"Ophelia Tristano."
Winston smirked as Ophelia parked, and got out of her car. They were in the middle of down town. A large, populated place. It was the only place she felt comfortable meeting him. Not that she distrusted him, but because she knew he had a connection to Montgomery. And Montgomery was the one she didn't trust.
Zach came with her. He stayed in the car, however, watching the two carefully. Ophelia told Zach it would only take a moment. She felt Zach's eyes burning into her back as she approached him.
"Hey, Winston," she breathed.
Winston leaned against his car. It was hardly chilly, but he wore a coat and scarf. His iconic, rich look.
He smiled as he glanced at Zach through her windshield. "That's your boyfriend, right?"
Ophelia sighed. She was worried he would start saying inappropriate things if she let the two of them fall into a pattern of small talk. "Why did you call me out here, Winston?"
He laughed. "Well, he's cute. Looks muscular." He looked her up and down. "You're looking cute too, don't worry."
Ophelia shifted her feet, uncomfortable. "Thank you."
"I've missed you," Winston told her. He made her feel strange. Ophelia was so used to being his friend. After his...suggestion of being intimate, she didn't know how to talk to him.
So she just said, "Yeah...I've missed you too."
He chuckled. "You don't have to lie, O."
He called her 'O' again.
She felt offended. She wouldn't lie about something like that.
"I'm not," she insisted. "And I've missed everyone at Hillcrest." She could say that now that Bryce was gone.
Winston admitted to her, "I've tried messaging Monty. He hasn't responded. To anything."
Ophelia just nodded. "He's bad at that." Because he was a bad person.
Winston put his hand in his pocket. "This thing, it's kind of for Monty, actually."
She hesitated. "I don't think I...feel comfortable going back and forth between you two."
"Not back and forth," Winston assured. "Just give him these. Tell him Winston found em."
Winston pulled something out of his pocket. Ophelia them immediately. Montgomery's car keys. The ones Estella lost way back on the day of Ophelia's Hillcrest goodbye party.
Ophelia reached out and grabbed them with wide eyes. "Where did you find them?"
"They were actually lost in the shoe pile by the door," Winston explained. "I looked around for him, but I couldn't find him the whole night."
Ophelia held the keys gingerly in her hand. She explained, "It was his sister that came. She's the one that lost the keys."
Winston nodded. "Ahh. Well, can you give them back for me?"
Ophelia nodded. But she was just going to give them to Estella, not Montgomery.
"Winston...I wouldn't wait on Montgomery if I were you. I...I don't think he's ready for this kind of relationship." She didn't know if he ever would be.
Ophelia tried to picture Montgomery and Winston together. She didn't mean to think of them sexually, but she tried to imagine what it could have been like for him. Winston was a lot stronger than Ophelia was. She wondered if it bothered Montgomery, or excited him when they were together.
He was scared that even if Winston was stronger, he would eventually be hurt by Montgomery.
Who was she kidding? Montgomery already hurt Winston once.
Winston sighed. "I figured. Not a relationship at least, maybe just a few hookups."
Ophelia told him sternly, "He's not a good guy. I think you should move on."
He chuckled, softly. "Yeah, I figured that when he beat the shit out of me the first night I met him."
Ophelia suddenly asked, "You listened to my tape, didn't you?"
She already knew he had. But she wanted him to remember it.
"From Hannah Baker?"
Ophelia nodded.
"Yeah. I listened."
"So you know how bad of a guy he is," she figured.
She thought of Rep Night, and how what happened had been so much worse than what Hannah had thought, because she had been unconscious. Ophelia had to go through the whole thing.
Winston sighed. "I guess I do."
Ophelia played with the keys in her hand. "Everything you've heard...he's done worse."
Ophelia cleared her throat, feeling it closing on her as she tried to speak.
"I'll see you at graduation," she told him. She could see Zach becoming impatient. She worried he would come out to see what was wrong if she took much longer.
Winston said, "We don't have to wait that long. We can hang out some other time."
Ophelia was hesitant as she reopened her car door. "I don't know. I'll see."
But she didn't want to. She really didn't want to see anyone. She really didn't feel comfortable with anyone anymore. Especially not boys.
Zach asked her, "What was that about?" As she sat back next to him, and started the car.
Ophelia held up the keys. "He found the keys Estella lost at my goodbye party." She pulled out of where they parked, Winston keeping his smirk, and waving as they left. Zach didn't like the way he smiled at her.
"Montgomery's keys?"
Ophelia just nodded.
She dropped them in the cup holder. Zach grabbed them. "He thinks you hang out with him enough to give them to him?"
Ophelia frowned and looked over at him. "We go to the same school. And I wasn't giving them to him, I'll give them to Estella."
Zach pocketed the keys. "I'll give them to Montgomery at practice."
Ophelia felt panicked suddenly, imagining Zach confronting Montgomery and bringing up Winston. She didn't know how he would react if he heard the name from Zach's mouth.
"I'll just give them to Estella," she tried. She realized the keys were now out of her sight. "Give them back."
Zach begrudgingly took them out of his pocket, and dropped them back into her cup holder. He wasn't gentle, and they made a loud sound.
"She's not even at school today. They're suspended. Like I almost was."
Ophelia hesitated. "You were...almost suspended? I thought they just yelled at you."
"Thankfully," Zach told her. "It's hard to claim you had no involvement in a fight that your girlfriend was in."
Ophelia felt her stomach drop, guilty. "I didn't mean to be in a fight," she tried.
Zach looked at her. "I know that," he told her. "Of course I know that. I'm not blaming you. I'm blaming Montgomery and Estella."
Ophelia suddenly said, "Maybe you should blame that sophomore boy. He was being terrible to us."
"I blame him too," Zach assured her. "But you should've called me, not Montgomery. I would've dealt with him."
Ophelia frowned. "You know that I'm not the one who called for Montgomery. Estella did. So don't say that."
Zach sighed. "Okay, okay. Sorry. This guy, his name's Winston, right?"
Ophelia hesitated. She really hoped he wouldn't bring the name up in front of Montgomery.
"Yeah. Winston."
"And he chose you out of all people to call because..."
Because Winston slept with Montgomery. And Ophelia knew it.
"I know him. And I go to Liberty."
She left it at that.
They met Winston in the morning, before they went to school. They headed to school straight after.
The school day seemed tasteless to Ophelia. It was just so much work, so many assignments. Everything felt like busy work.
She saw Jessica spending time with Justin, which was sweet. She liked them being back together. She liked seeing Justin happy most of all.
Jessica asked her if she was interested in coming back to HO at all.
Ophelia just...wasn't. She really didn't want to go there again. Ophelia believed wholehearted that the club did great things for women. But for her...it felt like having to relive the bad parts of her life over and over again.
She made Zach sit with her in the library for lunch. She didn't want to be in the cafeteria, around all those boys. She didn't like them.
That day ended, just as pointless as it began. Ophelia barely wanted to get up the next morning.
When Zach came over to get her, he made the mistake of pointing out her big breakfast in front of her mother. He just made a comment about how she always made enough food to look like a diner meal.
"Stop eating so much," her mother told her, "You've already gotten so fat. I hardly recognize you."
Her mother said it so nonchalantly as she left, taking Honor to school early for her honor band practice.
Ophelia had been so embarrassed, she cried. Not in front of Zach. She left the room before that could happen. But she was so humiliated.
So much so that she had sex with Zach before they left for school that morning. He just got so turned on around her. Sleeping with him made her feel less ugly. He liked her body. At least, he said he did.
Then, school came. And with it, so did all the problems. Ophelia spent ten minutes in the morning locating Montgomery's keys, before realizing she had been stupid, and she left them in her car. Then, she spent the first two periods looking for Estella. She passed by Montgomery twice in this time, but she wasn't going to stop for him. She didn't even look at him, even though she knew each time he looked at her.
When she did finally find Estella, she was exiting the front office.
"Estella," Ophelia called for her.
Estella looked upset, but lit up when she saw her. "Hey."
"What happened?" Ophelia wondered why she was in the office.
Estella explained, "I just had to sign in today, since I was suspended yesterday. I didn't realize that."
Ophelia cringed. "Sorry about that, by the way."
Estella told her, "It's not your fault, Ophelia. It was that jerk's. The one yelling at us."
Ophelia didn't know if she agreed. She felt she should've been able to handle it better, and stop things from progressing. Zach seemed to think so.
Then again, it was hard keeping situations under control when Marisa was there.
"I have this for you," Ophelia told her, bringing the keys out of her pocket. Estella gasped when she saw them. "A Hillcrest boy found them, I guess. He gave them to me yesterday."
"Thank you," Estella breathed, grabbing them. "Oh my god, Monty's been so angry at me since I lost them." She gripped them tightly.
Ophelia smiled, happy to see her happy.
The door to the office opened behind them. Ophelia paid no attention until the person greeted her.
"Ophelia."
She looked up, and felt a rush of confusion and inquiry. Mr. Porter stood in front of her. The fired, former guidance counselor Mr. Porter.
"It's good to see you," he told her. He looked exactly the same since she saw him last school year. Even the outfit was similar.
"Oh," Ophelia said, surprised. "Nice seeing you too."
Mr. Porter glanced at Estella. "You are Estella De La Cruz, correct?"
Estella nodded. "Yeah, that's me."
Mr. Porter glanced at Ophelia, before sticking a hand out towards Estella. "It's a pleasure to officially meet you."
Estella shook his hand, while giving Ophelia a weird look, as if asking who this man even was.
Mr. Porter turned back to Ophelia. He told her, "I actually wanted to speak to you today. Are you free now?"
Ophelia hesitated. She wasn't sure if she wanted to talk to him. She was scared of what he would ask.
"I, um, I have to get to class," she told him.
Mr. Porter just said, "I'll excuse you. Why don't you come inside?"
"Oh." Ophelia glanced at Mr. Porter. "Okay."
Estella watched as the man led her into the office, and her eyes widened as, for the first time, she noticed the police officers in the counselors office.
"Holy shit! Did you see that shit?"
"I can't believe it. She's fucking crazy."
"It's fucked up."
Zach rolled his eyes as his teammates arrived to study hall late. Justin was the only one to get there on time, and that's because Zach found him in the hallways and dragged him there. He would've skipped otherwise. The others eventually trickled in.
"What's going on?" Justin asked. He perked his head up, now curious.
Montgomery, Diego, and Charlie were the last ones to arrive.
Charlie spoke first. "You didn't get it?"
Justin and Zach shared a look. "Get what?"
"The photo," Charlie said, "of Scott."
Justin sat up. He had been slouching before, bored, but everyone's reactions peaked his interests. "What happened to Scott?"
Zach cleared his throat. "Let's just get to plays, alright?"
He really didn't care for that boy at the moment, and he didn't want to waste time talking about him.
Montgomery wanted to keep his head down that day at school, since he was barely back from suspension. He had planned on going to school and being mad the whole day, but there's no way he could keep from laughing around his friends.
And no way he could keep from laughing after he got sent that photo.
"Scotty and his girlfriend broke up," Montgomery told Justin, but his eyes fell on Zach. "He dumped her once he got back to school."
Zach's face fell. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to hide his obvious change of emotion. He didn't want to think of what, or who, might have caused this break up.
"Apparently, she was a little mad about it," Diego said with a laugh.
"You'd have to be more than a little mad to do something like that, right?" Charlie asked.
Holden just shrugged, "Bitches are crazy."
Justin leaned forward even more, "What'd she do?"
Montgomery and Diego looked at each other, and laughed.
"Did you screenshot it?" Diego asked Montgomery.
He frowned, and laughed. "No, you fucking faggot. Did you?"
Diego snorted laughing, pulling out his phone and nodded.
"What the fuck?" Holden busted out in laughs as well.
Diego just smiled, saying, "It's not gay, there's a girl in it too."
"Barely!"
"What the fuck are talking about?" Zach said, slightly disgusted. He heard his phone ping. A few other's as well.
"You didn't..." Montgomery said to Diego.
He was laughing still. "I did."
He had sent the photo to the football group chat.
Justin grabbed his phone, and opened the image.
"Oh fuck-"
He closed his phone.
"You could've just told me!" Justin snapped. "You didn't have to send me a picture of Scott's dick."
Zach was stunned. "What?"
The photo had been taken during an intimate moment. It was taken by Scott's former girlfriend, Charlotte. In the photo, you see the bottom half of a man with a clear election, with a female's hand around it. Scott's face is half way seen.
Zach didn't open the message, not wanting to see it.
"Poor, Scotty," Charlie said. "It must be humiliating."
The photo was clearly posted on Snapchat. The caption over the photo said 'not much to miss'. It was referencing his size, which wasn't small, but wasn't large enough to be cocky about.
Zach barely glanced over at Justin's phone. He had to force to keep himself from smiling. Yeah, Scott really was no competition to him. The photo proved it. Not a lot going for him.
"I'm sure he's fine," Montgomery said. "He looks good in the photo. It'll probably just get him laid."
"You doing the honors?" Diego asked. "Since you like how he looks?"
Montgomery threw something at his friend, playfully. "Shut the fuck up."
"Guys, we should really focus," Zach told them. "We're already behind because of Montgomery's suspension."
Montgomery didn't like the sudden blame on him. So he became defensive. "Yeah? Or maybe it's because I had to step up and defend your girlfriend when you wouldn't."
Zach sent Montgomery a glare before turning back to the book.
"How long before she gets tired of you standing around during shit like that and decides to go back to the real man-"
"Knock it off," Justin snapped, suddenly. He noticed the tension now filling the circle.
Montgomery slumped back in his seat. He glanced at his phone again, before saying. "Or maybe she'll move on to another guy that doesn't have mommy issues. Like Scott."
Justin's eyes widened. He spoke up quickly, "Monty, shut the fuck-"
"You're a fucking idiot," Zach snapped, giving into his baiting.
Montgomery just laughed. "Yeah? You think Ophelia's seen the photo yet?"
Zach stilled just thinking about it. But he had to admit, even if she had, it only proved how much more Zach had to offer down there.
But Zach couldn't get past the anger he felt imagining her looking at it.
"Who knows? Maybe Scott already sent it to her?"
Zach scoffed. Suddenly, he stood up, grabbing his crutches.
"Wait-" Justin tried to say.
"You guys study by yourself," he told them. "I'll see you at practice."
Montgomery laughed at his sensitivity.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"Come on he's the one who got upset-"
"Him?" Justin scoffed. "You're the guy who still gets in fights over a girl who clearly doesn't want anything to do with you."
Montgomery rolled his eyes, but his anger showed clearly.
"Fuck you too, Justin," he scoffed.
Justin stood now too. "When are you gonna learn to not be so fucking annoying?" he grumbled.
Charlie watched, shaking his head.
He hated when the boys were so rude to each other. He didn't think it was worth it. Especially since it was over Ophelia.
Ophelia wasn't worth them fighting each other. He realized this after Montgomery told him the truth about Homecoming Night.
While the boys continued gossiping and joking around with each other, instead of looking at anything football related, Charlie took out his phone.
He sent a quick text message.
Charlie: Sorry about the photo man :/
After a few minutes, there was a reply.
Scott Reed(graduated): Shit. It's gotten around Liberty?
Charlie considered lying. But he figured that wouldn't do any good.
Charlie: Yeah. Sorry. I think just the football team. I haven't heard anyone else mention it.
Another minute.
Scott Reed(graduated): Fuck.
After a moment, another message.
Scott Reed(graduated): Oh well. As long as my parents don't see it. It wasn't too nasty, right?
Charlie thought about it. No, it wasn't too nasty. And he wasn't doing anything that bad. It looked like he was going to get a handjob, but it was clear nothing had happened yet. Charlie bit his lip. He actually liked it.
Charlie: No, I think it should be fine.
Scott Reed(graduated): thank god. College girls are fucking crazy. Stay clear of girls for a while, okay? It'll do you some good.
Charlie almost laughed.
Charlie: Trust me, I know. I get enough fucking drama from that girl Ophelia, and she's not even my ex.
Charlie waited a moment. Scott began typing. The typing bubble went away. A minute later there was more typing, and then the message appeared.
Scott Reed(graduated): What does that mean?
Charlie knew he saw Scott and Ophelia talking at the funeral, and he assumed they were friends. But he assumed Scott was better friends with Montgomery. So Charlie wasn't careful enough with his words.
Charlie: she's kind of a ho. She's been messing with Monty the whole time she's been with Zach
This time, Scott's reply came immediately.
Scott Reed(graduated): why do you think that?
Charlie: Monty told me. They hooked up homecoming night.
Charlie watched as the typing bubble came up for Scott, and then disappeared. It came back and disappeared again. And again. As if he had no idea what to say. And then, finally:
Scott Reed(graduated): Ophelia wouldn't do that. Don't listen to Monty.
Charlie felt uneasy all of a sudden. He wondered if he should bring it up to Montgomery. Then again, Scott could be the one lying.
He wasn't sure.
He just put his phone back in his pocket, and didn't say another word.
"How have you been, Ophelia?"
Ophelia sat in the corner. She looked nervously from Mr. Porter, to the officer that stood just behind him.
"Things have been good," she said, not knowing how else to respond.
"Hm," Mr. Porter said, lowly. "I heard you got expelled from Hillcrest."
Now embarrassed, Ophelia nodded. "I did."
"Because of a fight involving Bryce Walker and Montgomery De La Cruz-"
"And my boyfriend, Zach Dempsey," she cut in abruptly.
Mr. Porter noticed her not making eye contact. She didn't want to. He used to be someone she wanted to speak to. A beacon of hope, a person to turn to. It was different now.
He knew her past too well. He saw her as a victim. Ophelia didn't want to be a victim anymore.
Ophelia didn't want anyone to see her as a victim. It was humiliating. And exhausting.
Mr. Porter tried smiling at her, to show her he was not there to stir up trouble. "I hope you've adjusted nicely to being back."
She hadn't. She couldn't.
Ophelia felt terrified every time she walked into the school. She was scared of the students, she was scared of the boys.
Ophelia was scared of boys.
She didn't used to be. Boys used to drive her crazy, in a good way. Now whenever she passed one alone, she found herself clutching onto her backpack. She had pepper spray in there, and she was ready to take it out. If she wore a jacket she would zip it up, if she wore a cardigan she would hold it closed. If she didn't, they would look at her a little too long
Liberty boys had stopped talking about her for a while, but the last few days they had restarted their sexual comments. She didn't know why.
It only scared her more.
But Ophelia refused to admit any of this.
"I've adjusted well, thanks."
Mr. Porter's eyes almost narrowed. He knew something was untrue, he knew something was off. But he let it go. Momentarily.
The sheriff stood behind him, waiting. So Mr. Porter cleared his throat.
"Are you still close with Clay Jensen?"
So that's what this was about. Clay's arrest.
"Clay?" Ophelia wondered why he thought they had ever been close. "No. We don't talk much."
"Is it because of his sudden changes in behavior?"
Ophelia hadn't noticed any change in behavior. He was just as nosy, stubborn, and out for justice as ever.
"I don't think he's changed," Ophelia admitted. "He just has new friends." One new friend. Ani.
Ophelia cringed. Thinking of Ani reminded her of Justin saying she slept with Bryce. Ophelia still didn't know if she believed it. Ani seemed better than that.
"He's become more violent since Hannah's death, don't you think?"
Ophelia sighed. "If I'm being perfectly honest, I didn't know him before Hannah's death. We really didn't start talking until her trial."
Mr. Porter nodded. "Although, he did get in a physical altercation with your ex boyfriend, before the trial. Your then boyfriend. Mr. De La Cruz."
Ophelia blinked. "What?" She heard nothing about that. If she had been with Montgomery at the time, wouldn't he have told her.
"Nothing too serious," he continued. "Mr. Jensen shoved him during passing period. The teacher got to Montgomery before he could return the favor."
Ophelia's mouth parted open, surprised.
Mr. Porter recalled. "This was...a few weeks after your hiatus. I believe it's when he heard your tape. Now, I would say attacking a boy known for fights means you want to get into one."
Ophelia tried to wrap her head around what she was just told.
"Did-Did Clay say why he did it?"
"I'm assuming because he believed what Hannah said about Montgomery."
Ophelia had no idea. No idea whatsoever that Clay tried attacking Montgomery. He never told her. Montgomery never mentioned it. Then again, if he didn't get the chance to fight back, he may have been embarrassed. But...why would Clay do that?
"That doesn't sound like Clay."
"Clay doesn't react violently when people he cares about have been hurt?"
Clay was almost no one to Ophelia. He was an acquaintance. A friend's brother. An ally. But they had no relationship on their own.
But suddenly, he was more to her.
Because Ophelia knew Clay didn't have some secret feelings for her, and she knew they weren't childhood best friends. But he went after Montgomery because he had hurt her. He did it without telling her. Someone had stood up for her, without expecting anything in return.
"Ophelia?"
She blinked, suddenly remembering he just asked her a question.
"He-He's protective," she stumbled out. "But that's a good thing.
Mr. Porter nodded, and wrote something down. "Do you think he could hurt someone even more than a shove?"
Ophelia hesitated. "I know what you're getting at. But no. Clay didn't kill Bryce-"
"Clay hated him."
Ophelia scoffed. "I hated him. A lot more than Clay ever could. Does that mean you're gonna arrest me again?" She looked right at the Sheriff when she said this.
Mr. Porter tried calming her down. "All I'm saying is there was motive-"
"No," Ophelia insisted. Suddenly, she felt the need to defend the boy that had defended her before. "There's no motive that could push Clay that far. None."
The Sheriff cleared his throat. "Alright, that's all we need from her." He had grown tired of her difficult answers.
Mr. Porter hesitated, looking back at him. "Do you mind giving us a minute?"
The sheriff looked at him quizzically.
"Just a minute," Mr. Porter insisted. "Something of another topic."
Ophelia felt herself becoming anxious, and she hoped the sheriff would say no. But he left them in the office.
Mr. Porter turned back to her.
"I was wondering if you were able to call the hotline I gave you."
She recalled Mr. Porter giving her a number to a domestic violence hotline before he left the year before.
Ophelia had. So she nodded. "Yes. I did. A while ago."
Actually, she used to call it often when she first received it.
"I'm glad," Mr. Porter told her. He then said, "Look, I know it may not be your speed, but my wife has set up a support group at a local church in town. It's for women who have gone through troublesome experiences."
Ophelia's face fell.
"Oh...has your wife..."
"No," he told her. "Thankfully, no. She's there to help console the women. She has a better voice than mine."
Ophelia bit her lip. "Thank you. But, I think I'm done with that now."
He looked surprised. "...done with it?"
Ophelia fiddled with her fingers. "Yeah. I mean, all that stuff, it happened over a year ago."
Mr. Porter didn't seem to like what he was hearing. He shook his head. "You can't be done with something like that, until you get past it."
"I'm past it," she insisted. She gulped. "Way past it."
Mr. Porter sighed. "I don't mean to observe you, but I can tell you're different. Your hesitation and anxiousness is worse than when I was last year." Ophelia felt judged. "So either something new has happened, or your mind is trying to force you not to get past this yet."
"My mind isn't forcing me to do anything," she insisted. "I've been to a group, kind of. I've had friends to talk about things with. I'm done. I've said all I can say."
He sighed. "As long as you're not hiding your pain from yourself."
Ophelia stood. "The sheriff said I can go. Can I go?"
Mr. Porter stood as well. "Yes. You can go." He hung his head.
When she reached the door, he spoke again.
"Ophelia, people will believe you. If something was done, people will believe you."
If something was done. It was such a proper way of implying violence had occurred. And she didn't like it. She didn't like formality, it irked her.
"Nothing was done," she insisted.
'Done'. Like someone had a task to hurt her, and Mr. Porter knew they completed it.
He nodded. "But if anything happens, just make sure you find someone to talk to, alight? Someone you can admit it to."
Ophelia just nodded. "Okay, Mr. Porter." Although, she had no intention to do so.
"Bye, Ophelia."
But what Mr. Porer didn't understand was if it was hard to say things in her head, it was worse to say them aloud. Impossible to.
But as Ophelia stepped out of the classroom, shaking her head at the thought of opening up to anyone, a specific name came to mind. And a face. A face she never thought of in that way before.
She suddenly thought of someone who she...trusted? Yes. And No. It's not that she trusted them with secrets and whispers. But she trusted they would understand, without judgement.
Ophelia stilled for a moment, suddenly bursting with idea. If she admitted to this person what happened on homecoming night, would her pain go away? Would her guilt?
She doubted this person would bring it up to anyone. They hardly spoke to anyone.
So Ophelia felt the need to go to them. The promise of an easier conscious for simply talking to someone was too much of a bargain for her to go another minute without.
She would go to them, after school.
Because at the moment, she was busy.
Marisa found her the next period, and she obviously had something on her mind.
She was snickering, laughing down at her phone. When she spotted Ophelia, she pulled her closer.
"Ophelia, oh my god, I've been looking for this, you have to see this."
She let Marisa drag her closer.
Ophelia started by saying, "Did you know that Mr. Porter was back-"
Ophelia suddenly stopped, and gasped.
Marisa had thrusted her phone forward, and Ophelia caught sight of a photo. An inappropriate photo. Ophelia immediately recognized male genitalia, and pushed the phone away.
She rubbed her eyes, as if trying to rub out the image. "Ew, what is that?!"
Marisa just chuckled. "It's Scott Reed."
Ophelia stilled, and brought her hands down. "W-What?"
Marisa seemed happy with the situation. "Diego sent it to me. I guess his ex girlfriend posted it."
Ophelia couldn't help but ask, "Ex?"
"This is why he was so annoying," Marisa muttered. "Trying to make up for what his small dick was lacking."
Ophelia couldn't help her eyes suddenly glancing down at the photo again, before Marisa swiped it away, done with it.
Ophelia bit her lip. She didn't think it looked small. But, maybe compared to Zach's it was. Zach's member was large, and sometimes so much so that it was uncomfortable. She figured that girls that had been with Scott never had that probably.
But Ophelia also didn't think he was annoying either, so she just said, "Scott didn't seem that bad."
Marisa told her, "Yeah, but Scott-"
Marisa suddenly stopped talking, and looked behind her. Ophelia caught on, and turned. Zach stood just behind them now.
Marisa quickly put her phone away. "Hey."
Ophelia didn't even get a chance to say anything before Zach asked, "Why are you guys talking about Scott?"
But Zach knew why. As soon as he heard the name from the two girls as he walked up he figured they were talking about the photo. His heart dropped, and his anger rose.
"I was actually about to tell Marisa about Mr. Porter," Ophelia said. She went past his question, because honestly she hadn't realized he was angry. "He's back, and he-"
"I know he's back," Zach said coldly.
Marisa sent him an upset look, not happy with his tone towards Ophelia.
Zach nodded to Marisa, whose hand was on her phone in her pocket. "Were you showing her something?"
Marisa frowned. "Ophelia was trying to talk to you."
Now, Ophelia was the one who worried about tones. Because she recognized Marisa's. She wanted to start a fight.
"And I asked why you guys were talking about Scott?" Zach said, jealousy in his voice.
Ophelia stepped forward, not realizing how serious this was for Zach.
"Nothing, just some picture. But apparently Clay-"
"The picture of his dick?" Zach asked. He stepped away from Ophelia. "That's what you were looking at?"
Hurt crossed her face as she reached out to touch him, and again he pulled away.
"I-I didn't. Not really." She hesitated. "I mean, I saw it, barely. I wasn't looking at it."
"I barely showed her," Marisa snapped. "Why does it matter?"
Zach snapped at her, "I'm not talking to you, Marisa."
Ophelia frowned. "Don't be rude. I barely saw it. And it's not like I looked for it."
Zach looked untrusting, like he didn't believe her.
"Why are you so upset?"
Zach almost scoffed. Couldn't see tell? Didn't she know how completely jealous he was?
"Would you be upset if I got nudes from Chloe?"
Ophelia's mouth dropped open.
Ophelia became irritated with him now. He knew how much her confidence dropped thinking of how he used to like her.
Now, thinking of him being able to see her naked body, so much more petite and full than Ophelia's, it made her nauseous. Physically, Ophelia became nauseous. With jealously, and dread.
Marisa came up and grabbed her wrist. "Fuck you, Dempsey. You're so fucking mean to her."
Zach frowned. He wasn't being mean. He was being honest. "I'm just asking if she would be upset. Would you, Ophelia?"
"Knock it off," Marisa said again.
Ophelia pulled out if Marisa's hold, and turned away from them.
She decided if Zach didn't want to be warned about Mr. Porter, she'd go find Justin and warn him instead.
"That's what I thought," she heard Zach say under his breath.
And Zach felt anger still coursing through him. The anger was at Scott, but it became completely directed at Ophelia.
But for every ounce of anger he felt, Ophelia felt even more devastated, realizing that no matter how hard she tried, she'd never have an easy school day ever again.
"Zach Dempsey, it's good to see you."
Zach didn't feel the same way. He knew what was happening, he had been warned. By Justin, who had been warned by Ophelia.
Zach still felt himself being angry at her. He knew he shouldn't be, but he couldn't help it. The incident between them occurred two hours ago, and he still didn't know what to think of it.
"Justin texted me about what was going on. How you're trying to go after Clay. I'm not going to help you." Zach spoke insistently.
Mr. Porter raised his hands. "Let's calm down, alright? We're not going after anybody. We just want everyone to have a clear picture of who he is."
Mr. Porter hadn't wanted to get straight to it, but Zach wasn't allowing room for small talk.
"Clay didn't kill Bryce," Zach insisted. He felt guilty for allowing so many people to be falsely accused. "He's a good guy."
"I believe that,"Mr. Porter told him. "But everyone gets angry. Now, when Clay found out you had been in a relationship with Hannah Baker, did he confront you?"
Zach thought back to when he yelled at him in the parking lot, in front of Ophelia. It was last year, just after he testified at Hannah's trial. "I guess."
"You guess?"
Zach sighed. "Yes. Yeah."
"What happened?"
Zach thought of the incident. "I was walking to my car and he yelled at me. But I totally deserved it."
Mr. Porter asked him, "When he yelled at you did he threaten you?"
"No."
"Did he attack you?"
Zach scoffed. "No." Not that Clay could have done much to him.
"Did he ever apologize?"
Zach sighed, and asked, "No disrespect, Mr. Porter, but why are you asking me this?"
Mr. Porter nodded back to the sheriff behind him. "I'm just trying to help the sheriff here understand everything that happened last year."
Zach caught onto the insinuations. "With Hannah? Everything that happened with her?"
Zach wondered if Ophelia was asked about Hannah. He hoped she wasn't. She probably would've broken down.
Zach felt a pant of guilt, wondering if she had needed comfort from when he blew up at her in the hallway.
"Hannah," Mr. Porter nodded, agreeing. "And how that would have impacted Clay."
Zach just shook his head. "Clay tells the truth, alright? He's a good person, even if he's too straight forward. So no, he didn't apologize to me after confronting me because he didn't need to. He was right. I had been terrible to Hannah, and I should've admitted my relationship sooner."
Mr. Porter frowned. "Your relationship was a secret?"
Zach just nodded. "It was fucked up of me to do."
Mr. Porter suddenly asked him, "Was Ophelia aware of your relationship with Hannah before the trial?"
Zach blinked. He looked between Mr. Porter and the sheriff. Mr. Porter saw the guilt in his eyes.
"Why does that matter?"
Mr. Porter leaned back, and glanced back towards the sheriff. "May I..."
The sheriff understood he wanted another private moment, and he already began stepping out.
Zach shifted, uncomfortable with suddenly being alone with him.
Mr. Porter turned back to him. "I wanted to speak to you about Ophelia, actually."
Zach felt nervous. Why did Mr. Porter want to talk about her?
He wondered, stupidly, if he knew that he was telling the other boys about the sexual things they had done together.
Or maybe he saw them fighting, and was going to scold him for it.
But Zach realized quickly that wasn't the case. It was a more serious matter.
"I'm glad you are able to be with Ophelia in this time. I know you. And I know that you are the kind of boy to be sensitive enough for her to be able to get past her past relationships."
Zach almost frowned. Calling him sensitive was a compliment?
"A lot of boys may not have the patience you do." He spoke like he was proud of him. "Then again, I'm sure that's what Kerba saw when he chose you for football captain. I wish he had enough sense to keep De La Cruz off the team."
Zach looked towards the clock, wondering how long this conversation would take, and what it would lead to. He didn't know how much he could handle it. Because, suddenly, Zach felt terrible. Sensitive and patient. That's everything he hadn't been that day.
"He's a good player," Zach commented. "We try to keep things professional, for the game."
Mr. Porter strained his eyes. "I'm sure you feel you have to. But hopefully you are more careful now that Ophelia is back at Liberty. And watchful. Triggers can be hard to spot for-"
"She doesn't have that stuff anymore," Zach tried to say. "She's okay. She's more than okay. She did great at Hillcrest."
Zach recalled how often she insisted she was better.
But Mr. Porter didn't understand Zach's easy going demeanor. "But at Liberty things are different. I can see her troubles myself." Mr. Porter mentioned, "When I spoke to her, I mentioned a group that deals with PTSD in young women."
Zach frowned. Suddenly, he felt upset. Like he had been accused of doing something to Ophelia that he didn't do. Because Zach didn't understand how Montgomery's actions could be mentally carried with her for so long.
"Ophelia doesn't have PTSD," Zach told him. "I mean, sometimes Montgomery is a dick to her, but she's not traumatized by it. She's stronger than that."
Mr. Porter suddenly found himself suspecting Zach of ignorance, no longer seeing him as the perfect partner he assumed he was.
"What makes you so sure she has no trauma? She went through a lot. Before the tape, after the trial."
Zach sighed. "I know she went through trauma, but she's not traumatized. I mean, last year, she used to eat lunch with Montgomery and my old group. She was fine being around him then, and that was closer to everything that happened."
In his mind, Ophelia being tolerant of Montgomery proved she was not traumatized. Yet, unknown to Zach, the only reason she ever was near him was for Zach's athletic benefit.
"You don't think something could have happened recently?"
Zach hesitated, realizing he hadn't suspected that. He just assumed she had been scared because someone she knew had been murdered.
"I...She would have told me," he insisted.
Mr. Porter, for the first time, realized who sat in front of him.
Zach was just a kid. Ophelia was just a kid. They were just two kids who went through tragic events.
Zach didn't know how to console Ophelia the way she needed. Mr. Porter realized that the boy must have had no idea what he was signing up for when entering a relationship with a girl with an abusive past. Things were different. Men had to be better in these relationships.
"You're eighteen, correct?" Mr. Porter asked.
Zach nodded. "Yes, sir."
"And Ophelia's still seventeen?"
Zach winced, and said quickly, "Yes, but technically since we started dating while I was seventeen, so it's not illegal to-"
"I'm not trying to tell you anything legally," Mr. Porter quickly cut him off. "But what I'm saying is you are both very young. And I'm sorry to say this Zach, but you need a higher level of maturity dating a woman with a harsher past."
Was he calling him immature?
"I don't follow..."
"Ophelia needs a very specific type of comfort in this time of her life, to ensure events that happened in the past won't effect her later in life. These are very crucial months for her."
Zach tried to understand what he meant. "I mean, I'm always there for her."
Mr. Porter realized that Zach did not know how to be what Ophelia needed. How could he know? How could anyone at his age understand the true impact of his actions? Especially when it came to such sensitive situations? At so young?
Mr. Porter sighed, "Zach, I know we don't know each other that well. But you need to trust me when I say I want to help the two of you."
Zach shifted, uncomfortably.
"I do believe Ophelia is struggling with something that she may not be comfortable with sharing," he expressed to Zach. "But, no matter how often she says she's fine...make sure you ask. Ask if she's okay. Everyday. She'll need constant reassurance if she is expected to feel confident enough to open up at all."
Zach felt himself shrinking in his seat. He was a large boy, but suddenly felt so small.
He had been doing that, right? He had been asking if she was okay. He recalled asking her the other day.
But did he ask her everyday?
He knew he didn't. He didn't think he had to. He thought they were close enough that she would come to him when she had a problem.
Did Zach allow her to feel confident enough to come to him when she had a problem?
He must not have, because this trauma that Mr. Porter swore he saw, Zach didn't.
He had been angry at with her that day, and the day before. For what? Thinking back, she didn't deserve any of it.
Zach wondered, had he failed Ophelia already? Before their real relationship could even begin?
All he wanted to do now was go to her, and apologize. He realized he had so much to apologize for.
Zach wanted to believe that him and Ophelia would be together for a long, long time. He wanted to believe he would eventually marry her after college.
But now, Mr. Porter made it seem like Zach's lack of understanding of Ophelia's problems would cause stress in the future. He didn't want to cause her anymore stress than he already had.
Zach suddenly recalled how awful he was the day before, talking about her so inappropriately with other boys. He remembered she used to complain about Montgomery doing the same thing.
Zach used to swear he was so much better than Montgomery. Why wasn't he being better?
How would Ophelia have reacted to finding out how he spoke about her? Zach knew. She would feel betrayed, but she wouldn't be angry. She would try to ignore it, because when she was with Montgomery she had to ignore what he did, just hoping he would stop on his own.
Zach wanted to be better. He wanted to be who he was when they first started dating, and he wanted to stay that way. He knew she missed that version of himself. He realized he did too.
Zach suddenly realized he didn't like being the tough guy. He became the man that could protect her from anything. He didn't realize being able to protect someone didn't necessarily mean they felt safe with you. Zach wanted Ophelia to always feel safe with him.
Zach gulped. He admitted to Mr. Porter, "How do I know if I'm doing things right?"
Mr. Porter straightened up, standing, and coming to sit next to Zach. "I can give you some advice, if it would help."
Zach nodded. "I want to be what you said. I want to be enough so that, if she really hasn't gotten past all these things yet, she'll be able to."
He nodded. "That's good, Zach. I'm glad you are willing to do this for her."
Zach let out a breath. He admitted to him, "I'd do anything for her."
And he meant that. And that's why Clay was in trouble in the first place.
"Hey, Tyler."
Tyler was beyond surprised to see Ophelia in his dark room. He flinched, suddenly scared. What reason did she have to be in there? He panicked, wondering if she decided to get revenge for what he almost did.
Had she brought Zach to hurt him?
Had she brought Montgomery?
The thought made him sick. She could have. She probably did. Montgomery was probably right behind her, ready to hurt him worse than last time.
"C-Clay will be here any minute," he tried to say, threateningly.
Ophelia winced. "I'm sorry. I'll-I'll go."
Tyler felt bad, realizing she was alone.
"Oh...you don't have to," he mumbled. She hesitated. Tyler then said, "I just meant..."
Clay would be coming. Ophelia thought that meant he wanted her to leave. She wouldn't mind. She wasn't that comfortable being there anyway. But Clay coming made it feel just a bit safer. She stayed where she was.
"I...wanted to ask you something. A few things actually."
Tyler was ready for it. He assumed he knew what she would ask, so he spoke before she did.
"It was about Montgomery," Tyler told her.
She blinked, no words.
Tyler continued, "I wanted to hurt you because I wanted to hurt Montgomery. I figured he cared more about you than he did about himself. That's why I was going to do it."
Ophelia stilled. That had been one of the things she wanted to know. Why her? It bugged her, and scared her. What actions of hers caused someone to want to kill her? Then she realized, it wasn't her actions, it was Montgomery's.
She gulped. "I don't think it would've worked. Montgomery doesn't care about my well-being as much as people think."
Tyler shrugged. "He does. You made him sad. That's why I couldn't get to him that night. Which I guess is a good thing." Tyler regretted his words. Why would he say 'get to him'?
Ophelia wondered what he meant. She made him sad? At Spring Fling?
Ophelia frowned. "I don't think he was at the dance." Then, she vaguely remembered how she saw his Jeep. How Justin stole alcohol from it. How the Clubhouse light had been in. "I think he was at the clubhouse."
Tyler nodded. He asked her, "Did anyone tell you I pulled a gun on Bryce? A couple weeks before he died, while he was at a motel?"
Ophelia was shocked. "N-No."
Frankly, no one told her anything anymore.
"I thought Bryce had something to do with hurting me. But he didn't. And he told me he knew about Spring Fling." Ophelia froze. "He said he wouldn't say anything, for Justin. But he also told me he had been with Montgomery, in the Clubhouse, when I came. After his Montgomery's breakdown."
Ophelia asked, "Breakdown?"
Tyler admitted, "I guess Montgomery had heard of you and Zach breaking up. He wanted to win you back or some shit. Then he saw you and Zach dancing again, or something like that, and went crazy. That's what Bryce said anyways."
Ophelia remembered the night of the Spring Fling. She then remembered finding flowers by her locker. Flowers that looked that they had been smashed. She wondered if that had anything to do with Montgomery, but she didn't ask. She had more important questions.
"Did...Montgomery do something? Something bad, to make you want to do that?" She clarified, "I mean, he's always been a fucking asshole. But did he do something to make you need to do that?"
Montgomery always took things too far. And he always convinced her it was her fault. She was desperate find someone else that shared her troubles, someone that proved he was just a cruel person, and she couldn't have prevented that.
Tyler felt himself beginning to shake just thinking about it. He nodded, stiffly.
"Were you going to kill yourself?" she asked him.
Tyler's mouth fell open. "W-What?"
"Were you going to kill yourself, after shooting everyone?"
The question was so blunt.
But it was easy to answer.
"Yes."
Ophelia took a deep breath. She dared asking him a question she would never ask anyone else, "Do you wish you had?"
Tyler thought, for a long moment.
"No. I'm glad Clay stopped me."
He watched him carefully. He looked like he was being completely honest.
Ophelia said, "Is it easier? Planning to die, rather than planning to live with what happened?"
Tyler looked down and gulped. "I think dying would be easier. But I don't want to anymore. What he did...it's leaving my mind. Day by day. Now, I don't think of it as much."
She knew he meant what Montgomery did was leaving his mind. And suddenly, she was envious. Because Montgomery's actions didn't leave hers. In fact, it seemed to intensify each day.
Tyler picked up on her tone, and suddenly questioned her, "Do you want to kill yourself?"
She almost gasped. But she was too stunned by the question to. "No! I...Do you think I want to?"
Tyler looked down and mumbled, "People that ask questions about suicide tend to think about it more. Hannah used to talk about it, Clay told me."
Ophelia bit her lip. "No. I-I don't want to kill myself. I just..." Ophelia couldn't find the words.
And suddenly, she did.
Suddenly, she spilt everything that had been whirling in her brain for so long. Because she knew he wouldn't judge her. Tyler was the person who wouldn't judge her.
"Sometimes I think back to Spring Fling, before Homecoming, before Hillcrest, and I wonder what would have happened if you shot me."
Tyler froze.
He wondered if she was angry at him because of it. Maybe she came to yell at him, saying he gave her PTSD. But the way she spoke made it seem like she was never forced back to the memory. She chose it.
He also noticed how she brought up homecoming, which was odd. He didn't understand why she would rather think of dying than think of homecoming.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
Ophelia stepped towards him. She felt more comfortable seeing how uncomfortable he was.
She felt so safe, because she felt so unsexualized for the first time in a long time.
"Sometimes when I think of the future I end up wishing there wasn't one," she admitted to him. She was stammering on now, not letting him finish. "I-I like my life, I do. I don't want to die." She wanted to make it clear she didn't want to die. "But my life just gets worse and worse and worse and I'm terrified of how bad it'll be in a few years."
Tyler took a step closer, intrigued.
Ophelia just repeated, "I don't want to die, I just...it would have been so much easier if Spring Fling was it. Because I was so happy that night. I..." She stopped, and asked, "Are things worse for you now?"
She wondered if he could relate to her feeling.
"Worse for me?" he asked. He almost laughed. "I can't go anywhere without a fucking babysitter. A babysitter. Someone that knows what I did, and they all fucking hate me."
She didn't think Clay hated him.
But instead of assuring him, she selfishly asked, "So do you wish things ended that night?"
Tyler shook his head. "I can't do this. Not today."
"Tyler-"
"Why did you come in here?" he suddenly demanded. His voice suddenly loud, and angry. "Do you want me to kill myself? Because I was fucking going to. Why the fuck do you think I climbed onto a fucking bridge last week?"
Ophelia stepped back, shocked. A bridge? "Wait, you-"
"I'm glad you were fucking happy the night of spring fling, because I fucking wasn't. I was so unhappy I wanted to fucking kill people, and honestly, I never got happy after that. And I know I'll never fucking get happy. Because no one wants me to." Tyler suddenly hunched over the table, and put his head in his hands. "I'm sorry, Ophelia. Okay? I'm sorry for what I did. I'm sorry I didn't fucking kill myself."
"No! I didn't!-" Ophelia stepped forward quickly, and touched him. He flinched away. He started crying. She touched him again, this time he turned away from her. "I don't want you to die, Tyler! I just-"
She came even closer, now putting both hands on him. He flinched again, but didn't move away from her.
"I'm sorry," she said again. She had no idea she would upset him so much. She realized she had been selfish, forcing her own needs before his.
"Why are you even here?" he asked, through sobs. "Do you want me to say I'm sorry again? I'm sorry!"
"No!" Ophelia told him. "I'm sorry, Tyler. I just..." She didn't know what to say. So she just repeated, "I'm sorry."
"You don't have to worry," he told her, voice still hoarse. "If I were to hurt someone, it'd be myself."
"Stop it," she said. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Tyler, I..."
He waited, allowing her room to talk. B it she didn't want to. She was embarrassed. Because she had no reason to cause him this much distress.
No other reason than admitting, "I just thought if someone at this school could understand, it'd be you. I don't know, I just-I just assumed something had happened. With Montgomery. Before the dance. I'm sorry."
Tyler frowned. "Understand what?"
All Ophelia had to say was, "Montgomery."
Tyler grit his teeth, the name alone sending fear down his veins.
"Because he hurt you," he figured.
Ophelia just gulped. She dared to ask, "...did he do something terrible? To you?
Tyler stepped out of her grasp, suddenly. "I already said he did."
"Sorry," she breathed, noticing his panic. She stepped back.
"You all knew the kind of things he did to me," Tyler mumbled.
She fell back, guilty. She did. Montgomery hurt him, a lot.
"He did do something terrible to me," he admitted. "But if I tell you, he'll do something worse."
Ophelia wanted to say that wasn't true. He could confide in her, she wouldn't tell anyone.
But she realized she had the same fear. She was terrified of admitting her secret for the same reason. She was terrified of Montgomery.
Ophelia took a shaky breath. She took a few more steps backwards, towards the door.
She paused, for just a moment, and admitted. "He did something terrible to me too, Tyler."
Tyler hesitated. "When you to were together?"
She shook her head. No, recently.
"When?"
Ophelia stayed silent. Tyler gulped. He bit his lip, and stared down at the developing photos beneath him.
"For me, it was right after he was released on probation," Tyler admitted, his voice still quiet, and depressed.
His probation was for attacking her all that time ago. Ophelia recalled that day at school. She had gone to him, willingly, happy. She thought he turned himself in. He didn't. And to prove he wasn't that good of a person, he tried forcing her into an intimate kiss.
She told him she was leaving to Hillcrest, and she left, scared of his anger.
The anger that had fallen on Tyler. Ophelia felt a prickle off fear and guilt
"How did he hurt you?" he asked her.
She allowed him in her house. And he allowed himself to do whatever he wanted while inside.
Tyler noticed her eyes beginning to gloss over. And he saw her struggling to speak.
"You don't have to tell me," he told her.
"No, I..." Ophelia cleared her throat. "It's just...I don't want anyone to know." She then clarified, "Any of it. I don't want anyone else to know anything I've told you."
Tyler nodded. He said, nervously, "I understand. No one really talks to me anyways."
Ophelia still seemed hesitant.
Tyler had finally calmed himself down, and when he felt confident enough to, he stepped towards her again.
"If it helps, I could tell you what Montgomery did to me first."
Ophelia looked at him with wide, grateful eyes.
"I don't want to force you..."
Tyler felt himself crossing his arms, hugging himself. He felt more comfortable making himself smaller.
"I still want him to pay for what he did," he explained to her. He quickly added, "Not pay as in...die. I just-I want people to know. And I don't want him to get away with it."
Ophelia listened intently.
"I want Clay to know," Tyler said, finally. "Mostly because I want him to understand why I wanted to do it. But I can't build up the courage to tell him. If I tell you what happened...will you tell Clay for me?"
Ophelia nodded, stepping just a bit closer.
Tyler finally made eye contact with her again.
He hesitated, not knowing where to start. "After what I did to the field..."
She bit her lip.
Tyler cleared his throat, restarting.
"...I was in the bathroom..."
A/N: so Mr. Porter made his appearance as seen in season 3. We will see him a bit more, in relations to Tyler.
And Zach is finally beginning to realize how toxic some of his actions have become. Do you guys think this relationship can finally be saved? 👀
We also see the beginning of a friendship between Ophelia and Tyler. Let me know how you feel about this. Should she forgive him just because she can relate to his pain?
The next chapter we will see her reactions to what Montgomery did to Tyler, and we will also possibly see her confronting him.
