I Killed My Brother's Best Friend

Chapter Four

Verena was sitting on the floor in front of the TV, watching some cartoons. Praxis asked her if she wanted to sit on the couch, but she was dead set on sitting on the floor. She wasn't used to being on comfortable furniture, so she was more relaxed on the floor.

Praxis sat at the kitchen table on his laptop, often finding himself looking up at Verena to see if she was okay. He could guess that she was a mess mentally. He sure as hell wasn't going to take her to another hospital. He will figure something out.

Both Verena and Praxis froze when a knock sounded at the door. Verena looked at Praxis with wide eyes with a tinge of fear. It was one of their brothers. She was sure of it. Praxis speed towards the door.

"Who is it?" He asked in a low tone.

"Me, you idiot." The voice of her nineteen-year-old brother sounded.

The blood drained from both Verena and Praxis's faces. It was Riven. The brother whose friend she stabbed to death. If he sees her, he will kill her. Maybe that's what she deserved.

"Go to your room and lock the door," Praxis ordered while grabbing the remote and shutting off the TV.

Verena immediately got up and ran to her new room. She jerked the lock and debated about hiding under the bed or in the closet.

"What are you doing here?" Praxis asked.

"Here to see what you are up to," Riven said.

"That's none of your business. Leave."

Riven scoffed. "That's no way to treat your brother. I want to check out the place you suddenly moved into. Davian says he has been calling you, but you won't answer him."

"I didn't know it was a requirement to contact our eldest brother when I am a grown adult."

"You know it actually is with Davian."

"Just leave, damn it." Praxis hissed at him.

"Fine. But if you keep ignoring our dear eldest brother, he will come here himself." Riven said before walking down the hall. When he got to the elevator, he smiled and waved as the elevator door slid shut.

Praxis rolled his eyes and sighed in frustration. He would be calling Davian. To ask why in the hell he would send the most volatile, hot-headed brother to his condo.

Praxis walked to his sister's room and knocked on the door. "Verena sweetheart? He's gone you can come out."

He heard the lock click and Verena cracked open the door and looked up at her brother with hesitation. Praxis smiled sadly. "I promise he's gone Verena."

Verena slowly stepped out of her room and looked around. After she was sure the coast was clear, she pointed to the TV.

"Yes, go ahead." Praxis nodded.

Praxis turned the TV back on, and Verena once again sat on the floor and went back to watching the cartoon.

He hated that she was now so terrified. She had always been timid, but this was a new level for apparent reasons. A little girl wasn't supposed to be so scared. But she was always looking over her shoulder in fear.

When it was the dead of the night, Verena was in bed trying to sleep while Praxis was in the kitchen drinking a beer. He needed it after everything especially seeing his little terror of a brother. Praxis had no doubt that Riven would have hurt Verena if he saw her.

Riven and Henry have been friends since they were in kindergarten. They grew a group of friends over the years, and everyone was shocked and horrified to hear about the bloody death. Even more so that it was Riven's little sister that did it.

No one could wrap their heads around that someone as little and young as Verena could do something like that with so much violence and brutality. Usually, when someone is killed, especially in a brutal way, many want to know why the crime was committed. Why would someone do that to someone they cared about? Not in Verena's case, though. They just said she was crazy and shipped her off. No one asked her why she did it. There had to have been more to this.

Praxis sighed as his phone buzzed for what felt like the millionth time. He already knew it was Davian. Knowing Davian wasn't going to leave him alone, he picked up his phone and answered.

"What?" Praxis snapped.

"Don't talk like that to me. You know damn well why I am calling. Why aren't you answering me?" Davian growled through the phone.

"Because I didn't want to," Praxis answered nonchalantly.

"Praxis! You are on my last nerve." Davian yelled.

"Sorry, Dad." Praxis mocked.

Davian was about to yell something at Praxis when a high-pitched cry sounded from Verena's room. Praxis, without thinking, left his cell phone on the counter and ran to his sister's room.

As expected, she was on the floor with just a pillow and the comforter from her bed. She was crying and pleading for someone to go away, to leave her alone.

"Verena," Praxis called out to her with anxiety running through his entire body.

"No! I said go away!" she sobbed.

"Verena. It's me, Praxis." He started to shake her lightly.

When all he got in response was more screams and cries, Praxis cupped her face with both his hands.

"Verena." He said again, and this time, she seemed to be waking up.

"P-praxis?"

"Yes, it's me."

Verena let Praxis hold her as she drifted off back to sleep. He allowed himself to drift off as well.

When the sunlight reached Verena's room, Praxis blinked and looked over to see Verena curled up in a ball beside him, still asleep.

His body hurt a little as he was not used to sleeping on the floor. He stretched out and groaned silently as different joints popped. He picked up Verena and gently put her on her bed.

When he walked out of her room, he saw Davian on his couch.

"Oh, for fuck's sake."