Saturday, June 27th, 2009

'Dear diary,

'I have had a crazy couple of days, which is why I couldn't write sooner. As you know, I graduated high school this year. It was everything I had imagined. It was perfect. Until my date, Adam, and I went out into the hallways for a walk.

We were chatting lazily about our summer plans when we turned a corner and saw a young adult male pointing a pistol at a young female teen. The girl was on the ground, absolute terror evident on her features. They looked up.

I saw the man's eyes for the first time. They were bloodshot and puffy, evidence he had been drinking. Adam motioned for me to duck around the corner, then stepped forward to address the man. He didn't get a chance. The teen used the man's focus on Adam and I to escape. A loud bang echoed through the corridors, making me jump. The girl didn't get hit and scrambled up to me.

As I got a good look at her, I noticed two things. 1) Her name was Adalyn. She was the youngest sibling of my best friend Rachel. 2) Adalyn had a blackeye and a small trickle of blood leaking out of the corner of her mouth. I was so focused on my own thoughts, I hadn't realized Adam had started talking. The drunk man wasn't paying attention to Adam; he was entirely focused on putting five more bullets in his weapon.

"What happened?" I whispered to Adalyn. We crouched and I placed my hands on her shoulders. "Are you alright?"

Gulping down deep breaths, she managed a reply. "I was helping Rachel empty her locker. I fell behind and then this creeper jumped out and hit me."

"Let's-" I was cut off by a strangled cry. I looked over and found Adam suspended in the air by his neck by the drunk dude. I quickly formulated a ridiculous plan in my mind.

"Adalyn, go back to the gymnasium and get the adults, now!

She started to protest but I pushed her in the direction she needed to go. Turning back around, I made a mad dash for the gun.My periwinkle gown flapped as I ran.

Note to self: When running, do not dress in a long gown and high-heels.

I abruptly skidded to a halt. The man had seen me running for the gun and dropped Adam to pick up the gun again. He raised it and pulled the trigger. A deafening sound made my ears ring. black spots danced around my vision as I realized it wasn't the sound that made my ears ring, It was the suffocating pain that erupted in my left elbow. My knees felt rubbery and I swayed.

I fell to my hands and knees, my dress fanning out like a disney princess'. I finally felt stable enough to look up. The sight before me caused tears to flow from my eyes.

After seeing I had been shot, Adam lunged at the weapons master, despite his weak state. Another sound reverberated off the walls as the trigger was pulled. Adam fell into the lockers clutching his stomach. His white shirt was now stained red. Hard, cold anger flared up inside me. Anger isn't even a strong enough word to describe how I felt. This man thinks he can waltz into MY school, threaten MY friend's sister, shoot MY date (shoot me for that matter), and get away with it?! I think not!

Adrenaline through my veins, I lunged at the man and swatted the gun out of his hands. It went off as it hit the ground, putting a hole in a locker door. I glared The Glare at him, then ran and threw myself to the ground beside my date. Pain coursed through my body as another ball pierced my left shoulder. I gasped and grabbed at my shoulder. Adam groaned beside me and I looked into his hazel eyes that had so much pain, admiration, and worry in them. His muscles tensed and lines appeared at the corners of his mouth and eyes. I released my arn and gripped his hand, holding it to the side of my face.

"It's going to be okay," I sobbed. Hot, salty tears ran down my neck and splashed down on Adam's belly and chest. "No, Adam! You can't- I need- Please-" Coherent words were no longer possible as <I started to ugly cry. Through teary eyes, I saw Adam's eyes grow foggy. Diary, I still blush when I think of what I did next. Without any rational thought, I leaned down and kissed him. I felt his muscles reawaken and felt his hand move to tangle intelf in my hair. His other hand just barely moved to touch mine. We had been going out for about two semesters, and, until now of course, neither of us had the courage to kiss the other. Clearly, a life threatening situation was all I needed. Though only a couple of seconds, it felt like an eternity later when I pulled back. His eyes were still cloudy and he was still in pain, but now he was smiling. I was sudden;y gently pushed away from him, much to my displeasure. I realized it was the EMS. Someone must have called 9-1-1! Adalyn must have made it!

The adrenaline finally left my system. The pain came back ten-fold; I nearly collapsed. I stumbled back against somebody as my legs gave up. I remember someone lifting me onto something, then hearing doors close. I felt my consciousness start to fade. I recalled the soft, sweet smile Adam gave me before the paramedics came and felt an overwhelming sense of peace. When I finally blacked out, I did so knowing that somehow, everything would turn out just right.

And it did. Bye for now!'

-Beatrice (Tris) McInnis