hardships | 13 REASONS WHY

ten

Tatum woke up wrapped in Montgomery's arms. The smell of pancakes and syrup made her get up and quickly walk down the stairs. She excitedly entered the kitchen.

"Bryce?" she asked her older brother as she took a seat at the bar stool. He slid a plate of pancakes over to her.

"What? Can I not make my sister pancakes?" Tatum almost believed him. The only time he ever cooks for her is if something bad happened. She was just waiting for the bad news.

"What's the bad news?" Monty kissed Tatum's head taking a seat next to her.

"Who said there's any bad news?"

"You only ever make me breakfast if you have bad news. Who died Bryce?" Tatum was now worried another one of her friends had died.

"Nobody died. Alex is in the hospital." Bryce let out a sigh, wiping his hands off with a paper towel.

"Why?" Tatum and Alex weren't super close but she still liked the guy. He tried to be nice to her but every time he talked to her Monty would get mad and shove him into the lockers.

"He, uh, shot himself,"

"Woah shit. No way," Monty laughed along with Bryce. Tatum smacked the back of his head sending him a glare. "sorry."

"Hey, so what was all that yelling about last night? Between you and Justin I believe," last night Justin, Jessica, Zach, and some other guys were over but Tatum didn't feel comfortable enough to go down so she stayed in her room. Monty tried to stay with her but she insisted that he go have fun. He went up to check on her every hour just to make sure she was okay. She told him the same thing every time, "I'm fine. Go have fun,"

"Oh it was nothing. Just two boys arguing I guess." Monty had a look on his face that told Tatum he was hiding something from her. She knew he wouldn't tell her because of Bryce. No matter how much Tatum and Monty tell each other things, when it comes to Bryce, Monty usually keeps his lips sealed. That most definitely pisses Tatum off. She always finds out one way or another.

"ok, whatever. I'm going to get ready for school. I'll meet you two in the car in 10 minutes?" the two boys shared a look, confused look. Tatum hadn't talked about going back to school since she found out. They didn't think that she was ready. But, today she decided was the day. She felt confident and comfortable. She missed her friends and she fell behind in most classes. She was ready. She took out her phone to quickly text Jess before she would grab her bag and leave.

Me
Hey, I'm about to leave to
go to school. I'll see you there?

Jess
I'm not going.

Me
wait what, why?
I need you!

Jess
ask Justin

Tatum put her phone away and made her way to her car. She took a seat in the drivers seat honking her horn three times before Monty came rushing out the door following Bryce.

"we are going to be late if you two don't hurry up," Tatum shook her head and started for the door.

"Babe chill. We can be late," Monty said resting his hand on her thigh as she continued to drive to school.

"Gross, get a room." Tatum pulled into the parking lot, grabbed her bag and headed for the door. She first went to Justin's locker.

"hey, where's Jessica?" he shut his locker attempting to walk away but Tatum grabbed his arm pulling him back. "no, where is Jess Justin?"

"I can't tell you," he said shaking his head.

"why? She literally told me to ask you. Now tell me what's going on." she demanded.

"not here," he pulled her out the front doors over by the tables as the bell rung. "Jess found out something last okay? She's not okay."

"Found out what Justin?"

"Bryce raped her," Tatum stood their, frozen. Her brother, her older brother, the silly, football, baseball loving guy. The brother she has known since she was born raped Jessica Davis. She didn't believe it. She couldn't. That's her brother. He stood by her side after Chase, knowing what he did to her, knowing he did what Chase did to one of Tatum's closest friends.

"No, no. I don't believe you. He, he wouldn't do that." she shook her head, tears flowing down her cheeks. She was telling herself that he didn't do that, that he COULDN'T do that.

"Tate, I'm sorry but he did. I was there,"

"You let him do that to her?" her voice rose a bit. Luckily everyone had made their way to class so nobody had seen or heard their conversation. The front doors to the school opened revealing Monty. He saw Tatum crying so his first instinct was to run over to her. And he did just that.

"Tatum, hey what's wrong? Justin what did you say to her?" Monty asked Justin sternly. He put a hand on Tatum's shoulder, not expecting her to flinch at his touch.

"Is it true? Did- did Bryce actually rape Jess?" She was now able to look up from the ground. She looked him in the eyes still crying. He knew he couldn't lie to his best friend. One, she would see straight through the lie, and Two, she would most likely found out from someone else.

"Why don't we go somewhere and talk?" He was trying his best to avoid this whole conversation. Even though he wasn't the one who had raped Jessica, Bryce was still his best friend no matter what. He still felt such a loyalty towards him.

"So it's true. It's true! oh, oh my god. I- I can't believe this is happening. I need to go. I need to go." she was now all over the place. Her words weren't coming out correctly. She just knew she needed to leave, to get far away from everyone as possible.

"Baby, Tate, come on. Lets go talk. please," Monty begged.

"Mont, I can't. I need to go," the first place she thought of was Jessica's.