Hannah Baker has had enough.
She has heard one too many rumors thrown about when her back is turned; She's seen one too many of her classmates snicker and glare when she walks by. She's sick of everyone in her school- and the world, it seems- not having a clue who she is, instead choosing to learn about some fake Hannah who was created the night she kissed Justin Foley.
She stands up, her bed springs creaking as she does so, and walks over to her computer desk, beginning to rapidly search for a paper. After the contents of the past week's homework are splayed all over her stained tan carpet, she finds it, crumpled and tearstained.
A paper.
A paper with eleven words.
Justin.
Jessica.
Alex.
Tyler.
Marcus.
Zach.
Ryan.
Courtney.
Jenny.
Bryce.
Mr. Porter.
Paper in hand, she walks out of her bedroom, trips on the third stair from the bottom- the one that's creaked since she was a little girl- and stumbles into the bathroom, slamming the mirror against the wall as she opens the medicine cabinet.
Two weeks later, when her parents go upstairs to finally begin cleaning out the room their daughter will never need again, Joyce Baker tosses a paper with eleven words scribbled on it into the nearest trash can, never understanding the truth it hides.
As it lands in the trash can, the back side of the paper faces the ceiling with seven words written ever so lightly.
Clay- I'm sorry, too.
I loved you.