5| I was under the legal limit

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After eating lunch and a mini talk through of how to drive the boat, James and I make our way to the dock.

While I load the boat with a cooler filled with snacks and drinks, James couldn't help but call Sarah.

"Get off the phone, James!" I yell at him. "This is your last weekend of freedom!"

He doesn't respond, but I know he heard me because I could see an uncomfortable laugh coming from him. 

I sit down on the boat and pour myself a cup of rum and coke while I wait.

I have no idea what on earth they are talking about that it's taking so long. I've already finished my drink.

I begin to pour myself another drink.

"You're driving the boat, you should keep a clear head." James says taking my drink from me before I can take a drink. "Sorry about that, last minute wedding stuff. Caterer issue. It's solved now."

I nod my head because I have nothing to say about the subject, I don't know anything about that.

"She wasn't feeling well either, she gets kind of needy when that happens." He tells me, but I know he loves it when she's like that.

I like Sarah. She doesn't like me, I didn't give off a first impression. But we have the rest of our lives to be friends.

I start the boat and make our way out into the lake.

We've been taking turns driving the boat and tubing. We try and see who will can stay on longest.

We have been out on the lake for a few hours. We've both had a few drinks, but we're trying our best to stay responsible.

We decided we were going to tube one more time before heading to shore.

James is on the tube as I speed up. I look back to make sure he is secure before I turn.

When I look back I see a boat approaching us from behind and they aren't paying attention.

To avoid an accident I veer off to the right. I wail the horn to try and get their attention. I look back and see that they are going too fast. They're going to hit us.

Then everything happened in slow motion.

The other boat hits the side of ours and the force from the two boats connecting, causes James to be thrown from the tube into some rocks nearby.

The boat is still functioning so I speed up and to get James. He's badly bruised, but still conscious. I quickly load him onto the boat and speed back to shore.

I call 911 and we wait for the authorities.

After we are rushed to the hospital I had to give a statement and take a breathalyzer. I was at a 0.07. The legal limit is 0.08, but I felt fine.

I blame myself. I was the reason we were on the boat, we could have easily done something else, but I insisted.

:::

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