Seasons Change And So Will We

Chapter 9

AN: Thank you so much for reading and voting on the previous chapter! Don't forget to vote on this one too!! :)

"No," I reply quietly.

"He's a drunk!" Kenneth screams into the night.

I just stare at him, I honestly don't know what to say.

"It all started after my mom died. He just drinks, and drinks, and drinks! He'll get off work go to some bar and get wasted," Kenneth cries.

"Kenneth, I'm so sorry. I had no idea this was all going on," I tell him. My heart breaks to see him so distraught.

"That's not even the half of it," Kenneth chuckles but it's a mixture between a cry and cough. "It happens every night, unless it's a football night. I hate it so much. Whenever I tell him that he has a problem, that he should try to get help he acts like nothing's wrong. Football is the only thing keeping him sane," Kenneth cries, not even bothering to wipe his tears.

I lean over on the branch I'm on and grab his hand, offering the little comfort I could in a problem bigger than the both of us.

"The only time he ever talks to me is when I'm at a football game or failing calculus. Other than that it's like I don't exist," Kenneth said holding back a sob. "Do you know why I'm having that party on Friday?" Kenneth asks.

"No," I say quietly.

"My dad is going to rehab, I don't want to be home alone," Kenneth says numbly.

"I'm so sorry Kenneth," I say squeezing his hand.

"No, I'm sorry," Kenneth says finally wiping away his tears.

"For what?" I ask him. What does Kenneth have to be sorry for, his life is so hard and he hides it so well. If anything I should be sorry that my life is perfect compared to his.

"I'm sorry for dumping all my problems on you. You probably think I'm really weird and lame now," Kenneth says laughing while wiping away more tears.

"No, I think the exact opposite actually. I think you're really brave and I'm glad you shared your feelings with me," I tell him sincerely.

"Thanks O'Connell. Now I feel like it's more than just me and the tree," Kenneth laughs lightly.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"The reason why I like this tree so much is because it shows change. Every season the leaves change, I guess in a way it shows how much I've changed. The change is slow and gradual but give it a couple months and you'll see it," Kenneth tells me wisely.

"Wow, that's an interesting way to see things," I tell him.

"Seasons change and so will we, whether is for the better or for the worst. Change is always inevitable," Kenneth says.

For a minute we sit in the trees in a companionable silence, almost like the conversation earlier never even happened.

"I'm getting tired, I think I'm going to go to bed now," Kenneth says after a minute or so. He crawls across he branch and climbs through his bedroom window, I do the same.

"Thanks for listening to me O,Connell," Kenneth says leaning against his window sill.

"No problem, I'm glad you told me. It's not good to keep things bottled up all the time," I reply through my window.

"Goodnight O'Connell," Kenneth says closing his window and shuts his curtains.

"Goodnight Kenneth," I whisper to his closed window.