Its Not Living (If Its Not With You)

¹6

A few days later

It was the day before school started again. Ever since the incident in Rosie's, Hannah was nervous about going back and having to face Bryce after her third time being sexually harassed by him. Clay would reassure her that everything would be OK when she expressed anxiousness about it.

Hannah still hadn't called the counsellor, despite having the money for it. She sat at her bed every morning and day, twiddling the card in one hand and holding her phone in the other, and just when she'd have the number completely in, she'd throw the phone on her bed as if it was dangerous. She'd then cry for a while, knowing she had left Clay down again. And sometimes, she would cut herself.

So she decided, instead of twiddling the card and crying and cutting every night, she'd give herself one more day to call the counsellor or she'd start lying to Clay about it.

"So, Hannah, how're things going with ringing the counsellor?", Clay asked her one day in the music room.

"I haven't gotten any time yet. I will do it though.", she replied, smiling as well as she could and putting her hand on her arm, even though she had her jacket on.

Clay nodded his head and said, "OK. Just please do it soon."

Hannah nodded her head and they went back to their music.

The next day

Clay and Hannah walked through the school doors, determined to ignore everyone and everything they were going to say. When they were walking to their lockers, they passed the jocks. Hannah's mind flashed back to a few nights ago, so she walked on as fast as she could. Clay caught a glimpse of their conversation.

"Guys, that Hannah Baker chick is psycho. Bryce was just trying to be nice to her, and she and Jensen went apeshit."

"I don't care, guys. A hot girl is a hot girl, and my charm is undeniable. I'll get her someday, once I've gotten rid of that bastard of a boyfriend of hers."

Clay walked away from them, following Hannah, as he knew if he stayed around them for much longer, it'd be likely he'd be suspended and Bryce would be in a hospital.

He saw Hannah at her locker, fiddling with the sleeves of her jacket. He had been worried about her ever since the night at Rosie's, but he wanted to give her some space. He also worried that constantly reminding her about the counsellor was putting her under pressure, so he only brought it up once in the day. He had a bad feeling that she wasn't going to call the counsellor.

"Hey, Han, are you OK?", he asked when he got to the locker.

"Yeah. I'm fine. You?", she responded, asking the last question stupidly.

"I'm fine, I suppose.", he said, glaring at the jocks behind him laughing like idiots.

Hannah nodded her head and they walked to their first class.

After school

Hannah and Clay got home and saw that her parents weren't home yet again. Clay sat at the table, starting his homework, while Hannah went upstairs for something.

She picked up her phone and the card, and tried again. She still couldn't do it. She went back downstairs to start the homework with Clay.

"Hey, Han, are you alright?", he asked her, concern evident in his voice.

"I'm alright, Helmet.", Hannah said, picking up her pencil and starting her homework with Clay.

An hour later