TROUBLED || thirteen reasons why

039.

Jessica Davis' car pulls up at the front of Liberty and Tristan quickly makes her way to the passenger door and hops in. The two girls look at each other, knowing that this might be their last chance to take Bryce down.

Jessica drives away from the school and makes her third trip to the court house in the past week. The girl looks at Tristan from the corner of her eye until her eyes drop to the other's busted hand, "Does it hurt?"

Tristan looks up to Jess, realizing what she means and smiles to herself, "Like a bitch."

Jessica's laugh fills the car and soon Tristan finds herself laughing with her. Jess turns to Tristan with a somber face, "I heard what you did... I think that was pretty fucking cool."

"Well, it's not like he didn't deserve it," Tristan jokes, not really realizing what she is saying until it's too late. Jessica's smile falls and Tristan looks away from the girl, neither wanting to be reminded of the one thing they have in common. Jessica parks outside the courthouse, where a large crowd of people have formed. Neither of the girls get out.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get him," Jessica says just above a whisper, not wanting to meet Tristan's eyes.

"What?"

"During my testimony... I just- just couldn't get his name out," Jessica wipes away tears falling from her face as she turns to look at Tristan, "She asked if there was another reason and all I had to do was say his name and-"

"Jess..." Tristan's heart breaks as she watches the girl tear herself apart. How could she blame herself? It wasn't her fault, "Jess, it's okay, we have today. We have Chloë."

"It doesn't matter, I... I had the chance-"

"At lease you had a chance," Tristan states, making the other girl stop talking, "They won't even let me testify for the Bakers. Clay asked. Nothing ever happened on school property, so they said they had no case."

"Tris-" But the girl cuts her off again.

"There hasn't been one moment where I don't smell him or feel him. No matter where I go, he is always going to be there too. I just want this to be over."

"It is, Tristan," Jessica says as she reaches over the console and latches onto Tristan's hands, "Chloë is going to do what I couldn't, and we're going to get him."

Tristan and Jessica cross the street and walk into the courthouse, holding each others hand tight. Jessica spots Alex and Zach and the girls walk towards them. Zach gives a small smile towards Tristan and places his hand gently on her back, his smile growing when he feels the girl lean further into him.

"Has Clay made it yet?" Jessica asks the two boys, but they both shake their heads.

"They left before us, so I thought they would already be here," Alex responds, looking over his friends and into the crowd in an attempt to find their missing friends. "Wait, there they are!"

The four of them turn and watch Clay, Justin, and Tony as they individually walk through the metal detector, but there is something about the three that seems wrong. Tristan starts to get a bad feeling once the three boys walk towards them with solemn expressions.

"What?" Tristan asks before they can even open their mouths, just wanting whatever it is bothering them to be out.

The three boys look at one another before Clay looks at the rest of them, "Someone stole the polaroids from my car."

"You lost them?" Jessica spits.

"Jesus, keep you voice down," Justin says as he looks around them for anyone listening in on their conversation.