Hannah Baker: I've told you about two of the worst decisions I ever made, and the damage left behind... and the people who got hurt. There is one more story to tell... one more bad decision... and this one's all on me. No... it wasn't the decision to go to the party. Because how could I have known? But it was the same night. That same awful night. Remember that story I was saving for later? Well, this is it. And it's all about you... Clay.
Clay sits down on a bench as holds on to the tape player with his tape.
Clay Jensen: How in the hell am I supposed to listen to this?
Tony Padilla: I think the asshole answer is you put the headphones on, the cassette tape in, and you press play.
Clay Jensen: That is the asshole answer, isn't it?
Tony Padilla: Yeah, but it's true.
Clay Jensen: I can't... be here. I can't listen here. I need you to drive.
Tony Padilla: Where do you want to go?
Clay Jensen: Just... anywhere. Somewhere else.
Tony agrees to take him for a ride as they both get into the Mustang. Tony drives away as Clay began to listen to his tape.
Hannah Baker: Clay, I know you're asking yourself why you're on these tapes. What could you possibly have done? What else could have happened the night of Jessica's party? Part of me was saying, "Ask me again." But part of me was saying, "Don't go." Not even for Clay. I should have listened to that part of me. See, I never told you, Clay, but I've always admired you. You are who you are, and you don't care. And I always cared what other people thought of me, as much as I acted like I didn't. Is that a boy/girl thing, or a Clay/Hannah thing? I bet you also wish you'd never gone to Jessica's. Right, Clay? I bet you wish you hadn't invited me. I'd talked to you a million times before, but... tonight was different, and... I didn't know what to say to you. But when you finally came up to me... you knew just how to break the ice. I was so nervous that night, but you made it seem so...
Clay Jensen: Easy?
Clay pressed stop as he takes his headphones off.
Clay Jensen: Is she kidding me? I was shitting myself.
Tony Padilla: Okay.
Clay Jensen: But she's not telling the truth about the way things happened.
Tony Padilla: She's telling her truth.
Clay Jensen: Why do you always act like you know?
Tony Padilla: Because I do. From the tapes, I know her truth.
Clay Jensen: So, why do you have to be here, knowing?
Tony Padilla: 'Cause I don't know what your truth is. And I don't know what's gonna happen when you find out hers.
Clay's phone starts ringing. He takes out his phone and sees that it's his mother.
Clay Jensen: Hey, Mom.
Mrs. Jensen: Hi, Clay, it's Mom.
Clay Jensen: Yeah, I just said that.
Mrs. Jensen: So you did. Yeah. Uh... So how was day one of your suspension? Did you manage to be productive?
Clay Jensen: Yeah, no, definitely. I did some research.
Laine Jensen: Good. Good. Listen, you and your dad are on your own for dinner. Something came up here.
Clay Jensen: Something... with Hannah's case?
Mrs. Jensen: I'll tell you later if I can. Um... There's leftover chicken in the fridge, and roast beef for sandwiches. Listen, I have to go, so be in touch with your dad, okay?
Clay Jensen: Sure.
Laine Jensen: Bye.
Clay Jensen: Bye.
Clay resumes listening to his tape. As he listens, he remembers back to that night. He showed up 2 hours early thinking that the party started at 7, but 7 really means 9. He helped out setting up snacks. As party got going, Hannah showed up. Clay panicked and tried sneaking out, only to be stopped by Jeff. Jeff talks Clay into having a conversation with Hannah and he does. When Hannah gets to the part where she & Clay went upstairs...
Clay Jensen: Stop. I've got to stop.
Tony Padilla: You want me to stop the car?
Clay Jensen: No. Yes! No, no. What does she say next? I mean, does she say what she did? Does she say why?
Tony Padilla: She does.
Clay Jensen: So, Justin, Zach, Alex, they all heard this? And Ryan and Tyler?
Tony Padilla: Of course.
Clay Jensen: Of course. I'm just like everyone else.
Meanwhile, Jessica continues to hang out with Bryce. Justin had been trying to call her but she just ignores his calls and proposes to go to Bryce's house and hang in the hot tub. She knows that something bad happened to her at her party but tries to make things okay by trying to forget. She's been slowly spiraling out of control, especially after she showed Bryce her father's gun collection. Justin got into an argument with Seth, his mother's drug dealing boyfriend, and left the house. After Zach didn't answer his phone, Justin stayed over at Alex's house. Clay felt like throwing up, so Tony takes take him to Monet's for a bite. Skye Miller brings over their order
Skye Miller: I've got a prosciutto mozzarella with red peppers.
Skye sets the plate in front of Tony.
Tony Padilla: Thank you.
Skye Miller: And a plain turkey with a tiny dab of mayo, and an even tinier dab of mustard.
Skye then sets Clay's plate in front of him.
Clay Jensen: Thank you.
Skye Miller: No triple Americano for you?
Clay Jensen: No, I'll just... I'll just get some water or something.
Skye Miller: Oh, my God. Sit. I'll get it.
Skye walks back to retrieve Clay's water.
Tony Padilla: Wow. She doesn't do that for anybody.
Clay Jensen: I'm ready to keep listening. We don't have to waste more time.
Tony Padilla: Eat your food.
Clay Jensen: I can't.
Tony Padilla: Don't act like a child. Eat.
Clay Jensen: Stop talking like my grandpa.
Tony Padilla: You need to be in the right headspace.
Clay Jensen: How can I be in the right headspace to find out why I caused a girl to try to kill herself?
Skye returns with Clay's water as she hands it to him.
Clay Jensen: Thank you.
Clay grabs his water and begins chugs it down.
Skye Miller: Wow. Rough night?
Tony Padilla: He's working through some shit.
Skye Miller: I can see that. He's got existential crisis written on his forehead.
Clay Jensen: I do not.
Skye Miller: There's some truth you don't want to face.
Clay Jensen: Why did you say that?
Skye Miller: I see the future. You know that. I told you your fortune in 7th grade.
Clay Jensen: You predicted I wouldn't be 5'2" forever.
Skye Miller: How tall are you now?
Clay has no response because he is indeed 5'2".
Skye Miller: See?
Tony Padilla: Ooh... La bruja.
Skye Miller: That's right. I got my cards here, if you want a reading.
Clay Jensen: I'm good.
Skye Miller: Maybe there's even a message from beyond.
Clay Jensen: What are you saying?
Skye Miller: Take a reading and you'll find out.
Clay thinks about it for a second.
Clay Jensen: All right.
Tony Padilla: Seriously?
Skye Miller: Don't mock what you don't know.
Tony Padilla: I am Catholic. I know all about this mystical bullshit.
Skye takes Clay over to another table as she brings out her tarot cards for a reading.
Skye Miller: First you shuffle.
Clay Jensen: Is this so I know you're not cheating?
Skye Miller: There's no winning or losing.
Clay shuffles the card deck.
Skye Miller: You shuffle to transfer your energy to the cards. Now cut the deck.
Clay cuts the deck next. As Skye reaches for the cards, Clay notices cuts on her wrist. Skye begins to do the reading.
Clay Jensen: So, uh... what do the cards say?
Skye Miller: This one, nine of wands, but it's reversed, which means you feel the world is against you.
Clay Jensen: Really? Seems right.
Skye Miller: Like accusing people of ratting you out.
Clay Jensen: I didn't mean to...
Skye Miller: The hermit. Also reversed. You're isolated. Alone.
Clay Jensen: Big deal. Everybody's alone.
Skye Miller: A very un-Clay Jensen thing to say. Ten of swords. You keep falling back into the pain of the past. You can't face your sadness, your fear. You can't move on.
Clay Jensen: What the hell are you doing?
Skye Miller: Page of cups.
Clay Jensen: You're talking about Hannah.
Skye Miller: The cards are showing someone struggling inside. Tortured. Emotionally.
Clay Jensen: Why are you so pissed at me?
Skye Miller: I'm just reading your cards.
Clay Jensen: I don't get how you're mad at me. You stopped talking to me freshman year.
Skye Miller: Really? First day of school, you didn't see me then turn the other way?
Clay Jensen: Well... I didn't know what to say.
Skye Miller: How about, "Hey, Skye, how's it going?"
Clay Jensen: You just... you changed.
Skye Miller: Yeah, so did you. You used to be cool.
Clay Jensen: You used to be nice.
Skye Miller: We can't all be nice girls like Sheri. Or Hannah.
Clay Jensen: Why talk shit about Hannah? What did she do to you?
Skye Miller: Besides ignore me?
Clay Jensen: You were jealous of her.
Skye Miller: Why would I be jealous of a comatose girl? What she did was stupid.
Clay Jensen: You don't know anything about it.
Skye Miller: She didn't go through anything different than any of us. We all get through it.
Clay Jensen: Yeah? Then what's that?
Clay grabs Skye's wrist and pulls up the sleeve revealing the cuts that Skye had been doing to herself.
Skye Miller: It's what you do instead of killing yourself. Suicide is for the weak.
A frustrated Clay just gets up and walks away. Tony pays the bill and follows Clay out as they return to the Mustang and drive away.
Clay Jensen: I mean, what a... what a bitch!
Tony Padilla: Wow.
Clay Jensen: Well, she is!
Tony Padilla: I never heard you use that word before.
Clay Jensen: She doesn't know what was going on in Hannah's life.
Tony Padilla: You don't know what's going on in hers.
Clay Jensen: Would you... you know, shut up, Tony. I get so sick of your little sayings, and things you point out, acting all wise. You're like this unhelpful Yoda.
Tony Padilla: Is that a crack on my height?
Clay was gonna put his headphones on when Tony stops him.
Tony Padilla: Whoa, whoa, hold on a minute.
Clay Jensen: Why?
Tony Padilla: Headspace. Headspace.
Clay Jensen: Unhelpful Yoda. Unhelpful Yoda. Just let me out.
Tony Padilla: I'm not gonna leave you alone. I will let you get some air. I know a place.
Tony takes Clay up to a hill that has a perfect view of Evergreen County.
Clay Jensen: It's fine in here.
Tony Padilla: Okay. I'll be right here if you need me.
Tony exits the Mustang as he lets Clay finish listening to his tape. Clay resumes playing the tape. Hannah goes on to say that she & Clay went up stairs and went to Jessica's room for some quiet. Clay now listens to Hannah bringing up to the moment when they kissed.
Hannah Baker: At that moment... everything was perfect. And for the first time in a long time... I could imagine a future where I was happy. How good life could be. And I know you felt it too. I wanted you to do everything you were doing... so I don't know why my mind took me everywhere else. And I thought of every other guy. And they all became you.
Clay remembers that Hannah freaked out at him. Clay thought that it was something he did wrong, but every time he asks Hannah what was wrong, she yelled at him to get out.
Hannah Baker: Part of me was saying... "Please don't leave." Part of me never wanted to see you again. But you walked out the door... like I told you to. Why did you have to leave? It was the worst thing ever. And then it got worse.
That's when Clay pieced it together. After he left, Justin & Jessica came in the room and what happened that night happened. Clay thought to himself, "Had I not left Hannah alone, Jessica would've never gotten raped by Bryce, Sheri never would've knocked down the stop sign, & Jeff would still be alive. This is all my fault."
Hannah Baker: Clay... Helmet... your name does not belong on this list. But you need to be here if I'm going to tell my story. If I'm going to explain why I did what I did. Because you aren't every other guy. You're different. You're good and kind... and decent. And I didn't deserve to be with someone like you.
The tape ends.
Clay Jensen: GODDAMN IT!
Clay has finished listening to his tape as he threw off his headsets. He gets out of the Mustang and begins walking angrily towards Tony.
Clay Jensen: You knew.
Tony Padilla: Whoa...
Clay Jensen: You knew all along.
Tony Padilla: Knew what?
Clay Jensen: That all of this is my fault.
Tony Padilla: How did I know that?
Clay Jensen: I-I just left Hannah. I left her there. She needed me, and I walked away.
Tony Padilla: You were doing what she told you to do.
Clay Jensen: No, I ran. I was scared. I thought it was something I had done or something I didn't understand, because I'm this fucking loser who doesn't know anything about girls or about life or anything.
Tony Padilla: So all of this is your fault?
Clay Jensen: I left! I knew I shouldn't have left. And then Bryce raped Jessica. Hannah saw, then Sheri knocked down the stop sign...
Tony Padilla: Whoa, whoa!
Clay Jensen: Then Jeff died, and it all started with me!
Clay now begins making his way to the ledge of the cliff.
Tony Padilla: Clay. I think you gotta get back from that edge.
Clay Jensen: Why? Why shouldn't I just jump, just let go?
Tony Padilla: So you can die? You die and then have Hannah wake up from her coma?
Clay Jensen: Fuck you, Tony.
Tony Padilla: You think you could have changed anything? What does that make you? God?
Clay Jensen: I should have stayed with Hannah.
Tony Padilla: She told you to go.
Clay Jensen: I should've told her, should've said...
Tony Padilla: What? You think you could have changed any of this?
Clay Jensen: I could have said... "I'm not going."
Tony Padilla: She said, "Get the hell out of here."
Clay Jensen: No. No, I won't go.
Tony Padilla: Get out.
Clay Jensen: No.
Tony Padilla: Get the fuck out!
Clay Jensen: Not until you tell me what's wrong.
Clay just stands there looking at the bottom of the cliff. Clay imagines what he would've said to her had he stayed instead. Clay then turns around and looks at Tony with tears in his eyes.
Clay Jensen: (Sobbing) I couldn't... I couldn't tell her. I couldn't hold her. I killed Hannah Baker. Like you said.
Tony Padilla: She's not dead. I said we all almost killed Hannah.
Clay Jensen: How am I supposed to live with that?
Tony Padilla: Any way you can.
Tony hugs Clay as he cries on Tony's shoulder. Meanwhile, Justin is at Alex's house to stay over when Jessica finally calls him back. He hears Bryce in the back as he & Alex now make their way to Bryce's. Jessica is playing Texas Hold 'Em with Zach & Bryce while some of their friends are playing video games & foosball.
Jessica Davis: Again and again!
Bryce Walker: Just take the money.
Jessica Davis: And fucking again. What? Yeah, that's mine.
Bryce Walker: That's, like, twice.
Jessica Davis: This is embarrassing at this point.
Bryce Walker: You want to rub it in now? You finally win, once!
Jessica Davis: I am so fucking rich! Whatever.
Justin & Alex arrive to the poolhouse.
Bryce Walker: Justy! Alex! About fucking time, you guys. These cards are getting stale. Come on, sit down.
Justin Foley: Jess and I had this thing planned.
Jessica Davis: No, we don't.
Justin Foley: We were gonna get late dinner. Let's go.
Jessica Davis: When did you tell me about dinner? Was that before or after you walked out on me today?
Bryce Walker: Oh. Justin, sounds like you'd better make it up to her... by losing a few hands. Come on, sit.
Justin joins them at the poker table as he just stares at Jessica while Alex just stands and watches.
Zach Dempsey: All right, well, uh, the game is Texas Hold 'Em. $5 Dollar ante, $5 dollar minimum bet.
Bryce Walker: Don't worry I got you staked. Your girlfriend's been playing with my money all night anyway.
Jessica Davis: Alex, sit down.
Alex Standall: No, I'm good. I hate poker.
Jessica Davis: No, you have to play. Everybody's playing. Come on.
Jessica gets up from her seat and drag Alex to sit down where she was sitting.
Jessica Davis: Here.
Jessica now sits on Bryce's lap.
Bryce Walker: Whoa.
Justin Foley: Jess, what the fuck?
Jessica Davis: Your deal.
Jessica sets down a pair of cards.
Justin Foley: I don't want to fuckin' play cards.
Jessica Davis: I said your deal!
Jessica throws another pair at him almost hitting his face.
Zach Dempsey: Jess.
Bryce Walker: Shit.
Justin Foley: Fuck it! Let's go. Jess,
Justin gets up and walks away. He stops and sees that Jessica is still sitting on Bryce's lap as he goes up to her, grabs her by her arm, & drags her away.
Justin Foley: Jess, I said let's go. Come On.
Jessica Davis: What the fuck, Justin!
Justin drags Jessica out of the poolhouse as everyone worriedly looks on.
Justin Foley: We're leaving now. I don't want you hanging out here again.
Jessica Davis: Don't touch me like that!
Jessica rip her arm away from Justin as everyone goes out to see what's going on with them.
Jessica Davis: Don't you ever touch me like that!
Bryce Walker: Buddy, calm down.
Justin Foley: Stay the fuck away from her.
Jessica Davis: What is your problem, Justin?
Zach Dempsey: Guys, this does not need to happen.
Alex Standall: Maybe it does.
Justin Foley: What are you doing here? What are you doing here with him?
Jessica Davis: We're just having fun.
Justin Foley: Why the fuck are you here with Bryce?
Jessica Davis: Why do you care? Tell me!
Alex Standall: Tell her, Justin.
Zach Dempsey: Alex.
Justin Foley: Let's go.
Jessica Davis: Tell me why you care.
Justin Foley: Let's go.
Jessica Davis: Tell me why you fucking care!
Justin Foley: Because he fucking raped you!
Justin finally admitted the truth. Everyone else were shocked at what they just heard. Bryce begin to calm Justin down.
Bryce Walker: Justin, brother...
Justin Foley: I'm not your brother.
Justin tries to attack Bryce but Zach tries to stop him by pulling him back.
Zach Dempsey: Stop. Enough.
Justin Foley: I should kill you, you son of a bitch! I should fucking kill you! Let me fucking go! Let me fucking go! Let me fucking go!
Zach Dempsey: Stop.
Jessica in now in tears as is Justin. A teary Jessica goes up to a teary Justin as Zach let's go of him.
Jessica Davis: I hate you.
Jessica slaps Justin and walks away.
Bryce Walker: What the fuck did you just do?
Bryce walks away and heads inside his house as everyone else has no idea what to do or what to think. Meanwhile at the Baker house, Olivia is digging around Hannah's stuff when she stumbles onto a piece of paper with a bunch of names on it. The names of the people on the tapes and others who aren't on the tapes. Tony goes to drop off Clay at his house as they arrive.
Tony Padilla: You're not gonna do anything stupid tonight, are you?
Clay Jensen: No.
Tony Padilla: Promise me?
Clay Jensen: I promise.
Clay gets out of the car. As he was about to make his way in...
Tony Padilla: Hey, Clay!
Clay turns around.
Tony Padilla: When she wakes up, she's going to need you.
Clay nods at Tony as he drives away. Clay goes inside his house and grab a glass bottle of milk and begins to drink as he takes a seat on the couch. At that moment, his mother arrives and joins him.
Laine Jensen: Hey.
Clay Jensen: Hey.
Laine Jensen: You asked earlier about Hannah's case, but I couldn't talk. The Bakers' lawyer got a judge to fast-track the case. The school offered a settlement. The Bakers turned it down today. Things are going to be moving quickly from now on.
Clay Jensen: To trial?
Laine Jensen: Bakers' lawyer will be issuing deposition subpoenas right away. Got a copy of his list tonight. A number of your classmates are on it. So are you.
Clay Jensen: So I'll have to testify.
Laine Jensen: It's really just an interview. And I'll prepare you.
Clay Jensen: Coach me on what to say?
Laine Jensen: No. Prepare you for what kind of questions they'll be asking. Which will mostly have to do with your relationship with Hannah Baker. And the more we know before the depo, the easier it will be.
Clay Jensen: Mom. I promise I'll tell you everything... but not yet.
Everyone's worst fears is now approaching them. Everyone on the tapes will be deposed. As for Jessica, she lays on her bed as she soaks in the realization that everything that Hannah said on the tapes are indeed true, especially tape 9.
Jessica Davis: (Whispering) She was right. She was right.
Her phone dings. She looks at the text she received. It's from Bryce asking her if she's ok, she is not.