The Darkest Night of my Life

By

Reinaldo Gaitán

Javier Monge

Carla Varela

[Outside, late at night]

Everyone around us looked desperate, they were running and screaming. However, I couldn’t hear anything. The flashing red lights of the ambulance made my eyes dazzle and I didn't see clearly. But I knew that something really bad just happened.

I’m sure nobody thought that we were going to finish the night like this. She was just 17 years old, her hair was straight, long, and as black as a moonless night, which contrasted with her caramel colored skin. That night, she was wearing a nice black dress. Now, here she lays next to me, with broken bones and a pain she had never felt before. She didn’t need to say a word, but the tears in her eyes told me she was afraid. 

[6 hours before]

I picked up my girlfriend Emma around 6 pm, she was looking incredibly beautiful as if an angel had fallen from heaven. I promised her mom, Mrs. Laura, that I will bring her back at midnight. It’s a shame that I couldn’t keep my promise. I was so nervous that day; I just wanted everything to be perfect. I chose my best clothes and asked my dad to let me borrow his car because we were going to my friend Thomas’ party.

I really loved Emma with all my heart. I can say that she was the girl of my dreams and the girl I wanted to become my future wife. We were dating for over a year, the best period of my life.

We study in the same high school but in different classes and even though this is our last year, we were already making plans for our future. She always said she was going to become an architect and I’m sure I’ll become an engineer. She is going to design our house and and I will build it.

I knew that Emma loved me as well. I could feel it. She was always there when I needed her support, she always pushed me to continue and supported me through difficult times. I feel attracted to her physical appearance as well as her incredible personality. She was smart, determined, strong-willed and beautiful. I felt like the luckiest man in the world for having her as my girlfriend.

Thomas has been my best friend since I can remember, we used to do everything together like play video games, soccer, go party and drink. We still are best friends and we continue to do many things together. However, when I started dating Emma, I stopped going party and meeting with him as often. For this reason, Thomas was always telling me: “Lucas, my friend. I really care for you and I want only the best to go your way. Emma is a nice girl but you are so young and I really think you are wasting the best years of your life with just one girl who doesn’t even wants to sleep with you.” I just ignored him, because he wouldn’t understand me, he hasn’t felt for anyone the way I felt for Emma. I would really love to sleep with her but I don’t want to force her.

Thomas is only a child and since his parents often travel for work, he usually has parties when they are gone. That evening, he was sure that the party would be legendary, with alcohol, music, and girls. He invited me, of course, but I wasn’t sure if I should go alone or take Emma, because of her strict parents. He really wanted me to go to his party, and honestly, I wanted to go too.

A week before the fact, he convinced me to go, so I talked to Emma about the party and she accepted to go with me. I had to convince her mom first, Mrs. Laura who is known for been strict, I was nervous but eventually, she finally said yes. I let Thomas know that we were going, he was so happy that told me: “Lucas, buddy, I think this night will be your lucky night, the night when Emma will be yours for the first time”. I wasn’t thinking about that, but I’ll admit that those words rang in my head.

Finally, I was driving to the party. She was next to me, looking beautiful as always. She put some music and began to touch up her makeup. God! Look at those lips and the way she touches her hair. She was driving me crazy. I really wanted to control myself but Thomas's words were in my head, I really wanted to be with her that night. Emma noticed that something was happening, and she asked me in her sweet voice: “Baby, is everything okay? You look weird. I said: “Yes, I’m just excited because of the party. I’m sure that it will be a great night.”  

We finally arrived at Thomas's house, it was crazy. The music was so loud, there were some crazy lights and it was full of people. We went into the house, where Emma saw some of her friends and went to say hi. I went to get us some drinks, and I found Thomas. He was so happy to see me and he asked me: “Where is Emma, didn’t she come?” I told him that she was with some friends and he said, “Oh! So that means tonight you guys will have a lot of fun, actually I reserved my parent’s room for you.”

I told him that I didn’t know if something would happen that night, but he insisted: “Lucas, friend, you just have to give her some of these drinks and she will be ready, I promise. If not, I already have another option for you. Look at that girl in that nice black dress. She has been asking for you.” That girl was Rachel, she studies in the same high school as us and lives close to my place. She has long black hair and brown intense eyes. She was cute and she was looking at me during the whole party. 

Anyways, I was focusing just on one girl, my girl, my beautiful Emma. I went to find my girlfriend and we started dancing and drinking like two crazy young teenagers. I didn’t want the evening to end. Then the DJ played our favorite song and she started moving closer and touching her hair again in a way I knew I couldn’t resist this time. This time I was too drunk to stop myself, I took her hips and I pulled her close to me. I whisper softly in her ear, “Babe, let’s go upstairs, it’s too noisy and crowded in here.” Of course, I knew what my real intentions were and that we had a room reserved for us.