𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐍 / alex standall ✓

𝟑𝟑. deposition day

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐍
33 / DEPOSITION DAY
↳ season one, episode thirteen: tape 7, side a
act one / the tapes

𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄 of the Liberty County Courthouse, her feet shoved into her heels as she stood before the building, terrified to go inside. Zach stood behind her, his hand placed on her shoulder for support. He had insisted on coming today, even if he couldn't go inside. Even if his sister hated him right now.

Nessa had hoped that Alex would come with her as well, but he hadn't returned any of her phone calls or texts today.

"You alright, Ness?" Zach asked as the two siblings walked into the building, their mother trailing behind them.

"Not even close." Nessa muttered as the air conditioning hit her body and she walked to the room where the depositions were being held. The door was already open, and a lawyer invited her in. Her mom was able to come in with her due to her age, so Zach took a seat on the bench outside.

Nessa smoothed the skirt of her dress down as she took a seat on the chair across from everyone, a huge camera lens positioned directly toward her.

"Good afternoon, Miss Dempsey." the Baker's lawyer greeted her. "My name is Dennis Vasquez representing Andrew and Olivia Baker, and this is a deposition."

Nessa took a slow, deep breath as she looked at her mother, who gave her an encouraging nod and a soft smile.

"I'll be asking you questions, and you must answer them truthfully, unless your attorney clearly instructs you otherwise. Do you understand?" Dennis told her as a formality.

"Yes." Nessa softly spoke into the microphone.

"There's no judge present, but this is a formal legal proceeding. You are under the same legal obligation to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I understand." Nessa muttered as she thought about what the whole truth actually meant for now.

"For the record, please state your full name, your age, where you go to school, and what year you're in." Dennis instructed her.

"My name is Nessa Mira Dempsey. I'm 17, and I'm a junior at Liberty High School." Nessa answered shakily.

"And when and where did you first meet Hannah Baker?" Dennis got into the questions. Nessa swallowed, nerves overtaking her body. She imagined that Alex was right next to her, grabbing her hand and placing it on her thigh to stop the shaking.

"I met her at a party, right before sophomore year began." Nessa explained.

"So you and Hannah were friends?" Dennis followed up.

"Yeah." Nessa answered. "Our friendship wasn't perfect, but it was strong."

"What do you mean it wasn't perfect?" Dennis asked her to explain.

"No friendship is." Nessa said as she fiddled with her thumbs, the anxious feeling settling in her chest. "We were close for a while, and then we stopped being as close. I always had her back, though."

"And why did you guys stop your close friendship?"

"We just drifted apart." Nessa stated. "I've always been friends with all of my brother's friends, so that's where I spent most of my time."