Having a friend is like the change of seasons, one friends stays with you for summer, but then blows away like the leafs in fall. Then your alone again, until another season comes along, except, that this one is different, this one stays, I start to, wonder, could this, be a real friend? One that never leaves me? One that stays forever? One, that tells you everything? This new friend is named Charley, Charley  doesn’t go to school, instead he is homeschooled, He has a brother named Quincy, I see Quincy sometimes. But not very often.

But with Charley, he comes over all the time, he helps me with my homework, I tell him everything, about school and relationships, basically anything that is on my mind, He always makes  me laugh, he told me one time that Grammy said that she needed help finding the hair place, and instead she took us to get our hair cut. I laughed so hard. He always gave the best hugs, he would lay his head on my shoulder, and tell me everything's ok, when I was upset, I wish we  would stay like this forever, but as you know the winds change and the warm air comes in, soon i’m off to Middle school, and I’m wrapped up in all the homework.

Charley moved to Freeport, and only comes to visit every once in a while. I hate that things have to change I tell him one day, while we sat outside in the grass, listening to the birds sing there happy songs.  I whispered, he whispered, back to me, “I love you,” 3 years later High school starts up, and I don’t see charley anymore, I forget about him, all together. I have new friends, I spend many weeks hanging out with them, we laugh and have a good time, one day, in soon the winter winds come in and there is a different coldness I can sense I got to school, like any other day, but the day is not in focus, it’s all a blur,

I go home, to see my mom, and grammy talking in the kitchen, “ what’s up? I ask. They stop talking, both look at me. “It’s nothing, honey”, mom said, but her voice is shaky, mom what’s going on? I ask more  sternly, “Katya, its grown up stuff, just go up stairs and do what you have to do.” my mom says. I didn’t argue, weeks went by, the whispering continued, one day I came home to see a van in the driveway, in the driveway two people stepped out, in white coats, I guess they were doctors. “I asked them whos sick?” We are here to see Charley they said. Whats wrong with him?” But before they could answer, mom told me to come in the house right away. Mom what's going on? What’s wrong with Charley, why are the doctors here?” “ Katya, It’s time you knew the truth, You see Charley is really sick, he’s so sick that he won’t be able to recover.” But then why are the doctors here? And what do you mean he won’t get better? Isn’t that what doctors are supposed to do? Help people get better?” The female doctor looks at me and says: 

“Honey Charley has cancer, he has been fighting it for a long time, he won’t be getting better sadly. I’m sorry.” My eyes are burning, “Can I go see him?” I ask.

He's upstairs resting. I run upstairs,  and open my door. Charley lying there makes me fall to me knees, I sob. I look to see him, looking at me the color drained from is face, his brown eyes, dull and in pain. “Katya come here” he whispers ever so softly, My knees are shaky as I walk to the bed. And sit in the chair. Oh Charley, I whisper, his face, all shrank in, like a zombie, he’s all skin and bones. I turn to see the doctors, and my mom crying. And grammys crying.  I lean over and hug him life I have never hugged him before, He hugs me back. And lays his head on my shoulder.

“Katya, You know how you once told me that friends are like seasons? They come and go? I nod, Well this is season that I leave you, my leafs have changed color and are now dropping fast. my strength is gone, It’s time to let me go, But no matter what, I will still always be with you. Even if you can’t see me. But I don’t want you to go, your my best friend. I sob, wiping tears away, he hold me tight. Katya, You have to let go, I can’t hold on any longer, Winter must come, and I must go.”

The doctor looks at me, I nod, as she takes away his pain. The last winds blows and with that the last leaf falls and I let go, I whisper in his ear, “I will always remember you my best friend, my treasure, no one can make me more happier than you have made me Charley, you were the best dog that anyone could have asked for. I stand up wipe the last tears away and walk out the room down the stairs, and outside to see the first snowflakes of the new season fall.