Boy Like Me.

"Thank you for the ride Mr. Daniels," Ryan said as they pulled up to Benjamin's house. It had blue shudders around the front windows with a matching blue door. A porch wrapped around the front half of the house and around to the left side. Rose bushes lined the driveway up to the garage and just above the garage doors was a basketball hoop. "And thanks for having me, I had a great time." Ryan said truthfully as he unbuckled his seatbelt preparing to go out into the bitter cold.

"No problem, it was nice to meet you." Mr. Daniels said looking back at the teenager in the back seat with his son.

"You too, bye Liam, Kendrix." Ryan said with a smile and winked to Liam. Opening the silver door of the Chevy Silverado Ryan climbed out. Closing the door he waved once more and quickly ran towards the front door pulling a key out of his pocket. Unlocking the door he walked inside.

Once they saw he was inside Mr. Daniels backed out of the driveway. They got onto the street and started driving down the road. It was a quite ride aside from the soft music seeping from the speakers. Kendrix turned it up a bit seeing it was a Christmas song, Santa Baby to be precise. She started humming along with the beat.

"He's a nice kid." Mr. Daniels said and Liam looked at the rearview mirror finding his dad's eyes on him.

"Yeah he really is." Liam smiled weakly and looked away staring out the window at the passing houses.

"You like him don't you?" Mr. Daniels questioned and Liam closed his eyes. He knew his dad still wasn't 100 percent on the whole gay thing, so it was a very uncomfortable matter for Liam. His dad was great and always tried to be understanding, but it was hard. Especially after Joey passed away, Liam didn't have anyone to really confide in. Sure Kendrix was always willing to listen, but she wasn't a guy. Joey was straight, but he would always stick up for Liam when kids would pick on him for being girly.

"Dad let's not okay?" Liam asked and his father looked away from the rearview mirror and stared straight ahead at the dark streets. Kendrix turned around to look at her brother and he sighed shaking his head. She frowned and faced forward; her brother was just too stubborn to open up to their dad. He was always trying, but Liam would always say he didn't want to talk about it. It put everyone in the family in an awkward position.

-&-

"Dad was trying to be understanding, ya know." Kendrix said walking into Liam's room. She figured it was okay since his door was wide open. He turned around from his desk and smiled at her shrugging his shoulders. She rolled her eyes and plopped down onto his bed. The light blue walls were hidden mostly behind pictures, posters, and shelves of books Liam loved reading.

"I know Kenny, but he still isn't over it," Liam paused and turned to look at a picture on his dresser. It was of him, Joey, and his father. It was taken two weeks before Joey's accident they had just returned from a fishing trip. "I'm not the son he wants." Liam confessed and Kendrix scowled.

"That's not true! He loves you Liam and if Joey were here he'd being saying the same thing." Kendrix protested and Liam shook his head disagreeing with his younger sister. He knew she wouldn't understand.

After Joey's passing Liam's father became very distant from him. He wasn't like that when Joey was around, but the moment he was gone he just wasn’t the same. Liam knew it was nothing personal; its just Liam wasn't the son that a father would really want. Someone to be his pride and joy, be the star football player, have a good education, and raise a beautiful family. Liam would never be those things, all that was put on Joey's shoulders and when it was gone his dad somewhat lost hope of that dream.

"I know he loves me Kendrix, believe me. However you're missing the point when dad looks at me he see's his dreams fading away," Liam explained and Kendrix looked down at the white colored carpet. "He's an estranged father even though we see each other everyday." He told her and Kendrix sighed softly getting up from his bed. She walked over to him and gave him a big hug.

"Well maybe you should forgive him for that and let him know." Kendrix said pulling away from him. She started for the door and placed her hand on the doorknob. Looking back at her brother he was sitting still not showing any emotion. Sighing softly Kendrix walked out of his room and shut the door.

-&-

Liam walked down stairs to get a drink of water, but found that someone else was already in the kitchen. He stopped for a moment trying to figure out who it was. His father coughed and Liam closed his eyes, he really didn't want to talk to him. Kendrix words were floating around in his head though. She had a point in what she had said just an hour ago, but Liam didn't know how to come about it. The talk would be so serious and real and maybe even hurtful to his dad more than himself. Sighing he continued down the stairs and crossed the living room entering the kitchen.

He cleared his throat and his father turned around. The man with chestnut brown hair smiled weakly to his son.

"I think we should talk," Liam said going over to the breakfast bar. He pulled out one of the stools and sat down looking at his father. The older man leaned against the island looking to his son. "Dad just listen before you say anything, okay?" Liam asked.

"Okay, shoot." His father said gesturing for the teenager to speak.

"I'm never gonna be Joey dad." Liam said and his father closed his eyes looking down at the tile flooring. He sighed softly and was about to say something, but Liam shook his head. "I told you to listen. You're an estranged father, but I see you everyday." Liam told him.

His father looked at him with hurt eyes and Liam frowned.

"Ever since Joey died you never have been the same around me. I know it hurts dad it hurt me too, all of us. Look I don't want things to be this way," Liam paused and ran his fingers through his hair. It was tougher than he thought to just say all these thoughts that had been floating in his head for years. "I know you wanted a son to be the star football player and have a good education and raise a beautiful family and just be your pride and joy. I may never be that dream of yours, but I am your son." Liam stopped talking feeling the pain in his heart.

"Liam," his father started, but his son held up his hand.

"Don't. I love you dad and I know you love me too," Liam paused trying to fight back his tears. "This distance between us has to go away because I don't want an estranged father. You're the only person that reminds me of Joey and that's slowly fading away because you've been locked in this depression." Liam explained and his father nodded his head stiffly.

"I know son." His father said and Liam shook his head.

"No! You don't. Why did Joey have to die dad?" Liam asked letting his tears fall. His father looked at him and shook his head walking over to him. He placed a warm and comforting embrace around Liam stroking his back gently. The teen sobbed quietly and hugged his father back.

"I'm sorry Liam," his father whispered holding his son close. "I'm so sorry." He said once again feeling his own tears welling in his eyes. Mr. Daniels never realized how much it had hurt Liam. He was aware of the distance between them, but he never thought it had hurt Liam so much. It hurt him even more knowing he was the cause of all that pain Liam had kept bottled inside.

"It's okay," Liam said with a heavy breath. He pulled away from his father and wiped his tears away with the palm of his hand. "I just, I wanted you to be there for me." Liam told him truthfully and his father shook his head kissing Liam's forehead.

"Forgive me Liam." His father said and Liam nodded his head.

"I already have." Liam smiled weakly and his father smiled back pulling him into another hug. To hear his son's emotion just hashed out like that really took its toll. Mr. Daniels never thought of Liam any different, he just didn't know what to say. Now that Liam had told him everything, it was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.