My Brother's Best Friend

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Hannah's point of view
Three months. Three damn months without the boy who I love most in the world, because he's rotting in a prison cell for defending me. I don't know when he'll be released, but today I'm gonna see him, and next week he's going to court, which frightens me. I get into my car and sigh, turning the engine on. I drive to the prison and I park in the lot next to it, exiting the car and locking it. I walk around and I see Clay on the other side of the glass, sitting down with his head down. I rush over to the chair on my side and I quickly sit down, then he looks up and sees me. He has a stubble on his perfect jaw and his hair looks different. His eyes are bloodshot, and his nose is red, he looks depressed, and it's breaking my heart. He grabs the phone at the same time I do, and I can hear his shaky breath through the line. "Hey.." his voice breaks and a tear falls from my eye. "Hi.." I whisper and he smiles weakly, tears forming in his eyes. He clears his throat, blinking away his unreleased tears, "how've you been.." he asks and I take a deep breath, another tear falling from my eye. "I've been better.." I say and he looks down, then looks back up at me. "No matter what happens.. don't think about dying, alright?" He whispers and I nod slowly; he puts his hand on the glass and I do as well, both of our hands against the glass, almost like we're touching, but we aren't. And it's breaking my fucking heart. Tears start to roll down his cheeks and I sob quietly, "I'll be home soon. Alright? Don't worry about me.." he tries to soothe me but it's not that I don't believe him, it's that he's in here when all he was trying to do was defend me. "I'll see you in court next week.. it'll be over soon." He whispers and I nod, wiping my tears away, then another guy in a jumpsuit taps him on the shoulder, telling him his girlfriend is gonna be here soon, and that he has to wrap it up. He slowly nods then turns his head towards me, "I love you, okay. Don't ever forget that.." he whispers again and I nod, "I love you too, Clay.." he puts the phone down, stands up, and walks back to his cell without turning over his shoulder to look at me. I sigh and stand up as well, walking out of the dreadful place that my boyfriend shouldn't be. I still can't believe I'm pregnant and they won't let him be with me. Just one week and it'll be a make or break moment, just one week. This is gonna be a long week.
A week later, in the courtroom
"It's gonna be alright," Tony whispers and puts a hand on my shoulder, giving me a small but warm smile. I nod and I see Clay walk in with his ankles and wrists cuffed, an officer walking behind him. He sits at the stand and he looks so broken it breaks my heart to see him like this. Dennis Vasquez, Clay's dad's lawyer and friend, a nice guy really. "Clay, did three students from your high school break into your house?" Dennis asks and Clay blinks twice, "Yes. I didn't know they were from my high school though," Clay answers and Dennis nods, "Did they try and rape your girlfriend, Mr. Jensen?" Clay looks at me and I nod slowly, "They didn't try. They did." Clay answers truthfully and Dennis walks around slowly, "Did they beat and tie you up, Clay?" Dennis asks and Clay nods. "And you killed them for self defense, right?" Dennis asks and Clay nods again. "No further questions your honor," Dennis says then walks back to his seat next to Mr. Jensen. "Clay Jensen, you murdered three under-age students, is that correct?" Sonya asks and Clay sighs.
"It wasn't murder.. it was self-"
"Clay, isn't it true you hid the three bodies?"
"Yes, but-"
"Clay, isn't it true you were arrested for murder before?"
"Yes.. but I didn't murder-"
"Now isn't it true instead of calling the police, you murdered three people.
"I murdered them because it was self defense and they raped my fucking girlfriend!"
"Witness, stand down."
"No further questions your honor."
Tony's eyes are wide open as well as mine, and I watch as they take Clay away and back to the desk, my eyes already swelling with tears. "You're next... don't worry." Tony says and wraps his arms around me after we exit the courtroom, and I nod.
30 minutes later
"Hannah Baker, were you there when Clay's house got broken into?" Dennis asks and I sigh, "Yes, I was."
"Did Clay try to protect you?"
"He protected me for a moment, but yes.
"Was Clay beat and tied up?
"Yes."
"Hannah, were you raped by Zachary Dempsey, Montgomery De La Cruz, and Marcus Cole?"
I look at Clay and he looks down, as if he thinks I won't answer.
"I wasn't raped by all three but I was raped by Montgomery De La Cruz at that moment."
"Isn't it true that Montgomery has raped you before?"
"Yes."
"Did Clay defend you and himself or was it murder?"
"Clay defended him and myself, they beat him and pushed me and grabbed me, it was self defense."
"And how did you know Montgomery raped you at the time?"
"Well, I heard his voice and his eyes looked familiar, and if the police found the bodies, then it was Monty."
"Clay didn't know these were students from your high school you both go to, is that correct?"
"Correct."
"No further questions, your honor."
Sonya stands up and I want to punch this bitch.
"Hannah, were you raped by Montgomery De La Cruz more than once?"
"Yes."
"The first time you didn't tell the police, is that correct?"
"Correct.. but-"
"Clay knew these were students from your high school, right?"
"No-"
"If Clay didn't know, how did you know?"
"Because I remember-"
"Clay has gone to jail for murder, right?"
"It was accusation-"
"No further questions."
My gosh.