Open the door; this has to be the place.
It's full of flashing lights and booming music,
It's amazing that the neighbors hadn't called the cops yet.
Inside, drinks are passed to you immediately.
You take one only to stop the fight to get you drunk.
Instead, you walk around, looking for friends, people you know;
Finding them glassy eyed and pressed up against the wall,
Lips locked passionately with someone you're sure they don't know.
Claustrophobia kicks in - you need air.
You're out the back door, carefully avoiding the
Stoned school kids with their diseased needles,
And the drunken lovers hiding in the bushes.
You go into the woods, deeper into the large property.
You stop automatically when you can't hear the music anymore.
Falling to your knees, you take a deep breath and open your eyes.
Surprised, you look around at the faces blinking dimly at you,
Those you had ever loved and lost;
Disappointment is clear in their eyes as they watch you
From the dark, spiky branches of the fragrant pines.
And though no one can hear you, you scream like someone can.
The faces disappear, murmuring their words of support in your head.
You stand, legs cramping as blood rushes back to them,
And stumble back the way you came,
Shocked to find yourself blinking back tears;
It wasn't like you to show such weakness.
Finally, the big house is there in front of you and you enter gratefully.
As your heartbeat slows down back to its normal pace,
You look at the faceless, nameless people around you.
Were any of them ever truly your friends?
The meaningless lyrics pierce the barriers of your mind - it's time to go.
No one notices you leave, they hadn't noticed you arrive.
Hop in your car; navigate the maze of haphazardly parked vehicles
And make your way home, earlier than expected.
Who wants a day in the life of the average 21st Century teenager anyway?
