I woke up around seven o’clock. I couldn’t remember anything, but I think it was a good night. I’ve spent the afternoon drinking with some friends and I don’t even know how I got home. I looked for my cell phone but it was dead.
I had a terrible headache, so I decided I’d better stay home in my pj’s. I turned on the TV, it was tuned on the News Channel, but I decided not to change it. They were talking about a terrible accident that occurred last night around 3:00 a.m.
Apparently, it was a hit and run and a young lady was murdered. My headache started to get worse, as the news guy was talking about a red Volvo seen on the crime scene, driving so fast that the witnesses couldn’t see the driver or the registration number.
The headache was getting worst, so I searched for some pills and a flashback appeared in my head. We all were drinking at the bar, dancing with some ladies. One of them was a beautiful brunette with vivid green eyes. She kissed me and I invited her to spend the night, take the party to the apartment I shared with the guys. “Great”, I thought, “A one night thing and, maybe, I’d get her number for a later booty call”.
I guess the screen showed the ID of the young lady; I heard her name, Tatiana Weston, age 22. Another flashback, and my headache became intolerable. We got in the car; the guys had scored too, so we decided to go to another bar before heading to the apartment. Ed was driving like there was no tomorrow. We were really drunk.
The girls got scared and my lady started to scream. Ed got mad and stopped, “Get out of the car if you don’t like it, hun”, he said as he opened the door. The beautiful brunette step out of the car and started to walk.
Finally, I got the pills and take two. As I drank the water, I saw my clothes on the floor. I recognized my jacket, covered in blood. “That’s odd”, I thought. I inspected the other rooms and my guys were still sleep with their ladies. I looked at my bed, guess it was a rough night; I really hoped I could remember.
The news guy was still talking about the conditions of the lady the police found. I looked at the screen and saw that girls ID. I thought I was going to faint. I sat down and looked again at my bloody jacket.
The flashback, the headache. Tatiana walking in the middle of the street. Ed driving backwards, he hit her. The blood. Me, ordering him to stop the car immediately. I stepped out of the car and held Tatiana in my arms, she was still alive. Ed took me by the shoulders and carried me to the car and drive. I was too drunk to protest.
If only I hadn’t been that drunk, if only we had taken a cab, like Tatiana suggested. If only I had stepped out of the car with her.
Author’s note: Drinking and driving’s not a game. In Mexico, alcohol causes 54% of deaths from traffic accidents registered from Thursday to Saturday. Despite this, consumption rose 10% in two years. Please, if you’re gonna drink, ask someone else to drive or take a cab. Save a life.
