Chapter 3

Dewey laid down on his bed. He was thinking to himself about how it all happened. Huey came into his room. He sat down next to his brother.

"Hey Dewey, how's it going?" Huey asked trying to show sympathy to his brother.

"I know what you're doing." Dewey said.

"What?" Huey asked. Dewey started to explain.

"You're doing the same thing I did to get you to tell me more about Derek." Dewey said. Huey flinched when he heard that name and Dewey noticed. "Huey are you okay." Dewey asked changing the subject to Huey's emotions. Huey used this to his advantage.

"I'll tell you what's wrong with me if you tell me what's wrong with you." Huey said. Dewey sighed in agreement.

"Are we seriously gonna talk about our feelings?" Dewey asked. "Isn't that what girls do?" Huey rubbed his chin.

"If it works for them, maybe it will work for us." Huey stated. Dewey agreed with his statement and described his feelings.

"I feel..." Dewey paused to find a word he could use.

"Awful. It's like they try to make me feel useless and vulnerable so they can do whatever they want to me. It makes me feel weak. I think I finally feel what you felt. But I don't think I'll ever see them again." Dewey then looked at Huey. "Your turn." Dewey said. Huey then sighed.

"I never really got over D..D...D..." Huey tried to say his name but he physically couldn't do it. "I never really got over him. He really messed with my brain. Every time I here his name, I feel like he's gonna attack me at any second. I sometimes have nightmares about him. He beats me up and then makes me kiss his feet. I'm a mess after what he did, and I don't want that to happen to you." Dewey then hugged his brother quickly. Huey felt something wet on his shoulder and realized that Dewey was crying. Other than when they were younger, he had never really seen Dewey cry.

"Dewey, I know you didn't tell me everything, and neither did I" Huey said. Dewey then let go of Huey.

"Guess it's my turn again." Dewey said. "When I confronted Richard today, I was so determined to get my stuff back. That confidence that I had turned into fear. I don't even know him that well but I'm already afraid of him. But I also feel sorry for him. He just seems like a kid who's felt a lot of pain." Huey started crying a little. Dewey finished and then looked at Huey.

"Dewey, there's something I should show you." Huey said. Dewey was concerned because his brother said that very seriously. Huey got up and lifted up the back of his shirt. His back had a big scar on it in the shape of a D. Dewey was shocked.

"He branded you?!" Dewey said almost about to cry. Huey nodded his head. Dewey then turned his brother around and hugged him. They started crying on each other's shoulders. Dewey then let go.

"Thanks for the talk Dewey." Huey said wiping away his tears. Dewey then thanked him for the talk as well. Huey walked out of his brother's room and then walked outside. He hopped on the garden wall and stared at the stars. As he stared at the stars, he wondered why he couldn't say Derek's name. How was he gonna help Dewey if he can't even help himself. He felt a tiny rock getting thrown at his shoulder. It was April.

"What's wrong?" April asked concerned about Huey.

"Nothing, I'm just thinking." Huey lied. April could tell when Huey was lying.

"Hubert, what's really wrong?" April asked. Huey gave in knowing he couldn't continue lying to her. He considered himself as the worst liar of all time.

"I'm thinking about, him." Huey said angrily. "I'm still scared and I can't even say his name. It's frustrating." April then stared into Huey's eyes.

"If you need my help, I got your back." April said patting Huey on the back.

"Then I need you to say his name." Huey said. April was confused. "If I hear his name enough times, I won't be afraid to say it anymore." April agreed as she started repeatedly saying his name. Huey winced as she kept saying it over and over. He knew this was the only solution.

Dewey knocked on Webby's door. Webby opened it.

"Hey Dewey." Webby said.

"Hey Webby." Dewey started. "I wanted to talk to you about something." Webby sat down on her bed swinging her feet.

"What about?" Webby asked.

"You see." Dewey started trying to find the words that describe how he felt. "When I'm with you, I feel..." Suddenly, Louie came rushing in.

"Guys, Launchpad just crashed a car into a train, that crashed into a plane, the crashed into building!" Louie said excitedly. Webby jumped off of her bed in amazement.

"That's so cool!" Webby shouted. She was about to run out and see for herself. "What were you saying Dewey?"

"Oh it was nothing, lets go see the damage!" Dewey said smiling. They all ran outside to see the crash.

After repeatedly saying Derek's name over a hundred times, April encouraged Huey to say it. Huey tried the best he could to say it.

"De... Der...Derr." Huey tried to say his name. April started cheering him on. "Der...rek. Derek" Huey finally said his name. "I...I did it" April was so happy for him.

"You did it!" April shouted as Huey was celebrating by jumping on the ground and punching the air. April and Huey then laughed for a moment. April jumped down from the wall and looked directly at Huey. They didn't know what they were doing, but they felt themselves moving closer. As their lips were about to touch, Huey pulled away.

"I'm not ready for this." Huey said to April.

"What do you mean?" April asked.

"April, it just doesn't feel right." Huey started. "I don't think I'm ready to kiss you yet."

"Huey, don't you feel it?" April said trying to move in closer.

"I need to focus on my brother right now, I'm sorry." Huey said as he hopped over the wall and back in the house. April looked down at the ground.

"I'm sorry too."

End of Chapter 3