Name: Jaliyah Smith
From: Fayetteville, Georgia
Votes: 0
Don’t
Stop Me Now
By:
Jaliyah Smith
It was already too
late when they arrived. I had already broken the rules. I didn’t
listen when they tried to tell me I was wrong. I just knew I was
right. Once I started, they couldn’t tell me anything. It was like
one second I can see every light and every color, the next I only see
one color. That color is black. I was trying everything in my power
to move, but I couldn’t. I regretted every decision I made that day
right then.
3 hours before …
I was trying to
tell my mom that I could legally drive on my own because my license
came in the mail. All she would say is ‘you’re not ready yet’
but, I was ready. More than anything I wanted to go pick up my
friends and show off my car. I wanted them to know I could drive
them. We no longer needed to rely on our parents. It took an hour of
convincing but, she agreed to let me leave the house in my car ON MY
OWN. Can you believe it?! I was so happy. I immediately grabbed my
jacket, lip gloss, wallet, and keys. I told her bye and I said I love
you. I got in my car and saw I needed gas. So I drove to the gas
station up the street and filled up my tank. I felt like such a
grown-up, out in the town doing my own thing WITHOUT my parents. I
was in the Panda Express drive-thru when my best friend Tyra text me
asking if I could hurry and come get here from her boyfriend’s
house before her parents got home. Of course, I said yeah but, I
needed to know how much time I had because her boyfriend lived pretty
far away. She then told me her parents we 20 minutes away. So I knew
I had to speed and get there. I was going 80 in a 60. Zoomin past all
the cars, flyin’ straight past yellow lights. I was on Butterscotch
blvd when I didn’t even check to see if other cars were about to
turn. I just knew if I didn’t get there soon she would get in
trouble and I thought it would be my fault. As I turned I can
remember just hearing a million horns it seemed like honking at me.
That’s when I felt a pain I didn’t know I could feel. It felt
like a mountain just sat on top of me. I couldn’t feel anything at
all. I just wanted to be able to hug my mom again. I didn’t think I
was going to be able to. Then next thing I remember hearing is some
yelling if I was ok. I couldn’t move or talk so they probably
thought I was dead. When I heard the sirens I was like yes someone
can help me. I just didn’t want to be in pain anymore. So they got
the car off of me and I could feel the air again. Then the next thing
I remember is hearing my mom and dad in my hospital room crying. It
was too late, I already didn’t listen to my mom they couldn’t
rewind time and stop me. Don’t stop me now is the only tune I was
singing 3 hours ago. My life changed forever 3 hours ago.
1 month later…
I am now in a
wheelchair for the rest of my life. I can’t walk anymore. This
could have been prevented if I simply listened to my mom and didn’t
try to please my friends. I can live and tell a story that most
people aren’t able to. Now I can say don’t stop me from telling
my story and helping other kids not be end up like me.
