Its Not Living (If Its Not With You)

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The following Monday

Hannah hauled herself out of the bed and put her clothes on slowly. She wouldn't have been going in if she didn't need to meet Tony to get his tape recorder. She was writing a song, and this time, she was doing it by herself and she needed a physical copy.

She walked in and immediately met eyes with Bryce. She felt sick to her stomach as he winked at her. She walked on with Clay and Jessica following close behind.

"Hannah, what's up?", Clay asked, as he and Jessica looked at her worriedly.

"Nothing. I just haven't been getting much sleep. Also, Bryce is getting on my nerves more than usual today. He's sickening me.", Hannah said as she looked back at Bryce and felt a tear fall.

"Did he-", Jessica began and then Hannah slammed her locker.

"Oh my God.", Jessica said softly.

Hannah walked away from, and went into the bathroom. She went into a stall and cried. She heard a knock on the door.

"Hannah?"

She removed her head from her hands and sniffled.

"Whatcha want, Jess?", she said, sounding bitchier than she intended.

"Can we talk? I need to know what's bothering you.", Jessica said through the door.

"What he did to you, that's what.", Hannah replied.

"And that's all?", Jessica asked.

"That's. All.", Hannah said slowly.

When she thought she was gone, Hannah stepped out of the bathroom and went to the sink and threw water over her face. She looked at herself in the mirror, not liking how the girl looking back at her looked.

She headed for the door and was met with Jessica in her face.

"Jesus, Jess.", she exclaimed.

"What happened on Saturday night?", Jessica asked, stopping her from walking away.

"We fell asleep, that's what. We had a lovely snooze, and the next morning, you and Clay went home.", Hannah said as she tried to walk past her, Jessica stopping her again.

"Just that? We just....slept all day, and you didn't move an inch and you were completely fine? Nothing happened?", she said with her eyebrows raised.

"Yes! That's it! See you in homeroom, my love!", Hannah said with false enthusiasm before giving her a quick kiss and rushing away.

Jessica watched her walk away.

"Yes. See you then, my love.", she whispered softly before returning to Clay.

After school

Hannah had been avoiding Jessica all day and now she was out in the parking lot, looking for her keys. That was when Jessica seized her opportunity.

"Whatcha looking for?", she asked, making her turn around.

"Car keys. What else?", she said, mentally punching herself at how bitchy she was sounding.

"I heard and saw you the other night.", Jessica blurted out.

Hannah looked back at her, then heard the keys fall to the ground. She bent down and picked them up.

"Look what I found! See you back at home!", she said, heading to the car.

Jessica grabbed her wrist before she got in.

"Why do you get to be involved in my story, but I can't even know yours? That's fucked up, Hannah! We're meant to be in this together! Just tell me the fucking truth! Or else, we can't be friends anymore.", she shouted, breaking down at the last sentence.

Hannah started crying, and she removed her hand from her wrist and moved it into hers.

"Get in the car.", she whispered, and they both hopped into the front seats.

She explained what happened to Jessica, and by the time she was over, they were in each others arms.  

"I'm gonna end him.", Jessica said bitterly.

"That won't do any good. We're two 17 year old girls, not much money between us, and Bryce is a rich white 18 year old. His daddy could buy him out of murder. If we report him, or try to get revenge, it'd probably make everything worse. I'm sorry, Jess.", Hannah said tearfully.

"Its so fucking unfair. He ruined our lives.", Jessica said.

"He did. He fucked them up.", Hannah whispered.

She couldn't tell Jessica about what she was intending to do. She couldn't tell Clay, or her parents, or anyone. She had her mind made up and no one would change it. She would record on the tape that Tony had given her, she'd leave a note and that would be it.

A weeks worth.