Party Flashback

I don't know where I am, or even of I'm alive. All I see is black, I don't feel anything, but

my mind won't leave me alone. It's not my fault I'm like this, it was his. All I had was water, I

swear, but he had something else. He drank the poison, but I'm the victim. He ate the poison

apple, but I'm the one who sleeps. I thought He would be my Prince Charming. Oh no, not

again! Please, Mind, don't make me relive it! Please, please, please…

"'Hey Candy! Why don't you come over here with me? I'll buy you a drink,' Zak called

across the barroom, he was obviously drunk…again.

'No thanks, Zak. I promised my parents I wouldn't drink any alcohol tonight,' I said.

'Fine, party pooper,' Zak said. He turned his back to me and said to his friends, 'She

never has any fun. She never has a drink, she never wants to try some weed, she always

refuses when I offer to make….' I covered my ears and walked over to my group of non-drug

friends.

'How can you still like him?' my best friend, Jen asked.

'I'm not sure I do anymore. He's changed a lot over the last year and a half,' I

confessed.

'You need to get rid of him! A nice girl like you shouldn't be with a druggy like him,'

said a strong, but gentle voice behind me.

'Aaron!' I exclaimed with surprise and delight as I swiveled around in my barstool. I

had always like Aaron as a friend, but now that Zak was acting up, I felt closer to him. And

everyone knew he had a thing for me, including Zak, which caused some problems.

'I didn't know you were coming!' I said, although I had a feeling earlier that he would

show up.

'Well, I wasn't going to come. But someone said there was going to be some of that

poison here. I thought you might need some protection from your boyfriend,' Aaron said,

puffing out his chest. Gosh, he looks so cute. I risked a glance over at Zak, he was staring

right back at me, deadly.

'He's not my boyfriend anymore,' I said sternly, hoping Zak would hear me.

'Really? Since when?' Aaron asked.

'Since right now. I have a new opening for anyone who would like the job,' I winked.

'Well, I'd be game. If you think I'm acceptable,' Aaron replied.

'Okay, on one condition though. You can't drink. Are you free?' I asked, even though

I already knew the answer.

'I'm as dry as a bone I guess one could say,' Aaron smiled. He had a beautiful smile.

'Good. You're hired,' I said, my heart rushing. He's mine.

'Thank the Lord! I must be the luckiest guy in this room,' Aaron exclaimed, smiling a

mile a minute. 'At least, luckier than Zak.'

The party dragged on and on into the night. Zak kept drinking, and eventually pulled

out a pack of cigarettes. Man, I hate those things. Aaron, the girls, and I left the room and

went to the balcony to get some fresh air. The only think that kept me at the party was

Aaron. I was so absorbed in his stories that I lost track of time completely.

'See ya later, Candy!' Jen said as the left with the rest of the girls. Aaron and I were

alone.

'Well, I should probably be getting home too. See you tomorrow then?' Aaron said,

turning to me.

'Yeah see ya tomorrow,' I whispered weakly. Don't go!

'Good bye,' He said, but before turning around he leaned close to me. He kissed me

on the cheek and walked away. A perfect good bye.

'CANDY!' Zak yelled, pulling me out of my daydreams.

'Oh, Zak. We, uh, we need to talk,' I said, looking him in the eye. He was drunk on

beer and rage. He started to stride toward me.

'Yes, yes we do,' He said with an evil malice. I started to back away, but he pinned me

to a wall. I was truly scared.

'Zak, let go of me! I'm not yours anymore.' I said, my voice trembling with my

desperate panic. Somebody, help me!

'Why? How could you leave me and go with him? That insolent jock!' Zak yelled. He

was delirious. And my dumping him was only making things worse. But my pride wouldn't let

me give in.

'You're the insolent one, Zak. You've gone way, way over the line. Now let me GO!' I

said, holding my head high.

'Fine. But don't expect me to forget and forgive you for this! I'll have my revenge.'

Gosh, he's insane! He let me go, and gave me a dirty look as I passed him. When I

reached the door, I looked back at Zak. What I saw frightened me.

I was driving along just fine. My hands were trembling at first, but once my thoughts

turned away from Zak, and Aaron filled my mind, my hands became steady. Then it

happened.

The swerving red truck, I know so well. The flashing white lights. The squealing of

tires and brakes. The smash of glass. The crash of metal on metal. The last thing I remember

was his face. The same face I saw, when I left the bar. Zak and his grinning, delirious,

malicious, insane, pure evil face. Then everything went black."

I wake with a start. My hands trembling, my face and back sweaty, my voice

screaming. My eyes begin to adjust. I'm in a hospital bed. Aaron hovering to my right, Nick

(my brother) to my left. And all my friends and family filled the room. My leg is in a cast.

That's it!

"I thought I was dead," I spoke my first words in a breathless whisper.

"Thank the Lord, you're not." Aaron said, smiling down at me.

"How long…?" I couldn't finish my sentence.

"Three days," I heard Jen say as she walked up beside Nick.

"What about Zak?" I asked.

"Police caught him. No injuries. The slick git," Nick said, speaking for the first time. I

loved his English accent.

"Nick, I can't believe you flew from London to get here. And all I have is a broken leg,"

I said, trying to make him laugh.

"Well, at least you didn't lose your sense of humor. But this is no laughing matter,"

Nick said, all serious.

"I know," was all I could manage."

"Let's just thank the good Lord you and everyone in this room is alive," Aaron

exclaimed. He slipped a cross necklace around my neck, he had an identical one.

"Yes. Thank you, Jesus!" I praised.