Schizoid

:.Curses.:

Play the song in the media. It's Everybody's Watching Me (Uh Oh) by The Neighbourhood.

"Good morning, Tyler," Jenna chirps. Four days after we first met her, we're back in the same room with her. I hate her. A small part of me is trying to convince me that I loathe her even more so than I do Tyler, but I try to ignore it.

"Hi," he replies just as quietly as their first encounter.

"So," she says, leafing through her binder. "You really didn't give me a lot to work with when it comes to motive, but we're just gonna leave that alone for a little while. Let's talk about what happened at the hotel. Why did you go there? Why didn't you just turn yourself in?"

I grit my teeth in frustration, my eyes widening to a degree that I had formerly thought impossible. I hadn't anticipated her questioning this angle, and even now I can't think of an answer. She may be smarter than I had realized. This knowledge only makes me more furious. Why couldn't we have gotten some middle aged man who couldn't care less about whether Tyler spends the rest of his life in Belle Reve or not?

"I - um -" Tyler stammers for a while, likely waiting for me to feed him an answer. When I remain silent, he chokes out, "I was trying to think of an alibi."

Jenna shakes her head. "Tyler, I need you to be honest with me. You knew that Madison had been on the phone with the police when you killed her. And you saw your mom talking to Zack. You had already been caught, your face was all over the news and there was no time for excuses. But you already know that. You don't deserve to go to prison for the rest of your life over this, Tyler. And I can prove that, but only if you tell me the truth." Tyler covers his face with his cuffed hands dejectedly. "I know you lied to me the other day, Tyler."

At that, his eyes snap up at her. "What are you talking about?" His voice is louder than he realizes. He sounds like a child.

"Just tell me what's really going on."

I stand behind Tyler, threading my fingers through my hair and tugging harshly. He bangs on the table once... twice... I realize that he's asking for my attention. I turn toward him as he begins to fingerspell onto his leg.

W-H-Y C-A-N-'-T I T-E-L-L H-E-R A-B-O-U-T Y-O-U-?

"Tyler," I say lowly, my voice coming out a little more panicky than I'd hoped, "I'm trying to help you. Don't tell her, don't you dare tell her!"

"Are you okay, honey?" Jenna asks. I hate her so much. I want her dead. She is ruining everything.

"Don't tell her," I repeat warningly as the young man begins to sob into his hands.

"Tyler, what's going through your head? You can tell me, it's oka-"

"Jenna, please, please stop talking," he begs. "I can't think."

In his moment of weakness, Jenna strikes. "Why did you kill them, honey?"

Before I could even blink, he was responding. "He made me do it," he cries.

"Who is he?" Jenna asks at the same time as I scream obscenities at him, asking him what is wrong with him.

"I don't know, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to tell her," Tyler yells, then realizes that he's spoken to me out loud. "Oh, God."

Jenna's eyes are wide. "You weren't talking to me. Tyler, you weren't talking to me, were you? He's in here right now, isn't he?"

"You idiot!" I scream. "You're ruining everything!" My cheeks feel wet and I suddenly realize that I'm crying. Never have I felt this level of frustration. I wipe my face abrasively.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say," Tyler says quietly, sniffling.

"He didn't want you to tell me about him," Jenna deducts, "but I already know. Tell me the truth now, Tyler, it's okay."

"It's not that simple," he replies.

"It is, honey, it really is." The room is silent, like the quiet moments after a fireworks show. "What's his name?"

"No," I say to Tyler, my voice coming out scratchy and raw. "Don't tell her my name." I turn my attention to the girl, screaming in her face. "Don't try to talk to me like you know me! You don't know me!"

"I can't tell you," Tyler says.

Jenna sighs and closes her binder, looking nervously around the room. "Tyler, listen to me. Next time I come, I want to talk to him. Do you think you can get him to talk to me?"

"No," I scream. "Drop dead, you're destroying everything!"

Tyler swallows, not bothering to wipe his tear streaked face. "I don't know... I can try, but-"

"That's perfect. All I need is for you to try. Honey, I can only help you if you're honest with me."

"I know, I'm sorry," the boy replies.

"Don't be. I can't imagine what you're going through. Just be real with me from here on out." She stands, gathering her things. She moves toward the door, obliviously walking right directly through me to get there. Before she turns the knob, she leans against the one way mirror. "Hey, Tyler?"

"Yes?"

"Have you always been like this?" Tyler's brows furrow in confusion as Jenna slowly comes to realize that Tyler doesn't understand that he's sick. "Have you always been..." she trails off to think of a better term. "How long have you known him?"

Tyler's eyes shine with understanding. "Since I was eighteen."

Jenna just shakes her head. "I'm so sorry, Tyler. I'll be back here soon, okay? Maybe tomorrow. We're gonna get this sorted out."

"Thank you, Jenna," the boy says meekly.

"You're welcome honey, it's what I'm here for. I'll see you soon."