Hostage

Unconditional Love

Maybe I was another of her projects.

And maybe she had written a record about me like she had done with every other person she studied through the years.

But it was impossible to get myself to believe that that was all I was to her.

Because Isabel had shown me that I could have perfection even in the chaos I lived in.

Now, Roxi was finally having the perfect life that she dreamt of. She and Will were finally getting to work things out, she was finally getting her one shot at happiness and Jase, if word got out that he shot Sam Levine, that he had a hand in Sam's murder, he would never be able to lead a normal life even after he got out of prison.

Keen...

Keen was everything to me.

Keen was the very definition of family.

Keen was strength, and he was love, and he was the one person in the world who kept me moving when I felt like I didn't want to be alive anymore.

All this had happened because of me.

Maybe Jason had pulled the trigger that night, but it didn't change the fact that everything happened because Sam attacked Roxi because of something I did.

Gloria had been able to manipulate the situation because of my condition. I was her lottery ticket. I was the reason why Sam Levine showed up at the party and I was my family's imperfection.

But I was going to fix that.

I was going to make things okay again, to make things perfect again.

I bit down on my lower lip as I stepped away from the camera I had set up, reaching for the pair of handcuffs on the table before I sat down. I secured one of the cuffs around my left wrist and the other to the table before I let out an exasperated sigh and then turned to the direction of the red, blinking light from the camera.

I stared right at it.

"My name is Andre Monroe, and I am twenty six years old." I started and then purses my lip. "When I was fifteen, I was a victim of a ghastly motor accident with my father, and my younger brother, who was formally called Tyrese, now Jason Monroe." I drew in a deep breath and then exhaled. "Ever since then, I have suffered from a mental condition called dissociative identity disorder. It's uhm- " I paused, my eyebrows furrowing. "It's a mental disorder characterized by the presence of two or more personalities in one body." I said, faking a smile. "You see, I would like to think that I'm a person of excellent character but my hands, these hands- " I turned my hand so the palm of my hand was facing the camera. "Have murdered people." I said, my last words barely audible. "My other personality, Tyrese, is dangerous, and impulsive, and I have battled with trying to keep him in check for the past eleven years of my life." I continued, my voice quivering as I shook my head and then lowered my gaze.

"Michelle Lin, Thomas Van Der Woodson, Sam Levine and Isabel Grayson were all casualties that happened because of my selfish desire to," I breathed, shutting my eyes. "To lead a normal life." I added. "In the top dresser in my room, you will find Michelle's reports from our therapy sessions which I stole after I- after I murdered her." I added. "And the CCTV footage from the rooftop of Monroe and Co the night Isabel Grayson was murdered which I also stole from the evidence box at the police station the day after Isabel Grayson was murdered." I added. I hadn't always made the best choices in life but this, I would do this over and over again. I would do it again if it meant that Roxi wouldn't have to leave her almost perfect life, if it meant that Jason would find perfection someday, and if it meant that Keenan would always be Keen, always be there to watch over everyone else.

"And this is me finally accounting and taking responsibility for all the bad that I've done." I paused, and then exhaled. "Because I don't want to be the bad guy anymore. When all of this is over, I- " I paused, feeling tears cloud my vision. "I want to be at peace with the decisions I made."

To be the big brother who walked Roxanne back from school.

To be the big brother who hugged Jason when the car went over the bridge.

To do what my father had told me even in his dying moment.

To protect my brother. To protect my siblings.

"I'm not a bad guy." I added, flicking my tongue over my lower lip. " I just happen to be a really unfortunate one."