Dedicated to Emilucious_sky thank you for being my first read, my first vote and my first friend on wattpad.

~*~

Chapter Two |The Lies.

The Braverman family all went to bed with heavy hearts, the cause of their restlessness. Their bodies kept awake by the thoughts of the youngest member of the Braverman family, young Olivia whom had consumed their minds.

The eldest child, Ian Braverman lay half in bed, his back resting on the oak wood headboard his grandfather had crafted with his bare hands, a blanket lazily thrown over his legs as his gaze stay trained to the leather bound book Olivia had left behind.

Ian couldn't bring himself to open the book. His bitter, foolish heart still finding blame in his sister for Marcia Braverman's death and he knew his hate was unjust but his heart still ached for his mother, still longed for her comfort. But perhaps it wasn't hate that held him back from opening the diary but guilt, that made him hesitate.

Ian could no longer bear the sight of Olivia's notebook, reaching his hand too his night stand Ian Braverman opened the draw above the cupboard to place the book within. When Ian pulled his hand back he felt a sharp edge, dig into his skin, a stabbing jolt following his movement as his finger thumped to the sound of his racing heart.

Ian pulled the broken frame out of his drawer, with shaking hands. Ian held the frame in his lap as he gazed upon the smiling family, they were happy. He watched as drops of salt water dripped upon the frame, his eyes burning as he looked upon his smiling mother as she looked down at a laughing Olivia. He and his brothers tackling the others and playing around as Jonathan stood in the middle smiling at his wife and daughter. A family, that no longer stood as one.

Ian closed his eyes, holding the framed photo close to his breaking heart, as his breathing steadied and he fell into a dark dreamless abyss.

His lasts thought being He wouldn't let go this time.

Similar to the eldest Braverman child, Jake Braverman lay awake in his bed. His room a mix of grey and blue, awards littering his walls, piles of files scattered on his desk, but he saw none of it in the dark room.

Jake Braverman's mind was alive with memories of his younger sister, the smile she always wore, the fire that had burned in her orbs, and the love she always seemed to give with little care of consequences. So quick to befriend, so quick to trust, so quick to take blame and yet every time she got hurt she smiled.

He remembered asking her why once, but he never understood her reply. She would always say "At least I tried!" Maybe now he could understand that she hadn't lost anything, but gained something. Yet he still didn't know what.

He asked himself, had he tried?

However even as Jake asked himself this question, he already knew the answer. None of them had.

Jake wondered if Olivia was still the same little girl he remembered. Was she nice? Did she still bite her nails in that same nervous habit? Did she still smile?

All night the what if's and possibilities took hold of his mind as he pondered where his sister now was.

Jason Braverman lay on his side, having been plagued by night terrors all night. Jason looked toward his wall with unseeing eyes, his room illuminated by his night light.

His red checkered blanket cocooning him, like a suit metal armor to a knight as if too keep, the bad dreams away. Jason Braverman had been suffering from night terrors for as long as he could remember. A problem worsened by the death of his mother on that horrid night, and a problem solved by Jason's godmother Maria who got him help when no one else noticed. When it seemed no one else cared.

However with the disappearance of Olivia his night terrors had returned and his dreams now filled with his sisters screams as Marcia loses control of her car, Jason sitting in the back seat as he watches it all unfold.

His the only one who ever survives, his mother no longer breathing and his sister unmoving.

Jason breath comes in uneven intakes as he plays the nightmare over in his head like a song on replay, his heart racing, his fearing overwhelming and his sadness a never ending nightmare of its own as the tears pour down his face like the rain had that night.

And Jason is left to ponder a question that he feared the answer to more than even his night terrors.

Had this been how Olivia felt waking up after the accident? All alone in that hospital room.

Unlike his elder brothers, Matter Braverman didn't lay awake in his bed. No, instead Matter Braverman sat by his window in silence as he watched the stars, twinkling in the night sky, bringing peace to his never resting mind. It had been something he always did with Olivia Braverman, when they were but young children.

He had loved the silence after Marcia's passing, but no longer could Matter bear the silence of his room. The silence a mere reminder that Olivia was not with him, gazing upon the stars with her bright eyes and glowing smile, Olivia Braverman had always known how to liven up a room, everywhere she went. Her smile contagious, her laugh boisterous and her voice soothing.

Matter had missed the nights they would watch the stars together, but never as much as he did in that moment, as he wondered if they would ever watch the stars together again.

He had always been proud, when Olivia would wonder into his room on those sleepless nights, for she came to him to seek comfort from her fears and not to their parents or elder brothers. And Olivia had many of those nights.

Olivia had but one fear as a child that fear caused the many sleepless nights that they had spent in Matter's room. She had only ever told Matter of her fear, after Matter had told the little girl he would always protect her.

A promise he broke.

Olivia Braverman had been afraid of a monster she believed to live under her bed. Olivia had despised sleeping in her room for fear he would crawl out and cause harm to her. Matter had found the fear so silly, Olivia having been fourteen and afraid of a fictional monster, but nevertheless had vowed to protect her from the monster having seen how much it had indeed terrified her.

Not all fears were rational after all.

Matter smiled fondly at the memory of Olivia knocking on his door, tears in her eyes wanting her big brother to protect her. It had been some of the very few times he had seen the young girl cry.

Matter Braverman at twenty-one years old had far too many regrets in his life time. Matter regretted the times he ignored his younger sister, regretted the many opportunities he had to make it right but never did, regretted not knowing of her decision to leave and most of all Matt regretted having ever broken the promise he made, for with the broken promise he had broken their unbreakable bond.

Matter had not been an ignorant seventeen-year old, he understood his mother's death was an accident. So when his older brothers had lashed out against Olivia he had known it was wrong, known it was unjust. Olivia should have never been given the burden of their mother's death, yet she had received the burden and had carried it for four long years.

Matter had been wrong to ever go along with his brothers, but he knew why he did. Matter Braverman had been afraid, afraid of losing any more of his family than he already had.

As an adult, Matter knew better than to have ever taken sides, and yet even after knowing this Matter still hadn't made things right in fear it would have already been too late. And now it was.

Matter knew what he would have said to make things better, what he would have said to his sister if he only had, had the courage to say it, because now he could no longer speak the words that would have made it all alright.

As Matter gazed upon the stars he realized... he hadn't just lost his mother that night, but Olivia and himself as well.

And he knew only one way to make it right...

It started with a pen and a blank sheet of paper.

~*~

Jonathan Braverman had been awake since the sun descended upon the sky. Jonathan had been awake canceling his meetings and taking leave from his multi-million rand company.

Jonathan had only ever prioritized work over his family once, it had been one of Jonathan's biggest mistake one he would not soon repeat.

He would not abandon his little girl yet again.

Matter Braverman walked from the room in which he sleeps, with heavy tired eyes, and sore muscles. Matter had fallen asleep at his desk the night before. As Matt stepped out his room he tucked an envelope in the pocket of his leather jacket, making sure not to ruin it as he did.

"What you got in your pocket there?"Ian asked, having seen his younger brother stuffing the envelope in his jacket pocket.

Matt hadn't noticed his older brother in the hallway and was taken by surprise when Ian spoke, looking up at his brother Matter shook his head as if to say it wasn't of importance before saying it was nothing.

Ian nodded, the only thing he could do, without prying into his brother's life. Matter after all was an adult and could take care of himself.

Matter and Ian Braverman walked together in silence their thoughts on the day ahead and how it would go, The Wilson's were their biggest hope in finding Livy if they didn't know where Olivia is then The Braverman family doubted anyone would.

Jonathan Braverman watched as his son's walked into the kitchen, their face showing nothing but determination, they like Jonathan Braverman were determined to find their missing family. The little girl who had always brought joy to their hearts.

Jonathan understood that he as a father should always put his children before him, and for his son's he had but when it came to young Livy he had been selfish. Jonathan had put his needs before Olivia's, his pain above hers and now came the time were Jonathan had to deal with the consequences.

He knew that it would not be easy to win Olivia back even if they did find the girl; it was why Jonathan was ready to take blame and hopefully mend the broken bond between the five siblings. This time Jonathan would not put his needs or wants above that of his children. Never again.

~*~

The Braverman family drove in silence, having no words to spare and too many thoughts to convey. Their emotions a rollercoaster, soaring high in the sky one moment and plummeting to the ground in the next, Their nerves making each restless in their seats, and their hope going wild as they get closer to their destination.

Matter sat in the seven seat SUV, behind his father whom was driving. Matt looked out at the passing houses and trees. His mind awake with memories of his younger sister.

One memory standing out the most amongst the endless memories he shared with Livy.

Matter had been eight years old then, Olivia five. Matter had woken up in the early hours of the morning on a Christmas day, it being too early for the world to be awake he had made his way down the stairs too peek at his presents that he knew mum had hidden away early December so none would be able to rip them apart.

Matter had opened all of his presents in his quest to see what they were despite knowing his mother and father would be upset. When he realized that he couldn't wrap them back up Matter had panicked waking up a sleeping Olivia, who had stayed up most of the night to try and catch Santa Clause and give him a hug.

Olivia having been as young as she was knew that Matter would get in trouble if their parents found all of his toys unwrapped and him in the middle of it all. So Olivia had told Matter to go to bed, and only come back down when mum woke up to gather the family together.

When Matter had walked down the stairs of his home the next morning, with his family in toe he had expected to get in trouble. He hadn't expected to see a giggling Olivia sitting on a pile of wrapping paper, all the presents having been unwrapped, all except hers.

She jumped up with an exited giggle and ran to Marcia who looked at the girl with an angry scowl on her face.

"Mommy! Look, look I opened your presents Mommy! See!"She had yelled excitedly.

Matt remembered having felt so bad that day, because Livy had covered for him and because of this she wasn't allowed to have her presents until she had made it up to everyone as a punishment. Matter remembered offering to let Olivia play with his toys until she got her own back but Olivia had shaken her head smiling a toothless little smile.

Olivia had always been that way, the peace keeper in the family, always the lively one.

Matter could still picture the sparkle that seemed to always light up Olivia's eyes, and her smile that said everything would be alright. Matter had always hated seeing Olivia cry, for in those moments Olivia's spark would die and her once bright smile would be gone. She always looked to be in so much pain when she cried.

Jake Braverman enjoyed the silence of the car as it gave him time to think, he thought about the situation they were in now.

Jake didn't know what Olivia's mindset was when she left, which meant he didn't know if suicide was an option. He didn't know whether she had a place to go to or not so for all he knew she could be living on the streets and since Olivia is eighteen they couldn't report her as missing, and even if they could Jake highly doubted the police would do much to find an eighteen year old run away.

Which left Jake and the rest of his family to find Olivia, except they didn't have the man power nor the resources in which to do so.

The only people with relation to Olivia, that Jake knew of was Emma and her family, which meant the pool of people he could ask for information from was nonexistent.

Jake was having Olivia's saving account closely monitored by his lawyer, however since her disappearance yesterday there had been no withdrawals, transactions or payments done on the card.

Jake also doubted that Olivia's diary had any clues of where she might have gone, because he doubted that this was planned. After all who would leave a life of comfort for the streets?

Jake wondered what their next step would be, if the Wilson's had no information to give.

Jake looked around the car at his brothers, observing his elder brother first who seemed to lost in thought as he stared at the leather bound book in his lap. Jake knew Ian hadn't opened the book yet, for if he had then the book would have been in his hands and not Ian's, so why did it look like the book was haunting Ian?

Jake then gazed behind him to the third eldest Braverman, Jason who looked to be sleeping. Examining Jason's face Jake saw the bags under the boys eyes and wondered if his nightmares had come back to haunt him once again.

Jake then looked toward Matter and was surprised to see a small smile on his youngest brother's face. Despite everything Jake wondered what could make Matter smile despite all that seemed to be going wrong.

And he wondered if it was the same thing that allowed Olivia to smile despite being hurt time and again.

Jake had to admit, that he hated his sister, because he couldn't understand why she would leave? He hated his sister for leaving hated that she had left him yet he knew it was unfair for hadn't he left her before? Hadn't he been the first to leave the young girl alone, to ignore her, blame her. Could he hate someone for doing the same thing he had?

Once again Jake was left to wonder, his thoughts going to one question Did Olivia hate Him for having left?

The Braverman's were brought back to reality by Jonathan who was parking the car.

Matter was the last Braverman to step out the car. Matt surveyed his surroundings taking in the uneven walkway to the Wilson's home, their baby blue house, dead grass. A feeling of familiarity washing over him as he remembers all the time's he and Olivia would come to play here.

Matter walked behind His family as he took in his surroundings, he looked toward the houses across the street. Taking notice of a man in his late twenties early thirties sitting on his porch watching the Braverman family.

Matter heard the knock of the door, but paid no attention, his attention focused solely on the man across the street. Matter had a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach that this man was important, however Matter didn't know why. Matter's interest peaked when the man he had now dubbed 'Mystery Man' beckoned him forward with his hand.

Ian Braverman watched the front door opened, revealing Belle Wilson. Belle Wilson was an admired and respected woman within the community of Springville for her charitable work and more so for her involvement in the local church.

Belle seemed stunned by who stood at her front door. Ian paid this no mind, as it had been years since they last knocked on these very doors. Mrs. Wilson let the Braverman family in a strained smile upon her face that made her seem older than she was.

Ian allowed his father and brothers to enter the house before himself, However Matter made no move to enter the Wilson's home, instead it seemed as if Matter's attention was on the house across the street from where they now stood.

Matter Braverman hadn't paid attention to his family who had gone inside with Mrs. Wilson to talk about Olivia, until Ian drew his attention away from the mystery man by taking hold of his shoulder.

"You coming inside?"Ian asked, looking at Matter who looked back at his older brother contemplating going inside or across the street.

The Wilson's could give them answers, however at the same time Matter felt as if turning his back on the stranger would be yet another regret, in his long list of regrets he already had. So Matter shook his head no in answer.

"You go ahead without me, I want to go see something" Matter told his elder brother as Matt made his way down the porch steps and onto the uneven gravel pathway.

As Matter had turned away from his brother to make his way across the street he saw a blur of white, looking back toward the porch Matt saw nothing of the figure he had and instead stumbled forward as if having been pushed forward.

As the wind blew Matter could have sworn he heard a voice whisper to go forward. Looking forward Matter walked towards mystery man, surprised at what had happened but dismissing it almost immediately.

As Matter approached the porch for which Mystery man sat, the man himself greeted Matter, telling him to take a seat. Matter noticed that the man couldn't have been much older than Ian.

Matter did as told and took a seat on a wooden chair across from Mystery man.

"I take it your Matter Braverman?"The man asked and Matter nodded his head toward the man a frown on his face.

"Do I know you?" Matter asked, trying to be polite as he wanted this man's help, or well the man's answers, yet still coming off rude and defensive.

The man chuckled "No, but I've heard of you" Mystery man answered "Do you want to know how I know of you?"

Matt nodded so the man before him answered "I know your younger sister Olivia" the man explained "But you wouldn't know that, would you?"he smiled like a Cheshire cat.

Matt frowned at the man before him. Matt Braverman wasn't like his older brother Jake, he couldn't read people like sheet music and then play them like an instrument however Matt heard the bitter outline of his voice, the hard edge he tried to keep at bay. It made Matter wonder if the man before him had hated Matter.

Matter understood that this man knew of his relationship with Olivia. Or more specifically the nonexistent relationship between the two siblings.

Curiously Matter asked "How do you know my sister?"

Matter wondered if perhaps this man knew the whereabouts of Livy.

"We met the night of her mother's accident four years ago" His eyes held a faraway look as if remembering something and Matter frowned.

Olivia had slept over at the Wilson's the night of the accident, so how would Olivia have met this man at all if she were with the Wilson family.

"How did you meet? And why?" Matter asked with a hard voice, thinking the worst of the man before him.

"And why should I tell you?" He fired back, venom in his words and anger written on his face. His nostrils flaring, and eyes narrowed at Matter "You may as well have abandoned her, so why should I tell you?"he asked calmer but still bitterly.

Matter sighed, looking towards the sky his hostility towards the mystery man fading with every intake of breath. Matter could almost picture the stars.

"Because..." Matter begun breathing in once more before turning towards Mystery Man "She deserves to gaze upon the stars without having to fear the monsters under her bed" He had said it softly, smiling faintly.

Mystery man's eyebrows furrowed as he looked toward Matter in confusion and Matter wanted to laugh "I guess she didn't tell you everything"

Matter watched mystery man's lip tug up into a barely there smile before sighing "Your sister knocked on my door the night of the accident crying hysterically and she wouldn't allow me near her, she asked to use my phone to call your mom and she looked terrified" the man frowned

"How do you both know each other then?"Matter asked, his own frown taking over his features. Matter had always believed that Olivia had used the Wilson's phone that night to contact Marcia. It had made the most sense, for Olivia to use the Wilson's phone as she had been sleeping there that night.

So what had made Olivia so scared, that she ran across the street in a thunder shower to use mystery man's phone?

"I met your sister that night however it wasn't until two years ago that I really got to know her" He explained "She knocked at my door once again, and we talked"

"Do you know what happened that night? That she had to call home from you phone?"Matter asked. Matter knew he needed to know what had happened that night to understand why Olivia had left. And more so that he could understand how to set things right with his younger sister.

Mystery man shook his head "I can't be the one to tell you" he said and while Matter was angry the man before him would not tell him what he knew of Matter's sister, he had respect for the man who would protect his sister's secret's even if it had been from her own family.

Matter gave a terse nod in understanding.

"Take this how you may, however sometimes the past is better left in the past, and secrets better kept secret" The man said cryptically.

Matter sat in silence before getting up to leave but not before looking back to say "I never caught your name"

Mystery man smirked "You never asked" he replied and all Matter could do was shrug before walking off the porch.

"When you find Olivia" the man shouts gaining Matters attention once again "Tell her Melvin McCAw says hi"

And Matter wondered how Melvin had known Olivia was missing.

~*~

Ian Braverman walked into the Wilson's home, his nerves on edge as he followed his brothers to the sitting room. Ian decided to take a seat next to Jake.

Ian assessed his surrounding, taking in the porcelain dolls, Belle collected, the red lounge suit complementing the cream colored walls, and Ian realized not much had changed. Ian recalled the many nights, he and his family would have dinner in this very house, however that had been before Marcia's death and since that awful night. Since that night none with the Braverman last name had ever stood foot in this house.

Ian watched as the greetings and pleasantries were made, not caring much for the exchange of small talk between his father and Belle.

Jake Braverman however took in all he could of the exchange. From the moment Mrs. Wilson had opened the door Jake had observed her. From her shock earlier on, to the awkward greetings and the tension that would not leave Mrs. Wilson's body. Jake had even taken in the look of utter terror when she realized who had in fact knocked at her door.

The fake smiles, not having gone unnoticed by Jake.

Jake recognized Mrs. Wilson for what she was trying to hide, a liar.

Ian was lured back into the conversation when Belle Wilson asked why they were here and focused in on what his father had to say, but it was Jake who spoke.

"We are here to talk to you about Olivia" Jake kept his reply ominous, to gage Belle's reaction. And as predicted Belle Wilson sat straighter, her shoulders tensing, her eyes crinkling and her smile falling ever so slightly, Belle Wilson was afraid.

Jake wondered why a woman, who was loved by all, would become afraid at the mention of his younger sister's name.

"Did something happen with Olivia?" Belle asked with faux concern, which did not go unnoticed by the Braverman family.

Jason Braverman stood in the corner of the room furthest from the conversation taking place; he had been trying to calm his anger, something he had very little control of. Jason had always been the most brazen of his siblings, giving little thought to what people perceived of him.

And as Jason stood in the room, listening to a woman he once respected, he felt his anger get the better of him. Olivia had treated the Wilson's like a second family, and the utter disrespect for the girl who had respected them so much was making the young Braverman drunk on rage.

Jason Braverman, despite having cut all ties with his sister Olivia, had protected her name from anyone who spoke wrong of it, allowing anyone who would disrespect her, the honor of meeting his fists.

However Jason knew that anger would not get them the answers they needed so he chose to rather silently observe from as far away as he could, however that hadn't stopped him from telling Belle that Olivia was indeed fine, an edge to his voice that had set the woman further on edge.

Jonathan sent a disapproving look to his son, but made no sound to scold the boy. After all Jonathan felt the same way his sons did.

"As Jason said, my sister is fine" Jake spoke once again "We actually came here to ask if you had perhaps seen Olivia? Or if Emma had? It seems Olivia went out partying last night and hasn't come home"

The lie had rolled off Jake's tongue with ease.

He did not want to give the woman before him the satisfaction of knowing that Olivia had gone missing, especially if she knew something about the night Marcia had died that they hadn't.

"I'm sorry but Emma and Olivia sadly drifted apart in high school" Belle lied, a lie that didn't pass over Jake's head.

"I see" Jonathan spoke up "Then before we leave, may I ask you one more question?"

Belle gestured for him to continue so he did "The night of the accident, why did Olivia call home?"

Jake saw how Belle shrunk back, and Jake knew she was hiding something, even as she plastered on her smile, that seemed so wicked and vile.

"She was scared of the thunder storm and refused to go to sleep without her mother so we allowed her to use our phone" Liar.

The Braverman's knew Belle Wilson was nothing, if she wasn't a liar. And all was left to wonder what had happened the night of Marcia's death.

~*~

The Braverman's drove once again in silence, all left to their own thoughts, their minds left to turn over all that had been learnt and when they had arrived home Ian Braverman excused himself.

Ian Braverman needed to be alone for what he was about to do, choosing Olivia's room. Ian stood in front of the very desk Olivia had written her diary entries, and took the book that held all their answers out, pulling it out of his jacket.

Pulling out the desk chair Ian Braverman sat in front of the empty desk and began to read, having chosen Olivia's room to read so he could feel what she had when she wrote the words that would break Ian Braverman's heart.

And as Ian read, he wept. He wept for his sister who he had left behind, and the sound of his sobs echoed through the empty room leaving Ian to his despair.

~•~
Word Count: 5 028 words (it took a while)

And it is finally here, Introducing chapter two of Finding Livy. The Liar.

What did you guys think?

So, I know I said my favourite character was Matter but I have to love Melvin.

And what did you guys think of the white figure?

Fun facts! So I rewrote Chapter 2 over 4 times! Before deciding to continue writing in 3rd person.

Another Fun Fact! I took a scene out of chapter one and added in to chapter two, can you guess which scene?!

Hope you enjoyed !

And if you did, don't forget to:

Until next time!