Fight of Our Lives

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER ONE

A Year Ago (4/16/16)

"No! Stop-stop it! It's not funny anymore!" I yell, my voice growing harsher and weaker as I try to stop my boyfriend, John.

"Val, would you shut it?" Rick grunts, continuing to increase the speed of his car.

We're going 100 in a 45 town street on our way to eat dinner. My heart is pounding in my chest and I can't help but feel like something bad is going to happen if he doesn't slow down.

"John, we could die!" I say, tears brimming my eyes and for a spare second he looks at me.

And in that spare second, we crash.

Today

"It's graduation day!" my roommate, Dorothy, squeals.

"Shut up, Dor," I grunt, grabbing my pillow and throwing it at her with force.

"Um, excuse me? Today we finish college, school, for good. You are lightning up your mood, Val," Dorothy warns, raising her eyebrows.

I roll my eyes as she walks away and shove my face back into my mattress.

Today I graduate and tomorrow I leave for New York to begin my career as a paramedic. I'll miss Dorothy for sure, but as four extreme years with her as my roommate come to an end, I can't help but celebrate.

Just a little.

Dorothy's the morning type. For four years, I've been waking at six am to the sound of the microwave humming and the smell of coffee.

And how could I forget the high pitched,"Good morning Val!" every - single - morning.

I hear Dorothy start up a shower and I sluggishly sit on the corner of my bed. At the end of my bed are 3 suitcases, all filled to where they could explode at any moment, ready to be put on a flight to New York tomorrow.

I was accepted to the New York Hospital of Columbia and Cornell as an intern paramedic. If all goes well, I intend to continue my residency there. I don't know I've been drawn to that city, and this opportunity has got me all kinds of excited.

Mom was upset that I had changed my major so late into the semester, but was proud of me for doing something that would change someones life.

My dad on the other hand, was a bit annoyed at my decision to become a paramedic. Since I had changed my career plan after the car accident, he believed it was not thought through and it was all in my head.

In the end, they both just want me to graduate and do something I love.

I will love this.

John, though. John went full rage when I told him. We'd been dating for 3 years and he believed he knew me better than I did.

"You're doing this because you're still messed up in the head from the accident. You're not that selfless to be able to take care of someone, let alone their life." John had grunted as we walked around campus, two weeks after the accident.

I had already been accepted to Columbia at that point and I didn't even bother to ask him to come with.

I knew he wouldn't. Even if I had asked him to marry me, which was something he'd been pressuring since our first year together, he would've spat in my face.

He hated the idea of me becoming a paramedic, why move across the country to allow me to do that?

Why be with someone who didn't support you at all?

So in that moment, I broke up with him.

I shake my head and look at the clock.

Two hours till graduation and 6 till my flight.

I realize that today will be the last time I see friends and family until Christmas, and my heart pangs and aches a bit. At that, I get up from bed, barge into the bathroom and jump into the shower with my best friend.

"Val what the hell?!" Dorothy shrieks, laughing uncontrollably at the same time.

"I'm gonna miss your white ass," I yell, laughing with Dorothy as my clothes get soaked.

"White or wide?" She laughs and I burst out with her.

I'm going to miss her.

And her good morning cheers.

Short chapter, but bare with me as the story goes on. Share, like, and comment. I would love to read your thoughts!

-N