A Night to Remember
There I stood, staring at the mirror. A fairly tall brunette with pale blue eyes stared back. I knew the reflection, it was obviously me. Today's date was circled on the calendar, September seventeenth, the day that my boyfriend was killed in one of the most horrific teen drunk driving accidents of the decade. I had spoken at so many different places, but the worst part was remembering how everything happened. It felt like I could never get over him. But here I would go again, speaking to the students at West Village High School, one of the schools in the district.
I walked up the small set of stairs to the open stage. There was a podium in the middle, how much I hated them always made him laugh. I prayed softly to a god I wasn't sure was there, a simple prayer that Evan's mother taught me. The heat of the spotlights made me sweat and my high heels clicked as I walked across the floor. Finally, I made my way toward the one thing I hated more than anything.
"Hello, my name is Grace Landon," I started. The microphone gave a little feedback, but the stares were what made me want to run and hide. As always there were no responses, but I continued speaking anyways. "Four years ago today, my boyfriend and I were hit by a drunk driver. We were coming back from his homecoming football game when a driver ran the red light at an intersection and hit us. Evan died on the scene." My voice started shaking and I could feel the tears well in my eyes. "I walked away with injuries that ruined my chance of ever playing soccer again." The rest just came in a flashback.
*Four years ago*
I was sitting with my best friend Farrah in the bleachers of the first game against our rivals the East Village pirates. I saw Evan, the star tight end, who also happened to be my boyfriend. I was the luckiest girl in school, and one of the most envied as well.
"So Grace, what are you guys doing after the game?" Farrah asked, as she was checking the time left in the game.
"I don't really know, I've got try-outs for one of the seven travel teams. Evan said that we could go get some dinner afterwards and he would drive me home. What are you gonna do?" I asked. I felt bad dragging her to the game since she was injured in a cheer stunt. I could tell she was miserable watching her friends on the field without her.
"Probably head out to get dinner with some of the girls on the team. The orthopedist says my knee should be fine in three weeks but I can't take part in any stunts until the end of the year." Her weak smile looked as if it sunk with the titanic just like her usually bubbly and outgoing personality.
"That's great!" I replied energetically. Just then, I saw the game winning touchdown, which happened to be scored by Evan. I could hear the screaming and cheering, the cheerleaders on the field were going crazy, just like the player's family members and girlfriends in the stands.
After one more play, something that made Evan run the length of the field, the game was over. We won 21-14, which bumped the winning streak to 4-0. I eagerly ran down the bleachers towards his outstretched arms. My favorite part about being shorter than him was that I could hear his heartbeat when he hugged me.
"Great game! I saw your touchdown; you have to teach me to run like that sometime!" I said, smiling so hard my cheeks were hurting. I was beyond proud of him.
"Well, I think you should teach me how to play soccer first." Evan said, flashing his perfect smile. If he wasn't already recruited by Auburn University, I was sure he could make it as a model.
*Present Day*
As I said finished telling the students about the football game, I could feel my hands shaking. The next part was what always scared me the most, the part about the crash.
"After the game ended, Evan and I headed back to his car. I texted my mom, telling her we were headed out for dinner and not to wait up for me. We made it to the one place that was always open, but of course McDonald's was closed." That always got a few chuckles out of everyone, but I continued anyways, "It must've been close to one since the only place that was open was the sketchy 7-11 with the creepy cashier. But when you're with the right guy and are starving, even Slurpee's and cold pizza seem like a five star dinner." I said, spotting some girls laugh.
*Flashback*
"So babe, what type are you going to get?" Evan asked, handing me the largest Slurpee cup that was left.
As I glance towards the machine, I replied "I don't know, probably the cherry. What about you?" I asked before bursting into laughter. Evan decided to take the cups and put them on his hands like Iron-Man, his favorite movie of all time after The Breakfast Club. "Remind me to never let you watch any movie Robert Downey Jr. is in!" I said through bits of laughter. He took the cups off his hands and placed them back on the stack.
We ended up getting the same thing, a cherry Slurpee and a bag of spicy Cheetos. Like the gentleman he was, Evan paid for our dinner, if it could even be called a dinner. We walked, well he walked and I bounced around like a five year old, back outside towards his jeep. It was something that was indestructible, which gave it the nickname of "Tank".
As he stepped into the massive jeep, I had to get a good leaping start. "Are you ever going to take the monster truck wheels off of Tank?" I asked. I received a good amount of bruises from the car. Evan smiled as he looked at me.
"I'll take them off when we make it a year, only another week left, Gracie." He said, his eyes crinkling as if to avoid tearing up.
When I finally made it up into the passenger seat it was already one thirty. My curfew was at two on weekends, thankfully my mom gave me until three today. I buckled my seatbelt just as he pulled out into the street, and like perfect timework our song came on. It was Only One by Yellowcard, it was playing when he first asked me to be his girlfriend. I used it as a sign something good was going to happen.
"Babe, it's our song." I said happily before I started singing along. He quickly joined, holding my hand as he sang the chorus.
"Grace Elaine Landon, whatever happens to us, I always, always, want you to remember how much I love you." Evan whispered looking over at me and smiling. Hardly a second later, was his sweet voice drowned out by my screams.
I saw the headlights before he did, screaming things that didn't make sense. And then everything went black.
*Present Day*
I could see people crying, some girls had their faces buried in their hands. But I stayed strong, I continued speaking, "I don't know who found us, all I know is that I woke up in the hospital. The first thing I saw was the date, September 25th. It didn't make sense since I remember it being the 17th. I just sat up in the bed yelling for my mom, for Evan, for anyone. And out of nowhere, this doctor walks in with some nurse. So I asked him where Evan was, and you know what he said." My voice had caught in my throat, I was choking up. I gathered myself and continued, "He said that Evan died." I could feel the tears run down my face, dripping down. "He said I could never be able to play soccer again, that I might not even be able to run or even walk again. I was in a coma for six days. Six days! I laid there unconscious, not even knowing that my boyfriend had died. All because someone thought that drinking and driving was safe." It was at this part in my speech in which I was angry. Every time, I would start crying I would then turn it into anger.
*Flashback*
"Miss. Landon, I'm sorry to say that Evan didn't make it." I heard someone say.
"No. No he's not. Where is he? I want to see him." I said, my voice was unnaturally even. I should be screaming or crying but I sat there staring at the door.
"Where is Evan? Please. Where is he?" I whispered, the room was quiet enough to hear a pin drop.
"I'm sorry, Grace. Evan is gone, the impact of the car. He died. I'm sorry." The slender red-headed nurse spoke. Her eyes looked solemn as she glanced at me.
She walked over and handed me a small locket the coroner had found in Evan's pocket, "They found this in his pocket."
I took the small silver necklace and opened the clasp. Inside was a picture of him and on the back were our initials. I broke down in tears, sobbing and shaking. My eyes hurt from how hard I was crying, my hands were numb, and my body quivering.
*Present day*
As I tell the part about the locket, I reach for the necklace. I look through the audience of students. Nearly all of the girls were crying, some of the football players, who I only recognized due to their varsity jackets, were looking down at the ground or avoiding making eye contact with me.