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Cassette 1 Side 1
Clay immediately begins listening to the tapes. The first tape is dedicated to Justin Foley, who's currently a senior. He was Hannah's first kiss and official boyfriend, Justin got his place on the list by bragging about their short relationship and starting rumours that they had done more than just kiss- which they didn't. This started the "snowball" effect as Hannah called it. Everything after this just kept building up. -
Cassette 2 Side 1
The third reason in Hannah's story is about her close friend, or used to be, Jessica Davis. They were both new to the district, so naturally they became friends, along with Alex Standall. When Alex's list came out, Jessica was furious. One day they met at their cafe hangout, and Jessica told her that she knew the rumours. Even though the rumours were not true, Jessica ended up punching Hannah. This showed Hannah betrayal and made her feel as if she had no true friends anymore. -
Cassette 3 Side 2
On Valentine's Day, Hannah was asked on a date by Marcus Cooley, the next victim on Hannah's list. She had agreed to meet him at Rosie's Diner. Hannah waited there for about thirty minutes until he showed up. They had sat for a while, talking and laughing, but then Marcus started sliding his hand up her leg. She tried to get him to stop, but when he got too far, she shoved him out of their booth. He called her a tease, loud enough for everyone to hear, then stormed out, worsening her reputation. -
Cassette 4 Side 1
In one of her classes, Peer Communications, there were bags for the students where other students could anonymously say what they felt about each other. What Zach Dempsey did in that class was terrible for Hannah, which is why he made the list. Hannah was going through a tough time and needed those anonymous compliments, but Zach took that away from her. She caught him red-handed stealing the notes out of her bag. Zach took away her only source of confidence. -
Cassette 4 Side 2
For Hannah, poetry was always an outlet. But Ryan Shaver ruined it for her. She started attending a poetry group at the community library, hoping to write happy and cheerful poems. Ryan also attended and they began talking, and soon they shared their entire notebooks of poetry. He put one of her poems in the class newspaper anonymously, letting people make fun of it. Now even her own thoughts were up for ridicule. -
Cassette 6 Side 1
The next contender on the list is about Jenny Kurtz, a cheerleader at the school. After that dreadful party, Jenny offered to give Hannah a ride. While driving, Jenny hits a stop sign and knocks it over, and when Hannah wants to call the cops so it can be repaired, Jenny tells her to get out. Later that night, there was a fatal car accident at that intersection where she knocked down the sign. Hannah feels as if she could've prevented it, but she didn't. -
Cassette 6 Side 2
In this tape, Hannah made her choice. She was going to commit suicide with pills the next day. There had recently been a party, and she was casually walking by when none other than Bryce Walker and Courtney Crimson asked her to join them, and she did. She joined them in the hotub in their undergarments. Courtney left, leaving Hannah and Bryce. He took advantage of her, but she let him, even if she didn't enjoy the things he was doing to her. She just wanted her world to collapse around herself. -
Cassette 7 Side 2
Clay went to the park where Hannah had her first kiss with Justin to finish the tapes. He starts that last side of the final tape, but doesn't hear anything. Finally, he hears Hannah, with warmth, say her final words, "'Thank you'" (Asher 282). -
Clay Jensen Recieves The Tapes
Clay Jensen, a highschool boy, receives a shoebox containing seven audiotapes. He begins listening to them, and they're from Hannah Baker. Hannah killed herself just weeks earlier. She says that if you've received the tapes that you're one of the reasons she took her life. But Clay doesn't understand why he got them, and he'll have to listen to them to figure it out. -
Cassette 1 Side 2
The next tape Clay listened to was about Alex Standall. Alex had written a list, "Freshman Class- Who's Hot/ Who's Not", and put Hannah under "hot" and his ex-girlfriend (also Hannah's ex-best friend) under "not". Although it was just a joke, it caused people to think they could take advantage of Hannah. One day in the liquor store, a schoolmate smacked her bottom, preceding to say, "Best Ass in the Freshmen Class, Wally. Standing right here in your store!" (Asher 48). -
Cassette 2 Side 2
The fourth tape is about a Peeping Tom, also known as Tyler Down. He is the student-life photographer for the yearbook, who took pictures of the student body, literally. One day when Hannah's parents were out of town and she settled down for bed in her room, she heard clicks of a camera. She tried denying the fact someone was out there. She had a friend over to try and catch the peeping tom by tricking him, and they did. He stopped coming after that, but Hannah never felt safe again. -
Cassette 3 Side 1
The girl from the last tape who helped her catch Tyler, the perfect Courtney Crimsen, is the next person up. Courtney has a squeaky-clean image, and was liked by everyone. But Hannah saw her facade. Courtney invites her to a party, but only to use her for a ride. At the party she spread a rumour about some very naughty things Hannah had in her dresser, making Hannah's reputation worse than it already was. -
Cassette 5 Side 1
Clay finally reaches his tape, but she finally says that he does not belong on the list. When Hannah found out Clay was going to a party, she had to sneak out because she wanted to see him. They had talked for a while, and ended up making out, but nothing more. Eventually, Hannah pushed him off her and asked him to leave. After he finally left, she sat and cried. That was when she started creating her list. -
Cassette 5 Side 2
The next tape revolves around a few previously mentioned names. Soon after Clay reluctantly left, Justin Foley came in carrying an extremely drunk Jessica Davis. Justin allowed Bryce Walker in, where he took advantage of, or basically raped Jessica Davis. Hannah partially takes the blame for this, as she could've stopped it, but so could have Justin. -
Cassette 7 Side 1
This tape is Hannah's last effort, and she's going to her counselor seeking help. She tries talking to Mr. Porter, and they talk about what happened with Bryce, He gives her two options, but doesn't like either. Hannah finds Mr. Porter to be little help so she leaves, hoping maybe he'd chase after her and stop her. This made her realize that no one cared enough, and she ends the tape with "And I'm sorry" (Asher 280). -
Clay Jensen Mails The Tapes
After sleeping in the park, he wakes up and wraps the tapes in a paper bag, addressing it to Mr. Porter, the final person on Hannah's list. "And you, lucky number thirteen, you can take the tapes straight to hell" (Asher 9). He arrives late to school, but sits in the halls, not wanting to see Mr. Porter. Clay sees his eighth grade crush, Skye, walk past, and he realizes that's how he last saw Hannah. He feels the need to talk to her now, so he chases after her.
