Dedicated to 21fairy , KiraTheKillerKTKRosi , Jules0161 , 47_Stars, MorganaPine for all your continued support, amazing comments, and votes and for just being awesome!

~*~

Chapter 3 | His fear.

Ian Braverman had emerged from Olivia Braverman's bedroom, his heart a broken mess, his head throbbing as a pain settled in the back of his head. Ian Braverman made his way down the long stairwell to join his family in the sitting room down bellow.

Jake Braverman sat amongst his brothers and father awaiting the return of their brother, whom had vanished up the stairs, upon returning home.

Jake had, had a lot to think about whilst his elder brother read their younger sisters diary. Belle had been a family friend for years and it made little sense to Jake why she would lie.

Jake recalled the day Marcia had passed, the clouds had pulled in and all were preparing for the storm ahead. Marcia had been getting the fire place ready for the cold night ahead, when Olivia had come into the room. Olivia had asked Marcia if she could have a sleep over at Emma's house however Marcia was worried about the storm and said no.

Marcia had always been strict with her children; however she was as fair as she was strict.

Olivia had begged and pleaded before Marcia had agreed, having only one condition, under no circumstances was she to change her mind. Olivia had been known for getting home sick quickly, which would have made Belle's story believable if the woman hadn't been a nervous wreck.

Olivia agreed to the condition, believing whole heartedly she would spend the night with the Wilson's. Jake believed she would as well, however late into the night the phone rang out through the house, waking all the brothers and their parents.

Marcia had been frantic, saying Olivia was hysterical and crying. Jonathan and Jake had both offered to fetch Olivia in Marcia's place however Marcia refused saying she had to be the one to go.

Jake wondered if Marcia had known something was amiss with the girl, and had gone to soothe her.

Jake had also wondered if, what Olivia had been upset about was the reason Marcia turned the car around, thus losing control of her vehicle on that stormy night?

After all no one had stopped to ask the girl the reason for that tragic accident and what had happened to cause it. They had all just assumed.

Jake wasn't left to wonder long as a book was placed upon his lap by his elder brother, Ian who had a solemn expression on his face, his eyes red rimmed and skin pale. Jake knew then, that his brother had been crying, which was odd for Jake as he had seen Ian cry only a handful of time.

Jake didn't question his older brother knowing they would be discussing the event of the day and the diary in a few short moments, so instead Jake Braverman decided to examine the book in his lap instead.

Jake noticed the leather bound book had no noticeable attributes save for the golden engraving on the front, the inscription written in a beautiful scrawl across the front of the book gave the book character. It was a fitting book for what Olivia had used it for Jake thought.

However it was not the calligraphy that had caught Jake's attention, Jake's fingers ran along the side of the book where dried blood peaked through the paper and left Jake's heart a broken mess as he examined it. Jake hadn't known before if Olivia was suicidal, but with the blood splattered upon the pages Jake's thoughts went to the worst.

Had the letter Olivia wrote have been a suicide note? Jake asked himself.

Jake recalled the letter and the words she had used;

I can finally be free,

rid myself of the bad memories,

you would have tried to talk me out of it,

I'm sorry I won't ever see you again.

Jake refused to believe she had committed suicide, not wanting to imagine his little sister at the bottom of a river after having jumped off a bridge, or in a morgue somewhere with a Jane Doe tag.

Jake reminded himself that the town of Devendor had no bridges, and that while the town was big the police would have been able to identify his sister and would have informed them. However, Jake knew his mind would not rest until he had called the local police stations and called the hospital.

For now Jake Braverman would hope for the best, for he wouldn't be able to handle loosing yet another member of his family.

With all, except one, Braverman gathered they begun discussing the days events.

Ian looked towards his youngest brother, curiosity having been gnawing at his insides as he had watched his younger brother turn away from the Wilson's home, however before Ian Braverman could ask Matter where he had gone off too, Jonathan spoke up asking Ian what he had learned through Olivia's diary.

"Livy spoke next to nothing about the night of the accident" Ian informed his family, recalling all he had read.

"Nothing?" Jason asked with a frown upon his face, having thought Olivia would have written about the accident.

Jake too frowned, why would Olivia not have written about the night that had led her to keeping a Diary. "What did she say?"Jake asked.

Ian explained all that he had read, his words weighing heavy on their hearts. Ian seemed the most upset, having actually read their little sisters words. "I don't get it though" Ian's says, having finished explaining Olivia's diary entry.

"Don't get what?"Matter asked, speaking for the first time since they had returned home.

"I understand why she felt guilty, that being partly our fault, but she mentioned being voiceless, that she couldn't speak of what happened that night, why?"Ian explained. The question having been on his mind, the moment he had finished reading Livy's diary.

Jake Braverman's frown deepened in thought, sitting back as his family conversed.

"Maybe it has something to do with why Belle was lying to us" Jason thought aloud, remembering their visit with the middle aged woman, Ian and Jake agreeing instantly as they too recalled the encounter.

Matter Braverman furrowed his brows in confusion, having been conversing with Melvin when the Braverman's talked with Belle Wilson. "What did she lie about?"Matter asked, not surprised to hear that the woman his mother had respected so much was lying. He had already known the Wilson's were hiding something important about the night Marcia died.

"Belle claimed the reason Olivia phoned home the night of the accident was because she was home sick" Jonathan explained to his son. And he too wondered why Matter had not been present for the conversation at the Wilson residence.

"And you do not believe her?" Matter asked his father, knowing full and well that Mrs. Wilson had lied to his family but wanting to know why his family believed her to have lied.

"Mrs. Wilson never has been good at lying, not even in high school" Jonathan informed his son. It was then that the Brothers remembered that Mr. Wilson had once been Jonathan's best friend during high school, having drifted apart during their collage years.

"That's right! You weren't there" Jason exclaims aloud looking toward his younger brother, as he recalled not having seen his younger brother with them earlier that day. "Where were you?"

Jake looked towards Matter curiously, wondering why the boy who cared for Olivia the most hadn't been present for their confrontation with the woman who perhaps had the answer to most of their questions. He wondered what could have been more important, than that of finding their sister.

"I was speaking with the Wilson's neighbor, Mr. McCaw" Matter informed his family. The encounter had been both informing and confusing for the boy.

"Did he tell you anything of importance?" Jake asked his younger brother, curious of the information Matter may have learned from his encounter.

Matter gave his brother a nod of his head, before asking "Did you know he and Olivia know each other?"

Matter knew not one of the Braverman's sitting in the room would say yes, however he did not ask the question in hopes of a positive reply, and rather because he was trying to get a point across.

Matter knew he and his family had lost out on years of Olivia's life and Matter knew that the severity of their decision hadn't yet caught up with his family. It hadn't caught up to Matter even.

"No, we didn't" Ian replied, saddened at having not known who his sister interacted with in her daily life. Ian knew it was a result of his own decision making him feel a bitterness in his heart for himself. He had let his family down.

Matter went on to tell them all that had transpired between him and the man of mystery. He told them of how Melvin and Olivia met, and what all he had said about the night of Marcia Braverman's death.

"And you're sure he had nothing to do with what happened to make her call mom?"Jason asked, Skeptical of the man he knew nothing about. Matter did not fault Jason for his skepticism having thought bad of the man himself.

Matter shook his head, looking once again to the sky just beyond the window as he gazed at the light of the setting sun. "He was telling the truth" Matter spoke honestly, nothing of what he had heard the man say, or his behavior had told Matter Melvin had been lying, and at hearing what his brothers had said of Mrs. Wilson he was even more inclined to believe the man.

Having heard all of what Matter wished to say Jake frowned, not being able to put pieces of what seemed to be a puzzle together. Olivia's truth, Her diary, Belle's lies, and Melvin's words were all a puzzle. A puzzle for which he was missing piece's too, pieces that lay within the pages of the book that lay on his lap.

"What else confused you about Olivia's diary?"Jake asked Ian, curiously.

Ian recalled Olivia's diary and remembered reading of something that had confused Ian "She mentions having an appointment with a therapist however she seemed upset at having to go, she claims Maria was making her go".

Ian recalled Olivia's words, saying that therapy would be but a reminder that she was voiceless. Ian knew not of what Olivia meant when she used the word voiceless, however he knew that the young girl had suffered in her own silence for too long and he wished he had been there to ease her burden if only a little bit.

Jonathan frowned at the information Ian had just given, having not been informed of Olivia going to therapy. However she was not the only one as Jason recalled Maria doing the same for him, to help him with his anger and guide him past the pain that came with Marcia's death.

Maria had not only been a saving grace for the young Olivia, but for all the Braverman children. Them having been like children for the woman, who could not have any of her own.

The Braverman's continued to discuss the information well into the night before deciding to rest, having all been drained by the day's events.

~*~

Jake Braverman had awoke the next morning, with seemingly more questions than that he went to bed with. The notebook which now lay on his desk nothing but an ugly reminder of his sins, and a tragic tale yet to be told.

He had stared most of his early morning away, looking at the diary. Jake knew not what kept him from opening the book and reading what was written within the pages, however he hadn't been able to bring himself to do it. Jake hadn't been close with Livy, as he never knew how to handle her.

The outspoken little girl had been the opposite of the silent yet observant boy praised for his mature nature and analytical brain. Her smile had been bright and his frown had been deep, her eyes had shone with love and kindness whilst his narrowed in suspicion.

Jake hadn't been close with any of his siblings, having only ever been close with his mother. His mother had been a woman of few words but many warm smiles, many days had been spent together cooking or building. His mother had taught him all her mother had taught her in the kitchen, and when weren't in the kitchen they would be found in the art room building rockets or robots.

Jake Braverman sat up from his bed, running his hands through his head as memories of he and his mother ran through his mind. Jake decided then he had, had enough of wallowing in whatever emotion plagued him, getting up Jake dressed in casual wear, a contrast of his usual formal attire.

Jake Braverman looked toward his desk where the small little leather bound book lay and he wondered how such a small book could unnerve him so.

Picking the little book up, Jake Braverman made his way to the garage, ignoring his family as he passed. Jake knew his family would want to know of Olivia's diary, they would want answers Jake could not give.

Jake Braverman took off in his car, the sun glaring down on him as he made his way to the only place that could bring the young Braverman a sense of calm.

It hadn't taken Jake long to reach the two story gym. Jake parked his Matte black car in front of the building before getting out. The July weather refreshing to Jake who loved the sun, despite his pale complexion.

Jake entered the building, greeting the familiar faces as he passed. Jake had spent a lot of his time in the gym after his mother had passed away, having taken Marcia's death harder than any of his brother.

Jake hadn't known how to deal with the passing of his mother, having been more attached to his mother than any of the other Braverman children. Jake Braverman had suffered under the weight of his emotions, causing anger to build from his frustration.

Jake Braverman developed his own anger problem, caused by his inability to deal with his emotions. Alone in his room Jake would take his anger out on the furniture that lay within the confounds of his bedroom walls. Jake's behavior had continued for a year before Maria Marcella stepped in.

Maria had been a saving grace for the family, a pillar of strength in a time where they had admitted defeat in their despair. Maria had made the Braverman boy go to counseling, however Jake had found it more than amusing to turn the tables on any who tried to provide council, with his perceptive and analytical mind Jake would pick at the small details and use it to play with those who tried to shove pills down his throat. Be it a missing wedding band or baggy eyes Jake had made his counselors feel small.

With no other option, Maria searched for ways to help the boy where he would feel in control, less than a week after his last therapy session Jake was given his gym membership. Something he thanked the woman who helped raise him for.

Jake, in his years of high school had been a loner having isolated himself from those who looked to use him for his father's money or his older brother's popularity. Jake had perceived his peers to be shallow and two- faced for that was all they ever showed him.

Olivia Braverman had been no different in her older brothers eyes, for all Jake could see was a liar. How else could a girl with nothing to smile about, smile despite it all if she hadn't been lying to herself or to the world.

Perhaps that was what had angered Jake most in the situation for which he found himself in, that he thought she wasn't smiling at all.

It had been years since Jake had seen his little sister smile up at him, with eyes that seemed too naïve to the world around her. It had been that smile that had made he and his brothers so protective of the girl.

Jake was by no means a pessimist, despite people whom perceived him as such, however in the twenty four years Jake had been alive he had come to the realization that sunshine and rainbows were the idealistic dreams of naive fools. But perhaps it had been that very thought that had kept Jake from forming a meaningful relationship with his younger sister Olivia.

Jake Braverman had spent a majority of his free time in the gym, it had been during the time he spent in the gym that Jake had begun to make friends, having been close in age with many of the members.

Daniel Edgar had been Jake Braverman's first friend after the unfortunate passing of Marcia Braverman; it had been through Daniel that Jake had met Cleopatra Edgar, the twin sister of Daniel Edgar.

It had been Daniel whom had noticed Jake's arrival first, watching his best friend as the Braverman boy took a seat on the many benches lining the training room the three friends now occupied.

"Hey man" Daniel greeted Jake, gaining the attention of Cleo who had been lost in her training. Cleo was a professional dancer, having graduated from Devendor's collage of performing arts.

Daniel had always thought of Jake as his best friend, having grown up isolated himself due to severe bullying, Daniel found himself relating to the boy who lived in his elder brothers shadow.

"Hey Frumpy!"Cleo exclaimed enthusiastically, using the nickname Jake had come to love hearing more with each time the girl used it.

Jake tried to smile at the use of Cleopatra's nickname for him, however he found himself frowning instead not having had anything to smile about.

Cleopatra frowned at Jake's lack of enthusiasm, having come accustom to the smile she would receive in exchange for her overly enthusiastic greetings. It had been a long time since the two Edgar siblings had seen the Braverman so down on his luck.

"You okay man?"Daniel asked his friend as he approached the bench Jake now sat on, with Cleo close behind.

Jake saw the concern for him in his friend eyes, had noted their furrowed brows and he had recognized the worried tone in Daniel's usual care free voice. Jake Braverman hated liars, even those who lied to protect so he shook his head no in response to Daniel's question.

After all Jake Braverman was lost.

For the first time in four years, Jake knew not what to do, or what to say, he was just lost.

"do you want to talk about it or train?"Cleo asked knowing when Jake had something that bothered him he would spar with Daniel in the boxing ring. Jake smiled at the girl who knew him well.

"I don't even know where to begin" Jake told his friends, not having the words to tell them of his sister's disappearance. Daniel patted Jake's back while Cleo motioned for him to continue so Jake did. Jake told his friends of Olivia's disappearance, told them of the note she left behind and the diary in his hands.

"Why haven't you read her diary yet?"Cleo asked cautiously, not wanting to upset the boy more.

"I think I'm scared" Jake replied much to the surprise of the Edgar siblings, not being able to ever recall a time that Jake had been afraid. "What are you afraid off?"Daniel asked Jake as he sat next to him on the bench.

"The truth, I'm scared if I open the book I'll read the words Olivia wanted no one to know and it would be too late to help her" It had been the truth, Like all the Braverman brothers Jake was scared. He was scared he had lost his sister forever.

He also feared for his sister and her safety.

Daniel looked meaningfully at his best friend, Jake had spoken very little of the youngest Braverman child in the three years Jake and he had been friends however everything he had heard of Olivia from Jake had been good.

Jake would tell Daniel stories of a warrior in the making, a girl who was fearless and strong yet kind and gentle. Daniel doubted that Jake noticed the way he spoke of his little sister, however Daniel had noticed the pride in his voice as he would speak, and the concern that would shine in the boy's eyes. Even as Jake ranted, Daniel heard the tone of admiration he had for young Olivia.

Daniel recalled a time Jake had confided that he could not understand the spitfire that was his sister, not once had Jake realized that he perhaps knew more than most. Jake saw the girl behind the mask she wore, and not the mask itself and that was perhaps more than anyone ever saw or noticed of the girl.

Daniel hadn't however been told just how distant the siblings had been, he was appalled to hear that Jake had ignored the girl for four long years

Cleopatra was stunned by what all was said, her heart went out to the boy she had been crushing on for a little over a year as he admitted his fear to her and her elder brother.

"Not reading it means you allow her to continue to suffer alone, it may be hard for you to read but in the end it would have been worth the pain if you could understand her even just a little bit more" Cleopatra spoke first, saying the words she knew needed to be said.

Cleo's words hit Jake harder than intended however he knew them to be the truth. So Jake opened Olivia's diary, and read the words that brought him to tears.

Jake cried for the girl who worried of him, despite their broken relationship and all his wrong doings. Jake buried his head in his hands as he cried, his best friend seated on either side of him, and Cleo wrapped her arms around Jake as if she could take his pain away.

~*~

Jonathan Braverman pulled a seat out, in the busy café for Maria Marcella to take a seat.

Jonathan had asked Maria to tell him of Olivia, a request she agreed to under the condition he and she do so away from The Braverman sibling's knowing not all of what she had to say would be comforting to the boys.

Both Jonathan and Maria ordered a warm beverage, having a lot to discuss.

"Why didn't you want the boys to join us?"Jonathan asked curiously, knowing Maria wouldn't purposely leave the boys out of a matter as important as this.

"Olivia struggled with the death of her mother, all of the siblings did, but Olivia was different" Maria started, recalling the nights spent with Olivia in her room. "Where Jason suffered from night terrors, Matter began to isolate himself and Jake grew angry, Olivia had suffered from far worse" Maria explained.

Maria began telling Jonathan of Olivia's days after the accident, however Maria couldn't tell Jonathan what secret Olivia had kept, Olivia having kept the secret from Maria as well.

"Why didn't you come to me before?"Jonathan asked brokenly as Maria finished, Having known none of what Maria had told him of Olivia.

"Olivia had only agreed to therapy with the promise I wouldn't tell you of it, she thought you wouldn't care and at the time I hadn't thought you would either" Maria informed Jonathan.

Jonathan could not fault Maria for thing as she did, however to know that his little girl had thought the same crushed him as he recalled a time where he had promised to forever protect her.

"I let them down, didn't I ?"Jonathan asked knowing it was not only Olivia who had suffered under his careless actions but all his children.

"You did" Was Maria's blunt respond, for so long she had been angry at Jonathan for having abandoned his children in their time of need, however a small part of her understood he too was grieving. Even if that was no excuse.

After all Maria too had been grieving, having lost the person whom she considered to be her sister. She had lost the little girl who had played dolls with her, the girl who she had shared all her secrets with, and the girl who gossiped with her. When Marcia Braverman had passed Maria had lost her best friend.

Maria's only comfort had been the family who Marcia had entrusted Maria with. Maria had picked up her own broken heart when she had helped her God children pick up theirs.

Maria and Jonathan continued to talk with Jonathan asking Questions of what Olivia was like, until it had been time to go home.

~*~

Word count [4 139]

Hey all!

So I updated! What did you all think?

So Jake's character, what do you all think? His growing on me!

And his friends?

So fun fact like Jake, Daniel and Cleo where unplanned characters added to the story because Olivia has her support characters but I realized her brothers don't!

Another fun fact I've already given major hints of what happened the night Olivia, the two biggest being in Olivia's first diary entry

Thank you so much for reading!

Don't forget to :

Until next time,
Byeeeee!
❤❤❤