he was planning on spending at this party.

                “Tell me,” I muttered as three security guards escorted us from the SUV to the main entrance, which was guarded by four more security personnel.  “When does the fun begin?”

                I wished we could have gone back to his place first so that I could change into something less…dangerous.  Suddenly the skirt felt too short and the top of my shirt felt too low and I was just all too aware of the fact that my sandals really didn’t match as well as I thought they did.  My hair felt flat and I could literally see the sparkles floating off of it; I worried there weren’t many left. 

                “Right about now,” Brady answered as we crossed the threshold into the dark, loud, smelly building.

                Next to Me by Emile Sande was blaring, making it nearly impossible to even hear myself think at that moment.  I could smell perfume and fruit and deodorant and a bit of alcohol, all mixed with the stench of sweat and desperation.  On the main floor, bodies were pressed together; it was just a mass of people, all connected through touch somehow, grabbing, pulling, holding.  For a second, I stood at the door, staring at some people nearest me who were dancing in ways I’ve never actually seen in person before.  Then Brady grabbed my wrist and pulled me along with him.

                Surrounding what I’m assuming was the dance floor is a balcony two stairs up, surrounded by a barrier to prevent people from tripping over the short ledge.  Booths ran along one side of it, occupied by tons of people, and I was shocked to realize that I recognized some faces.

                Miley Cyrus appeared to be chatting with a brunette I couldn’t see – her back was facing me – and just joining them now was one of the Jonas brothers.  I think it was Joe.  In another booth was Justin Bieber – I caught my breath – and two other guys I didn’t know.  That seemed to be where we were headed.  In fact, it was where we were headed.

                I tried to remind myself to stay calm, that there so many celebrities here that nobody would be focusing on me here.  I was just another face in the crowd, a girl a bit out of place, but no one to take a second look at nonetheless.  Apart from the pink hair, I didn’t stand out at all.  Hopefully.

                But I couldn’t comprehend that we were approaching Justin Bieber.  The Justin Bieber who is so inhumanly famous that girls can’t even function around him.  I’d never considered myself one of those girls, but when it felt like I was beginning to hyperventilate, I questioned my original assumption.

                “J-Biebs!” Brady greeted him, dropping my wrist to do some kind of handshake with the star.  “My man.  How’s it going?”  And then, grinning all the while, Justin Bieber slid over so that my brother could sit next to him.  While I just stood there, my face flushing, debating on whether or not I should make my run for it right now.

                “You know, it’s going,” Justin responded, finally glancing over at me.  I wished he wouldn’t have.  “Hey, you must be Lexie.  I’m Justin, nice to meet you.”  He reached around my brother to hold his hand out towards me, and it took me a beat too long to respond.