"Ooh, Ophelia! Mom's gonna get you!"
Ophelia sniffed, pulling her head out from beneath the covers, looking at her sister with dead eyes.
"What are you talking about, Honor?"
Honor was dressed in her school uniform already. She was giggling.
"She already told you to get up five times! Now you're late! You're gonna be grounded!" Honor teased.
Ophelia ran a hand over her face, to make sure her tears had dried. She sat up.
"Get out of here," she told her.
Honor laughed and yelled, "Mama!"
Honor often used the word 'Mama'. Ophelia didn't.
Ophelia laid back down and pulled the covers over her head.
She heard her mother's heels clicking as she came in her room.
"What are you doing still in bed, you lazy child?" her mother demanded, "You get up this instant!"
Ophelia pulled the covers over her head even more. "I'm sick."
The covers were ripped off of her. Her mother grabbed her faced, looking her over. She recognized the facial expression immediately.
"You're not sick," her mother snapped, pulling away from her, "You're heart broke. Over that boy again? I know you two were back together. Change your mind again?"
"Mother-"
"Why don't you just make your decision already? Poor boy. Stop stringing him along."
Ophelia was not surprised by her mother taking Montgomery's side. She did the last time. She didn't particularly like him, but she liked his strictness.
"Mother, I can't-" her voice cracked, "-I cant go to school today."
Her mother scoffed. "I'm not giving you another month off from school. Your grades have barely recovered."
Ophelia couldn't bare the thought of seeing Montgomery. Or Zach. Or Justin. Or Jessica. Or Bryce. Or fucking anybody.
"Mother, please-"
"Get dressed. Immediately." Her mother didn't have to shout. She had enough venom in her voice to show Ophelia how serious she was being. "I will not have my daughter being some...lovesick teenager who cares more about boys than school work. Hopefully that boy is tired of your games and will leave you be so you can finally focus."
Her mother walked out, shutting the door behind her. Ophelia obeyed. She got dressed, brushed her hair, and put on enough makeup to cover her dark circles and red eyes. All while ignoring the sharp pains in her stomach.
She walked downstairs to see her mother giving Honor breakfast. Eggs and pancakes. None left for her.
"Are you going to date Zach now?" Honor asked her, "Since mom says you and Montgomery are done."
Her mother scoffed. "That's all she needs. Another boy to play with. You leave Zach alone."
Ophelia tried to hide her hurt. "I thought you always wanted me and Zach together."
"Of course," she said simply, "But not now. Not while you are still playing games. Purposefully breaking hearts."
"I'm not-" Ophelia stopped herself. She couldn't risk beginning to cry again. It would ruin her makeup.
Ophelia just said, "I'm going to school."
"Better run!" Honor called after her. "You won't make it if you walk. No more boyfriend to drive you."
Ophelia grabbed her backpack and threw the door open. She came face to face with a uniformed officer, who's hand was risen to knock.
"Ophelia Tristano?" the man asked.
She frowned, but nodded. Her eyes fell to the yellow envelope in his hand. She knew what it was. She had feared receiving it ever since the Baker's first started their lawsuit.
A subpoena.
*****
"Come on, just a quick kiss," Montgomery begged her. He had sneaked out of the locker room just before the team was about to head into the field. He was in his football uniform. The shoulder protectors adding even more bulk to his build.
They were standing between two buildings, away from everyone, hidden in the shadows.
"Monty, you need to go!" she tried. She didn't want him to get in trouble.
"You're my good luck charm! Just one, O." He pleaded.
Ophelia bit her lip, giving in. "Okay, okay. A quick peck."
Ophelia kissed him quick on the lips.
Montgomery smirked. "And will I be getting more of that after the game?"
Ophelia giggled. "It depends on if you win."
Montgomery laughed. "You drive a hard bargain. You know what? I'll win for you. Every win that Liberty has will be from me to you."
"And the loses?"
Montgomery shrugged. "Those'll be from Bryce."
Ophelia stepped forward and gave him one more kiss. This one was longer and more passionate. When she pulled away, he was grinning. A new look in his eyes. He grabbed her hand, and pulled her deeper into the darkness. He moved against a wall.
Looking around first he said, "You know, maybe you can do a little more to get the blood pumping..."
He placed her hand over the crotch of his game pants. Her smile wavered.
"I don't..." she hesitated. She looked around.
"You don't have to finish me off," he told her, after noticing her hesitation. "It'd make a mess anyway. We can save that for after the game."
He touched her wrist, and moved her hand up and down over his crotch. He did this a few times until he took his hand away and she continued on her own. She now felt how hard he was under his pants.
Montgomery closed his eyes, tilting his head back and letting a out a pleased moan. Ophelia tried not to think about it too much. She was just pleasing her boyfriend. She was embarrassed to do it at school, and she figured that's why she felt so off.
"Fuck..." Montgomery mumbled under his breath.
His satisfied sounds and expressions were enough to wipe away her anxiety, and make her forget that he had coaxed her into this by asking for 'just a quick kiss'.
*****
Ophelia thought about that football game on the walk to school. Liberty did win.
She recalled touching Montgomery before the game, and how uncomfortable she was doing it, but how she didn't want to say anything. She wondered if Montgomery actually knew she was uncomfortable, or if he just figured she was playing hard to get.
She wondered if sex was always on his mind. If that's why he asked her to do stupid shit like that. Maybe that was just a guy thing.
She prayed it wasn't.
So much else was on her mind by the time she reached school. Her mother was so angry when she left.
Why, though? Yes, a subpoena is a really scary thing to get. You are called and questioned in court, and you are basically either accused of something or backing up other accusations.
But it wasn't her fault. Why was her mother so mad at her? Why was her mother always so mad at her?
"Hey."
Ophelia rolled her eyes and kept walking.
"Hey!"
Her shoulder was grabbed. Ophelia turned around, angrily.
Tyler took his hand off her shoulder quickly. "Sorry, I-I just need to talk to you."
"What, Tyler?" She was annoyed. And now she had no one to get rid of him for her. His annoyance reminded her of Montgomery. It hurt her.
"Did you get a subpoena?"
She frowned. "Yeah, actually. Did you?"
"We're all getting them," he told her, "Everyone on the fucking tapes are getting them."
"Jesus," Ophelia muttered, "Do you think her parents found them?"
"I don't think so," he told her, "I mean, Bryce would be arrested if they did, right? And wouldn't Montgomery?"
"Shh!" She shushed him. She turned away from him. "You're so fucking loud for no reason."
"Did you guys really break up last night?"
Ophelia took a deep breath and sighed deeply. Anger replaced with disbelief. "How do you even know about that?"
There was no one around when they broke up. And she hadn't told anyone yet.
"It's gotten around," he told her, "Montgomery and Bryce were talking about it at baseball practice. And then Zach and Alex were taking about it. And Alex told Jessica, and Jessica told the cheer team-"
"Okay, okay. Forget I asked."
"Do you want to see?" Tyler held the camera out to her.
She was curious. "See what?"
He said simply, "See Montgomery. He looks terrible."
She wanted to see. She wanted to know he was feeling just as bad as her. Not in a cruel way, she just wanted to know he actually cared about their breakup. But she couldn't bare to see him look as hurt as he did last night again, not yet.
"No. I have to get to class."
Tyler followed her. "Wait, I have something else."
She didn't stop walking this time.
"Look, I have photos that could get him expelled."
She stopped now. "What?"
He stepped closer to her and lowered his tone. "A few mornings ago Bryce and Montgomery took a shot of something before practice. I think it was steroids. If not expelled, we could at least get him kicked off the team."
Tyler shoved his camera towards her again. Ophelia glanced at it. She tried to ignore the pang in her heart as she gazed at the photo of her handsome ex-boyfriend. But it was undeniable. Montgomery and Bryce were shooting something.
"Jesus, is that the locker room? You're such a pervert. How did you even take that?"
He was unfazed by the insult. "Long lenses from the second floor bathroom window."
Ophelia cringed. "Do you do that to the girls locker room."
"Of course not," he said, but Ophelia caught his hesitation.
"I don't know why you showed me those," she told him, not disgusted by his presence.
"You hate Montgomery too now, right? Why not get revenge."
"I don't...hate him." She didn't think she could ever hate him. "I mean, we're not on good terms. But he just got a scholarship. These photos would ruin that for him. I'm not going to let you show them to anyone else."
Tyler just said, "You're still loyal to him for no reason. You think he won't start talking shit about you?"
"I'm not loyal, I'm just not going to ruin someone's future."
"Where was this energy when Hannah was in Montgomery's truck?"
"Will you shut the fuck up!?" Ophelia demanded at his loud voice. She was upset at his statement. Because it was true. "Look, if those photos get out, I'm telling him it was you."
Tyler scoffed. "What worse could Montgomery do to me that he hasn't done every day?"
Tyler took another step closer. Now, he was almost touching her. He was making her uncomfortable.
"Is he bothering you?" Ophelia saw Courtney come up to them. Marcus was right behind her. He told Tyler, "Get the fuck out of here, freak."
Again, Tyler ignored the insults. He took a step away from Ophelia, and faced the other two when he asked, "Hey, did you guys get subpoenas too?"
"Shut up!" Marcus hissed, taking a quick look around. "Jesus, Tyler!"
"What?" he asked, sounding like it was stupid to be careful. "It's public record now. Everybody knows."
Marcus scoffed. "Nobody knows about anything. And you're gonna keep it that way."
"I want in," Tyler demanded, "On whatever you're doing. I know more than anyone. I know a lot more than what's on those tapes and I have proof."
Marcus hesitated. "Proof of what?"
Tyler smirked. "What do you think? What have you done around here that you don't want people to know? I take a lot of pictures." Tyler said this all with a smile on his face.
"Quit it, Tyler," Ophelia tried.
Marcus was seething. "Listen, you creep, you do not want to fuck with us! You saw what we did to Clay, that was nothing. Back off! And keep quiet."
Tyler was unstirred, "As if I-"
Tyler was cut off as a sudden force suddenly shoved him to the ground. Tyler was pushed into the wall, hitting and falling painfully. "Ah!"
She heard Montgomery's laugh before she even saw him. "Hey!" her boyfriend greeted the poor boy. He found pleasure in pushing Tyler. In teasing him. In hurting him.
Ophelia took a step behind Marcus when she did see him, and and surprisingly, Marcus stuck his arm out and pushed her further behind him.
When Montgomery noticed Ophelia, the night before flooded his mind again. It had never actually left his mind, but there were times it completely took over.
He could hardly sleep the night before. And when he saw Zach at baseball practice, he felt like he would cry. Because he knew deep down Ophelia had left him for Zach. He just fucking knew it. He felt the same way every time he fucking looked at Dempsey, or at Bryce even, because Bryce knew.
He had let himself cry the night before for a few minutes while he was at home. Never too loud. He couldn't make a sound or risk his father hearing and belittling him for it. But he let the tears fall as he laid in his bed. At school, he tried his hardest to turn his sadness into any other emotion, to ensure he wouldn't look weak. At practice, he turned it to focus on the game.
But mostly, he turned his emotions into anger.
Last time Ophelia broke up with him, he was the same way. Of course, it wasn't as bad. He never actually believed she was completely done with him. He just assumed she was fucked up because Hannah killed herself. In a way, he was right.
But this time....she didn't just not want him, she found someone else. She found someone she wanted more.
He wanted to kill him. He wanted to kill Zach.
He stole his future. His future with Ophelia. His future with her as his wife, as her being the mother of his kids, as her being the only thing that would keep him going in this fucked up world.
He didn't expect her to be at school, probably because last time she took time off.
When he saw Tyler in school, he felt excited to mess with him. Because no one cared when he did.
But then he caught Ophelia's eye. He didn't even know she was standing there. She was behind Marcus, almost like he was her bodyguard.
Montgomery had so much to say to her, but nothing was able to come out. Because as soon as he saw her he was hit with the same emotions of last night.
He wanted to cry again. But he didn't dare to. Definitely not here. So he became angry instead.
Why the fuck was Ophelia out here pressing herself again Marcus, letting him feel her breasts against his back like some kind of whore? Wanting to be touched by anyone but him?
He turned away, scared that he didn't know what would come out of his mouth if he tried speaking to her.
Tyler scrambled off the ground, now angry. "Fuck you, man!"
He ran after Montgomery, to Ophelia's horror.
He threw his arms into Montgomery's back, shoving him forward only slightly. "You fucking cut it out!"
Montgomery swung around, angry and surprised at the retaliation.
How fucking dare he? Does he think Montgomery will just let that shit slide? He was trying to embarrass Montgomery. Montgomery was at the lowest of his life, and he wouldn't take any more.
Suddenly, Montgomery found someone to throw all his anger onto. He latched himself onto Tyler's jacket, and forced him against the wall, slightly higher so he would be even more scared and uncomfortable.
"Guys, come on!" Bryce shouted from still down the hall. "Whoa, Monty, come on, back off!
Bryce reached the two, and tried to pull them apart.
Tyler struggled. "Get your fucking hands off me!"
Montgomery felt like he wanted to bash his head into the wall, spread his blood right then and there.
"You touch me again, I'll kill you." Montgomery meant it.
"Jesus, Enough!"
Bryce pulled them apart and he calmed down. After he calmed down, he stopped thinking it. But at that moment, he really fucking meant it.
Bryce tried to console Tyler. "Hey, you okay?"
He tried to put a hand in his shoulder, but Tyler shoved him away. "No!"
Bryce shrugged at his unfriendliness. "The fuck, man?"
"I'm sick of this shit."
Bryce just said, "Okay." Like he understood.
Tyler slapped his hand away, again. Bryce just started laughing, while Montgomery stood there, still loathing and breathing deeply.
Montgomery had only felt the urge to kill a few times before in his life. They mostly revolved around his father and when he would try to hit him. Or when guys would pick fights with him.
Montgomery felt it towards Zach the first time he asked Ophelia to stay with him instead of leave with Montgomery. He felt it again when Ophelia finally agreed to stay with Zach the night before.
He felt it when Bryce coaxed Montgomery into thinking Ophelia was cheating. Or when Bryce tried to do something with Ophelia....
It happened only a few times, but enough for him to recognize what the feeling was.
And when he looked back at Ophelia, he felt it again.
*****
"Why have you been avoiding me?" Zach demanded to know.
He caught her while she was trying to walk off campus for lunch. Her stomach growled. She hadn't had anything to eat all day. She forgot to bring food with her.
"I'm not," she told him, "I just...haven't had anything to say."
"Can we talk?" he asked. He was desperate to speak to her. He was willing to beg.
"I..." she sighed. "I don't want Monty to see us together."
"Why the fuck not? I thought you two broke up?"
Ophelia stopped and stared at him. He bit his lip, regretting his words. He wasn't supposed to know that. "I mean, why not?"
Ophelia rolled her eyes. "I know you heard Montgomery talking about it, and I know you told other people."
Zach looked guilty. "I'm sorry. I was just-" he was just excited, "How did you know?" He said instead.
"Tyler was spying on you guys and told me."
Zach cringed. "What the hell?"
Ophelia said, "So you already know. So we don't have to talk."
"Wait, Ophelia," he caught her again with a soft hand. "Do you really not want to talk to me?"
He was so sad when he asked.
Ophelia did want to talk to him. But she really didn't want Montgomery to see. Not just because he would get angry, but because he would be devastated. She didn't want him to think she moved on already. Montgomery was terrible to her, and cruel to her. But she refused to cause as much pain as he had. Because at the same time...he was really good to her.
"I do, but it's hard, Zach. It's hard even being here right now. And I know Monty is angry at me but if he sees me with you he'll hate me. I can't deal with it's him hating me, Zach. Not now."
Zach didn't understand completely. But he knew he didn't want to upset her anymore.
"How about we leave? Go to Monet's. Schools half way done anyway. Look, we're meeting there after school anyways. All of us on the tapes."
Ophelia nodded. "Yeah, Marcus and Courtney told me."
"We can go now," he told her. "I'll drive."
"I don't-"
"You don't want people to see," he nodded. "How about you start walking? I'll pick you up in a few minutes."
Ophelia thought about it. "Okay."
"Okay," Zach agreed. He hid how excited he was. "I'll see you in a few."
Zach hurried to his car, only to find Montgomery sitting on the hood. He rolled his eyes, scoffing at his behavior. Normally, he would be fearful. But not today. He had the power today.
"Get the fuck off," Zach told him, "You can't afford new paint if you scratch it."
Montgomery stood up, coming at Zach quickly. When he got to him, he pushed him.
"Fucking watch it," Zach told him.
"Or what?" Montgomery chuckled. "Round...what is it? Three? You'll lose again."
Zach wondered if the bruises on his face were still there. Or if they had softened already.
"Just get out of my way."
"You think I don't know what you've been fucking up to?" Montgomery asked him. He pushed his shoulder again. "I fucking have eyes."
Zach grit his teeth together. "And what have I been up to?"
"I know you've been trying to fuck Ophelia," Montgomery snapped, "That you've been acting like your such a nice guy. Trying to have her turn on me and then swoop in when she's at her fucking lowest."
Zach laughed at his allegations. "I'm not you Montgomery, I don't have to manipulate girls to fuck me."
"Yeah?" Montgomery asked. "And what girls have you fucked? Hannah Baker?"
Zach stumbled back, shocked that Montgomery had ahold of that information. He hadn't told anyone. She hadn't told anyone. She didn't even mention it on the tapes. It was one of his deepest secrets. How the fuck did he know?
"Yeah," Montgomery added, now smiling like he caught him in his own lie, "I know Ophelia is your next little fling. But I'm warning you to back the fuck off."
"Ophelia's not like Hannah."
Hannah came to Zach with a proposition of losing their virginities together the summer before she died. They did have sex, a lot. And he did have feelings for her. But then they stopped. But even at their best, it didn't compare to how he felt about Ophelia now.
"She thinks you're a virgin, ya know," Montgomery told him, "We used to fucking roast you about it, and she defended you. Saying good for you for waiting until you were in love. But you weren't in love, were you Zach? I mean, who the fuck falls in love with Hannah Baker. She's a slut who lets anyone inside her, right? You weren't in love you were just fucking horny."
"I've had fucking enough," Zach snapped at him.
Montgomery continued as Zach rushed to his driver side door. "What do you think she'll do when she finds out you're just like every other guy, huh? You think she'll stay with you? She won't."
Zach just got in his car and peeled away. He caught Ophelia less than a mile down the street.
"Get in," he told her.
"You wanna say that nicer?"
Zach was sounding like he was doing her a favor, when he was the one who wanted to go so badly.
He cleared his throat. "Get in, please? I got the A/C on."
Zach didn't know what to say as they drove to Monet's. They took a two person table in the back. He was skiddish. Ophelia noticed.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he said, "I'll order us some coffee."
"I can give you cash," she offered.
He said, "No, it's on me."
"Oh...thanks." She smiled to herself.
He got their coffees, getting him something dark and bitter, and her something light and sweet. She thanked him again.
She drank it, the first delightful sip hitting her hungry stomach.
Ophelia was only four sips in when Zach suddenly blurted out, "I'm not a virgin."
Ophelia paused. Her eyebrows rose and the straw fell out of her mouth as it sat open. "...oh?"
"I lost my virginity last summer. A few times. Not, like, more than once. Well, I can't lose it more than once. It's like a one time things but I-I fucked more than once. I've fucked." He was muttering quickly. He slapped his hands together at the end, which he immediately regretted.
Ophelia looked so uncomfortable. "Do you, like, want me to high-five you or something?"
Zach turned red. "I just thought it was something you should know."
Ophelia bit her lip. Honestly, she was a little disappointed. Not just that he had sex before, but that that must of meant he had a girlfriend before. And now she had standards to live up to. If they were to ever be together.
"Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?" She asked him.
Zach almost choked on his coffee. "No, I just thought that, um, you should know."
Ophelia bit her lip. "Okay? Well, I'm not a virgin either."
Zach chuckled. "Yeah, obviously."
She frowned. "Obviously?"
"Not in a bad way!" he said quickly, "Just, you know Montgomery talks."
Ophelia agreed, sighing. "Yeah, he does. He did."
Zach cleared his throat. "Actually, I wanted to talk about him. And last night. Can you tell me what happened?"
Ophelia tensed. "We broke up. I broke up with him."
"Is it because of..." Zach stopped himself. He didn't want to say because of himself. It sounded so narcissistic.
"Because of you?" She knew him too well. "You want to know if you're the reason we broke up. Because you're not."
Zach hung his head, embarrassed and sad.
Ophelia regretted her harsh tone. He didn't deserve it, she was just upset. She said, now softer, "Not the main reason, that is. Zach, when you kissed me...I felt so safe and secure. It made me realize I haven't felt that way with Monty since...well since Hannah I guess."
Zach said, "I am sorry I kissed you. It wasn't right to do without your permission. I would never hurt you, Ophelia."
"I know," she said, "And it feel good to know."
"I'm so sorry that I didn't go after you," he told her. "The guys didn't let me. I tried. And then by the time I did get over there you were gone. I figured you just forgave him again and you two left."
Ophelia looked down at her drink. "I think...it's hard to forgive him...because now I think he's not really sorry. I mean, he is. He was. But I feel like he can't be sorry since he's happy with what happened."
Zach wanted to ask what she meant, but didn't want to sound stupid. So instead he asked, "He's happy?"
She said, "I guess not happy. I-I think he wouldn't redo it. Like you, Zach. I don't think you're sorry you kissed me, even though you say you are. I do believe you feel bad for kissing me while I was with Montgomery. But I think it helped me in the long run, and I think you know that. I don't think you would redo it, and not kiss me."
Zach agreed. "I don't think I would redo it either. I mean, I think I'd keep my mouth closed more. I'm sorry about all the tongue."
Ophelia chuckled. He was glad he made her smile. But it wiped off her face suddenly.
"Monty was sorry he broke my nose. But I think he was happy it happened. I stopped dressing what was 'inappropriate' to him. At least, I tried. He found problems sometimes."
Zach reached over and grabbed Ophelia's hand. She pulled it away. He regretted it.
"Sorry," he mumbled.
"See that? I believe that. I don't think you would chose to redo that."
Ophelia drank more of her coffee.
"I never thanked you for standing up for me last night. I would say I'm sorry you had to, but again, it's not a real apology. Because I would want you to do it again."
"It's not your fault," Zach said. "And you don't have to feel bad. I'm not regretful either. I'll always stick up for you. I'm sorry I never had before. I'm sorry I didn't do more after hearing the tapes. Or before...Montgomery always have us off crazy ass vibes. I just never thought a friend on mine could do something like that. He always spoke so fondly of you."
Ophelia chuckled. "I think Monty really loves me," she said, "Even though he hurt me, I think he loves me."
"Control isn't love."
"I know," she told him. She looked away, ashamed.
He felt bad, but he wouldn't apologize. Like she said, he didn't regret saying it. Montgomery didn't deserve to love her.
Ophelia took a deep breath and said, "Monty slapped me again last night."
Zach sat up in his seat. "What? Are you fucking serious?"
Zach started to rise, but this time Ophelia reaches over and placed a hand on his. He stayed.
"He..." she stumbled on her words as emotion overtook her. "He called a-a whore. He thought I was cheating on him with you, I-"
Ophelia took her hand back. She covered her face. "I fucking did so much for him," her voice came out soft and broken. "I changed what I wore, I change who I talked to, I-I let him hurt me and it still wasn't enough for him to be happy with me."
Zach knew it wasn't true. Montgomery was at his happiest with her. He wouldn't say that though, she was too emotional for him to say something that might risk her crawling back to him.
Zach wanted to comfort her, but he was too angry. "What else did he do?" he seethed.
"That's it," she told him, now running her hands over her face. She took another sip of coffee. "And I told him I wasn't happy with him. And that we were done and...now I don't know what to do."
"You did the right thing," he assured her. "Who the fuck does he think he is touching you like that? You should've told me sooner. Fuck!" Zach banged his hand on the table. "I should fucking kill him-"
"You're not going to do anything," she told him. "You have to swear to me you won't do anything."
Zach shook his head. "I won't."
Ophelia stood up. "Then I'm leaving."
Zach followed her out the door. "You always protect that asshole! Why? You're not even together anymore?"
Ophelia said to him, "You don't understand! You've never been in love, Zach!"
He frowned. "Why do you think that?"
"Because you haven't!" she said, "I mean, I know you've had a girlfriend, but I didn't even know. Which means your mom didn't know. Which means you weren't serious."
"So you're still in love with him?" He accused.
"No!" She yelled. "I mean, not really. I just-I just can't turn it off, Zach. I mean, love doesn't have a switch. You think I wouldn't have turned it off for you if it did?"
Zach paused. "Turned what off?"
Ophelia bit her lip. "Never mind."
"No, come on, what?"
"It's different," she assured him. "Obviously I'm not in love with you."
"Why is it obvious?"
"You're just a big part of my life," she said, "you always have been."
"So, what? You think Montgomery loves you? You think some fuckup like him can love you, but I can't."
"I didn't say that..."
"You said I've never been in love," Zach told him, walking closer so that he was towering over her. "And I'm telling right now that I have been."
Ophelia gulped, looking up at him.
"I'm not fucking sorry about kissing you before," Zach told her, "And I'm not fucking sorry about it now."
Zach grabbed her head, pulled her in, and hesitated for only a moment to make sure she wasn't pulling herself away, and then he kissed her.
This kiss was different. Both of their emotions running every which way created a more passionate kiss. More vigorous, more needing. Zach had apologized for his tongue before, but when he felt Ophelia's lips part he pushed his tongue inside her.
He didn't just caress her this time, he gripped her, bringing her as close as possible.
Ophelia pulled away, taking a deep breath. "Zach, I-I just broke up with Monty-"
"I know."
"I can't have another boyfriend. Not yet, I mean-"
"I understand." Zach stepped away.
Ophelia grabbed his arm. "I mean, maybe we can, um..."
Zach couldn't hide his smile this time. "Yeah?"
"It's just, we have almost two hours before the others get here. We could sit in your car."
Ophelia felt guilty for what she implying. She wanted to keep kissing Zach. She was willing to do it for hours. But so soon after Montgomery? How could she be so heartless?
The thought of being in Zach's arms and kissing him, with no more thought of Montgomery at all was too pleasing.
"We can," Zach told her. "I could park somewhere else if that's easier."
Ophelia wondered exactly how experienced Zach was. If they went somewhere secluded, would he expect her to have sex with him?
No, Zach will always be innocent-minded. He would never pressure her, and it excited her to know that.
Her heart was racing as she said, "Okay. Let's go."
She already felt guilty about the first kiss, how much harm could a few more do.
*****
Montgomery laid into the punching bag in front of him, uncaring of how badly it hurt his knuckles.
"Calm down, Monty. What did that bag ever do to you?" Bryce was smiling when he walked up to his friend. "What, you gearing up for you next match with Tyler?"
When Montgomery didn't laugh, or even smile, Bryce felt bad.
"Look, I'm sorry, man. Thinking about Ophelia?"
Montgomery did stop this time. "Do you think she left me for someone else?"
Montgomery's voice came out debates, and he knew Bryce heard the emotion behind it. It embarrassed him, but the embarrassment didn't shake the sadness away.
Bryce sighed. "Jesus, dude. Don't think too hard about it. It's better she's out of the way. You know how much pussy you can get if you're team captain next season?"
"It's not better," Montgomery snapped. "Don't fucking say that."
Bryce put his hands up in surrender. "Alright, my bad. You need a spot or anything?"
Montgomery nodded. "Yeah, thanks."
Bryce held the punching bag, and Montgomery started punching it again. Bryce grunted at his harsh blows.
"Hey, uh, what do you think about last night?" Bryce asked him.
Montgomery kept punching. The weight room was nearly empty, except for a freshmen wrestling team, so he had no problem saying, "What, when Justin said you raped Jessica?"
"Hey, quiet down," Bryce said, defensively. "But seriously. What the fuck was that, right? I mean, you don't believe him, right?"
Montgomery stopped again. "Doesn't concern me. So I don't fucking care."
Bryce almost sighed in relief. "So we're good, right?"
"Yeah, we're good," he confirmed. Montgomery sent a harder hit, and the bag made painful contact with Bryce. "But just because me and Ophelia are done, doesn't mean she's free game, okay? And if I ever catch you trying something like at Jessica's party, I'll fucking kill you."
Bryce hesitated. He thought back to when he had messed with a drunken Ophelia before. "Monty, brother, that was a mistake. You know that, right?"
"I know you don't care about the girls you fuck. And I know you don't care how into it they are," Montgomery told him, dead serious tone, "But I don't care if Ophelia is unconscious, if she's awake, or if she's fucking begging for you to fuck her-"
Bryce said, "Monty-"
Montgomery didn't let him finish. Instead he raised his voice and said, "If you do anything to her I swear to fucking god I will beat you to death."
Some of the freshmen players looked over. Bryce was embarrassed, and upset. "Ophelia's still your lady. I got it, okay?"
Montgomery just nodded and continued beating the punching bag.
Bryce felt angry at Montgomery threatening him. He knew what would make his friend hurt even more.
Upset, Bryce said, "But I'm not the teammate you should be threatening."
Montgomery stopped, again. This time because the strength in his arms suddenly disappeared as his body ran numb.
"You know something I don't?"
"You think Ophelia left you for another guy? Of course she did, Monty. Why do you think her and Zach are gone?"
Montgomery blinked, "What?"
"They left at lunch," Bryce told him, "Jeremy saw them."
"No-" Montgomery stuttered. "I-I saw Zach. I saw him leave. He was alone."
Bryce shrugged, enjoying his struggle since he had threatened him just moments ago. "He picked her up. You know as well as anyone how good she is at fucking in the backseat. They're probably a few rounds in by now."
Montgomery shook his head. "No, Ophelia wouldn't do that."
"I think Ophelia has been doing that."
"You're fucking lying," Montgomery hissed. He tore off the gloves he had on and tossed them on the floor.
"You remember the first time you guys broke up? And you swore you saw someone you knew outside her house?"
Montgomery only nodded. "Yeah, fucking thought I did."
"And who's car do you think that really was?"
*****
Ophelia pulled away from Zach, breathless and heaving.
"Should we go back now?" she breathed. "People may be there already."
Zach groaned, "Just a few more minutes. Please."
Ophelia laughed. "Please?"
"Yeah, please," Zach said, grabbing her belt loops and pulling her even closer into him. She was on his lap with her legs wrapped around his waist.
Zach didn't give a fuck about the meeting at that moment.
Ophelia smelt so good, and felt so soft. She pulled away again, "Okay, seriously. Let's go."
He sighed. They were sitting in the backseat. Zach let Ophelia go back upfront first. His eyes were glued on her ass as she went. He wiped his face, feeling sweaty. Ophelia fixed her hair and makeup on the way there.
She smiled at Zach, and he placed a hand on her thigh. It was peaceful when they drove back to Monet's. Until they walked in, saw Marcus sitting alone, and both remembered what they were there for.
"Your boyfriend's pissed, Ophelia," Marcus told her, "He's had a fucking attitude all day."
"Ex-boyfriend," Zach corrected as he pulled out a seat for her.
Marcus looked between the two of them and sighed. "Can you two fucking behave? We don't have time for high school drama right now."
"High school drama?" Zach asked.
Marcus looked at Ophelia when he said, "Switching from boy to boy. Like that won't cause some fucking unnecessary issues."
Ophelia was offended, but kept her mouth quiet. Like her mother taught her to. Because he was right, that's exactly what she was doing. The guilt of making out with Zach started coming.
"Fuck off," Zach told him.
Marcus scoffed. "Ophelia, your boy is having a rough time. I thought y'all got in a fight or something. Damn, I'm kind of on his side now. How fucking long did it take you to move onto to the next boy in the friend group?"
Marcus's furry seemed to come out of nowhere. But nonetheless it damaged Ophelia.
"Shut the fuck up!" Zach demanded.
Ophelia subconsciously moved away from Zach. Zach noticed.
Courtney got there next, then Ryan, and then Alex. Alex still avoided eye contact with her when he got there. He sat besides Zach instead of her.
Marcus started the group meeting by saying, "The first thing we need to do is find out what they know."
Alex shook his head, disagreeing. "Or the first thing we need to do is tell the truth."
Zach nodded. "I'm with Alex."
Ophelia wasn't sure what side she was on quiet yet. The truth would help Hannah's family, but it would ruin most of them.
Marcus said, "I don't think it's as easy as you think. I mean, what exactly is the truth?" He spoke in a mysterious tone, and smirked.
Ryan rolled his eyes. "Profound, Marcus, truly profound."
"And bullshit," Zach added on.
Tyler walked in Monet's, coming up and stopping at the table the six of them were seated at.
"Oh my god," Courtney said, shocked, "How did you find us?"
Tyler balled up his fists. "I deserve to be here."
Courtney shoed him away with her hand. "No, you don't."
Tyler scoffed, still angry. "Why? Because you don't like me? Because I embarrassed you? I'm getting it worse than any of you."
Ophelia said, "I think it's fine if he stays." She felt bad about that morning.
"Of course you would," Courtney said, "Because you don't take anything we're doing seriously."
"Can you just let him stay?" Alex piped up.
"Yeah, Courtney," Zach added on, upset at her attitude towards Ophelia. "How did you get to run this meeting, anyway? It's not the fucking dance committee."
Ryan snorted.
"I sit or I start taking pictures," Tyler threatened. They all rolled their eyes.
Ryan said, "Just sit down."
Tyler chose to sit next to Ophelia.
"And calm down," Marcus demanded.
"I think it's clear what they know," Ryan stated, "I mean, look around, what do we all have in common?"
Ophelia could hardly imagine someone else listening to the tapes. Listening to her tape.
"We don't know who all got the subpoenas. Sheri didn't get one."
"Or she didn't get one yet," Ryan pointed out, pointing a finger at him for emphasis.
Marcus said, "I told her to come anyway. Maybe she's hoping she'll avoid the whole thing."
Courtney spoke to Alex, "Your dad must know something, right? From the other deputies."
Alex shrugged. "My dad's more of a "sweep it under the rug" kind of guy."
Marcus looked pleased. "Works for me."
Alex told him, "I don't think he gives a shit about you."
A Monet's worker came to the table to drop off a few drinks. She look at them all strangely as everyone immediately fell silent until after she left.
Courtney sighed. "Look, if we don't get our stories straight before this deposition it'll be bad for all of us."
"What is the story exactly?" Alex asked her.
Courtney said simply, "Hannah was a liar."
Ophelia withheld a scoff.
She continued, "She was jealous and needy and emotionally unstable. She thought everyone was out to get her."
Tyler cut in, "Aren't you describing yourself?"
Ryan chuckled.
Courtney ignored him. "We tried to be her friends. We did. She blamed us when things went wrong. But she was the one with problems."
"That's the story?" Zach asked in disbelief.
"Yeah."
"What would you say it is?" Marcus asked him.
Zach told him, "I say it doesn't matter what I say it is. Because there are three people who aren't here right now who are pretty likely to say whatever the fuck they want."
Marcus noticed. "Where are Jessica and Justin?"
Ophelia shared a look with Zach, and then with Alex.
Tyler piped in, "They weren't at school today. Either of them."
Ophelia mouthed a small, "Shit." Zach's mouth parted open as he processed the new information.
Courtney noticed the looks. "What?"
Everyone looked at them now.
Zach was the one who decided to speak first. "Justin went to Bryce's last night. He freaked because Jess was flirting with Bryce. So he called Bryce a rapist, and told Jessica that everything on the tapes was true."
Marcus let out a long, deep breath. "No fucking way."
"And Montgomery and Jaime and a few other guys heard everything," Zach continued.
"Wait, Wait, Wait. They...They heard? They know about the tapes?"
"I don't remember Justin bringing them up specifically," Ophelia told them.
"She's right," Zach said, "he didn't go into fucking detail about the tapes but they all heard him call Bryce a rapist and say that Hannah was telling the truth."
"It wasn't the last thing to be stuck with them," Alex said, "Fucking Montgomery and Zach went at it afterwards. Ended up in the pool."
Marcus frowned at Zach. "Why the fuck would you do that? I thought we were keeping a low profile."
Zach glanced at Ophelia. Marcus scoffed, now understanding.
The table fell silent as they all processed the new information.
Finally, Ryan spoke up. "Good for Justin. And Bryce is a rapist."
"If you believe Hannah," came Courtney's snide voice.
"Really, Courtney?" Ryan scoffed at her demeaning, "You're one of the only two girls here and that is the position you're gonna take?"
"Hannah lied," Courtney shot back, "We know this."
Ryan shook his head, "I don't know it."
Ryan turned to Ophelia then and asked, "Do you believe Hannah? About Bryce?"
Ophelia hesitated. She took a deep breath. "I-I do."
"Thought you said she was lying," Courtney shot back, "And that you and your little boyfriend were clean."
"Ex-boyfriend," Zach cut in, crossing his arms over his chest, proudly.
Everyone looked over for a moment. Courtney stared at Ophelia for a moment before chuckling. "So that's why you two skipped out of school, huh? You need to have a boyfriend that bad you'll take whoever's closest to you when the other one drops you?"
Ophelia felt embarrassment, and struggled to not argue back.
"He didn't drop her," Zach snapped at her, "Ophelia broke up with him. Because he was a fucking abusive asshole."
"Zach!" Ophelia said, upset at his loud voice.
Courtney just said, "What a fucking tease."
"So Hannah wasn't lying?" Ryan asked.
Ophelia just said, "She said what she thought was the truth not what was the truth. I invited her to Rep night, that was true. She thought I planned it with Monty, that wasn't true. I swear to god I didn't know what he was going to do."
"You think the court will believe you if the tapes get out?" Marcus asked her. "It doesn't fucking matter what the truth is then. We'll all get into trouble."
"I could go to jail!" Ophelia suddenly spat at him. "I technically helped kidnap someone."
"They can't prove that," Alex told her, casually. Her head snapped in his direction. Alex continued, "Hannah said she was out of it the whole time. She got the picture but that's it. They can't prove you had anything to do with it. They can't even prove Montgomery had anything to do with it. Unless the picture is still on his phone."
Zach clenched his jaw at Montgomery's name.
Ophelia thought for a moment. "He-He had no reason to keep it."
"Maybe you should ask him about it," Ryan suggested.
"No!" Zach said, "She's not taking to that asshole any more than she has to. He's dangerous."
Ophelia shrank away from Zach's angry temper.
"Monty doesn't have a tape," Marcus said, "But he's risking a hell of a lot if they get out. I say we bring him in after Bryce listens."
"Kidnapping," Ryan agreed, "And technically child pornography since Hannah was seventeen. Sexual assault."
"There wasn't-!" Ophelia stopped to compose herself and lower her voice, "Look Monty didn't touch her or anything."
"He stripped her," Alex said.
"Just her shirt." Ophelia hated the fact that that was a just. She said, "Look, I didn't mean it like that. But I don't think Monty was thinking of it...sexually. He just wanted blackmail. Obviously it was terrible but-but I know how badly Bryce hurt her. I-I saw..."
Alex asked her, "What did you see?"
Ophelia told them, "I saw bruises on her body. Like handprints. As if someone...held her down."
There was a moment of silence. Alex then said, "Like someone held her down and raped her." Alex seemed more distraught than anyone at the information.
"Wait, so you were there?" Courtney asked. "You were there and you just sat and watched him take those photos?"
"I tried to stop him," Ophelia told her. "I-I couldn't."
"And you were there when he dropped her back off?" Marcus asked.
Ophelia hesitated. "No. He drove me home with her still in his car-"
"He had her in his car?" Marcus cut in.
"Shit, that is straight drugging and abduction of a minor," Ryan said.
"We should turn him in," Tyler suggested, suddenly.
"He'll get out of it," Alex told him, "It's useless. Bryce will get him a good lawyer. Everything about the case is circumstantial if Ophelia doesn't testify. Which, she obviously won't. It'll be just as bad for her."
"Not just as bad," Zach said, "She only went to make sure Hannah wouldn't be hurt-"
"She also didn't call the police," Alex cut him off. "That strips her of immunity."
"Shouldn't we be going after the real villain here?" Ryan said, "Bryce? He didn't just rape Hannah, he raped Jessica. And probably a lot more women."
"That's true," Alex said, "For someone to turn to rape as easily as Bryce, he's obviously done it before."
"So we hand over one tape?" Tyler asked.
"Or just tell them what he did," Marcus said, "Maybe Justin will testify for Jessica. No one saw Bryce rape Hannah so it might be a dead end."
Alex gulped, and sent a quick glance to Ophelia. She didn't know why.
"Or we just tell the whole truth," Ryan said.
"Or," Marcus countered, "We just bring Bryce into it with us. He could help us."
Ryan said, "Bryce. The rapist."
"Alleged rapist," Courtney corrected.
Ryan snapped, "Fuck off, Courtney."
"We should turn him in," Tyler said, "Bryce is dangerous I don't see why we're still protecting him."
"Thank you," said Ryan.
"We're not," Marcus insisted. "We're protecting ourselves. I applied early admit to Colombia. Zach's got scholarships. Ophelia, you were the top of our class. You could work your grades to be back on top again. And Ryan, I know you got big plans. Courtney? Alex?"
Alex shrugged, casually grabbing the coffee in front of him. "I've got no plans. I'm good to tell the truth."
"Come on, Alex," Zach said, "Just because Hannah fucked up her life doesn't mean we have to fuck up ours too."
"Here me out," Tyler spoke, "If Clay already gave the lawyers our names, and Justin's running around telling everyone that everything on the tapes is true, then pretty soon we're all screwed. But if we can get ahead of it-"
"What do you mean?" Marcus asked.
Tyler continued, "What if we confirm Hannah's stories about Bryce? We give the school their scapegoat. We give the Baker's someone to charge with a crime. Then whatever we did doesn't matter as much."
"So you want to sacrifice Bryce to save your own ass?" Marcus asked Tyler.
He just said, "Yeah. Of course."
Ophelia imagined what would happened if Bryce was turned in. Probably nothing. He has money. He would make it go away.
But she thought of what would happen if the tapes were turned in. Alex was right, she probably wouldn't be convicted of a crime. But how would she live with so many people knowing what she did? What she let Montgomery do?
"The Baker's are broke, right?" Ryan brought up. "And Bryce's family has enough money to make this all go away?"
Courtney said, "Nothing we did compares to what he did."
She was right. Bryce was the worst.
Alex scoffed. "You're fucking joking, right?"
Zach asked, "What are you going to defend Bryce?"
"Aren't you?" he asked, "You've been doing it for weeks now."
Zach was angered at the words. "Fuck you, no I haven't. I just didn't want this to blow up."
Ryan said, "Well, boom."
"Justin let Bryce do it, then lied. Justin will probably go to jail too."
"We don't have to tell them about Jessica," Ophelia pointed out. "I mean, we can just say he raped Hannah. There no way we should mention anything about Jessica until she's ready and she agrees to it."
"You're right," Ryan said, "Shouldn't she get a say in all this?"
Courtney just said, "She should've answered when I called."
Ophelia wanted to blow up on Courtney. But she stayed silent. Again.
"My god, Courtney. You should fucking listen to yourself sometime." Ryan thankfully said what Ophelia was thinking.
Tyler said, "I can't imagine Jess won't want Bryce in jail for life."
"You wanna know what's worse than a rapist?" Alex snapped. Hiding behind one." He looked at Courtney. "Fucking justifying a fucking rapist, that's fucking worse." Alex pointed to Ophelia suddenly. "We all heard that Montgomery was abusing Ophelia and we didn't say shit. We didn't even try to fucking help her."
Ophelia leaned back in her chair. She hated the attention on her. "We heard what happened to Jessica too. That was worse."
"We all know now that what Hannah says on the tapes was true. Courtney, you're gay, so what? Tyler, you're a stalker. Ryan, you're an arrogant asshole. Zach, you're just an entitled idiot who does cruel, stupid things but probably has a decent heart. Ophelia, you're also an idiot who thought a guy that hit you actually cared about you, and you were willing to do whatever needed to protect yourself from him, even betraying Hannah. And Sheri's a fucking coward who got a kid killed."
"Alex, that's enough."
"No, Marcus. You'll do anything to keep up your perfect reputation. And yeah, I'm a fucking weak, pathetic loser who ruined the one good thing I ever had because I wanted a fucking rapist to think I was just like him."
Ophelia looked down at her hands in her lap, guilty of everything he was saying.
"Hannah was my friend," Alex continued, "And we should tell the truth about her. Because I know that if I had still been friends with her...if any one of us had still been friends with her she'd be alive today."
Ophelia decided then and there that she didn't care of the trouble she would get into if the truth was out. She should have worried about that when Montgomery took Hannah. She should have called the police. Hannah would've had one less reason to kill herself. But maybe one less would've been enough. Enough to stop her.
"So we tell the truth," Zach said. He looked at Ophelia. "Do you agree?"
Ophelia said. "I do. It's the right things to do."
"The truth doesn't just land on Bryce," Marcus pointed out.
Ryan said, "So let the truth land on us. I published a poem. A fucking good and meaningful poem."
Tyler shifted nervously. "Well, I didn't mean we tell the truth about everything."
"Why not Tyler?" Zach asked him, "You got more secrets you're trying to hide from everybody."
Courtney's snide voice said, "Tyler, you can do whatever you want. No one's going to believe you, okay? They'll just laugh at you. Like they always do."
Tyler spoke a darker tone. "They won't."
Courtney brushed him off. "Hannah's truth is not my truth. No way."
"I hate to agree with her," Ophelia said, "But there's more than one truth when it comes to the tapes. Hannah says I told Monty what she did because I regretted calling the police. I didn't. I threw Hannah under the bus because I was scared."
"Because he threatened you." Zach guessed.
Ophelia wondered if she should tell him the truth now. That he hadn't just threatened her in the bathroom. That he attacked her in the bathroom. She decided not to. She didn't want to add anymore worry.
Alex said, "Look, if we do tell the truth, I think we should make sure Montgomery doesn't still have the photo of Hannah on his phone."
"Why?" Zach asked. "I mean, you said they couldn't connect Ophelia either way."
Ophelia bit her lip. "Look, I think he's right. I mean, it'll be swept under the carpet either way by Bryce's lawyer, right? Hannah probably wouldn't want the photo being passed around anyway."
Tyler said, "Don't act like this is about Hannah, when you said yourself you don't want to ruin Montgomery's life."
Zach glanced from Ophelia to Tyler. "When did she say that?"
"At school this morning. She's doesn't want him to lose some fucking scholarship. I have photos of him and Bryce injecting steroids."
They all looked to her. She felt anxious. And defensive.
"The fuck?" said Zach.
"I'm not fucking stooping to your level," Ophelia said to Tyler, "I'm not stalking people for blackmail."
Tyler scoffed. "How long do you think it'll be before he starts sending out your nudes and sex tapes?"
"Jesus, Tyler," Alex snapped.
"I don't have a sex tape," Ophelia mumbled, embarrassed even more. "And-And nudes? I don't take nudes."
Ryan gave her a pointed look. Ophelia bit her lip and said, "Not nasty ones. Not naked ones."
Ophelia had wanted to. She had posed naked in front of the mirror before. She hated even taken one, but then deleted. She was never secure in herself enough to take a fully nude photo that would last forever. And part of her was unable to because of her mother's strict upbringing.
"Nudes mean naked," Courtney told her, like she was stupid.
Tyler started, "Underwear pictures aren't any-"
"Fucking drop it!" Zach snapped at him, heated at the thought of Ophelia and Montgomery sexually, and thinking of him seeing her in underwear. Even more heated at the thought of him showing anyone else.
"It doesn't matter," Ophelia told him, still defensive. "We need to deal with this trial first. I agree with Alex, I'll-I'll talk to Monty before I go home. He's probably still at the school right now anyway."
"You're not fucking talking to him again," Zach told her. Ironically, his tone reminded her of him.
"Look, it's one last thing to worry about," Alex insisted. "And if we needed to, it could poke a hole in some of Hannah's stories."
Ophelia put a hand on Zach's shoulder. "I'll be okay." She wasn't sure of it, though.
Courtney said sarcastically, "Zach, seems like your girlfriend isn't quiet over her boyfriend."
'Fuck you', Ophelia wanted to say.
"I'm going with you," Zach insisted.
"Fuck no you're not," Alex told him. "You want him to beat the shit out of you again."
"I'm not sending her alone," Zach insisted.
Alex said, "He won't do anything at school. And he's been better, right?"
"He hit her last night, Alex! He obviously doesn't give a fuck who's around!"
Ophelia froze at the sudden reveal. She wasn't sure if she had the right to be mad. She told Zach that in confidence, but maybe she hadn't explained that it was private.
Alex was quiet. He turned to Ophelia. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."
Ophelia didn't say anything, now red from embarrassment.
"He pushes me around everyday and no one cares," Tyler muttered.
"Yeah?" Zach said, "Shut the fuck up."
"I'll take her," Alex said.
Ophelia scooted her chair away from the table and stood up.
"Hey," Zach said. "Wait. Let me come."
"Let him go," Courtney said, "He'll find out you two are together eventually anyways."
"We're not...together," Ophelia said. She felt guilty for saying it.
Zach knew that she said before she wasn't ready for another boyfriend, but he thought she may have changed her mind after they had been together for the last hour. It hurt him to know it hadn't, but he understood.
But he didn't regret kissing her, or making out with her. He did regret coming to Monet's though. He wished they could have stayed in his car, embracing each other. Touching each other.
Zach wondered if Ophelia actually had the same feeling for him as she did for her. She hinted that she loved him, but maybe as a friend. As two childhood friends would love one another. But she had made out with him. Ophelia wouldn't do something like that if she wasn't interested in him.
Zach was angry at her suddenly. Maybe she was just a tease. He became angrier at himself for even thinking it.
"I'll take her," Alex offered. "Montgomery won't risk fighting me because he knows he would get suspended again."
Ophelia and Alex left Monet's, but Zach followed out after them. He was suddenly angry.
"You shouldn't go, Ophelia," Zach told her, "Nothing good will come of it. Deleting the photo will just protect him and he doesn't fucking deserve protection."
"Zach, it's my fault he did it in the first place," she told him. "I was a fucking coward and tried to pin the blame of what I did on Hannah, that's why he was even mad at her."
Zach stalked closer to her. "Was Tyler fucking telling the truth? You don't want to ruin Montgomery's goddamn future?"
Ophelia stared at him. She admitted, "No. I don't. Because he has a hard life, Zach. And I don't want to ruin his chance of getting a better one."
Zach couldn't believe it. "So after everything you're still on his fucking side?"
Ophelia shook her head. "I'm on your side, Zach. That's why I'm fucking here."
"And that's why you're fucking leaving? Running back to Montgomery already?"
Ophelia wondered if she was wrong for trying to spare Montgomery. She figured she probably was. But yesterday she was still in love with Montgomery, why did Zach think she could turn it off so quickly?
"You could never understand!"
"How can you still love a guy who puts his fucking hands on you?"
"I don't love that Montgomery!" she tried to tell him. "I love Monty! My Monty!"
Zach shook his head. "It's not two fucking people, it's the same psychopath."
"It feels like two people," she told him. "Because he just becomes someone else when he's angry. And I'm not happy with that other person, the person you all see. He thinks different. He acts different. But my Monty? I still love my Monty. And-And it breaks my heart knowing that I had to leave him behind too."
"Ophelia, it's the same person-"
"It's not!" She insisted, "Hannah understood. That's how she convinced me to go to the police. Because they would force Montgomery into anger management so that he would be my Monty all the time! It's not fair he had to lose me too! The Monty who told me he wanted a life with me. That is the Monty that I'm protecting, the one who isn't angry and can actually make a better life for himself."
Zach didn't know what else to say at the time, so he let her leave. He let her drive back to the school with Alex.
He didn't understand her. He tried but he couldn't. Bug he did understand what she meant. Sometimes it seemed like there was his friend Montgomery, and then her boyfriend Montgomery. Like it really was two different people.
But Montgomery would never be able to change. There wasn't enough good in him.
Tyler came out to him.
"Hey, man, I can help you get back at her," Tyler said.
Zach turned to him, "What?"
Tyler handed him an envelope. A small, letter sized one. Zach opened it and gasped.
"It's pictures of Ophelia and Montgomery. That one's before a football game. She was rubbing him off just outside the locker room."
Zach looked through the photos, horrified. There were a few of them just kissing in the hallways, some of them just outside the school. He cringed when spotting one outside, hidden behind two buildings, where Ophelia had her hand down Montgomery's pants. Zach stopped at one taken from an above angle. Montgomery and Ophelia were inside a boy's restroom. He could tell by the urinals. Montgomery's face was to the camera, Ophelia was facing away.
Montgomery had his pants down to his ankles, and Ophelia was kneeling in front of him.
Zach couldn't speak for a moment, stunned to silence.
Tyler took the time to say, "I have a few more. More explicit."
Zach suddenly shoved Tyler. "You sick fucking freak!"
"Ah!" Tyler yelled, as he hit the stone wall behind him. Zach took a hold of his collar. "You stay the fuck away from Ophelia! If I ever fucking see anymore photos like this I will do more than throw a fucking rock through your window, I will set your fucking house on fire. Do you fucking understand me?"
"Okay, okay!"
"You're going to delete all of them!" Zach demanded. "Or I swear to fucking god!"
Zach had no idea how much rage he put inside of Tyler with his threats, or the fact that he just made future situations much, much worse.
*****
Alex and Ophelia made it to school. They were walking together to get to the back batting stalls.
"Do you think I'm wrong to try to protect Monty?" Ophelia suddenly asked him.
"I don't know," he admitted. "I wouldn't. But I don't know him like you do. I personally think he's a sick fuck who needs his name on some type of watch list."
Ophelia said, "I am sorry about the other night. Causing that fight."
Alex scoffed. "You didn't cause anything, Ophelia. Zach and Montgomery started fighting because Montgomery is an abusive asshole, like Zach said."
"Do you think I'm leading Zach on?"
Alex laughed. "What, am I one of the girls now?"
Ophelia thought he was offended. "I'm sorry-"
"Don't be," he said. "I...like talking with you."
Ophelia remembered. "You said you had something to tell me?"
Alex looked away, quickly. "I think the batting stalls are just up ahead."
When they got to the batting cages, they were surprised to see Montgomery was the only one there.
"I would've thought at least Bryce would be here," Alex mentioned.
Montgomery noticed them and stopped what he was doing. He turned the machine off. Seeing Ophelia made him weak anyway. He had the same effect on Ophelia. Her heartbeat picked up when she saw him.
"O..."
She said to Alex, "You stay here."
Ophelia opened the batting cage lane and stepped in. He threw down the bat, and took his helmet off. He had sweaty hair. A bead of sweat fell down the side of his face and dropped on his shoulder.
"Can we talk for a minute?" She asked, timidly.
"Yeah, course."
He was ready. To forgive her for breaking up with him. To take her back. To finally end this horrible fucking day of having to be without her.
"I...I need to know if you still have the photo of Hannah," Ophelia said, not wanting to waste any time leading up to it. If she did, she may just get caught up talking to him about anything.
Montgomery's hope shattered. Hannah Baker? She wanted to talk about Hannah fucking Baker? He sent a look to Alex, wondering if Ophelia told him anything.
"Why the fuck does that matter?" he asked her. "Did you fucking tell Standall about it?"
Montgomery ripped off his batting gloves, suddenly angry. Ophelia caught sight of his red and bloodied knuckles.
"Monty, what did you do to yourself?" She was concerned.
Her concern warmed him. She was the only person that was ever concerned. "Just from the punching bag." He held out his hands to look at them. It was the first time he noticed how bad they actually were.
"You shouldn't be hitting it that hard. I mean, not hard enough to hurt yourself." She touched one of his knuckles, softly.
He kept his eyes on her face whole time. For a moment, she was back with him. Her Monty. When she realized she had reached out and touched his she pulled her hand away.
"Hannah's photo. You took one on your phone on Rep Night. Did you delete it?"
Montgomery looked at Alex still near the door, then back to Ophelia. "Yeah, after she killed herself."
Ophelia let out a sigh of relief.
Montgomery frowned. "Wait, are you trying to get me fucking arrested?"
"What? No."
"You're trying to fucking tell people what happened, aren't you?" He accused.
"Monty," she snapped, "I am trying to fucking protect you. I was going to make you delete it. Because I got fucking subpoenaed for Hannah's trial and they might bring it up."
"How?" He demanded you know, "How the fuck would they bring it up unless you told them?"
"Because Hannah fucking told them!" Ophelia shouted, finally fed up with his accusations. "Monty I never said a fucking word about fucking anything!"
Montgomery was deterred, but not convinced. "If Hannah told them wouldn't it have come up sooner?"
"I'm not standing here and taking your shit anymore," she told him. "You deleted the picture that's all I wanted to know."
"Wait," he pleaded, his anger disappearing as she began to leave. "O, please. I'm sorry."
"Alex, lets go," Ophelia said.
When they arrived back to the car, Alex asked her, "Do you think you'll get back together with him? Like last time?"
Ophelia recalled the feeling of when she saw his hurt hand. She wanted to help him, and care for him, and let him know she was there for him.
She recalled how she felt when he accused her of telling Alex what they had done. Sad, betrayed by his accusation.
And when she left him. Heartbroken.
"Don't fucking fall for it," Alex told her. "He's not a good guy."
"I know," she mumbled.
"No, you don't!" Alex suddenly yelled. "Ophelia, I-"
Alex looked troubled, and like he was wrestling with himself.
"What, Alex?"
"I wanted to fucking tell you," he told her, "Earlier. I wanted to tell you earlier."
"Tell me what?" She demanded. He was still hesitant. "Fucking what, Alex?!"
Still he said nothing.
"Alex-!"
"I was there the night Hannah got raped!"
Ophelia was taken aback. "W-What?"
"The fucking party at Bryce's house. Me and Montgomery were playing a fucking game. A fucking video game. And I could hear it, Ophelia. We both could."
Ophelia just shook her head. "No, Monty wouldn't have let that happen."
"He looked out the window and saw her," Alex insisted. "He just-He said it was some slut Bryce was fucking in the hot tub."
Ophelia denied it. "He couldn't have known that it was her, or that she didn't want to-"
"You saw her fucking bruises," he said, "So you know how fucking aggressive Bryce was being. He had to know."
"He wouldn't let something like that happen!" Ophelia insisted.
"You think I thought he would? I didn't know how fucked up that guy was until it was too late. I'm sorry, Ophelia!"
She frowned. "Sorry to me? For what?"
Alex swallowed deeply. "I heard my dad. When you were on the phone with him. When-When you called him."
"When I called him?" Ophelia suddenly realized what he meant. When her and Hannah called his father to report Montgomery for assault."
"I'm sorry," Alex repeated.
"Did you-Did you tell Monty?"
"I'm sorry!"
Ophelia gasped, and she suddenly felt unable to breath.
Alex told Montgomery about the call. He was the reason she attacked her in the bathroom. The reason she ended up turning on Hannah.
"I didn't know what it was!" he said, "Just that someone was reporting him! I thought I was just having my friend's back! I-I thought someone fucking caught him with drugs or something."
"You told him! Are you fucking kidding me?! Do you have any idea what you did?!"
"If I had known I would have never-"
"Pull the car over!" She demanded.
"Ophelia, please. I feel like you're the last person I can talk to anymore."
"I said pull the car over!"
Alex did, suddenly. She jolted as he hit the curb and stopped.
"I'm sorry," he said softly.
Ophelia got out and slammed the door behind her. He rolled down the window.
"Please, believe me-"
"Fuck you!" Ophelia shouted. "Im done with these stupid meetings where everyone's still keeping secrets from each other! I'm done with everything you people are trying to do! I don't ever want to fucking see you again!"
As she stomped away from his car, Alex clenched his steering wheel tightly.
He whispered, "You fucking won't."
Next chapter will probably be the last of season one! Lmk if you guys would like to see the next two seasons as well!
How do you guys feel of Zach and Ophelia's intersections in this chapter?
Also I'm sorry if the story is becoming too sexual! I wanted to show that Ophelia doesn't have the best relationship with sex but later overcomes it, but let me know if the subject makes anyone uncomfortable and I will try to not go too much into detail.