This is Just a Small Thank You

            It started out like any ordinary day. I got up at a quarter till six, showered and donned on a pair of worn skinny jeans and HIS old T-shirt. When I got down stairs I had less than five minutes before having to walk out the door to head to school. Okay, so maybe I told a little white lie. Today is in no way, shape, or form an ordinary day. If it was, Zac would be waiting with his customary “Hey De”, on my steps. On a normal day, Zac and I would walk to school together, but Zac is not waiting for me so I guess it is not an ordinary day.

            Throughout all of elementary and middle school Zac and I were inseparable. Even when high school started, Zac and I would always find a way to hang out. In sophomore year, Zac got his drivers license. He was so proud, and so were his parents. One stupid mistake changed everything. That day Zac decided to go on a drive with his friends. He was driving too fast around a corner and veered off the road, hitting a tree at ninety miles per hour. Zac’s friends, Eric and Devon, escaped scratch free…Zac was another story.

            I was in the middle of Mrs. Grossman’s world history class, when I got a text from my mom. Mrs. Grossman was not thrilled about a cell phone going off in school, but after begging and pleading, she finally allowed me to call my mom. My mom answered the phone in a frantic, worried tone of voice, something that is not a common occurrence.

            “Mom, what’s wrong?” I asked scared.

            “Get your stuff De; I’m coming to get you.”

Since that was the only response I got, it scared me. Sneaking back into the room, I grabbed my bag and headed toward the parking lot. I sat there for about ten minutes before I saw her black Sedan pull up. I barely had time to get in before my mom was pulling out of the parking spot.

Again I asked her, “Mom, what is going on?”

Without responding, my mom drove onto the highway, but in the opposite direction of home.

“Mom,” I tried again, “Where are we going? What’s going on?”

Taking a deep breath, my mom spoke in a soft voice, “De, there was an accident…”

My eyes widened and I could barely speak, “An accident?”

“Yes and Zac was involved.”

My whole world seemed to stop because of that one sentence. I felt warm tears slide down my face as I stared out the window at the buildings speeding by. All I could think about was how Zac had always been there for me. How he was there through my parents’ divorce and when my dad died. I thought of all the times we had, from going to Disney to having pillow fights on Friday nights.

Half an hour had passed, and we pulled into the hospital parking garage. I literally jumped out the car and ran to the elevator. Frantically, I pushed all the buttons trying to hurry the elevator along. Giving up, I ran to the stairs. I took them two at a time, and managed six flights of stairs in four minutes- my personal best.

I rushed into the reception area and bombarded the receptionist until she told me where Zac’s room was.  Walking toward his room, I started crying as I realized, my whole world, the one thing that keeps me going, the person I love with all my heart, is in there, most likely hooked up to a bunch of machines. Knocking on the door, I head a faints, “Come in,” and I pushed the door open. Taking a breath I slowly walked into the room. My eyes, automatically, were drawn to Zac’s copper hair. Even though I tried to mentally prepare myself, I still gasped at the sight in front of me.

Zac was there, but it was obvious that he was not the one who told me to enter the room. Zac was lying on that bed, looking so pale and fragile, hooked up to the machines, tubes and wires sticking out every which way, I started crying again. I kept staring and crying until I felt his mom wrap me into a hug. I kept crying, never could I have prepared for the condition I found Zac in. His mom let go of me and gently pushed me towards his bed. Sitting next to him, I gently reached out and grabbed his hand.