Beyond the Reasons || JUSTIN FOLEY

Twenty-Five

PRESENT TIME
JUNIOR YEAR
LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL GYM
TAPE 4, SIDE B
IMOGEN'S POV

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"Some girls know all the lyrics to each other's songs. They find harmonies in their laughter. Their linked elbows echo in tune. What if I can't hum on key? What if my melodies are the ones nobody hears? It all started because I was feeling lost. I needed direction. Any direction. And sometimes you take whatever way you can find out."

❚❚

"Your brother is out of his fucking mind."

Justin, Jessica, Zach and I sat on the bleachers in the gym after Clay's explosion in the hallway. Courtney and Alex were standing in front of us. I feel like I should come clean to them and tell them that I know about the tapes, and that I'm listening to them, and I looked at Justin and sighed, and I know if I don't tell them eventually.

Marcus will.

"Guys. . I have something to tell you." I said, mainly looking at Justin and Zach because they were the ones I lied to about having the tapes.

"What's going on, Mi?" Zach asked, and I sighed.

"Look, I lied to you guys. . okay? I have Hannah's tapes. I'm in the middle of listening to them. I just started tape 8, I don't know who's it is yet." I said, and Justin stood up off the bleachers and shook his head.

"Unfucking believable. Are you fucking kidding me, Imogen?" He asked.

"Wait. . wait. If Clay has the tapes, how do you also have the tapes?" Zach asked me.

"Wait. . Clay has the tapes? When he brought them up to me, I thought it was because he already listened to them." I said, and everyone shook their heads.

"No, your brother has them. . so that means, whoever had the second copy of tapes Hannah was talking about, gave them to you." Justin said, and now I was confused.

"Why would they do that?" I asked.

"Because. . you're after Clay on the tapes, and according to Hannah's rules, once you've listened you have to pass them to the person that's after you. . so whoever gave you the second set must know that Clay won't pass the tapes along to you after he hears yours, so they decided you needed to hear for yourself." Jess said, and I sighed and looked at my boyfriend. I know he's pissed.

"Justin. .-" He cut me off.

". .-I can't believe you lied to me." He said, and I sighed.

"I'm telling you so that Marcus wouldn't!" I said, and Justin's eyes were now fully enraged.

"Fucking Marcus knows you have the tapes! But you didn't tell me?!" He exclaimed, and this time, I stood up too, because he was not going to stand here and yell at me in front of everyone while being a hypocrite.

"Marcus only knows because he caught me outside of Tyler's house when I was listening to Tyler's tape! And don't yell at me for not telling you about the tapes. Justin, you're reason number one! You were the first person to have the tapes and you never told me about them. Jess, you didn't tell me, Zach you didn't tell me. None of you told me so I don't want to hear it!" I snapped back at him and Justin took a deep breath and we both sat back down where we were.

"You're right. . I'm sorry." He said and I nodded my head.

"We played by Hannah's rules. It's not fair if the tapes get out there because Clay went postal." Courtney said.