13 Reasons Why
The Valentine's Day that Saved a Life
Chapter One: Introduction
The moment I realized I had feelings for Clay Jensen was the moment my life changed forever. My name's Hannah Baker and this is my story.
I moved to this town when I was 16 years old. It was the summer before sophomore year started. Two weeks before meeting Clay and two months before I started Liberty High School. I had met my friend Kat the weekend of moving to Crestmont, Washington and became friends instantly. Believe it or not she used to be a bit of an outcast as well as me she says. She helped me change my style and get me out of my shell. By the day I met Clay I was a completely different person. I met Clay at the Crestmont theater were we both used to work. It was nice to have another friend, but learning that Kat was going to move away before the start of the school year devastated me. Kat was the first real friend I ever had, but to continue helping me, she threw me a party on the last weekend of summer. The party is where I met another friend Zach Dempsey and a boy named Justin Foley.
The start of sophomore year was interesting to say the least. I became better friends with Clay (whom I called "Helmet"), gained a crush on Justin, and became friends with two other newbies Jessica Davis and Alex Standall. A month or so into the school year Justin became my first kiss which turned out to be a big mistake. The next day him and his friend Bryce Walker spread a rumor that I had sex with Justin by spreading around a picture of me sliding down a slide wearing a skirt. After that rumor caused everyone to name me the class slut (which was a thing all throughout the rest of high school), Alex, Jessica, and I broke apart (Jessica and Alex started dating without telling me!). After that, Alex helped make a best/worst list with the jocks and put my name across from Jessica's under best ass. Jessica, thinking that I hooked up with Alex behind her back, yelled at me and slapped me ending our friendship for a while. Between Justin's rumor and the list, I was completely labeled the class slut.
A few months after the list fiasco, someone started stalking me. One night after Clay walked me home from work, I heard someone outside my window. I was so scared that couldn't sleep causing me to be falling asleep in class. Thinking that it was just one of my creepy neighbors, when Courtney Crimsen offered to help me catch my stalker, I accepted. That night while waiting for them to come Courtney and I got a little drunk and in a heated game of truth or dare we ended up kissing. After discovering that it was school photographer Tyler Down, Courtney ran out of my house embarrassed. The next day at school I confronted Tyler and I thought I got all the pictures that he took of me and Courtney, but when he asked if we could hang out and I turned him down, he posted one all over school. Courtney came up to me freaking out saying how I knew better than anyone how one picture can ruin your life and walked away crying.
Fast forward a few weeks later, and people are still trying to figure out which two girls were in the picture and now it's Winter Formal time. Courtney hadn't talked to me since the picture was spread and I had had enough. At lunch one day I told her how I thought we were friends and I wasn't going to judge her for whatever she was going through. She accepted and we finished lunch in peace while planning with her other two friends for the dance. Come dance night where me, Courtney, and her "Courtnetts" all went to the Winter Formal together. While the guys were starting to figure out it was me and Courtney in the picture, I was trying to tell her to ignore it and have fun. Later that night I noticed Helmet on the other side of the gym and walked up to him. He asked me to dance and so we danced to one fast song and one slow song. In the middle of the slow song "The Night We Met" I had to stop when I noticed a drunk Jessica dancing with Justin and the other jocks. I decided that just because she stopped being my friend doesn't mean I had to stop being hers, I told Clay that I needed to help her and he nodded in agreement. As I was starting to walk over to her, a jock named Montgomery de la Cruz came up to me and asked me if I was up for a three way. Because Courtney got scared she told Monte that it was me and Laura (a lesbian in our class) in the picture and how we like to include guys sometimes. After confronting Courtney for completely screwing me over, I went back in the gym to get Jessica. I eventually got Jessica home before going home myself.
I spent the rest of the weekend calming down and clearing my head. By the time Monday morning came around I had come to an important realization. I had met Clay nearly seven months ago, at that point, and it wasn't until our dance that I started to see him in a different light. I realized that while he says stupid things sometimes he's still the funniest, kindest, and most adorable guy I know. The dance that we shared together was like a breath of fresh air in the sea of crap I've been swimming through, and besides the drunken apology I had gotten from Jessica, it was the best thing that had happened to me in weeks. All of this leads me to now. It was the Monday following Winter Formal and I'm still reeling from my newfound feelings for Clay and the betrayal by Courtney. I didn't see Helmet much at school that following Monday, but we did have work that night. Seeing him behind the counter walking into the theater I had never looked at him the way that I did. However, after Kat moved away and being betrayed by Jessica, Alex, and Courtney, Clay is the only friend I have (besides Tony Padilla who besides Ryan Shaver and Laura is the only out gay in our school). So, the question is, should I risk my friendship with Clay for my feelings I have for him or keep things the way that they are?
Well, there's chapter one. When I came across 13 Reasons Why I was immediately drawn to the story, and strongly believe that it doesn't deserve the hate that it gets. Hannah went through things at the end of her life that nobody should have to deal with let alone a 17 – year – old. However, suicide is never the answer so if you are having suicide thoughts or know somebody that is please go talk to someone. With that said, what do you all think so far. Chapter two is coming soon so please read and review and if you answer this question in your review I will give you a shout out at the end of the next chapter.
QOTC: Who do you hate more Courtney or Bryce?
MA: While Courtney is extremely irritating and I would love to punch her in the face, no character has made my blood boil like Bryce. I've never ever hated a character as much as I hate Bryce.
Brittney Out! :) :P 3