Someone had glued tacks to the bottom of her shoes. They must have. Because every step she took into that school caused her to feel sharp pain, pain she had never imagined before.
She hadn't even seen any of them yet, the people she was trying to desperately to avoid, but it already felt like she had been stabbed in the heart by a knife. A knife that no doubt would be their cruel words.
Ophelia had heard the tapes. She had heard the evil things Bryce had done, the things Justin had done, the things every one of them had done. But she knew that she had been one of the worst.
Alex would probably be the first one to confront her. After all, he seemed to have cared about Hannah the most. At least, it seemed that way from the tapes. She thanked God himself that Clay hadn't received the tapes yet. As far as she knew, Sheri would be getting them any day now. Depending how fast her package traveled.
She had already taken three weeks off school, and she wouldn't be able to convince her parents to let her miss any more.
So she entered the high school that day. For the first time since Hannah Baker killed herself. For the first time since her and Montgomery 'broke up'. And for the first time since she had made that terrible, terrible mistake.
So she walked through the school. Cautious and scared.
"Ophelia."
She froze in place as she heard her name being called. She didn't bother turning around. She didn't need to. The person who called her name walked in front of her, now standing in her view.
Jessica Davis. She looked heartbroken, or devastated, whatever you feel when a former friend kills themself.
"We need to talk," Jessica told her. She didn't bother with any formalities.
"I need to go to the office" Ophelia told her, quickly trying to get away from the conversation. "I need to-to get my make up work from the weeks I missed."
Jessica ignored her. "Was it true what she said? About Monty? About Rep Night?"
Straight to the point.
Straight to speaking about one of the worst nights of her life.
Ophelia swallowed. She dared to reply, "Is what she said about Bryce true? About the party?"
Jessica took a deep breath, shuffling back a bit. "Of course not."
Ophelia nodded. "Same here."
Ophelia began to stride forward. Jessica caught her by the arm. "The others want to talk to you too."
"The others?" It sounded so intimidating.
"Everyone who's listened so far."
Everyone on the tapes. A cruel group she didn't want to join.
"I have nothing to talk about," Ophelia tried to say.
"Regardless of how it happened, your boyfriend still..." Jessica hesitated. "It still happened, Ophelia. Days before she killed herself. If he gets caught, this lawsuit will swallow all of us."
Ophelia muttered something under her breath.
Jessica asked, "What?"
"Ex" Ophelia clarified, "My ex-boyfriend." She pulled her arm away, and continued her stride.
"You need help," Jessica called after her. "Let us help you."
Ophelia just shut her eyes tightly, and marched on.