13 Reasons Why Hannah Baker Lived

Chapter 7: The Stop Sign

Clay remembered back to the last moment he had with Jeff Atkins. He was leaving Jessica's party when Jeff tried to get him to stay or go with him on a beer run. Clay declined. Jeff told Clay that he was sober, he had 2 beer 2 hours earlier. Clay left the party as he began walking home. He stopped at a park when he heard a crash. He ran towards where the sound came from and found a crash site. He was horrified when he found Jeff's lifeless body, but the other driver was still alive. Clay called 911 as the police and ambulance arrived minutes later. What he didn't know was how it happened, until he heard Sheri Holland's tape, reason number 10. After Hannah witnessed what happened to Jessica, she made her downstairs in distress. Sheri offered her a ride home and Hannah accepted it. As Sheri was driving her home, Hannah wanted to tell her what happened but instead she tell her that she's drunk and her parents are going to be mad at her. Sheri offer Hannah to spend the night with her as she's staying with her father. Hannah's phone battery had died and Sheri offered hers. Sheri takes her eye off the road for a second looking for her phone when she sees the stop sign. Sheri hits the brakes as the car bumps the stop sign, knocking it down. Hannah wanted to reported but Sheri was in a hurry to get home because she has a curfew. Hannah didn't want to leave, so Sheri just left her. Hannah was left stranded on the road. She left the scene looking for a phone. Once she did, she called 911 but it was too late. The result, Jeff Atkins died in a car crash. Hannah thought that it was Sheri who called 911 when it was actually Clay who did. Hannah never knew that. The following Monday, Hannah tries to tell Clay the truth about Jeff, the stop sign, & Jessica but Clay becomes angry thinking she is making it about her. That's when Hannah believes that Clay wants nothing to do with her. Hannah then sees Sheri in the hallways and she then asks Hannah to keep her mouth shut about it. After hearing Sheri's tape and remembering that week, Clay regrets ever getting mad at Hannah that day. The next day at school, Clay sneaks into school and has word with Sheri.

Sherri Holland: Are you gonna tell anyone?

Clay Jensen: We have to tell somebody. We have to do something.

Sherri Holland: But it's over now.

Clay Jensen: It's not over for his family. They still think he was driving drunk.

Sherri Holland: He was driving drunk. For all we know, it wasn't the sign that caused the problem.

Clay Jensen: You know that? Or you just want to believe it?

Sherri Holland: This is why I didn't want you to listen to my tape. I didn't...

Clay Jensen: You wanted to keep your secret.

Sherri Holland: No. Because I didn't want you judging me for the worst thing I've ever done. Other people, they know my secret. But you're different.

Clay Jensen: I'm going to the police station...

Sherri Holland: Clay.

Clay Jensen: To register for a drug diversion program that I have to take because your friends got me suspended.

Sherri Holland: I didn't know anything about that. I think it was terrible.

Clay Jensen: Do you? Why don't you stop it?

Sherri Holland: What can I do?

Clay Jensen: His family, the man he hurt... they deserve to know how it really happened.

Sherri Holland: We don't know how it really happened! I mean, yes, the sign was down. But he was driving drunk.

Clay Jensen: He wasn't drunk.

Sherri Holland: You know that? Or you want to believe it? I made the biggest mistake of my life. And I'm trying to keep it from ruining my life. Do you get that?