Falling in the Lights

Lights. Blinding lights everywhere, stretching across the whole city like a blanket. The city is glowing, like I will be tomorrow. All the fumes of bad energy can’t swallow me, nothing can destroy the warm butterfly growing inside me. All the darkness the night brings can’t destroy the light, like how all the problems in my life can’t destroy me. I am a butterfly. I’ve changed from a baby caterpillar to a butterfly. My golden butterfly. My golden star. Tomorrow is the debut of my first film, I am the lead and finally all my work will have paid off. I am where I want to be and nothing can change that. I am rather high up, looking down on the city, like an eagle. My hair was dancing in the wind behind me, tickling my neck. With a snap, I hear someone behind me, close to me, their hands touching my back.

Eight hours earlier.

There was a party for all the cast members tonight as a little celebration before the big one as they called it. I washed my hair and finished my make-up early. Me and Max had planned to go out for dinner beforehand and then go to the party together. There was a sudden knock at the door; it was Dianna, my best friend, with a massive bag of Chinese takeout. “What are you doing here? I’m going out for dinner with Max.” I asked rather surprised.

“I don’t think that’s happening anymore. I’m sorry, but he’s cheating on you,” she answered softly. “Are you alright?” She led me into my lounge and sat me down on the couch and laid the Chinese on the table. For a while, I was just silent and still, stuck for words. He had been a bit distant lately, before our coffee this morning we hadn’t seen each other in weeks. “Who with?” I asked, quivering slightly. It was something I dreaded to ask but had to know. “Chloe.” she replied sympathetically. The crazy ex-girlfriend. For some reason, I wasn’t upset. I was angry. I couldn’t believe he did this to me, again. I sat and had take-out with Dianna and talked through everything. I felt a lot better afterwards. Eventually, she left, so I redid my make-up and left for the party.

Once I arrived, the party was in full swing. The room was crowded with people I knew chatting. Unfortunately, the first people to come talk to me were Max and Chloe. “Hey Brianna! It’s so great that you made it!” Chloe chimed politely.

“I’m going to grab a drink,” Max said, oddly.

“You know I dont want to talk to you, it’s for show so don’t look so bored, you have to play your role too, remember? And I’m sorry Bri, but Max loves me. You guys were always just together for the fame. Deep down you know it,” she hissed so we couldn’t be overheard by the crowd surrounding us, and with a flip of her hair she walked away, as her heels snapped on the harsh floor. I continued to mingle for an hour, until I bumped into Max. “Hey Bri. I guess you know then considering we aren’t talking. I know you’re mad but we need to keep this up for the press. When the time is right we can break it off publicly, but for now we need to keep up the act,” he told me as he disappeared back into the crowd, without even asking my opinion on the matter. I needed a breather so I made my way onto the balcony. It had a glass barrier at the edge that I walked up to and clung to the edge of.

Lights. Blinding lights everywhere, stretching across the whole city like a blanket… nothing can destroy the warm butterfly growing inside me. All the darkness the night brings can’t destroy the light, like how all the problems in my life can’t destroy me. I am a butterfly. I’ve changed from a baby caterpillar to a butterfly… Tomorrow is the debut of my first film… I am where I want to be and nothing can change that. I am rather high up, looking down, like an eagle, on the city. My hair was dancing in the wind behind me, tickling my neck. With a snap, I hear someone behind me, close to me, their hands touching my back. “This is for both of us,” a voice whispers, as I suddenly feel myself flying. Falling. Down, down down.