Valentina Anderson tried to end her life on the same day as Hannah Baker, but survived to face a world unraveling with secrets. She never imagined her life would be defined by loss. First, it was Jeff Atkins, the love of her life, tragically taken i...
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As we dropped Scott off and Zach and I drove back toward my house, I stared out the window, lost in thought. The streetlights blurred as they passed, and I could feel the weight of everything slowly crushing me.
Zach broke the silence. “So… you finally did it. You got Bryce to turn himself in.”
“Yeah,” I replied softly, unsure if it was a victory or just another wound that hadn’t healed yet.
He glanced over at me, his voice quieter now. “My trial’s tomorrow. I’m going to tell the truth… about everything.”
I nodded, grateful that Zach was taking this step. “That’s good. It’s what Hannah deserves.”
There was a pause before Zach said, almost apologetically, “Val, I’m sorry.”
I frowned, confused. “For what?”
“I told Clay everything,” Zach admitted, guilt heavy in his voice. “He called me, and I couldn’t lie. I told him about the plan.”
My heart skipped a beat, and I stared at him. “What? You told him?”
Zach nodded, his expression tense. “Yeah, he confronted me, and I… I didn’t know what else to do.”
“Shit,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. “He’s going to be so pissed.”
I shook my head, sighing. “Don’t be. It’s better this way. At least Clay didn’t do anything to mess up the plan.”
He nodded in agreement, pulling up in front of my house. “Yeah. I guess you’re right.”
As I got out of the car, I turned to Zach one last time. “Thanks for everything, Zach.”
He gave me a small smile. “You’re welcome, Val. We’ll get through this.”
I nodded, stepping out into the cool night air, the weight of the day still hanging heavy on my shoulders. As I watched Zach drive away, I couldn’t help but wonder if we really would get through this… or if the scars of everything that had happened would stay with us forever.
---
As I stepped inside the house, the atmosphere felt heavy, thick with unspoken worries. My mom sat on the couch, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, her face pale. I felt a knot form in my stomach as I approached her.
“Mom?” I called softly, sensing the storm brewing behind her eyes.
“Tina,” she said, her voice trembling. “The police called. They took Bryce in for questioning... for the rape case of Hannah Baker and some other girls.”
“I just can’t believe it. They must have made a mistake.” she continued.
“Mom, he turned himself in,” I said, desperation creeping into my voice. “He confessed everything to me.”
