This isn't just Science Projects & Energy Drinks

I remember a few years back for our Science Project me & my friend were going to compare energy drinks to see which was the best. Five of us gathered at my friends house. There was five types of energy drinks and five people. Each person would get a drink and keep a log of the effects. At least that's what we had planned. One thing lead to another and we ended up pouring all the drinks into a large red bowl. We passed it around taking gulps of the concoction. Needless to say it was disgusting, yet none of us stopped drinking; we even made more. We began racing through the neighborhood, climbing trees, sneaking into our old elementary school and climbed onto the roof, we even tried to chase cars but that didn't really work out. I remember feeling a rush. And my heartbeat. It was beating so fast. I thought I could feel my blood rushing through my viens faster and faster. It scared me, but I was having fun. It started getting dark out so we raced back to my friends house & made more "punch" as we called it. We didn't drink much of it this time. We all felt nauseous. I laid on her cold wood floor trying to relax but I just wanted to barf. When my mom picked me up she asked how the project was going. I thought and said "It's making progress."
When I got home I felt the "punch" wearing off. I became jittery, I refused to eat for fear of vomiting, & my hands and legs were trembling. I was afraid to walk or even stand because my legs were so unstable. Then I thought back to how this all started. We had the best intentions.
I think that's what defines us, me & my friends. We have the best intentions. We intend to do good, try our best, and get things accomplished. But then things happen and we don't realize what we're doing, or if it's right or wrong, or the effects it'll have. We get carried away in the moment and before we know it we're on the cold bathroom floor trying not to vomit. And this isn't just Science Projects and Energy Drinks. We do things like this all the time.
Good intentions aren't good enough. The follow through. That's what we're missing. That's what we need. The follow through.

When someone dies.

Yesterday I spent my day with friends. I felt great. Amazing. On my way home I looked out the window to the midnight purple sky and thought "How nice." I felt the pressure of school lift away and the carelessness of summer flood into me. And I smiled.
I was lying under the covers of my bed. My smile stitched upon my face. Then my phone lit up my pitch dark room. I rolled over and reached for my phone. Still horizontal on my bed I opened the message. I saw it was a forward, but decieded to read it any ways. I quickly sat up half way through the message. My smile unstitched. All I could utter was "Fuck."
I began to question the message. It couldn't be true. I quickly began to message the only person I would believe the news from. She confirmed my fears. He's dead. He drowned.
I defiantly began to forward the message. I paused briefly before pressing send, thinking "if I don't send it, it won't be true." But it was. It is. So I pressed send.
I cried openly. Not holding back a single tear, knowing in time, in public, I would have to be strong. Strong and tearless. And once again, as times before, I asked myself: What do I do now? Everything. Nothing. Anything. I'm not so sure anymore.
I've learned many lessons through out my life, though it's not very long. One thing I haven't learned yet is; What do you do when someone dies?

Breathe.
That's the best answer I have so far.
Breathe.