Injured

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

     I skimmed through the halls, giving high-fives and fist bumps to everyone who held their hands out. A few girls leaned up against the lockers. One of them caught my eye, and I winked. She turned to her friends and they began to giggle.

     I burst out the front doors of the school, feeling like I owned the place. And I pretty much did. I had the girls wrapped around my finger and everyone wanted to be my best friend.

     I jumped into my car where my best friend, Cole, was already waiting in the passenger’s seat. He looked at me expectantly as I turned the key and pulled out onto the main road.

     “What?” I asked, seeing his eager face.

     “Are you going to go tonight?” He asked. His eyes got big, and that’s when I knew exactly what he was talking about.

     “I don’t know, man,” I tried to come up with excuses. “I’ve got a lot of homework and a test on Monday.”

     I should have known he wasn’t going to believe any of it.

     “Dude, you got all of your homework done during study hall. Plus, you’ll have all weekend to study. This is THE party. The big shebang!” He laughed. “There is no way you can miss it.”

     I didn’t answer. There was no way I was going to that party. I knew who was hosting it. Rebecca.

     “It was one time, Dan,” Cole said when he saw the look on my face. “When you told her to back off she did. I’ll be with you the whole time to make sure she stays away.”

     “I can’t exactly go to her party without talking to her.” I shook my head and focused on the road.

     “Yes you can,” Cole pleaded. “I’ll answer any questions and say hello or whatever. Please!”

     I thought for a little bit. It was only one time…

     Cole could see my face soften and he knew what I was gonna say even before it came out of my mouth. “Thanks. I promise I’ll stay with you the whole time!”

     I nodded and pulled up beside his driveway. He hopped out and shut the door, tapping the roof of the car, and I pulled away.

     I turned up the volume on the radio, hoping that it would take my mind off of what I had just agreed to do. My fingers tapped the steering wheel to the beat. As soon as I reached my house, I ran to find Ellie, grabbed her leash and stepped back outside for a walk. I always thought my best when I took her for a walk. I held the leash loosely and let her lead the walk while I thought.

     There was no way I could go to that party. Not when Rebecca was there. The last time we hung out, it wasn’t very pretty. Normally the guys were the ones who tried to get physical, but not the ones with Rebecca. She completely turned the date into a grabbing fiesta. Sure enough I walked right out, and I’ve never hung out with her since. I had no idea why she was still getting guys nipping at her heels. Then I realized that I did. It was what had made me start to like her. She was beautiful and she was a flirt. I learned my lesson though.

     Before I knew it, we were back at the house. I let Ellie loose. My phone started ringing as soon as I was in my room. I checked that caller ID and wasn’t surprised to see that it was Cole. I seriously debated telling him that I wasn’t going, but I had made a promise. I couldn’t go back on that.

     I answered and finished with all the details before taking a quick breath and realizing that I was really going to go through with it. I knew how to handle her. At least, I thought I did. Being the designated driver was going to help take the pressure off of drinking too. I would have better luck fighting her off when I was sober.

The party was loud, and I was already regretting showing up. There were already some drunks passed out on the stairs, and the party was only an hour in. Cole and I had only just entered when we already had a group following us. One of loudest was, you guessed it, Rebecca.

     It wasn’t an hour before she was pulling me off the couch I was perfectly comfortable sitting in to dance. She had probably been drinking a little already because she seemed a little tipsy. I ignored her grabs at me and frantically looked around for Cole. I pushed Rebecca off of me where she was clinging onto my hips. I ran off to find Cole chatting up a girl by the staircase. I pulled him away and into the car.

     “We were only there for two hours, man,” Cole pouted.

     “And that was long enough for you to leave me and Rebecca to jump on me.”

     I checked the clock as I quickly pulled out of the driveway. 11:30. It felt like so much longer. I turned back to face the front just in time to see two head lights coming fast and run head on into the car.

     The last thing I remember is a scream before I blacked out.