"You're going to tell me this one's no big deal... but let me tell you about being lonely." "Humans are a social species." "We rely on connections to survive." "Even the most basic social interactions help keep us alive." "Statistics prove the subjective feeling of loneliness can increase the likelihood of premature death by 26%." "If it sounds like I'm quoting from a school textbook..." "I am." "Too bad nobody bothered to read it." "And let me tell you... there's all kinds of ways to feel lonely." "Matt, I was gonna do that." "I thought I'd get you started." "Your workday seems to be getting longer and longer." "Any news from Clay this morning?" "I heard the stirrings." "Some, uh... thumps and mutterings and such." "We need to get him back to Dr. Ellman." "He won't take the meds, but the talk therapy was always helpful." "Aah!" "Feel like it was more helpful for you to have him doing it." "Yes." "It was helpful to know that he was talking to somebody." "What's wrong with that?" "Not everyone shares your passionate belief that all problems can be solved with words." "Christ's sakes, Matt, you have a PhD in literature." " Your whole life is about words." " And how they complicate everything." "He is in trouble, and we need to help him." "He's acting out, yes." "We don't know that he's in trouble." "There's a reason the school's sending out so many e-mails." ""Contagion." "Suicide clusters."" "A girl died, Lainie, and he said he barely knew her." "Hannah Baker didn't just die." "She slit her wrists and bled out in a bathtub." "Clay." "I have to go to school." "I haven't made your lunch yet." "I'll buy lunch." "I'm not talking the garden variety lonely in a crowd lonely." "That's everyone, every day." "And it's not that "when will I find love" kind of lonely." "Or that "the popular kids are mean to me" kind of lonely." "The popular kids are always mean." "That's how they get popular." "I know." "Ironic." "Old news." "Hey!" " Hey, what the hell?" "What are you doing?" " I'm sorry!" "I'm sorry!" "What the hell?" "I can't get it open." "Why do you want to?" "Because it's my locker." "I'm new, but I can't get the combination to work." "Sorry, I'm sorry." "Uh..." "This locker used to belong to a friend of mine." "Um, thank you." "The kind of lonely I'm talking about is when you feel you've got nothing left." "Nothing." "And no one." "Like you're drowning, and no one will throw you a line." "Why did you do it?" "Why did you do it?" "Do what?" "What you did to Hannah." "That was really fucked up." "What did you say?" "I said thanks for helping me." "That was really nice." "Oh." "Sure." "Which way is the science wing?" "Uh, out those doors." "Take a left." "Well, when the subject of this tape worked his sneaky magic... that's how I was feeling." "And when you're that kind of lonely, you reach for anything... no matter how silly it may seem." "I'm sick of it, you know?" "Just because I don't have her skinny-ass body doesn't mean I'm fat!" "And communications class could be supremely silly... as you know." "Maybe she should try a diet." "Seriously, Pratters?" "Jesus!" "I'm just saying, all right, if you're getting fat-shamed, then... you know, don't be fat." "Mr. Pratters!" "Pratter's, that's like someone saying to you," ""Don't be an idiot and a dickwad."" " Can't help it." " Exactly." "Thank you." "Totally not on your side, dude." "All right, people, so remember the compliment bags." "Um, it's always best to give a compliment face to face, but sometimes it's easier to be anonymous." "All right." "See you tomorrow." "I always feel stupid." "Looking?" "Yeah." "Yeah." "These are the stupidest, most embarrassing things that I check every day, no matter what." "Right." "Sometimes the silly things can mean more than anyone knows." "Get a good one?" "Nothing earthshaking." "You?" "Nada." "It's kind of soul-crushing, you know?" "Seriously?" "He's Zach Dempsey." "Does he really need compliments?" "We all need it." "Human contact." "And communications class, crazy as it was, was human contact for me." "Until someone in that class cut my lifeline... someone who is known for being sweet." "I'll tell you who it is... but you're going to have to wait." "Just like I did." "You don't look so good." "I think I'm listening to my tape." "You're finally gonna get what you deserve." "It's about time." "What?" "I said let me know if you need to talk." "Any time." "Yeah, thanks." "I'm going to play mind games with you, just like you played with me." "No." "No, I-I didn't." "No, I didn't." "It happened after Valentine's Day... when you really feel that lack of human contact." "Especially when you make contact with the wrong human." "Get off me!" "Don't touch me!" "Get off!" "Hey, what the fuck!" "Get away from me." "That's a whole new level of lonely." "But through it all... you still want to believe there are good guys in the world." "You were kind that night." "You just sat there, letting me ignore you... until it was almost comical." "I'm sorry about Marcus." "He just..." "He can just be such a dick." "You know?" "Want to see a cool trick?" "Bryce Walker taught me." "See, the thing is... you gotta get the positioning just... right." "I swear, Bryce has a magnet face." "He can keep, like, five on at once." "It's... crazy." "Okay." "You two want to order some food?" "Hannah?" "Do you want anything?" "I mean, after all, it's... it's still Dollar Valentine." "I think we're just gonna take the check." "Are you kidding?" "What's a couple of milkshakes?" "After the way you played on Saturday, it's on me." "Thanks, man, that's uh, that's really nice." "Listen." "Take it easy." "Okay?" "You'll feel better tomorrow." "You were so sweet." "Just like Kat said, once upon a time." "So sweet." "Well, welcome to your tape, Zach." " Yo." " Yo, Big "Z"!" "Yo, dude!" "There he is!" "For those who aren't Zach, you can relax." "For now, at least." "As for you, Zach..." "I wonder if you ever felt what it's like to be lonely." "Like I did that day." "Is it even possible to know when you're one of the most popular jocks and not one of those kids who sits alone in the cafeteria, hiding behind a book?" "Have you ever noticed us?" "I can't get my strength!" "Take a handful, boys." "Start passing these babies out." "Fuck me!" "How many of these did Daddy make you?" "Enough to win the election." "Hey, I'll be right back, guys." "Hey." "Hey." "Uh." "What you reading?" "A book." "Um..." " Listen, about last night..." " It's okay." "I'm over it." "Okay, this... this isn't about Marcus." "I never got the chance to say something." "The thing is... you were the Valentine I was hoping for." "What?" "I was hoping that I'd get your name on my... you know, the valentine list thing." "Because I'm easy." "No." "Seriously, no." "Look..." "The whole night... with Marcus and everything..." "I couldn't believe you were on his list and not mine." "Zach..." "I don't know if you're doing this on a dare or whatever." "It's not a dare." "It's not." "I just..." "I know you think every guy likes you because you've got this great ass." "But I like you for so much more than that." "Oh, my God, you're such an idiot." "What?" "What'd I say?" "The fact that you don't even know." "I meant it as a compliment." "Zach, walk away." "Come on, I know why you're pissed at Marcus..." " Zach, go." " If you just gave me a chance..." "Leave me alone!" "Yeah." "Okay." "Sorry." "This shit that happens to you..." "I think some of it you bring on yourself." "Is that what you think?" "Thanks for the insight, genius." "I was..." "I was trying to be nice." "Well, you failed." "Well, fuck you." "Dude, seriously." "What's the point of even attempting with that girl?" "Yeah, been there, forgot that." "Don't you need every vote, Marcus?" "I don't need that one!" "Guys, leave Zach alone." "He's just desperate to lose it before his dad has to buy him a hooker." "You get back here, young man!" "Zachy!" "Poor Zach!" "Yo, Zachy!" "You said something stupid, Zach... and I yelled at you." "Big deal." "You should have let it go." "But you didn't let it go." "You didn't like that someone told you no." "'Cause guys like you get anything you want, right?" "You're home early." "Hey." "Come sit with me a minute." "This isn't a talk, is it?" "No talk." "We'll communicate through semaphores." "I can see how you'd think I'd be the one person to laugh at that, but..." "Where's your bike?" "Uh..." "I uh... messed up the crank... so I left it with Tony, to fix it." "Listen." "About what you heard this morning." "I didn't hear anything." "Well, if you did... your mom and I... we disagree on some things." "I didn't hear anything, Dad." "Honest." "She thinks maybe you're having nightmares again." "And if you are... and if you want to talk to someone about them, someone who doesn't share your DNA..." "I'll..." "I'll let you know." "Look, I hated high school." "I couldn't wait to get out." "It was hell for me." "I was a target... more than once." "Shit." "I'm sorry, Dad." "But I survived." "And look at me now." "I'm a paragon of manhood." "With a fucking beautiful family." "Yeah." "You did all right." "What I'm saying..." "I had things to hang on to." "I had chess club," "I had Knowledge Bowl..." "See, now you're embarrassing yourself, Dad." "Do you have something?" "Does anything bring you joy?" "Or just relief?" "Your mom and I would feel so much better if you had something... if you took more of an interest in, you know... school activities." "You know..." "I was actually thinking of going to the basketball game tonight... believe it or not." "I have, uh... a friend playing." "Maybe you think you deserve everything you get... and more." "Maybe you're just used to hearing the cheers of the crowd." "Clay." "What are you doing here?" "It's a basketball game." "I'm here to show some school spirit." "That's great." "Great, Clay." "I'm glad you're, you know... feeling better." "Hey." "How's it going?" "Everything's great, Marcus." "What the fuck are you doing here, dude?" "What's your play now?" "Hey, guys." "Can I get a picture?" "Nothing's going on, Tyler." "Just go away." "I seriously just wanted a picture for the yearbook." "If they knew the kind of pictures you really took!" "Hey." "These T-shirts look great." "Uh, I'm glad you approve, Mr. Porter." "I appreciate all the hard work you guys put into it." "Mr. Down... would you get a picture of us for the yearbook?" "Yeah." "Yeah." "Clay, what are you doing?" "Get off the court." "Jensen, get off the fucking court." "What the hell, Jensen?" "Game's about to start." "Hey, you!" "Get off the court!" "Get off the court." "Go." "Hey, skinny kid, get the hell off the court." "Clay, you okay?" "Do you care?" "Where the hell's Jessica?" "She texted me." "She was babysitting her brothers and had to wait till her mom got home to leave." "Well, we can't wait for her." "Okay, ladies, let's go!" "Maybe you can't imagine what it feels like to be on the sidelines, Zach... like most of us are." "You can't imagine why a little piece of paper could mean so much." "Um, everybody, before you leave, we've added an anonymous class discussion bag to the racks." "We're gonna check it every Friday and talk it over." "You got another bunny?" "I wish I would get one." "Still don't know who they're from?" "You got, like, six compliments today." "I got a cartoon and a campaign flyer from Courtney." "Yeah." "You do realize shilling for votes is not a compliment, Courtney." "I'm sorry you feel that way, Skye, but I'm proud of my efforts, and I wanted to share that with the class." "Hey, Clay." "Go away, Tyler." "You know, I get that a lot." "Especially lately." "But today I'm on... official yearbook business." "Why are you even talking to me?" "Because I want to see what you're gonna do next." "You really messed Courtney up." "Not as much as you did to me." "Still... the cemetery?" "That's cold." "Does everybody know about that?" "Everybody knows about everything." "They know about your nightmares." "They know you beat off to Hannah's picture." "And they know what you did to her." "What is it?" "What did I do?" "What?" "Clay?" "Heads up." "Jensen, come on, throw the damn ball." "Clay." " Clay." " Come on!" "Come on, what are you waiting for?" "Throw the ball, dipshit." "Jesus, Clay, what the fuck?" "Clay." "Clay." " Clay." " We got a game, man!" "Throw it in, loser!" "Thanks for making me do that." "Uh-uh." "No way." "You've been late to practice twice this week." "Now you miss most of first quarter?" "I'm sorry, I didn't know I was going to be so late." "Jess, look, you got a problem, come to me, we'll work it out." "But I'm sorry, you're out of today's game." "Yo, Jess." "You're not leaving, are you?" "I'm benched for the game." "Or didn't the entire gym just hear that?" "Well, if you're benched, take a seat." " Make some room, you guys." " I don't know." "Come on, you don't want to miss your boyfriend's big game." "And... we're having fun up there." "Milady." "Maybe you don't know what it's like to need a lifeline, Zach." "The day after you insulted me in the cafeteria, my compliment bag was empty." "Not even a cute bunny." "By the end of the second week, I knew something was up." "Maybe I should have let it go, but I didn't." "I wrote you a letter." "I poured my heart out, opening up about personal things" "I hadn't had the courage to admit to anyone:" "How hard life was getting... how lonely I felt... and how those stupid compliments actually meant something to me." "And then I set my trap." "I was hoping once you read the letter, you'd get it, you'd realize how much I needed those silly things you were stealing from me." "But I guess I wasn't even worth a reaction." "Why me, Zach?" "Why me?" "Wow, that's double digits already." "Jeez." "Zach is on fire tonight." "Whoo!" "Zach!" "Zach!" "Zach!" "Zach!" "Zach!" "Zach!" "Oh-ho-ho-ho!" "Yeah!" "Stop it!" "Stop!" "Stop it!" "Stop playing!" "Stop the game!" "Stop!" "Stop it!" "Stop, stop!" "Is he crazy?" "Why me, Zach?" "Why me?" "Stickin' it to the man!" "Or, you know, one particular man who's rich enough and fucked-up enough to get his asshole son a $60,000 car." "Skye, what are you..." "Are you at the game?" "God, no!" "Sculpture studio." "It's the only time I can get the welding rig away from the shop boys." "Were you at the game?" "I was." "But it was so bad, you had to leave before halftime?" "I can't..." "I can't do this anymore." "This goddamn school, it's a terrible place." "You're just now coming to this realization?" "Where have you been for the past three years?" "Oh, that's right, pining after a pretty dead girl." "Why are you so mean?" "I thought we were friends." "Were." "We were friends." "What happened?" "I didn't understand it." "I still don't." "Yeah, well, welcome to the world." "Well, I hate it." "Me too." "I like this new... angry, Audi-keying Clay." "He's got spunk." "I think I'm losing my shit." "Shit's overrated." "Lose it." "I'm gonna be in so much trouble." "Not if no one knows you did it." "You won't tell?" "Please, why would I tell?" "I think it needs a question mark." "Oh, shit." "Halftime." "I should go." "I'll see you around?" "Seems likely." "Hey, Clay." "Stay angry." "I was feeling desperate, so I texted someone I thought was a friend." "His Audi?" "You... you don't fuck with another dude's car." "I know." "I know." "I just..." "I listened to his tape." "And he just got away with everything." "And he scored, like, 30 points tonight." "You keyed his car 'cause he scored 30 points?" "No, because it's not fair, Tony." "It's not fucking fair." "Those tapes are messing me up." " They're doing shit to my head." " I get it." "I get it." "I don't think you do." "I do." "Believe me." "This is all so easy for you." "You don't know what you're talking about." "Then tell me." "You seem like a tall vanilla latte." "I mean, for a drink." "Thanks." "I was just leaving." "Clay." "You're going to get through this." "I don't know if I will." "He's one intense dude." "He's just going through some shit." "Yeah, clearly." "And so are you." "Just tell me one thing:" "Tell me all this is not about a guy." "No, it's not." "It's about a girl." "I texted you, Jessica." "And you said you'd come." "And then you didn't." "Want me to clear these?" "No, I'm waiting for someone." "Clay?" "No, why?" "Just seen you around with him." "Not here." "No." "Not here." "I get it, Jess." "I gave you a ride home." "That didn't make us friends again." "So I guess I didn't have any friends... at all... anymore." "Clay!" "Wake up!" "You need to come downstairs." "Clay?" "Okay, coming." "Now, please." "Clay." "You remember Zach's mom, Mrs. Dempsey." "She stopped by because something happened to Zach's car during the game last night and... she wants to ask you if you know anything about it." "Okay, it's time to look at our anonymous class discussion bag and see what we have this week." ""Mrs. Bradley has nice ankles."" "Well, I'm not sure that it's appropriate to objectify anyone in this way, and certainly not a teacher, but, uh, in so far as this was meant as a compliment, thank you." "They're real nice ankles, Mrs. B." "MRS." " Moving on." ""What if the only way not to feel bad is to stop feeling anything at all, forever?"" "Wow." "Okay, um..." "This is serious." "This is someone who's in a great deal of pain." "Who would like to open our discussion?" "Any initial feelings...?" "You had to know I wrote that note, Zach." "And you said nothing." "I think whoever wrote this is just looking for attention." "Or maybe it's, like, a call for help." "But then, why not sign their name?" "'Cause it's anonymous." "Maybe it's just a joke, like someone's just fucking..." "Sorry." "Messing with us." " Something." " That's idiotic." "It's not a joke." "How do you know, Skye?" "Because who would joke about that?" "Why don't you tell us, Skye." "You see what it was written on?" "Don't you work at Monet's?" "So?" "I don't have a monopoly over the napkins there, asshole." "Okay, okay, let's not call people out, all right?" "Whoever wrote it was in pain." "So what?" "They're in pain, I'm in pain." "High school's painful." "Get over it." "Okay, enough." "I think it was very brave of this person to tell us how they're feeling, and I want them to know that they are not alone." "There are lots of excellent resources for people struggling..." "You let everyone think it was Skye." "Why didn't you speak up?" "I'm sorry, but... what makes you think our son had anything to do with this?" "He was at the game, acting strangely." "The ref had to kick him off the court because he was trying to harass my son." "But nobody saw who keyed the car?" "Kids get jealous." "I'm asking you if anyone saw who keyed the car." " I don't think he was jealous." " You hush!" "Look, I came here as a courtesy." "I could have called the police." " Well, maybe you should." " Lainie." "No." "Maybe they should let the authorities figure out who did this instead of coming here pointing fingers and accusing our son of vandalism." "I did it." "Just because our son doesn't drive an expensive car..." " That's not the point here." " I did it!" "I did it, okay?" "Karen, Zach, why don't you come inside, we'll sort this out." "I'd like to talk to Zach for a minute, if I could." "Absolutely not." "Mom, please?" "Two minutes." "Look, I..." "I told her to forget about it." "I didn't want to come here or anything like that." "I'm glad you did." "Let's go inside and explain to your mom why I keyed your car." "No, Clay, please." " Don't." " Why not?" "Because." "Well, do your folks know?" "About you and Hannah?" "Why'd you do it?" "I didn't think that she'd react like that." "I mean, come on, Clay." "You knew her as well as anybody else." "That girl was too much." "You knew she needed help." " When Mrs. Bradley read that note..." " I freaked, okay?" "That letter." "That shit was heavy, and..." "I didn't know what to do." "So you threw it away." "No." "No, I didn't." "Hannah lied about that." "Maybe that's what she saw, I don't know." "I freaked out." "But I never threw it away." "Holy shit." "Boys." "Coming." "I'm sorry, Clay." "I'll always be sorry." "Do you want to read it?" "I don't think I could." "I don't think I ever could." "See, I have this theory, Zach." "I have this theory that you're lonely too." "Could that be possible?" "What kind of lonely could the great Zach Dempsey possibly feel?" "Dempsey, what the fuck?" "We gonna take a long lunch or what?" "Uh, yeah, I don't know." "Come on, man, we need you." "More than that, we need your wheels." "I gotta go to bio, guys." "Why, so you can cry about a frog again, you fuckin' pussy?" "I didn't cry." "Fuck you, man." "Maybe that kind where you think no one truly sees you." "I know that kind of lonely." "Do you?" ""Why me?"" "Why... why would Clay write that?" "Clearly, someone has singled him out somehow." "For what?" "Why would anyone possibly pick on a kid like that?" "He said something to me the other night." "He said, "What if I'm the bully?"" "That's not possible." "Are you sure?" "Clay." "Your mom and I talked, and... in addition to paying for the damages to the car... we do think there needs to be some kind of... grounding situation." "Okay." "For at least two weeks." "Okay." "Okay." "Um..." "I finished my half of this project." "I have to give these tapes to Tony by today." "Could someone drive me?" "So... disappeared last night." "Yeah." "That game got sad." "Zach's good." "Whoo-hoo." "Who cares?" "We left early." "Who's "we"?" "Me and Bryce and some other guys." "You couldn't have texted me?" "Bryce said he texted you." "Yeah, he texted me to come over, not that you were there." "I mean, I texted you like four times." "You couldn't have hit me back?" "You are so not one to ask that, by the way." "I was in the hot tub, okay?" "I didn't have my phone." "What's the problem?" "You can live at Bryce's, but I can't hang out there?" "I don't live there now." "They're all yours." "I'm done." "Take 'em." "Share 'em." "Release 'em to the world." "I don't give a shit." "Really?" "You... you don't give a shit?" "I can't..." "I can't anymore." "I can't listen." "I can't hear it in her voice." "People are just mean, Tony." "They're messed up." "Zach didn't throw away the letter, you know that?" "No, I didn't know that." "He showed it to me." "Asked if I wanted to read it." "And I couldn't... read it because... it's starting to make sense to me... why she did what she did." "I can help you through this." "Can you tell me why I'm on the tapes?" "You have to listen." "It's what Hannah wanted." "Yeah, yeah, I know." "What Hannah wanted." "What you're so sure of, but you won't say how." "Huh?" "Fine." "Forget you, then." "Let me help you." "What, like you've been helping me so far?" "No, thanks." "But look on the bright side... you don't have to follow me anymore." "No one knows what's really going on in another person's life." "And you never know how what you do will affect someone else." "Hey, Bryce, what's up?" "Hey, Jensen." "And if that goes for me, it must go for everyone." "Even cheerleaders." "Hey, Sheri." "How was the rest of your weekend?" "Sorry, what?" "You were great at the game." "Jessica." "Hey, how are you?" "Hey, Clay." "Hey, Justin, good game the other night." "What the fuck is going on?" "Who knows anymore?" "Can I have your attention, please?" "Hey, it's Hannah." "Hannah Baker." "That's right." "Don't adjust your..." "whatever device you're hearing this on." "It's me." "Live and in stereo." "No return engagements, no encore... a huge congrats to our Tiger team for Saturday's win." "A special shout-out to Zach Dempsey, who crushed it with 28 points." "In other athletic news, the Lady Tigers won their game by a score of 54-32." "Thought you said this wasn't a test." "'Cause this looks like a test." "It's not, Mr. Pratters, I assure you." "It is a character-building questionnaire that assesses personal strengths and weaknesses." "Excuse me, Mrs. Bradley?" "Yes, Clay." "How important was it to you to help Hannah Baker?" "Extremely important to me, Clay." "Why do you ask?" "Remember that note you got in your bag last year?" "The one about not feeling anything anymore?" "It was from Hannah." "Okay, uh, why do you think that is?" " Mrs. Bradley?" " Yes?" "Sorry to interrupt, but I need Mr. Jensen." "Okay, Mr. Porter." "Clay, we can continue this discussion at another time." "I have to say, I'm a little surprised." "What?" "Why?" "I know it's been a few weeks, but you seem like the type of kid to follow through on a promise." "Don't worry, Clay." "I almost forgot too." "Forgot what?" "Courtney and Clay, these are our new foreign exchange students joining us this semester." "This is Jhene, Fynn, Mahla and Deep." "Uh, Courtney and Clay will be helping you out." "They are on the Honor Board and they'll be giving you the tour." "The insider's tour!" "All the secrets that you need to know." "Okay, great." "So as you can see, it's one of the finest high school parking lots in the world." "Oh, and right here is the library, where you can find books and tables and chairs and all that stuff... state-of-the-art computers, at least if the art was ten years ago... and friendly librarians." "Not super bright always, but friendly." "Oh, wait, everyone." "It's Justin Foley and Zach Dempsey, star basketball players here at Liberty High." "Hey, Justin, where's my bike?" "Justin stole my bike." "What the fuck?" "What are you doing?" "I'm giving our new foreign exchange students a tour." "Figured they should know who owns the school, right, you guys?" "Clay." "Right, right." "Moving on." "Where were we?" "Right." "The auditorium." "Oh, oh, but before we go..." "I want to show you something super cool." " Okay?" " Clay, cut it out." "Look at these lockers." "They all look alike, right?" "Not this one." "This one is special." "It belonged to a girl who killed herself." "Clay, come on." "You see all these "don't kill yourself" posters up on the wall?" "They weren't up before." "They put them up because she killed herself." "And why did she do it?" "Because the kids here treated her like shit!" "Jensen, that's enough." "But no one wants to admit it, so they paint over the bathrooms and put up a memorial, because that's the kind of school that this is." "Everyone is just so nice until they drive you to kill yourself." "And sooner or later, the truth will come out." "It's gonna come out." "Right, Tony?" "Right?" "You know the truth." "Clay." "I think you should come with me right now." "Get to class, everybody!" "All you, get to class." "Welcome to Liberty High." "Let's go." "Okay." "New game."