Secrets Lie Within Us// 13 Reasons Why // Book 1 // Justin Foley Fanfic

Tape 4 : Pt. one

Clays pov

P R E S E N T  T I M E

For this next one, you need to be very quiet. Because you're about to do something very wrong. Be careful. And don't get caught.  Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to watch someone else? To invade someone's privacy? Do you wonder what secrets you might uncover? What skeletons you might turn up? Well, for this next one, you're about to find out.

I snuck out of my house and I'm riding my bike to the place Hannah is leading me to in the tape.  Yeah, I'm by myself right now.  I don't think Sierra wants to even talk to me after what I did earlier in the day.  I feel horrible about that.  I don't even know what got into me.  I can't even explain it, it just happened.  I just did it.  So now, I'm probably gonna have to suck it up and listen to these alone. 

We're always watching someone.  Following someone. And being followed. Facebook, twitter, instagram...they've made us a society of stalkers. And we love it.  Of course, stalking someone in real life is a whole 'nother thing.

I get off my bike and lean it up against a tree and look at the house in front of me.  I walk around to the back of it and realize this house seems familiar.

That's right.  I had a stalker. And if you've made it to A-4, you're outside his window. Just like I am...right now. Any guesses yet? No? Well, stay tuned to hear about the skeletons he dug up. For now...let's see if he's got any of his own. I get that it's a thrill...looking into someone's life. My hearts pounding right now. Can you hear it? Listen.

Suddenly I can hear a heartbeat through the headphones I'm wearing.  I close my eyes for a minute and then when I open them again, Hannah is standing right in front of me holding a mic to her heart.  I just stand there and stare and listen to the heart beat and then blink and she's gone. 

"Clay!" I heard and turned around to see Marcus and he puts his finger up to his lips.

"Marcus.  What are you doing?" I said.

"Sorry, okay? I said your name, like, three times." He said and I took the headphones off.

"What are you...wearing?" I said since he's wearing a costume.  He has on a huge sombrero with colorful strings all over it.

"Oh, I totally forgot. I'm El Niño. The tropical storm? No? okay. Wow, I really hope you're not one of the judges tomorrow, cause..." He was saying but I cut him off.

"Marcus, what are you doing?" I said.

"The costume contest.  Two hundred bucks" He said.

"Here...what are you doing out here?" I said.

"Oh. I heard you, man. I live right over there. Besides, your not the first one to come look at the famous window. We all did it. And we all took our shot." He said.

"Wait...we? Are you...on the tapes?" I said and he nodded. "Why? What did you do?" I continued.

"Who knows? Okay? I didn't listen. I just started each tape till I heard who it was, figured out who came after me, and passed them on." He said.

"But what about the second set? Hannah said if we don't listen...." I started to say but he cut in.

"Hannah said. Dude, Hannah's dead. I'm sorry, but it's true. Nothing anyone did to her was any different than what happens to every girl at every high school. She just wanted attention. And leaving those tapes...that's a fucked up thing to do! No one deserves that." He said and I just stood there. I'm trying to process all of this when a light from inside is turned on and we both duck.