Beyond the Reasons || JUSTIN FOLEY

Three

PRESENT TIME
JUNIOR YEAR
THIRD PERSON'S POV
TAPE 1, SIDE A

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"I was an office assistant third period, so I knew where you were third period. I even decided to like basketball for you, Justin. I know what you're all thinking, Hannah Baker is a slut. Oops, did you catch that? I said Hannah Baker is, can't say that anymore."

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Imogen shook her head as she closed her locker.

Was she being serious? I mean she knew the gist of all of this, but she never actually heard it from Hannah herself, and she did wonder why she always saw her at basketball games, because Hannah had told her that she wasn't the biggest sports fan. . at all.

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"I dreamed our first kiss would take place in the park. I never told you that, the dream starts with me at the top of the rocket, holding onto the steering wheel. It's still a playground rocket but, every time I turn the wheel to the left or the right, the trees lift up like they're taking flight. And I'm scared because I don't know how to fly. But you were there at the bottom of the slide to catch me when I fall, and that's all that happened. We kissed. Why? Did you hear something else?"

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The school day was over, so she knew Justin was going to be looking for her soon, but she barely had time to finish his tape. She didn't know how close she was to being done, but as she listened, she remembered everything that Hannah was talking about. A rumor, based on a picture, based on a lie, something that didn't happen. How could Justin do that to her? Well no, Bryce sent the picture on Justin's phone, she remembered that, but how could Justin let Bryce do that?

"Earth to my sister."

Imogen looked to her side and saw Clay standing at her locker and he was looking at her curiously, and then he pointed to the headphones.

"Good song?" He asked and Imogen shrugged.

"Something like that." She said and Clay nodded his head.

"Well, I'm about to head out, are you coming straight home?" He asked and she shrugged her shoulders.

"I'll walk in the direction of home and see if I end up there." She said and then she kissed her brother's cheek and walked away down the hallway, pressing play once more.

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"Nope, we just kissed. Sorry to disappoint you, but now I guess we're even. Sort of. See, I've heard so many stories about me now, that I don't know which one is the most popular. But I do know which is the least popular, the truth. See, the truth isn't always the most exciting version of things, or the best or the worst, it's somewhere in between. But it deserves to be heard and remembered. The truth will out, like someone said once it remains."

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She was now outside of school and she started laughing to herself as she realized why she might've been a reason Hannah killed herself. She was a bitch to her when she was with Justin. After giving her and Jess the "tour" the first day of sophomore year, she remembers when she went through the line of jocks and called out Justin and Bryce.