Today was the day I can finally have fun with my boyfriend, I thought. I couldn’t stop thinking about the crazy few months I’d had. “As soon as I got out of school I went to volleyball camp which was very fun, but I really missed Chad” I was telling my volleyball coach. My coach soon replied with “It is your senior year, you can have fun this weekend with Chad. But if you let him get in the way of this team and your volleyball career I’m telling your parents.”  I thought to myself “it’s not like they don’t already know”, but I knew not to talk back to her so I quickly replied “Yes Ma'am I understand. May I please be dismissed.” My coach Caroline quickly replied “Yes, but remember what I said.” I ran my way to the locker room. I was so excited it was Labor Day weekend and the last summer party of the year. I got into the locker room and all the upperclassmen and I were getting ready for the best party of the year. I quickly slipped my shorts and crop top on. I grabbed my stuff and ran out to find Chad. Chad was hanging out with all his football buddies, I smiled when I saw how much fun he was having. This weekend was going to be great. Chad saw me and quickly ran over to me, scooped me up, kissed me and gave me a big smile. That is why I loved him because no matter where he was or who he was with he always made me feel like a princess. He grabbed my hand and said “You ready to go beautiful.” I sweetly replied “You know it, this weekend is going to be amazing.” We hopped into his jeep, put the music on loudly and started toward the beach. We actually only lived 5 minutes away from the beach, but all the Seniors decided to go to a beach where no one knew us. We sang on the top of our lungs until we arrived to the hotel. As soon as we arrived we saw most of our friends. When all the sudden I heard “Faith why are you even here no one likes you?” I felt my face get red and turned around and saw one on my best friends, Maddie. I soon clapped back and quickly responded with “Maddie I thought you were going to bother someone else this Labor Day” We both immediately started cracking up; that was how our friendship worked. Chad had checked us in and I didn’t even realize it. He grabbed my hand and then screamed to everyone in the lobby “Hey everyone meet down at the beach at 4:00 bring all your drinks it’s going to be a fun night.” Everyone quickly cheered, everyone loved Chad and would listen to whatever he had to say. He soon pulled me to the elevator. We quickly made our way to our hotel room. We lied to our parents telling them that we were not rooming together when in fact we were. “I’m so excited for tonight, let’s get changed quickly and make our way down to the beach. The sun is beautiful” Chad quickly stated. I felt that same rush of excitement that he had just conveyed. I quickly got dressed and grabbed my stuff for the beach, I didn’t want to waste anytime. As Chad was still getting ready I looked outside our huge window where you had a perfect view of the beach. In the moment I knew this weekend was going to be a life changing one. I was so deep into my thought I didn’t even realize that Chad had been trying to get my attention. He then came up and said “Faith, hey you ready to hit the beach?” Awoken from my thoughts, I enthusiastically said “You know I am.” I soon gave him a big kiss. On our way down to the beach we started talking about how we can’t believe we are already Seniors. We got so sidetracked in our conversation, we didn’t even notice we were at the beach. Most of us Seniors were already down there, with coolers and blankets set out. I got a shiver running quickly down my spine.  You know, the one in which you are in so much shock about what’s going on around you all your body can do is send that spine chilling shiver.  Maddie and a few other girls from the volleyball team called me over. As soon as I got over there they handed me a beer. “The party has already started.” I stated while holding my beer up. We all began to laugh while settled in. Everyone on that beach just kept drinking one drink after another. We were all having such a good time talking, swimming, playing volleyball, and messing around. I think everyone was having so much fun we didn’t even realize it was 7:30. Chad called me over to him and his friends and asked “Hey baby are you ready to go get something to eat?” “Yeah of course let’s grab our stuff and get ready to go.” We told all our friends we were going to Mikey’s crab shop and to meet us there at 8. Chad and I quickly made our way up to our hotel room. I thought to myself, “ we must be hungry cause we never get ready this fast”. I then asked Chad “So when should I call the Uber to pick us up?” Chad turned saying “We aren’t taking an Uber. I’m sober enough to drive.” I knew I should have questioned him because he was drunk, but so was I. We were blasting music in our room and dancing around when we realized it was almost 8. I turned the music off laughing about how crazy he was and pointed toward the door. He already knew what I was trying to say, we were going to be late. We started dancing all the way to the car like the crazy dorks we are. I hopped into the car so excited to eat, because I realized how hungry I really was. We both got so distracted by the music we forgot our seat belts. It was a dark summer night, and the breeze was running through my hair. These were the type of nights I absolutely loved. Even though I lived at the beach, I adored the smell of the salty air. I was such in my own world, I didn’t notice how much Chad was swerving. We came up to a large intersection when the light turned red. The thing was we were too drunk to realize that the light had turned and we ran it. As soon as we hit the middle of the intersection all I could hear was a crash. I tasted my own blood in my mouth; I smelled the salty air and gas. I saw blood all around me, but I wasn’t sure if it was mine. I felt my life coming to an end. Six weeks later I awoke from a coma. I had twenty-three surgeries and died seven times. The doctors weren’t sure if I would even make it. In fact I did but I lost a lot that day. In those few hours on the beach I had my life planned out right in front of me and I was happy, but I decided that was worth risking it all. As I lay there in the hospital bed one night I decided to write myself a letter. It said:
Dear Faith,
Back in september when you decided to take that sip of alcohol did you know your life would be changed forever by it? Because it’s now November and you are still in a hospital bed. You lost your arm, had major brain surgery, and almost died. When you took that sip did you realize that you would lose the love of your life and best friend in the accident, did you know that? Because while the doctors were able to save your life seven times they were only able to save Chad four, and the last time he was far to damaged. Did you realize that your family and friends all had to say goodbye to their daughter, granddaughter, sister, best friend, teammate, and classmate, did you know the pain you would put them through? Mom and Dad were starting to get funeral plans ready so that it was easier when you passes away. Do you know what it’s like to pick out a coffin for your child? Did you know the pain your parents felt having to explain to your 12, 10, and 8 year old sisters that their sister is going to die? Do you understand the pain you pastor felt who has known you your whole life felt when he was asking the Lord to forgive your sins? Has he wondered why he has to bury another Smith. Did you know that you were about to be buried right next to your dad even though that spot was suppose to be for your mom? See you were selfish when you took that drink because you only thought about the consequence for yourself not everyone else around you. You could have had it all but you took that sip...