Alley [Interactive]

Ending One: The Last Chapter

'A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.' - Elbert Hubbard

The lights are bright, almost blinding. I wanted the boys here for comfort but I can't even see them behind the light. The magazine chose a loft in downtown Seattle to do the interview, I think it makes things a little weird but the boys assure me it's a good thing, makes things anonymous.

"So, Alice, why did you choose to speak now after weeks of silence?" The blonde haired, greed eyed journalist asks.

"Because I saw an article about my brother." I say simply. "I don't think it's fair that he was brought into this, and I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression of him." I add.

"Okay, what was the impression that the article gave?" She asks.

"The article wasn't the issue, apart from the fact that it was written and made public. But it was the comments that it led to. People said he deserved his death, which is insane to anyone that knew him." 

"What was your brother like then?" She asks, even thinking of all of the things he did makes me smile.

"He was, amazing. I couldn't have asked better in our circumstances. He looked after me when our parents couldn't. He essentially raised me until I was eight but he was always the protective older brother. He wanted to give me the world, said I deserved it all the time." I say with a smile.

"But to clarify, he was an addict." She says.

"That doesn't change how amazing he was as a brother." I say instantly fighting his corner. "He had his issues but anyone who has loved an addict knows that that is only a part of them. My brother was so much more than an addict."

"Did he try to quit?" She asks.

"Of course. So many times times." I say. "What they kept on telling him was to get rid of triggers, to get rid of the connections. But it didn't matter how many dealers he cut off from, how many friends he blocked. He felt too bad to be able to stay clean."

"Bad about what?" She asks.

"Me." I say and smile sadly. "He used for many reasons but I was a big trigger. He used on my graduation day because he couldn't handle not being able to send me to college. He used after my birthday because he didn't have enough money to take me away like he promised. That's why he was hit, he was running to me to apologise and so I could help him pack to go back to rehab. He was so focused on running to me he wasn't looking where he was going and the driver was drunk so didn't see him." I explain. 

"Wow, I am sorry for your loss Alice." She says, sitting back.

"Thanks." I mumble, a little annoyed it was only mentioned only after proving my brother's worth.

"You obviously loved your brother a lot, rightfully so, even through his addiction. What confuses me is, in the video when you confronted Sebastian Ashwood outside of your bar, you told him to leave you alone. You shut him from your life seemingly because of his drug use. Why didn't you stick it out with him like you did with your brother?" She asks.

"Because it's different. There are personal reasons that will stay between me and him that made me leave. My brother was an addict, but he was a great person. Sebastian tried to be a great person. It's hard. I see people defending Sebastian and I get it, and it's fine. But no one defends my brother. Both Sebastian and Adrian had to go through a lot, but Sebastian was never racially profiled, he didn't have to raise someone only a few years younger than him when he was a child himself. Adrian never got a break with an insanely successful business, yet people judge him and defend Sebastian. I can't stand for it." I explain passionately.