Chapter 13

The next dialogue will be said by Victor unless written otherwise:

"Lisa said it was nothing, that he was just trying to give you a fun and happy childhood so I pushed it aside. I regret pushing it aside, maybe if I didn't I would've realized his intentions sooner but when I finally did it was too late. I realized that his obsession moved from me to you the day you turned eight. The day your mother died I knew something was up. I kept questioning Ethan but he wouldn't listen to me. He was still mad at my rejection and wanted nothing to do with me unless I agreed to get back together with him. I feel horrible for what happened, I feel like if I would've accepted his offer he would've been less violent and wouldn't hurt you. I remember what I was doing and where I was the day you killed him. I was back at my parents' house in his room thinking that on that same day we had given up our virginity to each other. I was looking around and saw something had moved since the last I was in there so I thought that maybe mother had been in the room. The thought soon left my mind because I knew that she hadn't stepped foot in mine. As I got closer I saw the pictures of Collin and me scattered all over the floor surrounding the familiar box I had opened when I was seventeen. I opened it again and there were more tapes and another piece of paper along with the one I gave him when I was thirteen. It said I love you dad, never forget it, love Collin."

"I gave him that note when I was thirteen after I made him mad. He told me I wasn't allowed to talk to him for two days so I wrote that down and handed it to him. I thought he would rip or throw it away because of how mad he was at me." Collin interrupted with a voice of realization. It all made sense to him now. Ethan treated him the same he treated his uncle in hopes to have a relationship with his own son. He thought it was crazy how similar he and his uncle's lives were because of Ethan but yet again they were different in so many ways.

"The tapes were labeled 1V, 1C, 2V, 2C, 3V, 3C, and so on so it had me very curious. I went back to my old room and started playing the tapes, the ones labeled with the letter V showed me and the ones with C showed Collin. The same six tapes were still there but there were two more that were labeled 7V and 8V. I played number seven and was terrified at what I was seeing. Ethan had filmed the day we made love like he knew I was going to be in his room looking around. It showed me walking into his room looking through the box. He had set up the camera before like he knew I was going to be curious enough to enter. I finished watching and put in the last one and was surprised at what I was seeing. I was nineteen, it was the day before you were born and I was talking to Ethan. It showed him kissing me and me kissing him back with little hesitation. Yes I know it was wrong to kiss him, especially since he was married to my best friend but I loved him. Two years had passed but I still had the burning passion and desire to be with him. I pushed him away and left him alone making the scene change. It showed me at my current age, thirty-five, working on some papers at home. The date said he had filmed it a week ago which had me wondering how he got in my house and filmed me without me realizing it. I was in my room and I looked frustrated taking off my tie. I walk into my restroom and a couple of minutes later I walk out in a towel looking for clothes to change into since I showered. I changed, worked a little more on my papers, and went to bed. It finished, and curiosity filled me inside me, I watched the videos labeled with a C and they looked the same. It was the same thing happening but except for replacing me was Collin. There were six tapes and even though you were sixteen I started thinking. If I was correct there was a chance that he would try to repeat tape seven this year or next year. I thought I was going paranoid but then I thought that I shouldn't risk it. I hadn't seen you in so long so I thought I might as well go to visit and make sure everything is okay. When I got to the house the police were already there along with the ambulance." tears rolled down Collin's and Matthew's faces at the horrible things Ethan did. Life just seemed to hurt them in some of the cruelest ways. Collin messed with his hands on his lip nervously.

"I would like to see the tapes. Please, uncle Victor if you still have them I want to see them." Collin pleaded as more tears ran down his face.

"What?... I... I sadly have to say I have all of them including the one he filmed the day he died. I know that you want to see them but I can't let you, it's not okay for your health. It hasn't even been a full year since his death. Collin I... I don't think you are ready to see them. You're not emotionally ready and I don't think you will ever be. I can't show them to you because I can't risk you falling even deeper into depression. I care about you Collin, I love you and I seek the best for you."

"Collin he's right... I" Matthew sighs, whipping his tears from his face. "I know you want to know the reason why he did it but those films won't show what was going through his mind. I know you want to understand what he was thinking the best you can but it's better to not let those thoughts consume you." Matthew rubs Collin's back, trying to comfort him the best he can without making the situation worse. The next day it didn't seem like the sun shined as bright as it usually was for Collin. It was cloudy with some rays of sunshine but for Collin, there were only the clouds and the light blue sky.

"Collin? Is something wrong? Why do you look so sad?" Collin zones back in to find that the voice belonged to his best friend Joshua. Collin sighs, how do you tell your friend that you killed your own father?

"I'm fine, just... I'm just coming down with a bad headache." Collin keeps walking towards their next class but Joshua doesn't believe a word he said.

"Okay, So... what happened yesterday?" Collin remembers the talk he had with his uncle, the constant reminder of what he had done was imprinted on his mind. Then he remembers kissing Matthew, how he had confessed his feelings which brought a small smile to his lips.

"Why are you smiling? Something good happened?" Joshua asked in a teasing tone elbowing Collin.

"Yes, actually something amazing happened yesterday," Collin whispered smiling.

"Really?" Joshua asks with curiosity, "What is that amazing thing that happened yesterday?"

"Well... yesterday Matthew came over and I kissed him, I kissed him and he kissed me back. It... it was strange yet familiar and it... it felt like one of the greatest things in the world" Joshua smiled, it hurt that the love of his life didn't feel the same way he did but he was happy that Collin was able to find happiness.

"So... are you guys together or?" Joshua asks trying to not let Matthew hear the pain he was feeling deep inside.

"No, well not that I know of I mean... well, we are not together officially." He blushed at the thought of them being together but then gets nervous thinking if Matthew really liked him or if it was all because Matthew felt bad for him. Joshua felt his heart hurting more even though it was already broken.

"Do... do you think he feels the same way for me? I mean... I'm not that bad right?" Joshua feels like expressing what he really felt for him. That no one in their right state of mind would deny him and if they did he would always be there for him but he didn't.

"I think that that's a question you should be asking him but in my opinion, I believe he likes you too." Collin smiles, Joshua's reassurance helped him feel a bit better about the day before.

He couldn't believe that it was already March and Matthew's birthday felt like it was right around the corner. He was nervous about the talent show, he was debating on what he was going to do and finally settled with his idea of a live painting for the audience. He thought it would be a good way to show his methods and skills to keep the audience entertained. He wasn't going to tell them what he was painting so he could keep them entertained and curious. Collin enters his first-period class and sits at the back taking out his sketchbook. It's hard for him to do so, he is just trying his best so that he is prepared to show his talent.