When the Rain Never Stops

Chapter 1

Lee's Chapter

My favorite memories from childhood are the ones where my Dad would take me and my best friend, Sarah, to the mountain. There was this park, and there wasn't a lot to do at the park, but as a little kid with a big imagination, it seemed like the best thing to me. Some swings overlooked the mountains and an old log on the ground that Sarah and I would use as a balance beam because our parents refused to enroll us in gymnastics. I remember the way my pigtails would sway in the wind and the sticks Sarah would keep in the pockets of her cargo shorts. Back then, Sarah wore her hair in two little space buns, and she always wore cargo shorts or overalls. I rocked the stupid shirts that had cats on them and then a skirt to go with it.

From the day we met, Sarah was my best friend. Her smile was contagious, and when she laughed her skin glowed, she'd make me laugh till my stomach hurt and my eyes were watering. When I had a loose tooth, she'd help me pull it out, and she'd bandage my wounds. I'd stick up for her when one of the boys commented on her space buns or overalls. I taught her how to swing across the monkey bars, and I'd give her pep talks before her basketball games. It was me who would ask out the guys she liked for her, and when they said no, I'd help her get over them. We were always there for each other, truly there through thick and thin, through water and fire, rain and shine. From the time we were eight to the present day when we're high school seniors.

School is always a drag, but I get through the day nonetheless. Since I took advanced courses when I was younger, I got to skip out on math class. I can't decide whether I'm excited for senior year. I don't even know what my senior quote is going to be or what college I want to go to. But I'll be happy to be done with high school, and I've heard college gives you so much more freedom. The idea of college being so close is scary but exciting. On one hand, I'm scared I'm never going to amount to anything. But on the other, it's a new world. I'll go away from my parents and finally be free. That's scary too, though, with your parents there's always this sense of codependency. The thought of being alone keeps me awake at night. Knowing that I can't just come home to talk to my parents about a bad day or something that happened during my day, is horrifying.

Speaking of my parents, their relationship is currently hanging on by a thread. Growing up, my Dad always did everything, and he worked a full-time job. But after my Grandma died, my mom just changed. First, it was one beer every night, then two beers at dinner, then two beers at lunch and another two at dinner, and slowly it got worse. She's supposed to be clean, but some mornings I see her add-in something a little extra to drink. She never really got angry when she was drunk, but she was just sad. My mom would get upset at little things and then lock herself in her room for days with nothing but wine bottles. And even when she was sober, the sadness lingered. There were days when she left and didn't come back for days at a time. So I would pick up the empty bottles and the crushed beer cans. Dad and I would eat out and just wait for her to come back. All we hoped for was that she'd come back.

When I woke up, mom was already at work, but I could smell bacon and pancakes coming from downstairs. I threw on some sweatpants, and a t-shirt, then headed to the kitchen. Dad was cooking; it's one of the things he loves to do. I took a seat at the dining table my mom made from the old aspen tree that we used to have in our backyard. My mom used to love building things before she started drinking. Dad gave me my food and then fixed a plate of his own. "So, plans for today?" he asked me as he stuffed a large piece of pancake in his mouth.

"Uhh, none that I can think of," I was hoping he was going to take me shopping or something.

"Well, I don't have any plans either, so wanna eat out tonight and see a movie at the drive-in? You can bring Sarah.'

"Sounds good to me."

We finished up breakfast and then headed out. Sarah only lived a couple of streets over, so typically, she walks to the house, but today we were nice and picked her up. Sarah's house was small but cozy, it had three bedrooms, but the third one was usually empty because her brother was off in college. Her parents are friendly, and they helped us out a lot when mom was in rehab. They're almost like a second family to me, but nowadays, when Sarah and I hang out, we typically go out somewhere instead of sitting at her place.