Beyond the Reasons || JUSTIN FOLEY

Forty-Four

PRESENT TIME
JUNIOR YEAR
IMOGEN'S POV
TAPE 7, SIDE B

►

"A few days after I recorded tape 13, I saw Bryce in the hallway. I thought I could never show my face at that school again. Everything was dark for days. But then. . just a little flash of light. A flash of light, and you think, maybe. ."

❚❚

When I got back to my house. I continued to listen to Hannah's tape and I was appalled. She recorded her entire conversation with Mr. Porter, and by the end, I was in tears. She pretty much told him that she was thinking about committing suicide, because she said she wanted everything, including life to stop. She pretty much told him that she was raped, without using the word 'rape' and he did nothing.

He told her to move on.

He told her, if she wouldn't give him a name, there's nothing he could do about it. No, that's not true. Counselors are supposed to report to the police, or at least parents when a client, or in this case students talks about suicide, or abuse of any kind, and Mr. Porter did nothing.

How as a counselor could he even do something like that?

►

"I think I've made myself very clear. . but no one's coming forward to stop me. Some of you care. None of you cared enough. Neither did I. And I'm sorry. So, it's the end of tape 14. There's nothing more to say."

◼

MR. PORTER'S OFFICE
IMOGEN'S POV

When I finished the last tape, I saw there was still time left in the school day, so I went, and I walked right into Mr. Porter's office, and he looked surprised to see me. Clay did give me the tapes that he was listening to. The original tapes that Hannah made, and he told me he would return the copy of tapes I was listening to back to Tony. With Hannah's box in my bookbag, I sat down in front of him and he cleared his throat.

"Imogen. . what brings you in today? What can I help you with?" He asked.

"You mean the same way you helped Hannah?" I said back and he was shocked by my answer, I could tell by the look on his face, but he decided to keep his composure.

"I'm not sure I follow." He said.

"I know that Hannah came and saw you on the day that she killed herself, and I know what she told you. . and I also know what you told her." I said, shaking my head.

"You know I can't discuss any sessions with other students." He said.

"I know, and I'm not asking you to, but aren't you curious to know what she did after she left your office?" I said, and he didn't say anything, so I know he was waiting for me to continue.

"She walked out of school, went home. . put some things in order. She returned her uniform to the Crestmont, where Clay worked with her. He said that she didn't say anything, she just dropped it on the counter and left. She dropped a package off with a friend, then took another to the post office. Then she went back home, put on some old clothes. She went into the bathroom, filled the tub, opened the box of razor blades she took from her parents store that morning." I paused. Tony told me the story, because he was one of the first people at her house after it happened and he saw her.

I took a deep breath because I felt the tears forming in my eyes, and I could tell by the look on Mr. Porter's face, he knew what was coming, but wasn't sure if he wanted me to say it, but I was going to, because he needed to hear it. All of us could've done better, and maybe Hannah wouldn't have done what she did that day, and maybe she would still be here with us now, but something had to change, and nothing did.