Kayden Van Din
Bright rays of sun danced through the sitting room where Kayden Van Din and her brother sat playing chess. A game that only reminded Kayden of how much her brother needed a friend.
"Your go." Norman Van Din said quietly. He held an uptight figure and stared pointedly at the chess board in front of him. Norman waited patiently for his sister to make her move. Kayden sighed and put Norman in check. He rubbed his chin. He moved his king piece and sat back in his chair, contemplating his next move.
Kayden moved another piece and stuck out her hand. "Check mate."
Norman sighed in defeat and pushed him self up. Roughly, he shook his sister's hand and congratulated her.
"I'm going to ask Brannon for a rematch."
Brannon Van Din was 23 years of age and visited every other weekend. He was an engineer and lived in his own house with his girlfriend, Angelica Reeves.
"He's only just home." Kayden started. "He is probably asleep or busy. Besides, all you ever ask him to do is play chess." She crossed her arms, looking at her younger brother.
Norman shrugged, "Do you have any better ideas? Mom and dad are gone for a weekend trip and they turned off the Wifi because they wanted us to spend time with our brother." Norman looked in the direction of Brannon's room upstairs. "But all he wants to do is stay up there with his door locked."
Kayden felt sorry for Norman. At school, he didn't have any friends. Plus, the kids in his sophomore class weren't very nice to anybody; Norman was considered an outcast. Most people got scared looking at him with his high cheeks, pale skin, and the famous Van Din family hair. She smiled at her brother.
He looked at her sideways. "What?" Norman said shortly. "Is there something on my face."
She shook her head. "No, there's nothing on your face. I was only going to ask you for a rematch." Kayden laughed.
Norman cast a serious expression, as though he was thinking about something. "Nah, I think I'll go make some lunch or something."
Kayden glanced at her younger brother. She admitted he was strange for his age. Norman was 6 feet, 2 1/2 inches. He acted like he was a young business man when he was at school, but at home he was pretty normal. Norman was born exactly 11 months and day from Kayden, putting him a grade lower.
"Okay, Norman." She said. Kayden questioned him sometimes. He seemed to be a little off today, like something was distracting him. Instead of heading to the kitchen, Norman went upstairs.
Norman knocked on Brannon's door.
"Hey, Brannon, mom and dad didn't turn off the Internet for nothing. Why don't you come out and spend some time with me and Kayden." Norman knocked again.
Brannon Van Din opened the door and stared blankly back at his younger brother.
"What?" He said it like what Norman had asked him to do was ridiculous.
Norman gave a short laugh, "What are you deaf? I said, come on out of your little sanctuary and spend some time with your siblings."
Norman's sense of sarcasm ticked Brannon off.
"Listen, Norm, I'd love to, but I'm pretty busy at the moment." Brannon tapped his foot waiting for his younger brother to leave.
