- Hannah Baker: 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.
- Hannah Baker: 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.
- Clay Jensen: 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.
- Skye Miller: I like this new angry, Audi-keying Clay. He's got spunk.
- Clay Jensen: I think I'm losing my shit.
- Skye Miller: Shit's overrated.
- Hannah Baker: 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.
- Zach Dempsey: [to Hannah] 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.
- Hannah Baker: Oh, my God. You're such an idiot.
- Zach Dempsey: What? What'd I say?
- Hannah Baker: The fact that you don't even know.
- Zach Dempsey: I meant it as a compliment.
- Hannah Baker: Zach, walk away.
- Zach Dempsey: Come on, I know why you're pissed at Marcus...
- Hannah Baker: Zach, go.
- Zach Dempsey: If you just gave me a chance...
- Hannah Baker: Leave me alone!
- Zach Dempsey: Yeah. Okay. Sorry. This shit that happens to you. I think some of it you bring on yourself.
- Hannah Baker: Is that what you think? Thanks for the insight, genius.
- Zach Dempsey: I was I was trying to be nice.
- Hannah Baker: Well, you failed.
- Zach Dempsey: Well, fuck you.
- [walks away]
- Tony Padilla: [to Clay after Clay tells him he keyed Zach's car] His Audi? You... you don't fuck with another dude's car.
- Clay Jensen: 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.
- Tony Padilla: You keyed his car 'cause he scored 30 points?
- Hannah Baker: 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.
- Hannah Baker: 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?
- Matt Jensen: [to Clay] Look, I hated high school. I couldn't wait to get out. It was hell for me. I was a target more than once.
- Clay Jensen: Shit. I'm sorry, Dad.
- Matt Jensen: But I survived and look at me now. I'm a paragon of manhood with a fucking beautiful family.
- Clay Jensen: Yeah. You did all right.
- Matt Jensen: What I'm saying, I had things to hang on to. I had chess club, I had Knowledge Bowl...
- Clay Jensen: See, now you're embarrassing yourself, Dad.
- Hannah Baker: 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.
- Clay Jensen: [to Skye] I can't do this anymore. This goddamn school, it's a terrible place.
- Skye Miller: You're just now coming to this realization?
- Hannah Baker: 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? Maybe that kind where you think no one truly sees you. I know that kind of lonely. Do you?
- Clay Jensen: [When Clay goes over to Tony' house to return the tapes] They're all yours. I'm done. Take 'em, share 'em, release 'em to the world. I don't give a shit.
- Tony Padilla: Really? You you don't give a shit?
- Clay Jensen: 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?
- Tony Padilla: No, I didn't know that.
- Clay Jensen: 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.
- Tony Padilla: I can help you through this.
- Clay Jensen: Can you tell me why I'm on the tapes?
- Tony Padilla: You have to listen. It's what Hannah wanted.
- Clay Jensen: Yeah, yeah, I know. What Hannah wanted. What you're so sure of, but you won't say how. Huh? Fine. Forget you, then.
- Tony Padilla: Let me help you.
- Clay Jensen: 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.