SURVIVORS |J.FOLEY ¹

XVIII. breaking my heart

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
BREAKING MY HEART

"Thank you both for meeting me." Clay stated as he glanced between the two girls before him, gratefully.

"You were the only one who tried to tell me the truth." Jessica shrugged her shoulders with a small but sweet smile. Madison lowered her head and began fidgeting with her hands on her lap.

"Are you..." Clay trailed off and he looked down, momentarily. Eventually, he looked back up and continued to glance between the two girls. Madison fidgeted with the ring on her finger. The ring Justin had bought her. Years and years ago. "I promised myself that I wasn't going to say something stupid like, are you okay or how are you doing. Because like, how the fuck do you think, right? But... how are you?" Justin questioned, softly.

"How the fuck do you think?" Madison answered with a soft smile on her lips. Jessica shrugged her shoulders from next to her, the same smile across her face. Though, the smiles were forced, they were still grateful for Clay reaching out.

"Yeah." Clay spoke quietly, nodding his head in agreement. He paused for a moment. "Do either of you... do you need to talk to somebody?" He asked, curiously. "See somebody?"

"Who?" Jessica asked, softly. Clay shrugged his shoulders before lowering his head with a small sigh. Suddenly, he reached down beside his chair and into his bag.

Madison and Jessica shared a confused look before gazing back at Clay and watching as he pulled a box out of his bag. A box which felt all too familiar. Madison still had her tapes, which must have meant there were two. But nobody else had mentioned it. Maybe it was for her and Clay to receive one at the same time?

Clay placed the box on the small table and slid it across with his lips pressed firmly together. He sighed. "I'll burn these." Madison stared down at the box, her eyes burning into it. "I'll light them on fire and let them burn until they're... i don't know. Melted plastic and ash. It's your call. Whatever you guys want. But if you want to fight... if you want him to pay for what he did, these tapes can help. They're proof."

"You want us to tell the whole goddamn world what happened to us?" Jessica asked, quietly and she leaned forwards slightly. Madison kept her eyes trained on the box. The box held all of the secrets behind Hannah Bakers death. The dark, cold truth behind everything which had been kept a secret for too long.

"I want you to do what you want to do." Clay nodded his head. "Whatever's going to make this better for you, if anything can. But I'm not going to lie. I want him to pay for what he did."

The two girls paused for a moment, unsure of what to say next. Madison finally lifted her gaze to Clay, and she frowned. "Will he, though?" Madison asked. She knew how much money Bryce had, she knew how much power he possessed. He could make everything disappear with a snap of his fingers. He could make them look silly. "I mean... have you listened to the last tape? You know what happens when girls try to get help?"

"I listened to the last tape." Clay nodded his head again, meeting Madison's saddened eyes. "And I think I should pass the tapes on like Hannah wanted."

Jessica shook her head for a second, trying to wrap her head around the idea. "I'd have to tell the police. I'd have to tell my dad..." Jessica trailed off.

"I'd have to tell my dad..." Madison whispered underneath her breath, though just loud enough for Clay to hear. Clay nodded his head, calmly. "I don't think I can do that." Madison told him, softly. "I'm all he has left."

"Okay." Clay whispered, reassuringly. He only continued to stare at the two girls. His expression was unreadable. It was unclear what he was thinking.

"You think we're letting Hannah down." Jessica nodded her head, her eyes softening. Clay leaned backwards in his chair, pausing for a moment.