𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐍 / alex standall ✓

𝟒𝟒. clarity

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐍
44 / CLARITY
↳ season two, episode six: the smile at the end of the dock
act two / the polaroids

𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐀 𝐏𝐔𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓 Zach's white door to his bedroom, careful not to make a sudden movement that might distract him from his thoughts. She opened his door ever so slightly, poking her head in. Zach was sitting on his bed in his freshly washed black suit, his back facing the door as he examined a crumpled piece of paper in his hands – Hannah's letter.

"Zachy." Nessa said softly, breaking him out of the trance that the letter had put him into. Zach looked over his shoulder at his sister, smiling softly as she walked into his room and sat next to him on his bed.

Nessa had on a simple black dress and some short heels. Her mother had allowed her a day off school for Zach's testimony, mainly because she knew that regardless of if she gave Nessa permission, she would be there in the courtroom.

"You ready for this?" Nessa asked her brother as he sat against his headboard, exhaling slowly.

"Not even close." Zach replied as he set the letter on his nightstand, pushing it out of his memory as he thought about his day ahead of him. "Hey, Ness?"

Nessa looked up at her brother, who's dark eyes were slightly glassy as he sat in front of her. "Yeah, Zach?"

Zach paused, taking a quick breath before he spoke. "I should tell the truth, right?"

Nessa thought for a moment, about what 'the truth' was. She knew that Hannah and Zach had seen each other for quite some time last summer after their dad died, but nobody else did. It was something that Zach confided in his sister, and his sister only.

Secretly, Nessa always thought that Hannah was really good for Zach. She noticed his smiles getting wider, his eyes getting brighter, and his overall disposition getting happier when he and Hannah started up their fling. She enjoyed that side of Zach, the side that let someone in enough to make him happy.

Hannah had no idea that Nessa knew anything about her and Zach, because Nessa really was an excellent secret keeper. Besides, it ended fairly quickly, and soon enough, it was like it never happened. Nessa always suspected that it affected Zach in a much deeper way than he would ever let on.

Nessa sighed, scooting closer to Zach as she nestled her head into his shoulder, a comfort for both siblings when they were struggling. It had been since they were kids.

"You tell them whatever you're comfortable with." Nessa told him. "Whatever you do up there, it'll be enough and I will be super proud of you."

Zach smiled, giving his twin sister a hug as he stood up. He grabbed her arm and yanked her up as well.

"Thank you, Nessy." Zach said, and Nessa winced at the use of the nickname that Zach had for her. He hadn't used it in months now, but he overused the hell out of it when they were kids.

"Oh, my God." Nessa said through a laugh. "Do not."

"Come on, Mom's probably waiting for us." Zach said as he lightly pushed Nessa toward his door, his eyes lingering on Hannah's letter one last time before he walked out of his room and down the stairs, ready to face the lawyers in defense of Hannah Baker, the only girl who had ever seen him for who he truly was.