“ I will pick you up at 7. That ok?”
“ That’s perfect! See you tonight?”
“ Right, bye!” and with a wink, he swaggered away with pride.
I stopped my self squealing with girlie delight as I walked home. Going out with Charlie would improve my social status so much! He was the most popular guy in school, not to mention years older than me! Going out with him will make my life long dream come true, which was to be cool and popular.
I got home at around 4:30, and immediately started getting ready. If tonight was going to be the best night of my life, I had to look good for it! I showered, dried my hair about a hundred times, did my make up and painstakingly picked out my outfit! I finished getting ready at 6:45, so I sat on the wall outside my house.
At 7 on the dot, a car came banging down my road. It looked about thirty years old, was rusty and falling apart. It looked as safe as a doctor holding a rusty syringe.
Charlie jumped out of the car and swayed a little as he came to join me on the pavement. I could smell the vodka on his breath from a mile away.
He managed a slurry ‘hello’, kissed me on the cheek and led me to the far side of the car. He clambered into the seat, and I slid in after him. The contents of the car look just as bad as the outside of it. I recognised the driver and the other two passengers from Charlie’s year. None of them decided to greet me, except the driver, who looked back at me with bloodshot eyes, and managed a staggered ‘hello’. Everything about the situation screamed ‘accident’, but I decided to ignore my gut feelings and stayed in the car as it coughed and spluttered its way into motion. The driver was going so fast, when ever we turned a corner I hung on for my life, scared that I would be flung from the car. The seat belts weren’t exactly sturdy.
Out of nowhere, another car came whizzing around the corner. The driver tried a dodgey swerve, but he didn’t pull away in time. We collided head on with the other car. All I can remember is the horrifying sound of bones breaking and crunching metal.
I awoke on the pavement. I couldn’t fell my legs but could see that they were very badly injured. My chest heaved and my head was dripping with sweat and blood. I could see paramedics running towards me with a trolley, and blacked out again.
The next time I woke up I was in a hospital bed. All I could see was wires coming out of me and going into a loud, beeping machine. I tried to speak but all I could manage was short rasping sounds.
A nurse materialised by my side, and checked the machines and my fluid bags.
“ Alex, Alex, can you hear me? My name is Emily. You were in a terrible car crash. You were very badly injured, and have had a couple of operations. I’m really sorry, but your legs were beyond repair”.
From then on I’ve been in a wheelchair. My family and I have had to move into a bungalow, and I’ve had to move school. Life has been really hard.
All this happened because all I wanted to be was cool and popular. I regret it so much. So do me a favour. From now on, follow your gut feelings and be happy with who you are.
By Holy Waterman, 9E.
