The day Ophelia met Hannah Baker was two days after the Alex Standall's list was spread around the school.
It was at the movie theater, not at school. Which makes sense, because Ophelia couldn't see herself ever holding a conversation with the the Hannah Baker the rumors had told her about. But at the movie theater, that was where the real Hannah was.
Ophelia could remember the crisp conversation like it had just happened.
Walking up to the concession counter, Ophelia could feel herself slow in step. Clay Jensen was here. She wouldn't have come if she had known that. She specifically came here because she thought she wouldn't have to worry about anyone from school seeing her.
She considered walking back into the theater, but Clay had already seen her, and it would be too awkward if she went back now.
So she stood at the concession stand.
"Hi" she said, awkwardly.
"Ophelia Tristano" Clay greeted in a friendly voice, "What can I get for you?"
"Two regular sodas, please." She added, "And a large popcorn."
"Coming right up. What flavors?"
"Coke and Diet Coke."
Clay took a step to the popcorn machine. "Hannah, we need two regular sodas. Coke and Diet."
Hannah Baker appeared from behind the candy dispenser. "You got it."
Ophelia but her lip. Two people from school. How could she manage to find a theater with two people from school working there? Clay Jensen and Hannah Baker of all people.
Hannah set the drinks in front of her.
"Ophelia, right?"
She nodded.
"You're in my English" Hannah stated. "I've seen you around too."
"Yeah" Ophelia agreed, "I've seen you too."
"So who you here with?" she asked boldly.
She said, "Just my boyfriend."
Hannah nodded, but looked eager for more. A cheery smile appeared on her face as she asked, "Who is...?"
"He goes to our school" Ophelia said, "But I'm not sure if you know him."
Hannah leaned back with humorous suspicious. "Mystery guy, huh? It's cool, I don't gotta know. Not now, at least. But trust me when I say I'll be noticing which guys your talking to at school."
Ophelia chuckled at this. "I'll watch out for you."
"You'll never see me coming" Hannah said, "I've seen at least five movies involving spies so...I'm pretty much an expert at being one."
Ophelia laughed again. "If you say so."
Clay pushed the popcorn down the counter her way.
"How much I owe you?" she asked.
Hannah shook her head, "Relax, girl. We got you."
She was surprised. "Really?"
"Of course. Us Liberty Highers gotta stick together, right?"
"Right."
Clay added, "Right."
Hannah laughed.
A part of Ophelia is glad that the tapes came out. If they didn't, she might spend the rest of her life wondering how Hannah could have killed herself. How that happy, bubbly girl at the movie theater possibly could have killed herself.
She wondered if that meant she might one day end up in that position.
No. If she was going to be pushed over the edge, it would have already happened. She survived through that night intact and emotionally able. If anything, that would have brought her down.
Now, as she steps into first period for the first time in three weeks, she hoped that strength would help her now.
"Ms. Tristano" Mrs. Jangle, her science teacher greeted, "we're so glad to have you back. Are you feeling better?"
Ophelia gave a curt nod. She walked towards the back of her classroom, to her usual seat next to the window. She paused in step. Zachary Dempsey sat next to her. At the beginning of the year she was glad, he was cute, and so smart at this subject.
But right now she would rather be sat next to Jessica Davis. Even if it landed her another attempt at a lecture.
Ophelia sat down, and was barely in her seat when Zach turned to her.
"Ophelia, hey. How have you been?" he asked on a hesitant voice.
She had already braced herself for this. For the pity she would receive, and the sympathetic gestures others would show towards her to make her feel less pathetic than she knew she was. She had been bracing herself since she heard the tapes and realized that her deepest darkest secrets had been being passed around without her knowledge.
She bit her lip. "Fine, Zach."
He cleared his throat. "I've been, uh, I've been saving the classwork you missed. Only the last two weeks thought. Not the first one, I didn't know how long you'd be gone."
He handed her a stack of papers. They were his grades and returned assignments. All she had to do now was copy them.
And she knew the real reason he didn't collect her work the first week. He hadn't listened to the tapes yet. He didn't feel sorry for her yet.
"Thanks" she got out.
"Listen, Ophelia, if you ever...If you ever need to talk-"
"I'm good" she cut him off. Looking at him she said, "You don't have to pretend to be my friend."
His face dropped. His eyebrows knitted together in confused understanding. "I am your friend, Ophelia."
She shook her head.
"I only had one friend. And she's dead now."
Her eyes focused on the empty seat in front of her. A wave of grief passed over her heart. She had been one of the reasons her only friend decided to kill herself.
She took in a deep, shaky breath. She felt a hand on her arm. Turning, she saw Zach staring at her. Silently staring at her with a look she dreaded receiving.
A look that masked sorrow, but beneath was filled with disgust and accusations of stupidity.
He said, "I-"
"Get your fucking hands off her, Dempsey."
Ophelia flinched, and shook the boy's hand off her.
Montgomery entered the classroom anger. "The hell you trying to do, man?"
"Mr. De La Cruz, please take your seat" the teacher requested.
Zach defended, "Chill man, we were just talking."
"Well don't" Montgomery snapped. He turned to Ophelia. Her gaze was fasted away from him. She felt a shiver down her spine as he took a step closer. His scent infiltrated her nose.
"We need to talk" he told her.
Slowly, she shook her head. "I already told you everything you needed to hear."
"In a fucking text message?" he snapped. His voice began rising. "You break up with me in a text message, won't let me see you, and then disappear for three fucking weeks?"
Tension in the classroom was rising, and she knew full well that everyone occupying the room was looking at the two of them. She met Justin's eyes. He just shook his head and looked away. Courtney shared the class with them also. She didn't even make eye contact, pretending she was writing something down.
After listening to her tape, Ophelia doubted she'd ever get much help from Courtney.
"Dude, leave her alone."
Ophelia's head snapped towards Zach. After listening to the tapes through and through, he still thought talking back to Montgomery was a good idea?
"Stay the fuck out of this" Montgomery spoke calmly.
"Mr. De La Cruz!" the teacher shouted.
He ignored all of them, looking back to Ophelia. "Three minutes. I deserve at least three minutes after three fucking weeks."
"Mr. De La Cruz, if you are not in your seat when the bell rings you will be marked late."
"Fuck off!" he yelled.
Mrs. Jangle gasped. Ophelia was sure she was going to say more, but she didn't, she just stood there flabbergasted.
Montgomery reached down, grabbing my arm, and pulled me out of the desk. "Let's go."
"Let go!" Ophelia shouted at him.
She felt her cheeks reddening in embarrassment. Especially as she could see Zach out of the corner of her eye. His face scrunching up, suddenly realizing that everything he heard was true, and everything suddenly adding together for him.
Zach's figure suddenly shot up. "Let her go!"
Montgomery dropped her arm and shoved an accusing finger towards him. "Mind your business!"
"Boys!" Mrs. Jangle suddenly screamed.
Ophelia watched Courtney turn around in her seat to face them.
"Just go talk to him" Courtney snapped at her.
Ophelia didn't know if it was Montgomery's yelling, Courtney's comment, or the embarrassment she was feeling that made her willpower suddenly crumple. She found herself marching out of the classroom before she even realized what was happening.
Montgomery was hot on her tail.
When she finally reached the lockers she turned to him saying, "You have three minutes."
Montgomery set his arm against the locker, leaning against it so that he could lean in closer to her. He stood almost towering over her.
"What. Happened."
She almost rolled her eyes. "What are you taking about?"
"What am I...What am I talking about?" He leaned a little closer. "You fucking broke up with me after two fucking years. For what? Because some girl you barely knew slit her wrists? You wouldn't answer my calls, you wouldn't tell me-"
"Her name was Hannah" she interrupted him. "Hannah Baker split her wrists. And she wasn't just some girl, she was my friend, Montgomery."
"She was a fucking nutcase."
Ophelia finally turned to him. By now her eyes stung red, and she felt her throat burning. "It was because of us" she whispered, trying to keep the cracks out of her voice.
Montgomery scoffed. "Bullshit."
Ophelia was the one to take a step closer this time. She wanted him to hear her low voice as loudly as possible.
"Two days, Monty. She killed herself two days after."
He brought a hand up to her face, wiping off the single tear that had fallen. She hated the way she formed to his touch. And she hated that she became so vulnerable around him. She pulled her face from his touch.
"She deserved what we did" he said, "After what she did to you and me she should be glad that that's all that happened."
"But if we hadn't-"
"We don't know that's why" he told her.
"Yes, I do" she said, looking him straight in the eye. "If it hadn't been for Rep night, she would be alive. I know that."
"Ophelia-"
"I can't-I can't be with you" she said, stepping away. "Not after what happened."
"I'm not letting you throw away why we have for that girl."
"I don't want to be with you" she told him. She saw him flinch.
"That's not your decision to make-"
"Mr. De La Cruz!"
They both turned to see the principal, followed by Mr. Porter, walking their way.
"Do you mind coming with me Mr. De La Cruz, we've heard there was an incident in Mrs. Jangles's class."
Montgomery scoffed. "Yeah, people don't know how to mind their own fucking business."
"We can either do this the easy way or the hard way Mr. De La Cruz. One is detention, the other is suspension."
Montgomery rolled his eyes, then pushed himself off the lockers. "This isn't over."
Ophelia spoke, "Yes, it is."
Montgomery and the principal started walking towards his office, but Mr. Porter remained.
"Mrs. Tristano" he spoke, "May I have a word with you in my office."
She almost laughed. After hearing his tape, she was never able to look at him seriously again.
"About what?"
"Just a moment, please."
She prayed that this would be the last time Montgomery got her called to the office.