CHAOS. I sat in my car with Valtor, the smoke from my cigarette curling into the air as we watched the crowd of people streaming toward the football field for the home game. I felt a little bit of envy and frustration from just watching everyone was buzzing with excitement, laughter echoing through the air, while I was stuck here, like an outsider looking in. I took another drag from my cigarette, the bitter taste mirroring my mood. It felt unfair, watching my friends cheer and celebrate while I was sidelined. I could almost hear the roar of the crowd, the adrenaline pumping through the air, and the truth was I wanted to be part of that energy, to lose myself in the thrill of the game, but instead, I was confined to this car. Well, not confined, but I just couldn’t join in the fun. Val

