Mending the Broken {T. Bolton}

~Chapter 10~

"Kenna, can you get the door?", Mom yelled from the bathroom. I stood up from my bed where I was doing my homework and walked to the door.

I opened it up and looked at who was there. "Hey, Ken. Can I come in?, Dad stood in the doorway. I looked at him for a second before opening the door up all the way.

"Who is...", Mom walked out of the bathroom saying, but trailed off halfway through what she was saying.

"What are you doing here?", I asked, looking down at the floor. I want to forgive him so bad, to be able to hug and talk to him again, but I just can't yet. It hurts to bad.

"I was thinking about this hotel and how much that I hate that y'all are having to live in it. I don't want the two people I love the most living somewhere like this.", he said.

"What are you getting at?", Mom asked, sounding curious now.

"I rented an apartment for you two. It's got a bedroom for each of you and two bathrooms. I've already paid the rent for this month, it just needs someone to live in it."

My eyes shot up to look at him. He couldn't be serious. A nice apartment like that can't be cheap. Even though his job pays good, I don't think he can afford to be paying for an apartment and a hotel room for himself. Especially since he's not working at the moment.

Everyone stayed quiet for a while before Mom said, "That is very kind of you. Thank you for Kenna's new car and the apartment."

"I'll leave y'all alone now. Here's the address to the house.", he handed Mom a piece of paper and started to walk out before Mom stopped him.

"I know you want us to forgive you, but you need to remember that it's going to be hard. You really hurt the both of us. It's going to take some time and I can't tell you how long."

"I understand.", he said. He turned back around and closed the door behind him as he walked out.

"Well, start getting packed. We can't let an opportunity like this pass up.", she said. I nodded and walked over to my empty suitcase and opened it up on my bed.

I began packing all my stuff away in the suitcase. Even though I can't exactly stand to be around my Dad right now, I can tell he's trying.

But it's going to take a lot of trying to win me back.

~ 3 days later

It's been days since I watched the video of Troy and I haven't talked to him since. I also haven't practiced the song since. I'm not even sure if I want to do it anymore.

"Kenna, can you practice later today?", Kelsi said as she sat down by me in the cafateria.

"I don't know Kelsi. I'm not sure I'm going to sing after all.", she looked at me with shock in her eyes.

"But you've already been practicing. Plus you helped me write the song.", she said.

"I don't think I can. Besides the big game is that night and I can't miss it."

"What about Troy?", she asked.

"He's not doing it either."

"Well I'm not giving your song away yet. Maybe you'll change your mind.", she said, sounding hopeful.

"I don't think so Kels.", I stood up and threw the leftover food on my tray in the trash and laid the tray in the stack with the rest of them.

I walked out of the cafeteria and went to my locker to get my things for my next class.

~

I sat on the bed in my new room when I heard a knock on the door downstairs. I started to make my way down the stairs but stopped halfway when I heard the voice coming from the door Mom had already opened.

"Hi, Mrs. Turner.", Troy said when Mom opened the door.

"Oh, Troy.", she turned around and looked at me standing on the stairs.

"No, no!", I mouthed while shaking my head.

"Um, Kenna is kinda busy with homework and such so, now's not really a good time.", she turned back around to face Troy. I sighed with relief after she lied for me.

"I made a mistake Mrs. Turner, and I would really like to let McKenna know that. Could you tell her that I came by to see her?", he quickly said after her.

Mom nodded her head while saying, "I will."

"Thank you."

Mom closed the door and looked at me. "Why don't you want to see him?"

"He just did something and I don't want to see him.", I turned back around and walked back to my room.

I sat back down on my bed and started on my homework again. My phone started to ring from my nightstand. Troy's name popped up on the screen. I picked it up and answered, "Hello."

"What you heard the other day, none of that is true. I was sick of my friends riding me about singing with you so I said things I knew would shut them up. I didn't mean any of it.", Troy rambled off quickly.

"You sounded pretty convincing to me.", I flipped on the lamp on the nightstand.

"Listen, the guy you met on the first day of school is way more me than the guy who said those things."

"Troy, the whole singing thing is making this all crazy. You said yourself everyone is treating you different because of it.", I stood up and leaned against the bed post.

"Maybe it's because I don't only want to be the basketball guy and they can't handle it. That's not my problem, it's theirs."

"And your Dad."

"And it's not about my Dad. It's about how I feel, and I'm not letting the team down. They let me down. So I'm going to sing. What about you?", Troy asked.

"I don't know Troy."

"Well you need to say yes, because I brought you something."

"What do you mean?", I shook my head, confused at what he was saying.

"Turn around.", he said.

I turned around and face the doors leading out to the balcony. Troy stood there with his phone to his ear and a paper in his other hand. I opened the door and walked outside with him.

"This could be the start, of something new"
"It feels so right, to be here with you"
"And now, looking in your eyes"
"I feel in my heart, the start of something new"

He sang as I stood and smiled at him. "It's a duet. I need a partner.", he held up the paper with the lyrics to our song on it.

I took the papers out of his hand and walked out to the edge of the balcony. He came and stood beside me, leaning in the look at me.

"I'm sorry.", he said.

I faced him and gently pressed my lips against his. I rubbed the hair on the back of his neck with one hand and held the sheet music in the other.

"I forgive you."