Secrets (Brandon Butler/Scott Reed)

Chapter 1

News: A body of a high school girl, Skye Miller, has been found in the woods last night. Skye has been reported missing for 2 weeks. Report says cause of death was by strangulation. Forensics are still looking for evidence on who could have been responsible for this murder.

Brandon's POV
"Hey Justin, doesn't that Skye girl go to your school?" I asked him.

"Oh yeah, she's in my grade. We've never been in the same classes but I've seen her in the halls before but we've never talked. She's doesn't seem like the friendliest person. I feel bad for her though. She didn't deserve to die."

"Imagine how her parents must be feeling."

"I wonder who could've did this to her." I said curiously.

"No clue, she was also a pretty quiet person so no one knows much about her. All I know is she works at this cafe called 'Monet's' and she only talks to one guy from what I've seen."

"Her boyfriend maybe?" I asked him.

"No, I know he definitely isn't her boyfriend. I know for a fact he's dating this girl."

"How do you know for a fact he has a girlfriend? Are you friends with him?"

"Not really but I know a bit about him. Let me tell you the story." Justin said.

"Last year, this girl named Hannah Baker, she tried to kill herself. Luckily her parents found her before she died. She recorded 13 tapes, each tape explains why she wanted to suicide and the person that caused her to do it. This guy, who's friend's with Skye, Clay Jensen, he was in love with Hannah but he was afraid to tell her. After hearing that she tried to kill herself and listening to those tapes, he confessed her feelings for her once she got out of the hospital. She actually liked him back so they're together now." Justin explained.

"Wow, a lot of crazy shit happens in your school." I said.

"Yep, bet you wished you went to Liberty." Justin said.

"No thanks, I'm not much of a drama person."

"What did happen with those other kids on the tapes?" I asked.

"From what I've heard, Hannah had a guy make sure all the tapes got passed around to the people on the tapes in order. If they don't then the tapes would get leaked. Eventually someone leaked the tapes a few months later but we still don't know who. But most those other kids are fine now. They apologized to Hannah and now they're great friends with her, well most of them."

"What happened to the kids who aren't?"

"Well one of them raped her, his name is Bryce Walker, he had to go to court but he ended up being found innocent. This other girl, Sheri Holland, she has to go to a Juvenile Delinquent Center because she ran down a stop sign but didn't call the cops, resulting in a death of a college student. But Sheri and Hannah are still friends. It's mainly just Bryce that she absolutely hates."

Justin and I recently moved to California about two years ago after I graduated high school. We originated from Illinois but ever since my parents got a promotion, we were forced to move to California. I was ok with it but I know it effected Justin a lot. He had to leave all his friends back in our home town. He begged our parents to let him finish his high school year at Lincoln Way High School but they couldn't give up their promotion. It was strange and uncomfortable for Justin to start at a new high school in a new town during his sophomore year. But luckily he fit in fast and was able to find some friends.

Liberty High is one of the most dramatic high school's I've ever heard of. At Lincoln Way, it was drama free, gets boring sometimes but it's safer that way. I'm just afraid one day Justin might get involved in the Liberty drama. Those never end well especially with the stories Justin told me. The kids who caused a girl to almost suicide must've had to go through a lot. I just pray Justin will never get involved with any drama at Liberty.