Kindle and Flame
If I could go back, I wouldn't change a thing. I believe that everything happens for a reason and sometimes
the reasons are out of your control, but, you go on, and learn. I always thought that the popular choices
were the right choices, but, I know now that they weren't always right for me. I was 12 years old when I
tried my first cigarette. I had no idea what I was doing , its all pretty stupid really. My friend told me first you
put the cigarette in your mouth, then you take a drag off of it, so I did. Then she said you don't blow out the
smoke, take another deep breath in, now, exhale. And when I did that, I thought that I would fall over, I
mean I was so dizzy. What a rush!! Head rush that is. So, from that day on, every morning we would have
our before school cigarettes. I mean after all, we were women now, right? This ritual went on for quite
awhile, but, eventually an addiction started to occur. I would be at home, after school, after dinner, and become agitated ver easily
I knew that I couldn't smoke, so I would eat, and no matter what I ate, there was still an unfilled void. I
started to make up excuses to leave the house. Anything that I could think of. From walking the dog, to
homework study groups, whatever. I had to get my nicotine fix.
One day, while smoking in the Girl's bathroom, I overheard an "exclusive" group of girls talking about this
party they were going to have in the upcoming weekend. It sounded so cool. No parental supervision, boys,
cigarettes and oh yeah, alcohol. One of the girls walked away from the group and walked over to me. She
asked me," Do you got a lite?" I quickly lit her cigarette and I asked about the party. She told me that
anybody who is anybody would be there and if I had some money to pitch in, I was welcome to come. Finally,
I was accepted in the "in" crowd! I got hardly focus for the rest of the school day. On the way walking home
my friend Patricia asked me, "Hey, what is with you today?" I did n't want to tell her, but, I caved. I'm going
to the Swanson's party Friday night. Her face got so red with both anger and surprise. "Really," she said.
"And what makes you so damn special?" "I don't know what your so damn mad about, its just a party." "Chill
out already." "Whatever." She hissed. When we got to her house she just ran in and shut the front door in
my face. I mean what an attitude problem.
As the week went on, I became so anxious. I couldn't concentrate in any of my classes, I could hardly eat, I
mean "I" was finally a somebody! Me!! But then it occured to me that I haven't talked to Patricia, so
Thursday, I decided to call her up. Ring,ring. "Hello, oh hi Alicia, what can I do for you?" "May I please talk to
Patty?" "Sure, hold on a minute." "Patricia, youhave a phone call." "Hello." "Hey Patty." "What have you been
up to?" " Oh its you." "So now you want to talk?" "Here's a suggestion, call your new friends." "Hey, I'm
sorry for the way that I have been treating you, I-"Look", she yelled. "I don't want your stupid apology!"
"But", I said. "But nothing!" she yelled. Bam! And that is all that I heard after she slammed the phone down
to hang up on me.
I felt like a complete scum bag. How could I have not seen what I was doing to my best friend? So the next
morning, I went to Patty's house to try to talk to her on the way to school. Knock, knock. Her mother opened
the door. "Is Patty here?" "I would like to walk her to school." "No, I'm afraid that she's not", her mother
said. "She had her father drive her to school this morning." "That's okay", I thought to myself.
I went on to school, hoping that she would give me a chance to apologize. Patty wasn't in my English class,
so I started asking people if they had seen her. But no one had. I went looking for her in the Girl's
bathrooms, in the hallways and nothing. No Patty. Finally lunch period came around. As I began to eat my
lunch, the fire alarm went off. "Everyone please try to remain calm and exit from the designated emergency
exits." When I went outside, I could see the smoke coming from the other side of the school. The fire truck
came. The ambulance came. The police came. It did not take long for the fire-fighters to put out the fire. After
they did, the paramedics took the stretcher up to the back entrance of the school. One of the fire-fighters
came out carrying a person that had been burnt in the fire. It was Patty!!! "Oh my God!!!" I screamed as I
dropped to my knees. All I could do was cry hysterically. Then I tried to regain some composure so I could
find out what was going on. "What happened?" I asked the fire-fighter. "Is she alright?" "She's alive", he
said. "But, she's burnt up pretty bad."
Patricia was transported to the county hospital. She was in the ICU, and that's where she began the long
process of her treatment. Sixty percent of her body had third degree burns. Apparently, she had been
smoking in the utility closet and she had stolen a fifth of cherry vodka from her parents. She had become so
intoxicated, she had passed out with a lit cigarette. The alcohol was ignited by her cigarette, and that what
caused the fire. I am so thankful for the school's smoke detector, otherwise, Patty may not be alive.
I can't believe that I had became so wrapped up in myself, that I had overlooked my bestfriend. The guilt
was overwhelming to me. It was time for me to do some real soul searching. The first thing that I did was
quit smoking,it wasn't easy, but it was the only choice. Several weeks had gone by and Patty was still in
acoma. I couldn't go to visit her yet because it was against the hospital rules because her condition was so
critical. Andthe fact that I couldn't be with her , when she needed me the most was tearing me up inside. I
find it very disturbing that it took something so life threatening for me to actually see the error of my ways. I
mean Patty was the most wonderful the most beautiful person that I have ever known, and I was too stupid
to see that. If I could have went back in time, I would have made sure to let her know that she was good
enough. that she didn't need to prove anything to anyone. and that I was the luckiest person to have her
as my best friend. But, I can't go back, and the only thing that I can do is to be there for her no matter what
because not only was she given a second chance for life, but, I was given a second chance to be her friend.