13 Reasons Why

Thirteen Reasons Why
Jay Asher

TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY A NOVEL BY JAY ASHER

Thirteen Reasons Why RAZORBILL Published by the Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group 345 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario,Canada M4P 2Y3 (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Ireland, 25 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd) Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd) Penguin Books India Pvt Ltd, 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park,New Delhi – 110 017, India Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Mairangi Bay, Auckland 1311, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd) Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England ISBN: 1-4295-6511-X Copyright 2007 © Jay Asher All rights reserved Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights isappreciated. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

For Joan Marie CONTENTS YESTERDAY CASSETTE 1: SIDE A CASSETTE 1: SIDE B CASSETTE 2: SIDE A CASSETTE 2: SIDE B CASSETTE 3: SIDE A CASSETTE 3: SIDE B CASSETTE 4: SIDE A CASSETTE 4: SIDE B CASSETTE 5: SIDE A CASSETTE 5: SIDE B CASSETTE 6: SIDE ACASSETTE 6: SIDE B CASSETTE 7: SIDE A CASSETTE 7: SIDE B THE NEXT DAY 13 INSPIRATIONS “Sir?” she repeats. “How soon do you want it to get there?” I rub two fingers, hard, over my left eyebrow. The throbbing has become intense. “It doesn’t matter,” I say.

The clerk takes the package. The same shoebox that sat on my porch less than twenty-four hours ago; rewrapped in a brown paper bag, sealed withclear packing tape, exactly as I had received it. But now addressed with a new name. The next name on Hannah Baker’s list.

“Baker’s dozen,” I mumble. Then I feel disgusted for even noticing it. “Excuse me?” I shake my head. “How much is it?” She places the box on a rubber pad, then punches a sequence on her keypad. I set my cup of gas-station coffee on the counter and glance at the screen. I pulla few bills from my

wallet, dig some coins out of my pocket, and place my money on the counter. “I don’t think the coffee’s kicked in yet,” she says. “You’re missing a dollar.” I hand over the extra dollar, then rub the sleep from my eyes. The coffee’s lukewarm when I take a sip,

making it harder to gulp down. But I need to wake up somehow. Or maybe not. Maybe it’s best to get through theday half-asleep. Maybe that’s the only way to get through today. “It should arrive at this address tomorrow,” she says. “Maybe the day after tomorrow.” Then she drops the box into a cart behind her. I should have waited till after school. I should have given Jenny one final day of peace. Though she doesn’t deserve it. When she gets home tomorrow, or the next day, she’ll find a package on herdoorstep. Or if her mom or dad or someone else gets there first, maybe she’ll find it on her bed. And she’ll be excited. I was excited. A package with no return address? Did they forget, or was it intentional? Maybe from a secret admirer? “Do you want your receipt?” the clerk asks. I shake my head. A small printer clicks one out anyway. I watch her tear the slip across the serrated plastic and drop it...