lovely | thirteen reasons why

(15) tyler's testimony

Libby spends a very large majority of her time living in the present. Over the past semester or so she's had a lot of time for introspection as she thinks about everything she did wrong. All she wanted was to protect the people she loved, what little few she had. But they didn't make it easy as they fought amongst themselves.

But Libby couldn't look back anymore. Hannah was still dead, Jeff was still dead, and Justin and Bryce were out of her life. No looking into the past would change that.

Instead, she was choosing to look towards the future. Jess and Alex were coming back tomorrow. Same day the trial was starting. Libby had contemplated going, but also told Jess and Alex she would be there for them as they plunged into what would be a rough time. At least Jess was staying positive. Libby had genuinely grown to love that girl.

However, all of this was far from her mind as she stared across her booth at Applebees. Giving her aunt a death glare as she slurped down her second martini. "What?"

Libby sighed. "I guess I'll be driving us home?"

She smirked. "Thank you for offering. Are you ready to order? Cause we've been here an hour and you haven't said a word. Personally, I'm famished."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm more interested in knowing why you dragged me out to a fucking Applebees on a Sunday night?"

Millicent shrugged. "So it's cool for your generation to shit on Applebees. Good to know. I wanted to have a premature celebration."

She squinted. "Celebration for what?"

She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Your testimony of course! After all, the Baker's have called you as a witness for their freak dead daughter's bullying. I wanted to have one last hurrah before our family name goes in the shitter."

Libby groaned. "Fucking Christ! It's a fucking lawsuit for school negligence that I'm not even on trial for. I didn't kill anyone!"

She rolled her eyes. "Right. We're still on that. But in your dissertation they asked you about a picture with Douglas in it. It makes me nervous. If we can't nip this in the bud, we're both fucked."

Libby took a deep breath. "Auntie, they are going to ask me about the bullying situation at Liberty. I'm going to tell the truth that Hannah was crying out for help and the school didn't give a shit. The school loses money and reputation, the Baker's are compensated for their grief. Everybody wins!"

Millicent shook her head. "You really think this will be that easy? You've never been to court, girl. Lawyers are like vultures. They will rip at any weakness they can find and leave you boneless and exposed. You are going to get eaten alive."

Libby didn't have time for her dramatics. She was drunk and itching for a fight. A fight she was not getting. "I'm gonna get the check now."

"You haven't eaten anything." She pointed out.

Libby was already getting up to pay. "I'm not hungry, and your presence is making me wanna kill myself."

She was in her bedroom preparing to sneak over to Tyler's. It was pretty late for them, but after the overstimulation that was being forced in a tight space with Millicent Clarke, she needed her stim toy of a boyfriend.

However, as she prepared to leave, the last person she expected a call from popped on her phone. She smirked. "And what have I done today to earn myself a call from the illustrious Clay Jensen?"

He rolled his eyes. "Don't mock me. I need to have a word with you."

She perked up. "About?"

He sighed. "The Baker's denied the settlement. My mom just told me."