A Lesson Learned

In places such as Washington Heights, people have problems with drugs, violence and many other things. Their circumstances can sometimes be so terrible that they can be influenced to make bad decisions resulting with them in jail, homeless, or even dead. In this place there are people who are comfortable with settling for less, there are some who have hope and try to escape by doing better for themselves, and then there are those who have already made it to success however the city's shadow catches up with them and shatters their lives. The question is "Where does Lucy Evan's life fit?"

"I am so done with this sh@*!"

I woke up from a dream on my couch. I never moved from where I cried and fell asleep from my exhaustion from last night's terrible event. My dream was about me changing from a perfectionist girl who never did much of anything when it came to enjoying life's thrills, to a more mature woman who does whatever the hell she feels like when she feels like. I woke up feeling empowered, free, and liberated! I liked that feeling.

"From here on I'm going to enjoy what life has given me. I'm going to live everyday like it was my last."

The mugging experience showed me how easy it was for life to be taken. I was dissatisfied with how I lived so conservatively, like I was afraid or something. Even though I was a victim, my perseverance has made me stronger. I will forever stand tall. That night I suffered from terror, but that morning I was no longer afraid.

I got on the phone with another doctor telling him I needed him to come in for me because I had to take a break from everything that happened. "Thank you very much and I appreciate your understanding." I'm determined to make my future better than my past. I got dressed, and left...Where? I don't know.

It was a rainy and windy outside of course. Washington Heights never gets any nice weather, but it didn't matter. I walked down a couple blocks to the bar. I saw Dominic outside the door smoking a cigarette.

"Could I get one?" I asked.

"Sure, but I've never seen you smoke before."

"Yeah I know, I'm changing things up from now on."

We finished our smokes, then I walked inside the bar. I looked around and found the bar. I drank till I couldn't feel my stress. I wasn't drunk, but I was "happy"...alright I'll be honest, I was DRUNK off my ass. Either way I was having a good time. It was a nice feeling not having to be under so much pressure. I was finally able to relax.
Then I met a guy that only ever existed in my dreams. He was tall, dark and handsome. It was like heaven when I looked into his eyes. It was like the whole bar didn't exist anymore, time stood still, and every noise was silent it was just me and him... "BLLUUUGH"
I felt so sick suddenly, I drank too much alcohol and that cigarette from earlier didn't do my stomach any good either.

"O my god! You don't look so hot" He said

"Thanx, I don't feel so hot either...too much drinking for me tonight." I said frowning.

I was so messed up I couldn't see straight, or walk straight at that. I told him I was going home, but he told me I shouldn't go alone. I attempted to walk out the door, but he stopped me. I told him I'd be fine, but he wasn't convinced.

"Here, lemme take you home...please?"

I could see that he wasn't going to take no for an answer,"Okay okay you can take me home."

As he drove his car towards the Washington Heights building, I saw a girl looking in the window at the flower shop. (I wonder what in the world that skinner girl wanted to do with flowers at this time of night.) Instead of taking the stairs, he had me go up to the sixth floor in the elevator. We made it the door of my apartment, but by the time we walked in everything just went black...

The guy's name was Mark, and for some reason he cared about me. He wasn't like the "other" guys. I could tell just by looking at him. I was really drowsy and I woke up in the comforts of my soft bed. Mark was leaning over me and talking to me quietly saying,

"You're going to be okay, I would never let anything happen to someone like you. Thank you for letting me get you home safe".

I smiled barely able to open my eyes, and whispered, "No thank you".

He proceeded to walk out my room heading for the door. I thought to myself how sweet he was to me, then I realized that very sweetness was about to leave, and there was a possibility that I may never see him again!

"Wait!" I said as loud as I could. "Don't leave now, it's almost four o'clock in the morning. Will you stay here and keep me company?"

"Well I don't know.."

"...but I want you to"

We locked eyes for a second till he said he would. He pulled up a chair near me and sat there till I fell asleep. That was the first time in a long time that I've gone to sleep to content and happy.