Why Her? (13 Reasons Why)

Chapter 4

"Nice to meet you, I'm Vanessa Balan"

[A few weeks later]

I was walking through town for the umpteenth time until I reached a beauty salon near Crestmont, the old place where Hannah worked. A lady attended me very kindly and made me a hair treatment, which eliminated any curl I had in it. I paid her and went to Monet's. The aroma there was pleasant and calm. There were a group of boys sitting together at one of the tables throughout the center of the establishment. For a moment they looked at me and continued with theirs. Except one. I kept waiting in line until a girl with several tattoos and some piercings attended me.

"Welcome to Monet's, what is offered?", she said.

"Ehm, give me a cappuccino and a triple American, please", I let go.

"It's ten dollars and fifty cents", I gave her the money and sat down.

I opened my suitcase while the other guys behind me were talking. I was curious to know who they were because they seemed familiar to me. I sat a few meters from his table, all in order to hear at least their names. To hide, I took out my computer and turned it on. Moments later, I started a video call with my best friend, Tatiana and, with her complicity, we started talking in Romanian as long as nobody understood us.

"Vanesa do you know what time it is?", she said in a growl.

"I know, Tatiana," I said back, "I'm in a cafeteria so I need any information or something you're going to tell me to tell you in Romanian."

"Nessa, it's three in the morning."

"I know Tatiana, but I need your help urgently. I think the people who murdered my sister are behind me. And besides that you owe me this favor for covering you while you were partying with Daniel."

"Your sister hadn't killed herself?", she asked.

"Yes, but I'm talking about your stalkers. I can't give you more details because I'm supposed to be a protected witness."

"Vanesa, sometimes I don't understand you, but the director is furious. You have not attended classes, your average will go to the floor--"

"Oh please," I growled, "I can't contact her at three in the morning, Tatiana. I'll write her later and give my excuse and what I need to enter the school in the United States"

"Wait a minute", she said, "Are you going to stay over there? Vanessa, really, your sister's suicide is leaving you wrong. And you should take a break after this--"

"You know, you're the only one of all my friends in Moldova who calls me Vanessa when she's serious. Even my parents don't do that".

After this Tatiana started talking about school and her love life, which left me with arcades. I didn't want to remember the moments I had spent there while I am on the other side of the world solving my family problems. From one moment to another, the boys moved from their seats and each one left, except one. 

He was an Asian boy with black hair and brown eyes. The chair was too small for him which made it look like an ogre trying to get into an elevator. The girl who had taken my order arrived with the drinks I ordered and left without further ado. At least I had a few days to go to Liberty High and start this whole game. But I was curious to know who this boy was who was watching me for a while.

I felt the boy move from his seat and leave, giving me a moment of peace. I was back on the call with Tatiana for another 10 minutes until I hung up and returned home. That moment for me was sort of too awkward, since the boy seemed to be completely paranoid and distrustful.