Cough Syrup (Zach Dempsey)

Chapter 37

"Hey Perri can I talk to you?" I turned to see Clay all beat up

"Holy shit what happened to you?" I asked

"It's a long story, but I have something for you to hear."

"What is it?"

"Not here." He said looking down the crowded hallway

"Come on we can talk in my car." I told him,

"So what's up?" I asked once we closed the doors, he held up a tape player

"I can't listen to the tapes again Clay, i can't."

"This is a new one." He said making me confused

"What?"

"Just listen to it please." He begged I took the headphones from him, I looked at clay and nodded so he pressed play

"You had sex with Hannah that night?" Clay's voice came through the speakers

"I don't know maybe." Bryce responded just the sound of his voice turns my stomach

"Hannah and I kinda had an on and off thing."

"You raped her1" Clay yelled

"what?" Bryce laughed

"You fucking raped her!"

"Dude Jensen your tripping."

"Why did you do it?"

"Get the fuck out of my house!"

"Not until you admit it."

"Leave Clay!"

"Not until you say you fucking raped her!" Clay yelled then I could hear things being knocked over, then I could hear blows being thrown, I looked over at Clay. Then there was silence

"She wanted me." Bryce spoke up

"Did she say that?"

"I could tell."

"That doesn't mean she wanted it."

"Yeah, yeah it does."

"She didn't tell you yes."

"She didn't have to girls like to play games."

"She never said she wanted you to fuck her."

"She didn't say no, but why the fuck to you care so much?"

"I just need to hear you say it. Did you rape Hannah Baker?" He asked then there was silence again

"she was practically begging me to fuck her if that's rape every girl at this school wants to be raped. If you want to call it rape call it rape." He said

I stopped the tape, and wiped my eyes

"He's like a real life fucking monster."I said and I looked over at him I could see the pity on his face

"Who told you?"

"Jessica let it slip, when I talked to her yesterday."

"Stop fucking looking at me like that Clay."

"We can get him with this, we can get justice for you, Jessica...for Hannah."

"Clay I can't.......I don't even remember."

"That doesn't matter if you can't no, then you can't say yes either." He said and I felt more tears fall

"I'm not trying to push you, and I know we're not close but I don't want you to feel like Hannah felt. You do have someone." He said and I knew he meant it. Clay was sweet like that, it made me feel a little better but I was scared.

"Thank you Clay that means a lot." I said then I handed the tape player back to him, he nodded and I looked at him

"What are you going to do with it?" I asked him

"I'm not sure now that I have it but I'm not sending them to Bryce I can't."

"I trust you Clay I'm sure you'll make the right decision." I said he looked at me then he got out, leaving me with my thoughts, then I started my car up and drove home. I knew my mom was home and right now I needed my mom. I walked in the house it was quiet

"Mom?" I called

"Living room." She said back and I walked

"You're home early, how was practice?" She asked I walked in the living room and she looked at me

"Perri what's wrong?" She asked walking over to me and cupped my face

"You've been crying baby talk to me." She said and I just fell into her arms as I broke down again

"What happened?" She asked rubbing my back, she pulled back and I looked her in the eye

"I-I was r-raped." I stuttered through my tear

"My baby." She hugged me tighter and kissed my head

'It's going to be ok." She said

I ended up crying myself to sleep, when I woke up I was on the couch and it was dark outside. I looked over to see my dad sitting in the chair across from the couch, I couldn't look him in the eye so I found a spot on the wall to stare at

"Perri?" He came and sat next to me, I sat up keeping my eyes lock on the wall, he didn't say anything for a couple of minutes

"You know one of the happiest days of my life was when you were born. You were so small I was afraid I was going to break you." He said I just sat there and listened

"The most beautiful girl in the world and you were all mine. Then we got you home and realized we were on our own raising a person." He said I felt the tears come to my eyes this was the disappointment I wanted to avoid

"Perri look at me please." He said and I could hear the sadness in his voice, but. I couldn't

"Perri." He said again and I looked over at him I could see the tears in his eyes I've never seen my dad cry before and knowing I was the cause broke my heart

"I'm sorry daddy." I said softly and he pulled my in his arms

"you have nothing to be sorry for, we're going to take care of this."

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