November 9

Another year has passed, and Fallon believes her relationship with Ben is over because of what happened the year before—so she is surprised when he seeks her out at a club. She’s impressed by his level of commitment, despite him having sought out a relationship with Jordyn. The plot at this point follows the romantic tropes of forced proximity and “soulmates” as Ben refuses to leave Fallon alone until she agrees to hear his explanation for the Jordyn situation. Ben remains his determined self, suggesting that his feelings for Fallon are strong enough for him to want to keep fighting despite rejection. Yet there also seems to be something else motivating Ben, something beyond the “love at first sight” trope.

Ben, Fallon’s friend Amber, and Amber’s boyfriend Glenn come to Fallon’s defense when her boyfriend Theodore insults her. While brief, this moment reveals the fiercely loyal nature of Fallon’s close relationships. It is clear that the boy who loves her, her best friend, and her best friend’s boyfriend would go to extremes to protect her. Ben is persistent in wanting to support Fallon, and this moment is just one more instance of this desire. As for Amber and Glenn, it is clear that Fallon has had the support she needed all along in her friends—she simply didn’t see it because she was struggling with the aftermath of the fire.

Fallon lets Ben in her life again, as expected of her habit of relenting once she learns the truth (behind Ben and Jordyn’s relationship); this foreshadows the cycle playing out once more. It also allows for moments of intimacy key to the romance genre. Fallon’s ability to forgive and forget shows that she is a different person from the Fallon in Chapter 1, when she was resentful of her father. Although Ben also betrayed her, she does not appear to hold him to the same standard as her father.

Fallon and Ben care deeply for each other, but the former is not above invading the latter’s privacy. She finds his manuscript of their relationship and decides to read it without permission. The reader is already aware that Ben does not want her to read the book because he said so and hid it from her in previous chapters. But Fallon reads the book anyway, her first show of disrespect. The manuscript has been a symbol of potential success for Ben, but it becomes a symbol of truth as Fallon learns that he is responsible for the fire that scarred her. She also learns that Kyle knew what Ben did, explaining the looks he gave her seconds before hitting his brother. Kyle was clearly scared for his brother and scared of Fallon for what she might do when she learned the truth.

As Ben reacted rashly to Fallon choosing to return to their arrangement after their third meeting, Fallon reacts rashly to the manuscript. She leaves and refuses to take the rest of the manuscript with her so that she might understand why Ben did what he did. Fallon falls back on her habit of pushing people away when she is hurt and refuses to hear an explanation that might change everything. Each time Fallon and Ben come close to a happy ending, the former (understandably) runs away. This not only adds tension to the plot, but leaves the reader wondering if a happy ending is even possible.