Second Chances: Chapter One

Chapter 1:

The pounding rain and blaring music competed to be heard. I cranked the dial on the radio up even louder in an attempt to drown out the storm. Angry flashes of lightning lit the sky a deep purple as the thunder cracked though the air.

Buzzzzz. I looked into my lap at the highlighted screen on my phone. The little mailbox was flashing, telling me I had a text. I knew who it was from before I even opened it.

*Matt, seriously? Grow up. Ur such a jerk. Y don't u believe me when I say that I wasn't doing n-e-thing? If u can't trust me, then how r we supposed to make this work? --Maddie*

I stared at the screen. All I had said was that the guys on the team said she was seen messing around with Kyle Martin, who just so happened to be one of my best friends. I'd asked her as soon as I'd heard, and this conversation had been going on since five. I looked down at the clock on the dashboard. The little red light read 11:11. Make a wish, Matt.

I turned the ignition all the way over and the car rumbled to life. I needed to see Madison face to face. All evening I had been too pissed to face her, but now I felt myself cool down and I knew the best thing to do was talk it out.

I slid the car into drive and pulled onto the freeway. It would take me about five minutes to reach Madison's house. Madison lived in the Philadelphia suburbs amongst all the soccer moms and baseball coaches. Honestly, most of our school lived in her neighborhood. I was one of the few exceptions. With my dad being a big time attorney for a billion of the wealthy jerks in Pennsylvania, we could afford an apartment in the middle of town.

I pulled up in front of Madison's two story house. The only light in the house that was on was the one in her room. Inconveniently, her room was on the second floor. I didn't want to wake her parents, they weren't too fond of me, so I resorted to climbing the siding of her house. It was easy, considering I'd done this a million times.

Seconds later I was grabbing onto her window sill. "Madis-" I peered into the room and saw Madison laying on her bed, Kyle in the sheets beside her.

"Matt!" she gasped, grabbing her shirt from the floor.

Before she could say any more, I made my way down the siding.

"Matt! Come back, it's not what it looks like!"

I turned around. "Really? 'Cus it looks like you and my BEST friend were in bed together!"

"Matt, I'm sorry-"

"Save it!" I barked, climbing back into my car.

I slammed the car into drive and took off down the street. Unwelcome tears streamed down my face, tears of betrayal and pain. I felt as though someone had ripped my heart out of my chest, stomped on it, then shoved it back into my chest.

My phone buzzed from the passenger seat and I ignored it. Then it started to ring and without even looking at the screen, I chucked it out the window. I pressed harder on the gas pedal. Maybe if I got away from her house the pain would leave and stay in its place of origin, or possibly the adrenaline from speeding would overpower the hurt.

The needle on the speedometer tottered on sixty. For once, I felt in control of my life. At this speed just one wrong jerk would send me flying to my death. I kind of liked the sound of that. No more pain, no more girlfriends, no more stress. It would all be over. I pressed my foot a little harder and the engine roared, all too ready to be released from its captive speed limits.

I inched the needle up to seventy. Oh, the speed felt so good. The trees on the side of the road turned into green blurs. I made a sharp turn onto another road, the wheels screaming as they searched for traction. The car tipped onto two wheels, and my stomach lurched into my chest. This was it!

Instead of flipping, the car slammed back down on all four wheel. I was rattled in my seat. That was such a rush! My heart was beating our of my chest, but in a good way. Adrenaline pulsed through my veins.

All of a sudden red, white, and blue lights flashed in my rear view mirror. The siren of a police car wailed. Shit!

I looked in the mirror and saw two police cars chasing after me. Instead of doing the rational thing and stopping, I slammed my foot into the floor. The car lurched forward, pushing me into the seat.

I escaped for the winding roads of the suburbs, and got onto the freeway that led into downtown.

"What do I do?" I muttered to myself.

Then it hit me. Just end it, Matt, you wanted to anyways. I was taken aback by my own thoughts. Did I really want to kill myself?

The wail of sirens made up my mind for me. I jerked the car sideways into the guardrail. At first I thought I'd missed it, but then I was thrown forward into the steering wheel. My face hit the exploding airbag with a painful crunch.

The car tilted sideways onto its top, then onto its other side. All the while, I was thrown around the car, not restrained by a seatbelt. I lifted my arms to shield my face from the splintering glass. I hit the side window with a thud, and the glass shattered beneath my weight.

My body flew across the wet glass. I landed with a painful thump on the cold, hard ground. I screamed as my right leg twisted under me in an unnatural position.

"Help!" I cried weakly, but I was sure no one could hear me over the loud sirens.

I coughed and red blood sprayed over my face. Pain exploded in my chest, and I passed out.