SAVIOR COMPLEX , Thirteen Reasons Why

seven

- Shame

NATALIA WAS SEEMINGLY guilty for a number of reasons. She was a force, a quiet one until shaken up. She was not to be pushed, and for some reason, all people did was kick her over the edge. It was hard to stay calm, and for the most part, she did. Unless she saw blatant aggression from assholes who knew what they were doing.

So, when she opened her front door, it was hard to stay calm. She didn't know why Zach Dempsey stood at her door, dripping with rain water, saturating the welcome mat outside of the door. It was a mystery to her why he was there, and she didn't really want to know.

"Natalia— I killed him."

Natalia stepped back and widened the door for him. He entered cautiously. His features stressed as she stood before him calmly. He was quite confused.

"What did you say?" Natalia quizzed, trying to shut down the emotions. Zach looked around the foyer and searched for something. "They're not home, but my dad'll be back any minute."

"I just wanted to tell you," Zach told her as he limped forward, he stood on the rug now. He closed the door behind him. "I killed Bryce."

Natalia searched for something to say, something to bring him down from what he thinks he did. There was only one thing she could think of and she didn't know if it was the best thing to calm him down.

"No you didn't," Natalia tried to ease him as he slipped off his clunky boots. He towered over her, his kind eyes looking desperate and vulnerable. Then they turned confused.

"What do you mean? I did, I killed him. He-He was talking about Chloe and I just—" he looked up with shock at his words. "I don't know why I'm telling you this."

"Me either," Natalia sighed. Her guts churned anxiously. "He was found in the water, Zach. I don't think you did it. I think someone came there, finished the job, and wants to pin it on Clay."

Zach stared at her.

There was one thing Zach overlooked. How would Natalia, the one afraid of forensic files, piece all of that together. The complexities of the situation were not that simple, and she had put two and two together quicker than the police.

"I'm bringing it to the police, Bex. I can't deal with this," Zach told her. Her brow furrowed in thought. This could work in his favor, assault was better than murder.

"I can't stop you, can I?" Natalia quizzed sadly and he shook his head.

"No. I have to do what's right," Zach said his face was covered with pure terror. Natalia swallowed sharply knowing that her father would be home soon.

"Zach, leave. Leave and go home. To your mom, to your sister. You can't get yourself caught up like that. You have people who depend on you," Natalia tried to bargain with him, but his mind seemed to be set as his blank stare stayed centered on her eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said. It occurred to Natalia how odd it was he came to her when he could've went to anyone else.

"Why didn't you go to Clay? Or Alex," Natalia asked and Zach seemed like he wanted to hold back this information. He ran his tongue over his teeth in thought.

"You deserve to know," he tells her.

Zach and Natalia were once close, but recently, they've been as distant as ever. It didn't make sense why he would ever come to her when they haven't talked in months. Whatever was going on right now, needed to be shut down. She didn't want to lead Zach on anymore than she already has and based on the look he had, he would allow it.

Natalia ended things after Tyler's accident. She couldn't stand the fact that her feelings weren't reciprocated, and at that point, due to how involved Clay was, she needed to be there for him. Solely for him, and not Zach. At first Zach was sad, and then mad, but nothing could ever make him hate the girl.

Forgiveness was all he could give her from then on.

"Zach, as much as I'd like you to stay, you really need to go. If my father sees you..." Natalia trailed off. Zach looked down and began to turn away. "You're a good guy, Zach."

"Never better than Clay," his voice came out hush as he got his boots on. Natalia huffed as he shut the door behind him. She felt bad because in the back of her mind, she silently agreed.

✺ ✺ ✺

NATALIA DIDN'T KNOW Clay as well as she did over the years. She didn't know where he went after homecoming. She felt herself lose him faster and faster everyday. She didn't even notice him when he came up behind her.

"Spending time in custody isn't as fun as it seems. It's actually boring," his voice was humorous and it tweaked something in Natalia's brain.

"That isn't funny," Natalia replied, uninterested in joking about that. So the rumors were true.

She crammed a couple folders and books in her locker. His eyes scanned the side of her face.

"I don't know if this comes as a surprise, Clay, but there are people that are fucking worried," Natalia revolted and she slammed her locker shut, turning to him. "Being one of those people cut the fucking shit."

"Nat—" Clay began, but for some reason her anger couldn't let him get a word in.

"I know you didn't do it, so where were you on homecoming, unless you were killing Bryce, I can't imagine you doing anything that isn't PG-13," Natalie pried causing  Clay to huffed. Her sudden surge of emotion came as refreshment because she had so much as glanced at him all week.

"I'm sorry, Nat. I can't tell you," His voice was as disappointed as Natalia felt. She sighed and slowly began to walk away. She was done with this for now.

She could stand the mystery Clay Jensen had been becoming. They felt like total strangers.