14 Reasons Why/Zach Dempsey

Chapter 4

GG's pov

I feel so selfish. Zach knew Hannah more than I did and yet I haven't even asked him how he's feeling. He's probably hurt and I should have asked him how he's feeling right after I listened to his tape. Being thoughtless or uncaring was never my intention, but just because my actions were unintentional does not mean that they deserve to be excused. Talking to him is probably the best thing to do right now. It's very early in the morning, but I'm sure that he's up. It's not unusual for him to be up early, especially considering that he and I have a morning workout today.

Omniscient narrator

Zach picked up his best friend and long time crush Genevieve at 5:00 in the morning. He comes by so early because she is his workout partner, but he also wants to spend as much time with her as possible. Zach is slightly distant, not because he is bored with Genevieve, but because Hannah's death is still weighing on him. He's been avoiding mentioning how he feels, because he doesn't want to feel like a burden. He also doesn't want to believe that Hannah was telling the truth. He doesn't want to believe that he and his friends are capable of such things.

Genevieve is nervous. She wonders if Zach expects her to bring up Hannah to him. She contemplates bringing up such a touchy subject with Zach. They've conversed about touchy subjects before, but this time it is different. They've never had to think about whether they had caused someone to commit suicide before this.

The duo both enjoy working out, but it is hard to do so on a day like this. Usually the gym is their solace, their escape. But do they deserve to escape this situation?

Genevieve is the first to outwardly admit that she'd rather not workout today. She doesn't want to go back to sleep either, because of her circadian rhythm (a term that science savvy Zach taught her) she is used to being awake at that hour. She suggests that they go to Monet's but Zach has a different idea.

"Why don't we just go back to my place. My sister is probably already up and my mom will make breakfast in an hour and a half" suggested Zach knowing that Genevieve had a soft spot for younger sister. Genevieve agreed, and Zach drove his Audi to his house.

Like any true gentleman, Zach opened the door for Genevieve. On the way up to his room, mama Dempsey yelled "Have fun but don't close your bedroom door". Like any rebellious teenager (yes even the golden boy can be disobedient) he ignored his mom at shut it anyway.

Zach was curious as to whether or not the tapes were in his friend's possession. When he asked her, she replied with "I'm not ready to give the tapes to Ryan, I don't trust him all that much".

"I don't trust him in the slightest" Zach admitted.

"There's a part of me that actually wants the tapes to be released, as sadistic as that sounds. Part of me would be okay with Ryan releasing the tapes" she said.

"How big is this part of you?" Zach inquired.

"Not that big, but I have pondered releasing them myself" she said.

"That would only get us in trouble, and it wouldn't bring Hannah back" Zach replied.

"Have you even seen the Bakers recently. They're a mess, especially Hannah's once vibrant mother. They have no idea what Hannah has gone through, even if there are some faults in her recollections. If I were her parents, I would want the truth" Genevieve admitted. "But you better not tell anyone that I've thought or releasing the tapes" said GG.