lacuna = thirteen reasons why

Ten

Chapter Ten:

Edited: ✔️

Courtney, whom Ophelia never liked seemingly starting following her around. Every corner she turned, Courtney would always be there waiting.

"Hey." Courtney appeared, leaving on the row of lockers next to hers. She stared, waiting for a response. "What's up, Lia?"

"Don't call me that. You don't get to call me that."

The girl frowned, "I'm sorry about Hannah, you know."

"You're apologizing to the wrong person, you know." Ophelia snapped, "But I'm the next option because the first one is dead."

She closed her locker and jammed the lock shut, gripping her bag over her shoulder as she marched down the hallway. When she turned the first corner, Justin was leaning up against a row of vending machines. She rolled her eyes, turning on her heel and walking the other way. She made her way around the school, finding Clay at his own locker.

"Ophelia, right?" Justin came to a stop in front of them both, "And Clay Jensen."

"What do you want?" Clay mumbled, staring over at him. Ophelia sighed, looking at everyone but the other boy.

"I'm sorry about Hannah." He was focused on her, "We all miss her."

Clay swung his bag over a shoulder and shut his locker, Ophelia's eyes met Justin's amused gaze like daggers. "You're full of bullshit, Foley. You should know though, that it's better to tell the truth because it tends to sound a lot worse coming from somebody else."

Justin's face went pale, looking between both of them before she shoved by him. Clay rushed behind, not saying anything until they were outside and walking down the sidewalk.

"Did you really just do that?" Clay demanded, "He's gonna know I told you about the tapes— that I broke the rules!"

Ophelia glared, "I told you, Clay! This isn't a game— it's not and it's not going to be."

His eyes softened, "Has anyone else bothered you today?"

"Just Courtney. All that girl does is talk."

Clay snorted, "Yeah."

"We should really stop skipping school."

"That's a very good statement, Ophelia." Clay said, a small smile on his face. "But I'm hungry and would much rather go get some food. On me, ok?"

Ophelia pursed her lips, "And I get to choose where we go?"

He nodded.

"Deal."

*~*~*

Ophelia and Clay sat at the back of the local café, she poked at a cold iced tea and sandwich while Clay opted for coffee and a cake pop.

"Thanks for paying." Ophelia took a sip from her drink, "I haven't been here since... well, yeah."

"There's a park across the street we can sit—"

Ophelia leaned forward, whispering, "Who's on the tapes?"

Clay pursed his lips, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. She knew this was a hard topic, but she needed to know. "Justin, Jessica, Alex, Courtney, Marcus and Ryan."

"Is there more?"

He nodded, "Thirteen."

"Why are you on them?"

"I don't know."

Ophelia frowned, "Why would she do that?"

"People are terrible."

This made no sense, why would Hannah do all this but not have a goodbye for her parents? Even she got  a letter.

"Making thirteen tapes seems like a lot of work." Ophelia poked at her food, "She didn't even leave a note or anything for her parents."

Clay twirled his cake pop between two fingers before eating it whole, she watched with a raised brow as he munched on it. It felt like twenty minutes had passed before he said anything, or else she swore she'd be covered in a layer of cake.

"I don't understand why she would do any of this." Clay mumbled, "How did she think this was a good idea?"

"If the guidance counsellor knew about the tapes I bet he'd call it revenge or some stupid shit."

"Probably." Clay wiped his mouth with a white napkin, "Whatever it takes to not sue the school."

"I don't think I see it as revenge, though." Ophelia added, "She wanted them to know what they did, how they made her feel. I don't see that as revenge, I see that as a cry for help."

Clay pursed his lips, "A cry for help? She was dead by the time the first tape landed on their doorstep."

"She wanted them to feel her pain, she needed them to know what they did wrong and how they didn't bother to fix it." She continued, "She made sure that if her rules weren't followed the tapes would get out because they all know what they did— they're just to ashamed to admit it."

"Well, damn."

"Maybe not Alex... I mean, I heard him once in the gym and when you guys were in the Monets." Ophelia nodded, "He owned up to it, he knows what he did and seems like he actually regrets it."

"He was Hannah's friend."

"Still."

Clay took a sip of his coffee, Ophelia glanced around the room. "Who's tape are you on now?"

"Ryan's."

"What did he do?"

"He posted a poem in the school magazine, the one people laughed at and made fun of." Clay sighed, "It was Hannah's and when people found out— well, you know."

Ophelia rubbed her tired eyes, "This situation goes a lot deeper than just some online pictures, doesn't it?"

"Yeah." He nodded.

Ophelia was angry, with her herself and with everyone. She only knew about the online pictures and a few other things. Maybe if she had dug deeper she could have saved Hannah. Maybe Hannah was right, maybe Ophelia didn't care enough.