It’s a cliché, falling for the bad boy. It always starts with wanting what you can’t have. Growing up, my mom never allowed us to have caffeinated beverages. Didn’t she know that would only make me want it more? I would always think, “Why can’t I have a coke? What makes caffeine adult?”.
At every birthday and family event, there were the caffeinated sodas. It wasn’t until middle school that I had my first real opportunity to get a taste of the bad side. It was one day after school, walking home with my friends. Our lunch was at 10:45 AM and it was nearing 3:00 PM, so we decided to get a few after school snacks. On our walk home from school we stopped at Shell gas station for a candy bar and a soda. As we stood before the refrigerator, all of my friends grabbed Red Bulls and Dr. Peppers. I wasn’t allowed to drink that stuff but I wasn’t about to grab a lame water in front of my friends. But if I was going to break the rules, I was going to do it right. Being the angsty pre-teen that I was, I didn’t want just any caffeine filled drink. I wanted the one my mother hated the most, so I grabbed a Diet Coke.
It was bubbly and tasted like rebellion. Needless to say, I was hooked the instant my lips touched the bottle. As it goes with any girl in love with a bad boy, all of my friends insisted that Diet Coke wasn’t good for me and I was better off without it. Every day as I cracked open the can I would be met with a chorus of, “You know that even though it’s zero calories they’ve proved it still makes you gain weight?” and “The artificial sugar in that causes cancer, you know that right?”. Deep down, I know my friend are right, but I can’t stay away. Time and time again, I have told myself that I would give it up, but every single time I find myself back at it with another bottle of Diet Coke more addicted than ever. For me, it’s not just a phase. I won’t grow out of this, its hold on me is too strong and I’m willing to submit to my desire.