lacuna = thirteen reasons why

Six

Chapter Six:

Edited: ✔️

Ophelia found Clay riding his bike down a street half way from his house, when she called his name and he ignored her, she opted for more drastic measures. Ophelia leaped out in front of him, he made a sharp turn to avoid her and skidded to the ground. She rushed over to him, he looked up at her with red eyes.

"What's wrong with you!" Ophelia shouted, "Posting that picture of Tyler!"

"He deserves it." He muttered, pulling himself up and adjusting his sweater. "He's an asshole."

"So are you! That photo is a violation of privacy!"

"I'm aware of that."

He began walking away, and she followed close behind. "I think that's jail time, you know. And you can't even get away with it because you sent it to everybody."

He stopped and turned on her, "How can Tyler get away with it, then!"

Ophelia pursed her lips, matching his gaze. What the hell was he talking about?

"What?"

"It's nothing." Clay said quickly, continuing down the street. "I shouldn't have mentioned it."

Ophelia rolled her eyes, running up and whirling in front of his bike. She grabbed ahold of the handlebars, holding him in place. "You're not leaving until you tell me what's been going on."

"Ophelia." He said.

"Clayton."

"Move before you get hurt."

She let out a laugh, "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Clay sighed, "I can't tell you."

"Why not?" She challenged, "Why can't you tell me?"

He pursed his lips, glancing everywhere but her. He really didn't want to tell her, but he knew she wouldn't budge until he did. "Because Hannah wouldn't want me too."

Ophelia's face fell, eyes widening slightly. "How does this involve Hannah?"

He shook his head, swinging a leg over his bike and he went to push forward to get away but she steadied herself and turned the bars so he lost balance.

"Move."

She shook her head, "I'm not moving."

"Ophelia." He yelled, "Get out of the way!"

She blinked slowly, watching as his eyes watered. This wasn't anything like the Clay she knew before all of this, this was someone different.

"You're coming with me." She said softly, "Walk your bike to my house."

"What— no, I can't."

She sent him a strict look and he slowly dismounted his bike, walking next to her as they made their way towards her house. "You're staying the night. And you're telling me everything, alright? You're not going through this alone."

*~*~*

Clay sat on Ophelia's bed, back up against the wall. She sat across from him, watching as he grabbed one of her pillows and held it tightly. They'd sat in silence ever since arriving, despite the explanation from her to her parents on why he needed to stay over.

"Did you call my parents?"

"No." Ophelia said, "This isn't detention or whatever."

He nodded, poking at the pillow. Ophelia pursed her lips, "Why did you take that picture of Tyler?"

"I felt like I had no choice."

"Why?"

He snorted, "What, are you my therapist now?"

"Sure."

For a split second she could have sworn a small smile played at his lips, but it quickly disappeared as he sighed. "You know that picture of Hannah kissing that girl?"

She nodding, remembering for a week trying to get Hannah to tell her about it, about what had happened and everything. Hannah never did, it was like she just turned herself off.

"She was kissing Courtney, did you know that?"

"No."

"Yeah, well, Courtney kissed Hannah but they didn't know that Tyler had been stalking Hannah outside her room." He paused, "Took a picture, but Hannah caught him and he went running."

Ophelia looked appalled, "He was stalking her?"

Clay nodded, "That's why I did it. To make him feel like Hannah did, to make him feel guilt for what he'd done."

"How do you know all of this?" Ophelia couldn't help but ask.

"Research." He replied, voice bored. He was done with this conversation, but she got way more out of him than she was expending.

"I can't believe she didn't tell me." She whispered, "We told each other everything."

Clay broke out into a sob, something she rarely witnessed. "Why didn't we see it coming?"

Ophelia couldn't help but shake her head, taking a deep breath. "I'm so stupid."

"No, you're not."

"You're right, all the signs were there!" She huffed, "We still never saw it coming!"

"It's not your fault, you know that, right?"

Ophelia pursed her lips, "That's what I'm being told."

"This is all Justin and Alex and Jessica's fault." He seethed, "And Tyler and Courtney—"

"There's more, isn't there?"

Clay frowned, staring over her shoulder. His eyes closed, "And me."

Ophelia's eyes widened, she reached out and grabbed his hand and held it tight. "No— no, it's not."

"You don't know that."

"It's as much as your fault as it is mine, then." She told him, watching as he finally met her gaze. "We're in this together, we get out together. Alright?"

Clay nodded, expression blank. He was in his own little world, "Please don't leave. I can't lose you."

"I won't." She nodded, "Unfortunately you're stuck with me."