A/N: Oh, gosh! Thank you guys so much for the reviews! It really means a lot and keeps me going. On with the story!

Side Note: If you're wondering what the italics mean, they're Hannah's thoughts, like the tapes, but since she hadn't recorded them yet, they're just thoughts that she may be writing in a journal or something if you get my drift.

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing!

There we were. Clay Jenson and Hannah Baker, together, hugging. So before your mind takes you somewhere else, read on to see.

After what seemed like forever of hugging and weeping, we heard someone coming up the stairs. Scrambling to our feet, we quickly gathered our bearings and left the room. But before we walked out the door, he grabbed my hand holding it tight as if he was holding onto me before falling off of a cliff. I look at him, a slight smile on my face. Maybe he was different after all.

When Clay had opened the door, there they were. Justin Foley and Jessica Davis. Drunk as can be, making out and erratically making their way to the room in which had seen it all.

As they pass us, I roll my eyes, a smirk on my face as I look at Clay.

Sighing, he halfheartedly smiles, "What a party, huh?"

God was he awkward, but that's something I like about him, it's cute. Cute like him. I smile, leaning against him slightly as I grip his hand tightly. I sigh. "Y-yeah...what- what a party…"

We made our way down the stairs, looking at the crowd of people who seemed to be drunk. It was sorta funny. I chuckled, watching as the people we went school with who, for some, may have seemed uptight...at school, that is. But now, they were just letting loose. I turned my head, slowly to look at Clay.

"Listen...about what happened up there…" He said, holding my hand tighter.

I shook my head. "Don't worry bout it, helmet."

He smiled, his head turning downwards as he stroked my hand with his thumb. But God that smile. It made me so unexplainably happy to see it, even if it was his awkward smile. Somehow, my confidence peaked once again. "Listen, Clay…"

His head shot up to me as if hearing his actual name from me meant that I was about to say something serious, which was usually what it meant. "I was on a my breaking point...If I may have said something that hurt you in anyway-" But before I could finish, he broke through.

"No, Hannah, it's fine. I understand, completely. No worries."

I opened my mouth to say something, but before I could, Jeff came between us.

"Heeey, man!"

I backed away, letting go of his hand.

"O-oh, hey Jeff, what's up?"

"I see you finally grew some balls to actually talk to her, congrats dude!" He patted his back and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards him, giving him what seemed like a hug.

Clay looked at me from behind Jeff, an embarrassed smile on his face.

I laughed, shaking my head as I rolled my eyes. I ran my nail over my eyebrow, looking at the ground awkwardly, my hands folded over one another.

"Uh, heh, thanks Jeff." He nods, smiling at him.

Before I knew it, Jeff turned around, looking at me. "Hey! What do you guys say about playing a round of beer pong out back, finally? Looks like you guys talked things out anyway."

I looked up at him, then over to Clay. "How about you guys go ahead, I was going to head-"

"Uh, actually, we were about to head home, she needs a ride." He looked at me, nodding, a secretive smile on his face.

I smiled, running my teeth over the upper layer of skin on my lip, looking at him.

Jeff glanced at me, and then at Clay. "Ohhh, I gotcha." He winked at me, and patted Clay on the back. "I'll catch you tomorrow, buddy." He turned his head to look at me. "See you Hannah." He shot me a smile, and of course I smiled awkwardly back.

I rolled my eyes. "Bye Jeff. Don't get too drunk out there!" I walk over to Clay, standing beside him as I cross my arms, watching Jeff walk through the crowd. He threw his hand up, as if to signal a 'sure thing!' or something. I laughed, turning towards Clay. "So, mind telling me what that was about?" I tease.

"Oh come on." He smirked, rolling his eyes as he backed away.

I kept my stance and gave him a serious look.

He sighed. "Okay, okay. I thought we went over this. I tutor him on subjects of school, and he...well, he tutors me on…girls. Well, girl." He turned his head towards the ground.

I chuckled. "So you mean to tell me you couldn't talk to me?" I kept a smile on my face, rather flattered then hurt in any way, of course.

He leaned on me a little, hesitating to shake his head but he did, rolling his tongue back into his mouth as he looked at the ground, laughing a little as he grabbed my hand. "But does it really matter now? I mean, I talked to you didn't I? Shouldn't that be all that matters?"

I smiled. "Yeah, I guess so." I nodded, looking as if I had been high on something. I stared into his eyes as he stared into mine.

Before you even think for a second that things were going smoothly, think again.

Our faces inched closer, our eyes beginning to shut. Suddenly, someone had bumped into us, Clay falling forward on me. Luckily, I was in the right mind to catch him at the time. I laughed, rolling my eyes as I looked down at him. He looked up at me, and as soon as making eye contact, he scrambled to his feet, apologizing repeatedly.

"S-sorry...I just-" He continued frantically.

Nervously, I threw my hands in the back pockets of my jeans and rolled my eyes. "Helmet, chill. It wasn't you."

He nodded, "Right."

Looking around, I spotted none other than Justin Foley coming down the stairs. Looking as if something had just taken place, he gave me a look as if to say 'what the fuck are you staring at?'

Following my gaze, Clay looked at me.

I looked at him, opening my mouth as if I was going to say something, but I couldn't bring myself to say a word. Being brought out of my stance, he spoke up.

"So, did you wanna maybe...go somewhere?" He grasped my hand again.

"Oh, I thought you were going to take me home, I mean-"

"It was just a cover up. I mean, it's only 10."

I rolled my eyes, he looked so proud of himself, but nonetheless, I was pretty happy he had turned beer pong down to hang out with me. Especially after what had just taken place. He was the only one who stayed. "Wow, what a rebel." I say dramatically, swinging our hands back and forth.

He rolled his eyes and began to gently drag me through the crowd at the grasp of his hand. I smiled, stumbling a bit. Maybe I had a bit too much to drink.

"Not only the fact that I said I was your ride home… Well, I mean, I did say that I was going to take you home on my bike, but I, uh, didn't bring it." He scratched the back of his head with his empty hand and laughed.

I laughed along with him, "The one, the only, Helmet." I say ruffling his hair.

"Hey! Watch the hair!" He smiled, flattening it.

"Oh, I see you finally took my advice to style it up with some gel. Way to go, Helmet. Now it's not so flat from that ridiculous helmet you wear."

He laughed, pulling me along with him as we walked away from the noisy house in which the party had took place.

Clay, after the party that night, you took me to the playground, where my first kiss with Justin took place. But why? So you could do this…

We kept walking until we landed at the playground. That God forsaken place where the rumors had started. I started to hesitate with walking further. I let go of his hand and start to back away slowly.

He looked at me, realizing that I was starting to fade on the idea of 'Going somewhere else'. "Hannah? We could go somewhere else, if you wanted to."

I blinked, being brought from the flashbacks of kissing him. The rumours starting with him. I shook my head, clenching my eyes shut tight. "N-no, it's fine." I sighed heavily, looking at him.

He walked back to me. "Hey, are you okay? You don't look so good."

"I-I'm fine. God, Helmet, chill out."

There I go again, putting my walls up.

"I was just making sure…" He said, a look of slight annoyance on his face.

But how could I be sure you weren't like the others?

I shook my head, looking at him. "Clay, how can I be so sure?"

"Sure of what?"

"That you're not like them. That you're not here to grab my butt. That you're not here as a dare - That you actually love me?" The tears began to creep up to the corners of my eyes again. My face as red as can be.

"H-Hannah… I said that I love you-"

"Yeah? But how do I know?" I begin to cry again.

Before I knew it, he was against my lips. I could've melted into a puddle right there. I felt his hands slide down to my hips, and not my ass. I drape my arms over his shoulders. After a few seconds, he let go, putting his forehead against mine.

"Because. I'm not like everyone else. I told you I was never leaving, Hannah, and I meant it. I meant it with my heart. Hannah Baker, I love you. And no rumour, no person, and I mean nobody is going to change that."

I sighed, shakily holding onto him. I allowed the tears to fall as I let loose. I let my walls fall. It was him. It was him all along. I hugged him tight, wailing into his chest. It was him I should have went on the 'Oh My Dollar Valentines' date, and not Marcus, not even Zach. It was Clay who I should have had my first kiss with, and not Justin. Things would have worked out differently if it was him in the beginning. "I love you too, Clay Jenson." I managed out between my raging hiccups of breath. An unusual smile crept across my face. I backed away, just enough to look into his eyes.

He smiled, hugging me tighter as we watched the moonlight in each others eyes.

This wasn't planned by the way, it was just a coincidence. And what a weird one at that. Well, before I pass out and start writing gibberish so you can't read anything or before my hand falls off out of extreme cramping, you'll just have to read on to find out what happens next.

A/N: Woo! That one took me a bit, I apologize for the cut off there, but no worries, there's still more to come! Tell me what you guys thought in the reviews, I really hope you guys enjoyed it! This was, after all, the first chapter in which I freely wrote on about the characters! I hope I kept them in their original characters! Tell me what you guys think! By the way, I'm putting this up on Wattpad for it to be more easier to access! FML Forever, \/ Peace!