Summary
The next day, A wakes up in Rhiannon’s body. A is shocked, marveling at each minute detail of the experience. Although A feels partly enthralled by this closeness, A is also painfully aware of how important it is to spend the day respectfully. A does not want to access too many of Rhiannon’s memories, read any of Rhiannon’s emails, or invade her privacy any more than is necessary. A also refrains from changing Rhiannon’s clothes or looking at her body.
Throughout the day, A tries to avoid Justin but is unsuccessful. At lunchtime, Justin asks A to go off-campus to eat, and A agrees. A’s opinion of Justin stays mostly the same, as Justin is self-absorbed and insensitive, barely paying any attention to A. At one point, however, Justin calls A “silver,” and A accesses Rhiannon’s memories to learn the origin of the nickname. Justin and Rhiannon had both been reading The Outsiders for school, and the novel was particularly moving for Justin. After reflecting on the statement “nothing gold can stay,” Justin declared that he and Rhiannon would have to be silver, then. That night, Justin called Rhiannon “Silver” when they said goodnight, and the name stuck. This memory causes A to see Justin in an uncharacteristically sympathetic light.
After school, A decides to go on a hike. Although A is technically inhabiting Rhiannon’s body, not spending time with her, A feels like the two of them are there together. Looking out at the view, A gets the same transcendent feeling that came with climbing the tree as a child. A internally implores Rhiannon to remember this moment, hoping that she’ll be able to feel it, too. At the end of the day, A writes a letter to Rhiannon, recounting the events of the day and assuring Rhiannon that A would never choose to invade her privacy. A then goes to bed feeling incredibly connected to Rhiannon and marveling at the experience of being this close to her.
The next morning, an email from Rhiannon waits for A. In it, Rhiannon tells A that she thinks she remembers everything and asks to meet in person to talk. A and Rhiannon meet at Clover Bookstore, the place where A first told Rhiannon the truth. A is inhabiting the body of a boy named Dylan, who is a stranger to Rhiannon. Regardless, Rhiannon is able to see past the unfamiliar exterior to recognize A right away.
Rhiannon explains that she remembers all the events of the previous day, from having lunch with Justin, to hiking the mountain, to dinner with her parents. Although A was inhabiting Rhiannon’s body, Rhiannon felt that they were spending the day together as individuals, in much the same way that A felt during the hike. Still curious about A’s relationship to gender, Rhiannon asks if A truly does not identify as a boy or a girl. A finds it interesting that this is the part Rhiannon seems the most hung up on. A reiterates that they have never identified as a specific gender. When Rhiannon asks what this means for A’s attractions, A explains that their attractions aren’t limited to one gender, either.
Rhiannon thanks A for being respectful for the duration of the day and explains that she feels like she now knows A better. As a result, Rhiannon seems more open to the idea of a relationship with A, regardless of the challenges. A continues to show deep affection for Rhiannon, and Rhiannon warms to the possibility of returning that affection. After an enjoyable visit, A and Rhiannon part ways, promising to see each other again soon.
The next day, A wakes up in the body of a girl named Vanessa. Unfortunately, Vanessa lives four hours away from Rhiannon, making a meeting impossible. A emails Rhiannon to let her know, and the two decide to try to meet up the next day. A then realizes that two days have passed since the last email exchange with Nathan. When A checks for new messages, several increasingly desperate emails from Nathan are waiting. Nathan demands more proof, lays the blame for his newfound insomnia on A, and calls A the devil yet again. A feels a tug of responsibility toward Nathan, even as Nathan's hostility grates on A's nerves. Hoping to assuage some of Nathan’s fears, A provides a fake name—Andrew—and offers up some vague explanations. A writes that on the night they inhabited Nathan's body, Nathan went to a party, danced with a girl, and had a great night. Nathan quickly responds, asking for more details, but A refuses to give out Rhiannon’s name. A then tells Nathan to move on, but Nathan stubbornly continues to hound A. In a final email, A again denies being Nathan’s enemy and ends the conversation.
Going about Vanessa’s day, A notices that Vanessa inspires fear in everyone around her, from her parents to her friends and teachers. A realizes that Vanessa is a genuinely mean person, jumping on every opportunity to make a cruel remark. When A holds back from this behavior during the day, Vanessa’s friends and teachers notice the change. To A’s surprise, Vanessa’s peers seem bored, not relieved. A reflects on how this response must make mean people even more inclined to behave poorly. With everyone finding Vanessa's cruelty entertaining, A thinks it unlikely that Vanessa will ever stop. A resolves to put a hold on Vanessa’s bad behavior for the day, even if the change cannot be a lasting one. At the end of the day, another email from Nathan waits, defying A’s attempt to cut off the conversation. Nathan insists that A cannot end correspondence before answering more questions. Internally, A reflects on the fact that it is impossible to truly answer all the questions one has about the world. The only way to survive, in A’s view, is to be able to let go.
The next day A wakes up in the body of a homeschooled boy named George. Accessing George’s memories, A learns that George’s parents are stern and unyielding. After a disagreement with George’s oldest sibling’s kindergarten teacher, George’s parents committed to homeschooling all of the children permanently. George lives only 45 minutes away from Rhiannon, but A is concerned about slipping away from George’s mother, who is in charge of the homeschooling. A quickly emails Rhiannon and informs her of the situation.
During George’s mother’s lesson, A comes up with a plan to get out of the house. The lesson is on the Civil War, and A decides to annoy and overwhelm George’s mother by relentlessly asking questions. After a while, A asks to go to the library to do some research. George’s mother agrees and offers to drive. At the library, A emails Rhiannon with an update. Rhiannon agrees to meet A and arrives shortly after. When Rhiannon approaches, A decides to play a prank, pretending to not recognize her. Rhiannon believes she has approached a stranger and apologizes. When A reveals the prank, Rhiannon is genuinely upset. A promises to never fool Rhiannon like this again.
A and Rhiannon leave the library and head to a Chinese restaurant. Over lunch, A and Rhiannon converse and enjoy each other's company. A uses chopsticks to make a heart for Rhiannon, claiming that it represents “only about one ninety-millionth” of how A feels for her. At the end of the meal, Rhiannon opens her fortune cookie and finds the fortune lacking. It reads “you have a nice smile,” which Rhiannon argues is not a real fortune. The waiter returns with more fortune cookies to choose from, and Rhiannon’s next fortune is more satisfactory. It reads “adventure is around the corner.” The fortune in A’s cookie happens to be the same one.
A and Rhiannon return to the library with 30 minutes to spare before George’s mom returns. When Rhiannon asks what she should read next, A points out The Book Thief, Destroy All Cars, and First Day on Earth. A explains that these books have served as consistent comforts in a life that is always changing. When A asks Rhiannon what her favorite books are, Rhiannon heads to the children’s section. A is worried that Rhiannon will pick out The Giving Tree, but Rhiannon grabs Harold and the Purple Crayon, instead. A and Rhiannon then bond over a mutual hatred of The Giving Tree, with Rhiannon characterizing its main character as “the biggest jerk in the history of all literature." A agrees and tells Rhiannon that “love means never having to lose your limbs" (222).
A and Rhiannon kiss, just as George’s mother walks into the library. When George’s mother sees this, she is livid. An intense exchange ensues, culminating in George’s mother dragging A out of the library by the ear. Back at home, George’s parents punish A with a long list of household chores, including cleaning all the toilets. George’s parents deliver a lecture on “the sins of the flesh,” a message that A finds ridiculous. A sees sin in the act of condemnation, rather than in the kiss itself (223). At the end of the day, A decides to leave George with an alternate account of events, hoping that it will stick. A conjures up images of meeting an unknown girl at the library, making a connection, and having an unexpectedly great day. A feels bad to leave George with this feeling of longing but hopes that it will propel George to eventually seek out a broader and more satisfying life than the one his parents endorse.
Analysis
Repetition is the primary stylistic device Levithan uses to describe A's experience occupying Rhiannon's body. At several points in the chapter, A breaks away from narrating the day's events to marvel at the situation:
This is how it feels to raise her arm.
This is how it feels to blink her eyes.
This is how it feels to turn her head. (189)
Levithan's use of anaphora—the repetition of a phrase at the beginning of several consecutive sentences—depicts A's disbelief and wonder at the experience of inhabiting Rhiannon's body. Each repetition of "this is how it feels" precedes a seemingly mundane action, but these actions are all enthralling to A, as they bring A closer to Rhiannon. Throughout the chapter, Levithan inserts several of these separate sections, enforcing the wonder A feels as a result of this unique and unexpected opportunity to see the world through Rhiannon's eyes.
During the day A spends in Rhiannon's body, A gains surprising insight into Rhiannon's relationship with Justin. When A accesses Rhiannon's memories to find the origin of the nickname Silver, the explanation casts Justin in an unexpectedly sympathetic light. The story is a surprisingly endearing moment for the typically unlikeable character, and it suggests that Justin has genuine feelings for Rhiannon, even if he is not the best at expressing them. Before this moment, A had little tolerance for Justin, judging him to be an unforgivably bad boyfriend. Because of this, A also could not understand why Rhiannon would stay in a relationship with him. With knowledge of this tender memory, however, A better understands the connection between Justin and Rhiannon, resulting in increased empathy toward both of them.
While spending time at the library, A and Rhiannon bond over their mutual distaste for Shel Silverstein's famous children's book, The Giving Tree. The book tells the story of a lifelong relationship between a generous tree and a relentlessly selfish boy. As the boy grows up, he asks for more and more from the tree, first taking the tree's apples to sell, next taking the tree's branches to build a house, and finally taking the tree's trunk to build a boat. By the end of the story, the tree has become nothing more than a stump. The tree's generosity remains intact until the bitter end, and when the boy–who has become a weary old man–mentions needing a place to rest, the tree happily offers itself up as a seat. Both A and Rhiannon reject the depiction of love Shel Silverstein puts forth in The Giving Tree, with A declaring that "love means never having to lose your limbs." This statement is interesting in the context of A and Rhiannon's relationship, however, because both are making huge sacrifices in order to be together. Although they may not be offering up limbs the way the tree offers up parts of itself, A and Rhiannon each give up important things as they attempt to make their relationship work. Rhiannon gives up consistency and security, as well as the ability to discuss her love life with her friends. A gives up the rules and regulations that previously protected the lives of the hosts, making moral concessions at an alarming rate. Although A and Rhiannon are happy and in love at this moment in the library, Levithan's reference to The Giving Tree hints at the underlying difficulties that will continue to challenge their relationship, foreshadowing the struggles to come.
At the close of the chapter, Levithan again explores the theme of religion, critiquing the narrow worldview of George's parents. A finds fault with George's parents' condemnation, recognizing their strictness as a "control mechanism." In A's view, George's parents "demonize" normal behavior, like kissing, in order to gain control over George's life (223). The use of the word "demonize" is particularly significant, as Nathan's primary accusation against A is that A is a demon. Just as Nathan demonizes A, George's parents demonize normal teenage behavior, illustrating yet again the misguided conclusions that can arise out of a worldview that is too narrow.
