Her name was Ava. She was 17 years old and her life was just beginning. Ava was an average high school student. She seldom missed school and her grades were A’s and B’s. Ava lived with her loving parents and her younger sister who was her best friend.

It was a cold Saturday night. The air was crisp and Ava was in her brand new pair of UGG boots and a cashmere sweater her mother had given her for her excellent grades. Her family was not rich, but they were rich with love. They would have family game nights every Saturday except for this one in particular. Ava had been invited to her first bonfire party and she didn’t want her parents to know. “I’m going to my friend’s house to hang out is that okay?” she asked her parents. “I suppose but you’re going to miss family game night!” her mother exclaimed. “Please it’s just one Saturday night and we always have game night.” “Fine but home by 12:30” her father said. Ava kissed her parents on the cheek and went upstairs to call her friends. “They said I can come! Pick me up at 8.” She hung up the phone and looked out of her window. The leaves had fallen off the limbs and the tree’s danced and swayed in the cool breeze.
“Honk! Honk!” Ava grabbed her wallet and raced down the stairs. Ava’s parents had a strict “No drinking” policy so when her parents asked what they would be doing she simply said “Oh nothing just girl stuff,” and ran out the door to her impatient ride. When she got in the car with her three best friends, the girls asked her if she wanted a beer. Uneasy but not wanting to get made fun of she accepted. The girls drove on down towards the bonfire. When they exited the highway there was nothing but trees and a dirt road. “Hand Ava and I another beer!” her friend yelled. Ava sipped her cool drink and stared out the window. The tree’s looked just like the ones in her neighborhood, bare and shivering in the cold. Her friends were rapping to the latest hip hop song and the sound of beer cans being discarded out of the window made them roar with laughter.

The girls arrived with a screeching halt at the base of the bonfire. They swung the doors open and the many empty beer cans spilled out of the car illuminating their entrance. The fire was 10 feet high at least and the teens cheered and laughed throwing in sticks and bone dry bottles and cans. Ava had never been the type of girl to start up the conversation with some guys so when the quarterback walked up to her and introduced himself, the feeling of butterflies and nervous jitters engrossed her body. “I’m Scott” he said “I don’t see you around often. What do your parents keep you locked away?” Ava starred back at him with a dumb smile, once her eyes became blurry and dried up like the desert she finally blinked back into reality. “Haha yeah kind of” she muttered, “We have English together” he said, “You’re the girl that always has the right answers.” She giggled uncomfortably, “Yeah that’s me.” They laughed and he offered to get her another beer. When he went to retrieve it her friends quickly tore her away from where her feet had been planted like tree’s too afraid to move. “OMG DO YOU KNOW WHO THAT IS?!” her friends slurred, “He said his name was Scott,” Ava replied. “Um yeah he’s like the hottest football player that goes to our school!” they yelled in unison.

The night continued. Scott stole a few kisses from Ava and they both drank their fair share of alcohol. He whispered into her “Hey come here I want to show you something.” Ava followed as he led her further away from the monstrous fire. Before her mind could wrap around how far away they had wandered, Scott had begun kissing Ava. Becoming uneasy she tried pulling away from Scott and started to get angry, “Let me go Scott! You’re hurting me!” she yelled. “Fine you freak!” She ran as fast as she could back towards the roaring flames and searched for her friends. When she came across them they, some were passed out and her friend who drove was mumbling words she couldn’t even encrypt. Ava stumbled trying to put the girls in the car to leave but was falling down as much as they were. Ava climbed into the driver’s seat and sped away from party. Swerving back and forth on the road Ava began to lose control. The car spun and spun until it felt as if they were flying. Ava looked around and noticed what looked to be like diamonds sailing around the car yet stung with every touch of the sparkling glass. The car flipped onto the hood and suddenly the pressure of 1,000 tons was on her head. Still spinning she glanced out of the window and saw a familiar bare tree hurdling towards her.

The car wrapped around that naked tree and each of the girls in the car died that night. Ava was never able to teach her younger sister about boys and share clothes with her. She won’t ever be able to curl up between her parents and watch movies on Sunday morning’s. Ava along with her friends will never be able to graduate. They won’t be able to marry and have kids and they won’t be able to experience the lives they were meant to live. Due to the decision to drink underage and drive a vehicle under those circumstances, three girl’s lives were cut short.