Tape 1, Side A

one month later

It was lunch.

"Eat something! Eat my chips," Clay, who had shining brown eyes and brown hair, offered. He looked at Deathbringer hopefully with wide brown eyes.

"No," he answered flatly.

Tsunami narrowed her eyes at him, taking a small bite out of her tuna sandwich. "Stop acting like a dork. We're all grieving. So you think she wanted us to be this way, or what? Dude. This isn't cool."

"Well," he snapped, rolling his eyes. "It doesn't matter what she thinks, does it, now? She's dead."

Starflight didn't even pay attention, probably since Deathbringer and Tsunami yelled at each other every time they sat together for lunch. He was probably used to it now. He just silently listened to music with a grim expression on his face.

"What did you say?" Tsunami stood up, her voice raising. Her cheeks were flushed in anger, and her fingers were clenched into a fist. She would squash him like a bug.

Or perhaps not. Perhaps the hours he spent in karate would pay him well.

Against her, though— probably not.

"'Nami, please sit down," Riptide Sanford begged. Tsunami ignored him, fuming.

"Did you just say GLORY WAS DEAD?!" Tsunami screamed. Some students turned and stared at her. At them. "I can't even— you—you are so dead, Death Guy—!"

Then she screamed in frustration and grabbed her lunch and threw it to the trash can, pointing an angry finger at it. It made a loud clang sound. "See that? You're next, bro! Congrats!"

Deathbringer stood up so that their eyes were at the same level as each other. "Well, it's true, isn't it? No need to act all"— he glared at Tsunami, motioning with his hands— "sensitive about it."

Tsunami grabbed him by the collar and they both fell down to the ground, and when she was about to punch him Sunny grabbed her arm and dragged her back to her seat. She was still snarling at Deathbringer, and he was sneering.

"Deathbringer, come back here." Sunny looked extremely upset. "Why do you guys have to fight every single day? Can't we eat lunch in peace?"

Deathbringer glared pointedly at Tsunami. "Apparently not. I would like to."

Sunny sighed. "Tsunami, Deathbringer....Glory would seriously not want this. Even if she was here, she won't appreciate it. I know she took her life a month ago, but I hope that brings us together, not take us farther apart." Sunny looked around in hope. "We don't want that to happen again."

Tsunami huffed and got up, her face as hard as stone. It was obvious Sunny's words did not have an impact on her, and that  she wasn't sorry at all. "I have to pee. Bye. See you guys never."

Clay made a face, gagging. "Seriously? I was eating!"

Tsunami shrugged. "I might swim some laps in the swimming pool because we have a meet today. And I'm the captain and all..."

"Have fun!" Sunny tried to say cheerfully. Before Tsunami turned away, she gave Deathbringer a look. "Just because you can't get with the game doesn't mean you should slow everybody else down with you, man," she growled, hitting his chest with her lunch box. Then she scoffed and walked away, fuming under her breath. Deathbringer kept silent.

Sunny pushed her tray away, frowning. "Deathbringer, I want to give you something."

He ran his fingers through his thick black hair, irritated. He wasn't in the mood to act all cheery and happy when he was not. Poor Sunny, though."What?"

Sunny bit her lip. "Something....very important."

He was curious now. He leaned forward. This secret seemed...special. "What is it, Sunny? Tell me."

She hesitated, then handed him something under the table.

It was a tape.

"Wow, thanks. Is it from a garage sale or something? I feel so honored and everything..." He smirked at her, but she didn't smile back.

Sunny looked around to make sure nobody was watching. Then she lowered her voice, dropping her green eyes. "Deathbringer. This is from Glory."

Glory. The name hammered his heart an pain bursted all around his body, numbing him, like a tornado passed through him. It was agony. To hear her name. To think about her. To want to see her more than anything else and then realizing she's gone after a second. "W-What?"

"Thirteen tapes," Sunny whispered quitely. "Each one of them— t-they are the reasons Glory committed....you know....suicide." She winced at the word.

He didn't say anything. He stared at the tape, speechless. It was certainly something.

"If you are mentioned in the tape, you have the choice to hear it." Sunny closed his hands around the tape with her fingers. They had only known each other for a few months, but she already felt something like a sister to him. "t-this is the first one. I am strictly forbidden to give this to you. But, Deathbringer...you need to hear Glory's tale. You deserve to know."

He opened his mouth to say something, but the bell rang and Sunny leaped out of her seat, flashing him one last pained grin, and ran like a pack of wolves were chasing her, leaving him speechless.

~

He carefully placed the tape in the Walkman, which he had found somewhere deep in the garage. He tried to blow the dust away, but it was so old and caked with dust and dirt that it was pretty much an impossible task to do.

Only good thing about the junk: it could still play tapes.

He shakily made sure that everything was playing right and pressed Play, sucking in a very sharp breath. What will this even bring?

If you are hearing this, I am dead.

He stopped it. It was her— Glory. He hasn't heard her voice for a month, and the last time he had seen her was a a few weeks ago at her funeral.

Her voice, even though it was playing in a cassette player, was beautiful.

Alive.

His heart ached, and he closed his eyes for a moment to calm himself down. How didn't I know this?

He took a deep breath and pressed Play again.

Settle in, everyone. Grab a snack, maybe. A water bottle from the refrigerator. This will take a while, you know. Make sure you have everything you need.

You must be surprised. Yes, I probably have killed myself by now. You probably attended to my funeral.

I want to know: what did it feel like to you? To see my dead face. To see me in my casket, to know you murdered me? To know you were one of the reasons for me to die?

A soft laugh, as amused and gentle as the spring breeze. Get with the program, Glory. You're probably confused, I know. Let me explain.

There are thirteen sides. Thirteen people. Thirteen reasons.

If you're listening, you are one of those stories. You are one of those reasons. Your job is to listen, finish all thirteen, and pass them. Simple enough?

If you don't, something bad will happen...it will be published publicly.

Yes, I do have a second copy.

I will have someone publish it, and the entire world will know what you did. All you did. All thirteen of you.

The world we know who you truly are. What you are. Within the pretty faces and friendly smiles...What is the monster inside?

Glory took a deep breath, like she was surprised of herself just as Deathbringer was. I'm not trying to blame anyone, I swear. I just... want to explain, I guess. Explain, and make sure this won't happen again. Suicide, I mean. At least in our school, hopefully.

Don't worry. I don't tell lies in these tapes. I have no reason to, after all. It will be on one perspective, yes. But every word I say on these tapes...I promise you that I am saying the facts due to my best knowledge.

Why would a dead girl lie, anyway?

Glory paused again. I give you the rules. It's your choice to follow them, or face the consequences.

The truth is, everyone, there are thirteen reasons why I committed suicide.

And you, my friend, are one of them.

He trembled, his heart sinking.

Well, let's begin, shall we?

Why did I commit suicide? You are about to find out.

But first...

"Welcome to your tape, Riptide Sanford"

~