13 Reasons Why Hannah Baker Lived

Chapter 8: Clay's Tape

Hannah Baker: I've told you about two of the worst decisions I ever made, and the damage left behind... and the people who got hurt. There is one more story to tell... one more bad decision... and this one's all on me. No... it wasn't the decision to go to the party. Because how could I have known? But it was the same night. That same awful night. Remember that story I was saving for later? Well, this is it. And it's all about you... Clay.

Clay sits down on a bench as holds on to the tape player with his tape.

Clay Jensen: How in the hell am I supposed to listen to this?

Tony Padilla: I think the asshole answer is you put the headphones on, the cassette tape in, and you press play.

Clay Jensen: That is the asshole answer, isn't it?

Tony Padilla: Yeah, but it's true.

Clay Jensen: I can't... be here. I can't listen here. I need you to drive.

Tony Padilla: Where do you want to go?

Clay Jensen: Just... anywhere. Somewhere else.

Tony agrees to take him for a ride as they both get into the Mustang. Tony drives away as Clay began to listen to his tape.

Hannah Baker: Clay, I know you're asking yourself why you're on these tapes. What could you possibly have done? What else could have happened the night of Jessica's party? Part of me was saying, "Ask me again." But part of me was saying, "Don't go." Not even for Clay. I should have listened to that part of me. See, I never told you, Clay, but I've always admired you. You are who you are, and you don't care. And I always cared what other people thought of me, as much as I acted like I didn't. Is that a boy/girl thing, or a Clay/Hannah thing? I bet you also wish you'd never gone to Jessica's. Right, Clay? I bet you wish you hadn't invited me. I'd talked to you a million times before, but... tonight was different, and... I didn't know what to say to you. But when you finally came up to me... you knew just how to break the ice. I was so nervous that night, but you made it seem so...

Clay Jensen: Easy?

Clay pressed stop as he takes his headphones off.

Clay Jensen: Is she kidding me? I was shitting myself.

Tony Padilla: Okay.

Clay Jensen: But she's not telling the truth about the way things happened.

Tony Padilla: She's telling her truth.

Clay Jensen: Why do you always act like you know?

Tony Padilla: Because I do. From the tapes, I know her truth.

Clay Jensen: So, why do you have to be here, knowing?

Tony Padilla: 'Cause I don't know what your truth is. And I don't know what's gonna happen when you find out hers.

Clay's phone starts ringing. He takes out his phone and sees that it's his mother.

Clay Jensen: Hey, Mom.

Mrs. Jensen: Hi, Clay, it's Mom.

Clay Jensen: Yeah, I just said that.

Mrs. Jensen: So you did. Yeah. Uh... So how was day one of your suspension? Did you manage to be productive?

Clay Jensen: Yeah, no, definitely. I did some research.

Laine Jensen: Good. Good. Listen, you and your dad are on your own for dinner. Something came up here.

Clay Jensen: Something... with Hannah's case?