By The Grace of You

1

          How is it that in one quick moment, life can change in a million and one different ways? All it takes is one bad day or night to completely shift everything you've ever known in life. On this day, exactly one year ago, my world started going into this downwards spiral and since then, I've been trying to get back on track. Although, I didn't know if it was possible but mom and dad said I had to try.

On this day last year, May 20, 2017 I stayed in my bed a little longer because it was Saturday and I had absolutely nothing to do. The weather here in Maryland was perfect in every way which has definitely put everyone in a better mood. I heard the front door open from my room right after the doorbell rang.

"Grace, come here for a minute." She yelled as loud as she could even though my door was still wide open from when she came in and forgot to close it.

I got up slowly out of the one comfortable position I managed to get into. When I walked out to the living room, I saw Ethan, Ella's brother. Ella and I have been best friends since we were one. Our moms went to school together and never really fell out of touch. Ella was like a sister to me and I was really close to Ethan too. We had our little arguments every once in a while, never anything we couldn't come back from. When I saw him, something about him was off. Red eyes, heavy breathing, and he looked like he was going to be sick.

"What's going on?" I questioned, trying to keep a smile on my face.

"I think both of you should sit." He kept his voice low, which never happened.

I didn't think anything of this visit because he's been in my life for so long so it's not usual to see him. Even the way he acted didn't throw me off too much and I still didn't understand why.

"So, last night, Ella was taking the trash to the curb, like she usually does to help out around the house," his sentence was cut off by a sob. "A car was driving down the street, the driver was heavily intoxicated, he just came from a party thrown by someone in your high school."

My mom and I stared at him, I kept hoping there was a decent ending to this story.

"They think he recognized who she was, and that's why his car kept creeping over to the side of the street she was on. He hit her before she even had a chance to realize what was happening, she was on her way back inside. He was going so fast he hardly even used the breaks. She was rushed to the hospital last night in an ambulance, she wasn't doing well. This morning, I guess she just couldn't hold on much longer, she fought so hard. She's gone, Grace." He let his tears come full force.

"Mom." I turned to my mom who was sitting on my left side. The tears in my eyes completely blurred my vision.
She grabbed me as soon as I called her and pulled me in tight.

"Baby, I'm so sorry." I can tell she was crying too. My tears soaked my cheeks as my breathing was cut off by sobs.

           Ella was just here in my home two days ago. We did our normal after school routine like always. She had big brown eyes, and dark brown hair that I always put into braids for her. Her laugh was so contagious because it was so unusual and unique. I couldn't believe it, just like that we lost her. One person's bad decision altered so many people's lives.

That day I cried and cried. My mind went blank, my heart burned with anger but also ached with sorrow at the same time. I was filled with nothing but sadness for hours after but suddenly a switch flipped in me and pure disgust took over. How could someone be so careless and selfish?