Disclaimer: I don't own Thirteen Reasons Why.

Author's Note: So, the credit for this idea goes to theweirdworder--thanks so much for reviewing and giving me this suggestion! So, this is Jessica after listening to the tape where Hannah's at the party. Jessica is, once again, having a mental conversation with Hannah. Jessica's character changes a lot from the first chapter, but one would expect it to, right? After all, she just found out that Hannah could have saved her! Jessica's very bitter, less of a good guy. Let me know what you think! (aka review!)


A Lovely Ending

God, Hannah… You were there. You were there. You heard everything… You knew…

I saw you a few times in the hallways after that night. You avoided me, looking away. But sometimes I would catch your eyes before you could hide behind your hair. They were… guilty. They were afraid, apologetic, embarrassed, and… stricken. Like a wild animal caught in the beam of a car's headlights.

But you could have stopped it! Hannah, you could have stepped out of that closet! It would've been so easy… And you could have changed everything. You could have saved me. But no, Hannah, you didn't. No.

Once again, there you are in my mind. I'm sure you can see the reproach and anger on my face. I can feel it twisting my features. I once thought I was pretty. Now… now, I just feel dirty. My life is so messed up. You… you ended yours. But I'm not like you, Hannah. I could never kill myself. So now I'll live with this for as long as my heart beats. I can never escape it, Hannah! And you could have saved me! It's so much more horrible now. I'm reliving it, every moment. I was only half aware, but it's all coming back, more vivid. I tried to suppress it, but it just won't stay back anymore… And now it seems so much worse, knowing that it need not have happened in the first place.

Why did it have to be so hard, Hannah?! You could have just stood and spoken! And then… then he would have stopped. He would have!

Your voice: "How do you know, Jessica? How do you know? I was scared too! What would he have done to me?!"

I don't know, Hannah, okay?! I don't know! But you just hid there, the observer, the watcher. While my life fell apart. How could you just let it happen?! After all that had been happening to you! How could you just stand aside and let my life take the same turn as yours?!

You were a barrier between us—one I wasn't aware of, true, but what does it matter?! You were still there, in a position to keep it from happening! And you just stepped aside. Just as bad as the guy at the door who let him in. You were just as bad as him, Hannah!

Well, now we're even, I suppose.

I can see you flinch at my bitter laugh. You probably barely recognize me. Yeah, well, that night changed us both, Hannah. But it's me who has to live with it. You took the easy way out and left me here—your choice.

I betrayed you and you betrayed me. What a lovely end to our friendship, don't you think?


Review, please!