HIS WORDS |Editing|

C H A P T E R 26

DENYA

Christmas went as planned, the food was delicious. The gifts were amazing but just like the last Christmas something felt off. Maybe Denya still isn't used to celebrating without her brother. She bought him a watch and wanted him to receive it. Bringing up Brandon wasn't a good idea because an argument will unfold. So Denya waited for a few days and hoped they won't get mad for her asking after her brother again.

Her dad was reading today's newspaper and her mom was making pancakes. Denya sat the table up and waited for everyone one to sit down. She wanted to ask right know but the words never left her lips. She didn't want to ruin everyone's morning. Denya can't remember when his name become more a curse than a blessing.

"Where can I find Brandon." Denya asked her parents with her head hung low.

Her father was watching her with raised eyebrows, probably wondering where this question came from all of a sudden. Her mother was avoiding eye contact with her but also with dad. Denya was confused and frustrated. Since when did things get this bad, shouldn't they be able to clean up misunderstandings with words. Why is asking for her brother such a big problem.

"You should eat more Denya. I'm sure that is not going to fill you up." Her mom told her completely ignoring her question.

"Sure but I want to know where I can find Br-" She flinched from her father sudden outburst. When he slammed his hands against the table it made his glass filled with water fall over.

"Enough Denya, I don't want to hear his name." Her dad voiced out loud and Denya felt as if she had done something utterly wrong.

"W-What did he do so wrong for you to hate him like that?" Denya asked her father with pure disbelief on her face.

"Why don't you ask your mother." Her dad stood up and left the living area. Her mom sat there and didn't want to face her.

"I did something bad Denya, and your dad doesn't want Brandon to stay with us because of that." She tried explaining her daughter but she still didn't understand.

"You did something bad right ? Why does Brandon have to pay for it than?" She asked her mother but her mom ended up crying.

The tears in her eyes made her wonder how badly the guilt had been eating her. If Denya knew how to comfort her she would have done that, but she didn't know how. She also didn't know what got her feeling so badly about herself.

"Brandon has done nothing wrong mom. I just want to see my brother that's all I want." Denya pleaded her mom.

"Well I don't know where he is Denya, you can look for him but haven't you done that countless of times?" The lady with loose curls and darker skin told her daughter with worry in her eyes.

Denya stood up from her seat and looked at her mother. "I will find him." She told her with a smile on her face. "I have to."

She left her mom and went upstairs, when she got fully dressed she left the house. Denya wasn't sure where she was going, but that didn't stop her. She wanted Brandon to explain to here what happened, but she was starting to think that maybe he did not care about her. Maybe he despised her just as much he despised her dad.

She found herself in front of Jay's house. Denya wasn't sure if she had to go in or just turn around and go home. This place that used to be filled with lovely memories got replaced with bad ones. The ones that she would rather forget than remember, but she can't go around like this anymore. She had to stand up on her own. She had to understand that she will have her heart break plenty of times.

Denay rang the bell and expected Jay to open the front door, but instead Logan did. He looked terrible, as if he didn't sleep for the past days. He wasn't wearing his shirt and his hair was messy as always. His smile that usually lit up an entire room wasn't on display for Denya to see. So she grew worried.