lovely | thirteen reasons why

(23) spring fling

It was all so close. Libby could just turn around and let it happen. Let Clay do it. Let Clay blow Bryce's brains out on his front porch. Let him die for everything he's done to everybody she cares about. She wanted to do that so bad. To just let go of her responsibilities for just one moment. And let their Bryce problem finally be behind them.

But then logic set in. Clay can't be a murderer. Clay can't kill Bryce this way. Not without pain or suffering. Not without justice.

And this wasn't justice.

Justin was next to her. He was desperate to get Clay to drop the gun and stop this before he gets hurt. Before he loses the boy he didn't think he would ever care about this much. But to him, Clay Jensen saved his life. And maybe Mr. Porter was right. He can't change the past, but he can build a new future. A future with the new family he has found in the two people standing near him.

Bryce was confused, and though he would never admit it a bit terrified. Maybe it was the drinks he had before, but there was no way Clay fucking Jensen was pointing a loaded gun at him at his own house. "What the fuck are you three doing here?"

Libby snapped. "Stay out of this, Walker."

Justin spoke calmly. "Clay, please listen to me. You don't wanna do this."

Clay shook his head. "He's not gonna stop. This is the only way."

"No it's not." Justin rejected. "I know you think there's no hope left, but you're wrong. We can stop Bryce the right way. I know we can."

Clay was holding back tears. "Hannah wants him dead."

Justin shook his head. "I don't think she does. I think Hannah wanted nobody to get hurt anymore. But if you do this, that's exactly what will happen."

Libby added. "And I know for a fact that Hannah didn't want you in jail for the rest of your life. Clay, I know the urge to wanna kill the bastard, but I can't lose you too. I can't lose anyone else. So please give us the gun and we can work this out together."

Clay slowly lowered the gun from Bryce's head as he sobbed, handing Justin the gun carefully. The two of them letting out a sigh of relief as Libby pulled Clay into her arms.

Bryce scoffed. "Fuck this shit." And started to turn around to go back inside.

Before he could leave, they all heard Justin cocking the gun. "You're gonna go back inside. You're gonna pour yourself another glass of whiskey. And you're going to forget we were ever here. Got it?" Libby pulled Clay into the backseat with a kiss on his forehead as Justin was lingering by the door.

Bryce spoke carefully in response. "I heard you were testifying next week. Just want to remind you how deep it goes for you too."

Justin sighed as he made eye contact with his former brother. "Bryce, I have nothing left to lose. That makes me the dangerous one." As he slammed the door as he drove off.

Libby stared at Justin and smiled calmly. "I'm so proud of you."

He shook his head. "I haven't done anything yet."

"Yes you have." She rejected. "You've done so much already. You're standing up to Bryce, you saved Clay, you've helped uncover a dark secret of this school. You're doing so much to help everyone when you get nothing in return. And the best is yet to come."

He sighed in denial. "All I'm doing is what I should have done months ago."

Libby couldn't argue with that. "Better late than never."

Justin couldn't help but ask. "Are we good? I know we will never be back to the way things were. But you know I love you like a sister. A sister I fucked once and have sleepovers with. Point is, I want us to be a family again. You and Bryce were really the only ones I had."