Hey, it's Hannah. Hannah Baker.

I know I said no return engagements. Well, I guess that'll teach me to never say never.

I recorded thirteen tapes for other people to tell them the role they played in the story of why my life ended.

This is the story of why it didn't.

And this tape? This tape is for me.

Anyway, I suppose I should pick up where I left off. I was walking out of the school for what I absolutely believed would be the last time. Mr. Porter had let me down... or maybe I just told myself he had because that was the outcome I wanted. I know now that at least one thing I'd said in his office was completely wrong. In fact, the thing I was wrong about ended up saving my life... twice, but we'll get to that.

"I think I've made myself very clear," Hannah said to the tape recorder in her bag. There was no emotion left in her voice. "No one's coming forward to stop me. Some of you-"

Hannah's words were interrupted by the collision with a boy who clearly hadn't been watching where he was going, knocking her bag out of her hands and nearly knocking her over as well.

I was almost out the door when he bumped into me. I guess you could say he swept me off my feet.

"Oh, God! Hannah, I'm sorry!" Clay exclaimed, shaking his head in embarrassment, before kneeling down to help her pick up the items strewn from her bag. "I just forgot a paper in my locker I was supposed to hand in. You know how Mr. Warrick gets."

"It's fine," Hannah said as they continued to pick things up. She didn't have it in her to be annoyed or amused anymore.

The same could not be said of Clay, who slapped the floor in frustration.

"Can't seem to do anything lately that doesn't end up hurting you," he muttered, louder than he'd meant to.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"What do you think I'm talking about, Hannah?" Clay asked, shrugging as they both got to their feet. "Jessica's party?"

"Clay," Hannah said, "you didn't hurt me."

"Hannah, I was there. I obviously did something wrong."

"No, you didn't."

"Then what was it? Why did you want me out of there, all of a sudden?"

I wasn't ready to tell him the answer to that in person. He'd have to wait for the tapes.

"Never mind," Hannah said, closing her eyes. "Just forget it."

"No, I don't wanna forget it! Hannah, if something's wrong, tell me!"

If I'd answered differently, or just not said anything and left, or just not run into Clay at all, both our lives would've turned out very differently. I had a plan, an extremely thought-out plan, and explaining myself to Clay didn't fit into it.

"Would you just stop trying to be my friend, Clay?" Hannah said. "You don't wanna have anything to do with me."

"I do!" Clay answered defensively.

"No, you don't. I'm no good for you." Hannah's eyes started to tear up. "Everyone in my life ends up hurting me, and the few that don't get hurt because of me; you, Jessica, my parents. Trust me, you'll all be better off after-" She stopped herself, realizing she was about to say too much.

In fact, she already had.

"After what?" Clay asked, suddenly feeling very uneasy.

"N- Nothing," Hannah said.

"Hannah, after what?" Clay repeated, looking horrified.

There was no talking my way out of this. I had to get out of there.

"Nothing, forget it! Just leave me alone, Clay!" Hannah broke into a run, shot past Clay, and bolted through the doors, just as the bell rang and a wave of students filled the hallways.

"Hannah!" Clay shouted after her. He stood there, unsure of what to do for a moment...

I had just dropped off the tapes with Tony and was home no more than a few minutes, when any last hope of going through the plan went out the window.

"Hannah?"

In her bedroom, Hannah turned around, startled at the frantic sound of her mother approaching.

"Hannah!" Olivia Baker shouted, as rushed into the room, not bothering to knock. She had a look on her face Hannah had never seen. Hannah was pretty sure it was terror.

"Hannah, do you know a boy named Clay Jensen?" Olivia stared at her daughter.

Hannah said nothing, unsure of what to do.

"He just ran all the way here from school because he thinks you're going to hurt yourself." Olivia's eyes started to well up. "Is that true?"

Hannah was still silent, her eyes instinctively glancing at her bag for an instant.

An instant was enough for Olivia. Looking at the bag, then at Hannah for a moment, Olivia grabbed the bag and started searching through it, until she found what she was looking for.

"Oh my God," Olivia said softly, putting a hand to her mouth.

"Hannah?" Andy Baker rushed into the room, looking at his daughter, then his wife.

Olivia held up the razor blades to her husband.

Horrified, Andy immediately pulled Hannah into an embrace. Olivia threw the bag and razor blades to the floor and threw her arms around both of them.

Hannah didn't speak or even move as her parents squeezed her, both of them crying. Her eyes darted around the room until she saw the boy stepping into the doorway. Clay's hair and clothes were drenched with sweat, his face was deep red, and he was breathing heavily. Still, he kept his gaze on Hannah, crushed between her sobbing parents, and slumped against the wall, relieved.

Well, that was the end of that. I spent the night at some suicide watch facility. After that, I spent another couple of weeks at some other facility. They got me to open up a bit. I didn't tell them about Bryce though. I wasn't ready for that yet. After a while, I just wanted to get back to something normal.

Walking into the school with Clay and Tony on each side, Hannah looked around the hallways.

"Oh, this is fun," Clay said, with an awkward smile. "Ms. Bradley's having us look up famous movie quotes. I still can't believe how many people think the line goes, 'Luke, I am your father.'" Clay leaned closer. "I think you and I might have an edge."

"Sure, okay," Hannah said, vacantly, before walking towards her locker.

Clay just stood there watching her, and hung his head. Tony put a hand on his shoulder.

"She'll be okay," Tony said, giving Clay a nod. "She just needs time."

Clay looked at Tony. "I just wanna help her."

"You already are."

"Clay?"

Hearing his name, Clay looked over at Hannah.

"Look, I just wanted to say thank you again for..." Hannah paused, seeming unsure of what to say, then shrugged and gave a hint of a smile. "Just, thank you."

Clay couldn't think of anything to say. He just smiled as Hannah turned back towards her locker.

If you stopped the tape right here, you'd probably think this was a happy ending; girl saved from suicide by the boy who loves her, right?

Wrong.

This wasn't the end. It was barely the beginning. And despite everything I'd been through, somehow, the worst was yet to come...

Hannah turned to see Justin and Jessica passing by in the hallway. Justin seemed to avert his eyes, while Jessica seemed to glare at her. Hannah looked puzzled for a moment, before heading to class. Clay watched her leave, then turned to Tony.

"Does she not know?"

Tony sighed. "If she doesn't, she's gonna find out real soon."