I had just left physics class. It was always a good thing to be leaving because that meant it was Friday and you were done for the next couple days. I went to the University of Chicago, apart from the campus, the city was complete filth. You couldn't see the ground from any bridge, tourists thought it was fog. But, when you start hacking coughs every day it's pretty obvious that it's some of those damn fumes from the refineries. Along with that was the amount of crime in the city. Gangs were reaching all the way down to middle school students. It was almost impossible to not be involved because you needed one to protect you. Anyone walking alone on the street past 6pm is just asking for whatever happens to them. Chicago was a city where you had to do whatever it takes to survive.

Every night I walked home by myself, I decided to take night classes because I always had more focus then. The problem was, none of my friends took night classes. All of them were out drinking at parties. I had no problem with this, I stayed focused on my schoolwork to make sure my parents wouldn't kill me for failing my classes. It was school first, then I had to choose between friends and sleep. Since, it was Friday night and I didn't really have much to study for, I decided to go see Andrew.

He wasn't the best student and not necessarily the best person to be around. His parents had payed his way through college whenever he came up with a new excuse about why he was failing every class. He never even told me about his habits, but it was pretty easy for me to see it in how he acted. He couldn't overcome the stress that was put on him by his brothers that went to the same school, but did so much better than him. I tried to help him, but every time he picked up his order of crack off the streets, he was gone before I could see where he went. So, I never had real proof that he was doing drugs to send him help.

I showed on the doorstep, apartment 15A, I could hear the trap music inside. I wanted to change my mind about going in, if something were to happen, I'm sure the police would find drugs in there. But, it was too late, Brandon must've noticed me. He came out the door, almost tripping onto the cement. He looked at me with his bloodshot eyes. Usually nobody ever got sleep in the house, there was always a party going on somewhere close.

"Hey! Cameron, I thought I saw you coming down. Andrew is in here somewhere," he glanced around not ever making eye contact with me.

"No, Brandon, it's fine. Just tell him -"

"Man! You're killin' the vibe come in. Just take a joint and pass it around," he insisted that I come in.

I didn't say anything, I just walked in a few steps and sat on the couch. The floor was covered in chips and cigarette butts. I just sat there, hoping and waiting, that Andrew would come out happy to see me. I don't think he's wanted to talk to me ever since he's started buying that stuff.

I saw someone get held up against the wall by their neck in the hallway. I knew who it was. I ran to go pull Andrew off of the guy. Andrew turned around to see me facing him, dead eyes. Before I knew it, he pulled a handgun out towards me. I sprung back against the wall, knocking down a vase on the table next to me. Now he was willing to negotiate.

"What the hell you want Cameron? I thought you understood I'm not talking to you anymore." said Andrew.

"What are you talking about? I want to help you," I said.

"Help me? You were trying to call in the police to get me out of this school," he said

"You don't understand. You're not yourself anymore."

"I'm not being myself? You don't know me! You haven't even talked to me since the beginning of spring. How could you know who I am? You don't know what I've gone through. Ever since you started trying to 'help' me, things have only gotten worse."

It was clear he didn't want to come to a compromise. When he was high, he forgot who he was. I was backed up against the wall, with a weapon pointed at me, and everyone in the room was too high to realize what was going on. He started pacing towards me gun aimed off in the distance, his perception was completely off. I knew even though I was at a corner, I still had a chance to get away. I saw out of the corner of my eye, one of those shards from the broken vase, and snatched it.

I never knew why he wanted to kill me, this is what broke my heart even more. His body was slumped over my lap, blood still spilling onto my jeans. I held my hands behind my back as I watched people file out of the apartment. I knew he'd get caught, I shouldn't have listened to them. I was too stupid to protect myself. Instead, I came to help him, knowing that he wouldn't listen, hell, he tried to kill me!

I was shoved into the pavement along the road. The police were emptying everyone's pockets, checking for even more drugs. There went all my money on college, thousands of dollars taken away because of one night. I lost my best friend, he was shot in the back during the midst of some turmoil between the cops and one kid who had a gun. Andrew was too high to realize who he was threatening. Sure, I was alive, but my life was over, I had no career ahead of me, and a dark storm over me