Something
needs to Change
Screech . . . CRASH!
What had just happened? It was hard to see clearly and the smell of gasoline
was strongly in the air. I looked around and saw the crushed heap of what used
to be my car; a crushed brown Pontiac Trans Am. I look ahead and see a black
Ford Focus with the back bumper smashed and falling off. I have
to escape! I don’t know how bad the damage is! What if my car is on fire? BANG! I kicked the door open and fall
out onto the street. I start hugging myself wishing I would have brought my
coat. What was I going to do now?
Two weeks ago, my senior prom was the only thing on my
mind. Prom was in three weeks and I had plans on going alone with the guys from
my swim team. It was going to be a night to remember. “You can’t go alone! It’s
your only senior prom!” There’s nothing that bothered me more than my own
mother nagging me through her thick Hispanic accent.
“It’s my prom! I can go alone if I want.” I argued.
“Not when you are
my only son and you live under my roof!”
Why was I arguing with her? It seemed futile because she
always got her way. Maybe I can persuade her and turn things in my favor. “Okay
mom. I’ll take someone to Prom, but you have to pay for both of our tickets.”
It was a genius plan in my mind because I could just take my best friend and
not have to worry about paying for an expensive ticket.
“All right, if you take a date to Prom, I’ll pay for both
of your tickets.”
I just won a war. It was an amazing victory against my
mother, but now I was dealt with the aftermath. I had to find a date.
Finding a date was harder than it looked. My best friend
went to another high school, and it was too late to turn in the stupid forms
for someone from another school to attend. I had to ask someone from my school.
It seemed like everyone already had a date. Who could I ask?
“Kristopher! Are you listening?” my teacher yells at me.
“Sorry
Mrs. Gardiner, won’t happen again.”
Hmm hmm hmmm!
I look to my left and see my friend Haley chuckling at my misfortune. Haley is
a pretty girl with long blonde hair. She is very nice and fun to be with.
“It’s
her!” I thought. I was going to ask her to Prom! I know I can have a good
prom going with her.
After
class ended, I caught up with her. “Haley. I was wondering if you had a date to
prom yet. If you didn’t, would you want to go with me?” My hearth was racing. I
didn’t know if I could take it.
She
finally responded. “I was going to go with my friends, but sure! It’ll be fun!”
“That’s
great!” I finally responded. “I’ll pick up the tickets after school.”
“Oh,
I already bought a ticket, so just buy one for you.” She interjected.
Coming
back to reality, I could feel goose bumps all over my body. There was all this
flashing around me. A police officer must have showed up and was looking at the
scene. Next thing I knew, he was giving me a ticket. It was for reckless
driving, but it was only for $50. I could tell the officer was taking pity on
me. At that moment, my mind started to race. How was I going to drive my date to prom now? Was this happening because I lied to my mom about the prom tickets and
pocketed the change? How could I ever
earn my parents trust back? If only I didn’t waste the money earlier, I
could have still made it right.
POP, POP, POP!
I was hidden behind a tree with my enemies circling around me trying to shoot
me. I could hear them stepping on every leaf and every twig on the forest
floor. POP! I hit one of them square in the chest. POP, POP! I hit another on their side.
“Kris!
Do you have any more paint balls? I’m out!”
I
swing my bag over to my friend Alex, but he’s taken out before he gets the
chance to reload. The game finally ended with my team winning. It was a
fantastic game. In that moment, I was glad I spent the excess money for Prom on
paintball. If only I knew what would happen later that day. If only I knew I wouldn't have a car to drive to prom in anymore. Would I have lied to my mother
and taken her money?
My
father came to the sight of the crash to pick me up. He was happy that I was
okay, but as the hours passed, his attitude towards it changed. “HOW COULD YOU
BE THIS STUPID!? DIDN'T WE RAISE YOU BETTER!?” I have never seen him that
angry. His face was redder than a tomato. It looked as if his head would erupt
at any second. “YOU’RE DONE DRIVING!” I was heartbroken. With prom coming up
and I had a job to drive to, I didn’t know how I was going to handle it all. My
world seemed to be tumbling down.
If I never lied to my parents,
would I have been in that accident? Would prom have turned out better?
“Kristopher
. . . Kristopher!”
I
was brought back to reality. I look up at my mother. She’s laying on the couch
with our new puppy reading the newspaper. Can you go to the grocery store and
pick up my tea?
Was
I hearing her right? I haven’t driven in weeks.
“Are
you sure? Is it okay with Dad?” I respond.
“Of
course I am. Take the twenty from my purse and go.”
“Okay mom, I’ll bring you back the change.”
