21 (Unit 7)

I wish there was no such things as guns. I wish people did not feel the need to carry guns. I wish the world was a place where they did not exist, a place where people were not fearful to the point to have to own a gun.

In my lifetime, nothing good has come from a gun. I guess if I were a victim, had to defend my family, and a gun protected our lives, then I would feel differently.

Twenty-one, it is an age of youth, when most are living life freely, a time when most people have pleasant memories. In Texas, it is a time when one can legally partake of alcohol.

Aaron, he was a good friend of mine in high school. There was a strong friendship of us 6 girls through-out high school. Then somewhere in our sophomore year, Aaron became apart of our 6-girl-group. We all sat together everyday for lunch in high school.

Aaron, was a soft-spoken guy. He was more on the shy side, then little by little he opened up more and more through-out our high school years. I guess we could have been snobby, ignored Aaron because he was a boy trying to get close to our group. Then again, I think that is why Aaron liked us. We weren't those kind of gals. We were smart, sweet, out-going, laughing all the time... after all 2 of us 6 gals were homecoming queen nominees. Aaron, was like a brother to us all.

One day, when I was 21, I get a phone call from my friend Jennifer. She tells me that Aaron died. Apparently, the story is that Aaron was cleaning a gun, not knowing that it was loaded, an accident that ended his young life. Aaron survived his parents, and his little brother.

Robert, he was my guy pal since I was 4. He was his own person, he never tried to belong, he just was. There are many childhood memories of him. Most of him being a typical boy, grossing out us girls, making us laugh hard, and him doing stupid stunts that caused bruising and stitches.
Another day, when I was 21, I get a phone call from my mother. Robert had died.

Then of course, there was Tessa. She was 21, she only had 2 more weeks until her 22nd birthday.

I lost 3 friends that all shaped and touched my life. All lived such a short time of only 21 years. All by a gun. What are the odds of that happening to someone?