THE FINAL STRAW || 13 Reasons Why

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CLEO WAITED FOR JESSICA AND WENT BACK HOME WITH HER, JESSICA'S PARENTS LIKED CLEO, THEY KNEW WHAT HAPPENED TO HER TOO. 

Cleo was lying on Jessica's bed, staring at the room, where everything happened, she shot a look at Jessica who put a reassuring hand on the girl's arm.

She snapped back into reality when an Oakland card that was stuck on the mirror caught her attention.

"Oakland?" She said as she shot a look at Jessica, she took the card and turned it around "Oh, is he okay...?" she mumbled as she put the card back on the mirror 

Jessica sighed "Don't tell Clay" she said

"Wasn't planning on it" Cleo answered "he can be kinda crazy sometimes" Cleo took a pause and looked back at Jessica "You know if you want to testify against Bryce i can back you up, right?"

"I know, my dad made me go the police when i told him but it was the same night you...you know"

Cleo sat up "Oh, shit Jessica" she mumbled "If only i was there, i'm so sorry"

"No" Jessica said as she got up and rushed to Cleo who's eyes were already swelling up with tears "It's not your fault" Jessica said "You were in pain and you did what you thought was the solution. None of this is your fault" she added as she slowly wrapped her hands around the girl.

"Jessica !" A voice called from downstairs and before the girls knew, Clay was sitting in front of Jessica and Cleo.

"And i told them i couldn't remember who did it. Because I knew they wouldn't believe me if I told them it was Bryce"

"That's not true" Clay said "Cleo was in the room she can back you up"

"You think i don't know that? I'm just not the right kind of victim to face Bryce Walker, even if Cleo backs me up"

"What about Justin?" Clay asked 

"What if Hannah were here? She's dead and Justin might as well be"

"Have you heard from him?" Clay asked, Jessica shot a look at Cleo, she stared back. The two girls shot an obvious look to the Oakland card. 

"I'm tired of talking about this, Clay" Jessica said as she got and walked to her closet "I'm tired of thinking about it every second of every day"

"I know" Clay said

"No, you don't. You have no idea" Jessica said, slightly raising her voice, Cleo walked towards her and put a hand on her shoulder "I'm tired of staring at my closet wondering what people are gonna think, what i'm gonna wear"

Cleo turned around to shoot a glare at Clay but he was holding the Oakland card "What the fuck is wrong with you ?!" she shouted as she rushed to him and snatched the card out of his hand "You're searching her house?"

"What the fuck, Clay?" Jessica asked as she stepped closer to him

Clay clenched his jaw "Look, i have to fight for Hannah"

"That's not your fucking job !" Cleo shouted

"Get out" Jessica said, disappointment filling her eyes, Clay got up and walked towards Jessica, attempting to apologize "Get the fuck out!" Jessica shouted

 Clay let out a sigh before walking out of the room, Jessica's dad stopped him."What's going on here?" he asked

"Nothing, just let him go, dad" Jessica intervened, her dad hesitantly moved out of the way and letClay go, he shot a look at the two girls and walked away

Cleo ran a hand in her hair as she sat on the bed "He's gonna go find him" she said "Clay's gonna find Justin. He's gonna bring him back, after what he did. You know what that makes me realize?"

"What?"

"He would rather bring a guy that let his sister alone in a room with a rapist than seeing Hannah not get justice" Cleo revealed, she bring her hands to her face, wiping off the tears that decided to roll down her face,

"Cleo" Jessica mumbled 

"He prioritizes Hannah more than me. He actually managed to love Hannah more than me" she added as a sob died in her throat "He doesn't give a shit about how that would make me feel or make you feel..."

 Jessica walked towards her and wrapped a hand around her shoulders "That's not true, Cleo" she said "He could never love Hannah more than you"

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Cleo went back home that day, there was a car in front of the house, she shot a look to it and walked in the house, she ran up the stairs and stood in front of her brother's room.

She hesitantly walked in, Justin was sitting on the bed, he looked up when he saw the girl walk in, Cleo shot a glare at him.

Justin slowly got up from the bed "Hey" he greeted 

Cleo looked at him up and down, not answering the greeting. The boy shifted uncomfortably under the girl's glare.

"How's Jessica?" He asked

Cleo let out a bitter scoff "How's Jessica? What do you think, Justin?"

Justin got up and hesitantly walked towards the girl, she put a hand over her face, what was that smell, though she would never tell Justin that, no matter how angry she was at him.

"What happened to you?" she asked

 Justin let out a sigh "Look, Cleo. I'm really sorry for leaving you and Jessica in that room with Bryce"

She let out a heavy sigh, she knew what he was doing, deriving from her question with an apology, he was hiding something, Cleo dismissed it as she crossed her arms "Let me remind just you that you're only here so we can help Jessica lock Bryce away, when she's ready"

He lowered his head "I know" he said, regret plastered on his voice"but i really hope you can forgive me, Cleo. You're my friend"

"We used to be friends, Justin" Cleo corrected in a harsh tone "Used to be. And Jessica was your girlfriend, you out of all people, Justin, shouldn't have let that happen"

Justin knew what she was referring to, they both knew it, the only person Justin managed to tell was Cleo.

"I'm so sorry, Cleo. What can i do for you to forgive me?"

Cleo hesitated, could she ever find the strength to forgive Justin? She walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

 She turned around to meet Clay with food in his hands. 

"I guess you saw him" he said

"I did" she answered before walking away, she suddenly stopped "Clay" she called, the boy turned around "You can't keep loving the dead, Hannah's gone, Clay. She's gone" she said as she walked into her room, closing the door behind her.

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